Don't Try This At Home!

[Joe M.]

I have been removing the side covers from the 1960 PG tranny with the tranny in the car, installing new gaskets and a very thin bead of silicone sealant. No problems so far. The last cover was the Servo cover plate. There are two strong springs behind the cover plate, the spring near the top of the plate pushed so hard against the floor pan, I had to drop the tranny about an inch to release the spring and remove the plate with difficulty. BIG MISTAKE at that point, but I did not know it then.

Due to the floor pan restriction, I can not install the cover plate because the top spring is at an angle and will not seat properly.

Lesson learned, DO NOT remove this cover while the tranny is in the car. Now I have hire a truck to transport car to shop so that the PG can be removed and the cover plate can be re-installed (will take 5 seconds). I do not have the expertise to remove the PG in my garage. This going to be an expensive gasket change!

If there is a trick to doing this while PG is in the car, please let me know. Car not going to shop until next week.

[Terry D.]

Re: Don't Try This At Home!

Joe
Why can't you jack the car up on jack stands and remove the PG. Not that big of a job. You seem like a do it yourself kind of guy. If you don't have jack stands use 10 by10 blocks of wood. If there is a boat marina anywhere near you they will have the blocks for storing boats. A floor jack and another pair of hands is all you will need to complete the job.
Just my two cents
Terry

[Joe M.]

Re: Don't Try This At Home!

Terry, the DIY attitude is what got me into trouble on this. My DIY attitude usually yields positive results, but not always. The tranny drop is where I have drawn the line, but I have plenty of access as my car is on a Kwik Lift (26 inches from floor to bottom of PG).

My neighbor is dropping by this afternoon and I am going to try the team approach to re-install the servo cover. It is easy to compress the valve spring/sleeve by myself so I will compress the spring/sleeve and he can slide the servo cover into place over the spring/sleeve and start a few bolts. In my head it should work; real world, we shall see. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

[Dan P.]

Re: Don't Try This At Home!

The covers and the trans case are both machined surfacesand need no sealer . When you tighten the covers down you squeeze the slicone out . Wich leaves a small bead arround the edges. These small beads can break off and work there way all in the trans . Blocking all kinds of holes causing valves to stick . It would be best to take the covers back off and clean all the silicone off and put the gaskets back on dry . Look at the oil pump mounting no gasket . Beacuse two machined surfaces.If these little beads get loose big big problems.

[Joe M.]

Re: Don't Try This At Home!

I understand the risk I took; all for the sake of stopping or minimizing seepage and leaks. I laid a 1/8" bead of silicone on the outside edge of each cover plate and avoided the narrow oil passages on the servo cover. I finger tightened each bolt, let it set for one hour and then tightened each bolt again. The sealant did not squeeze out on any cover plate more than 1/32" and in most cases, no squeeze out. I also used pipe dope on all bolts.

I am waiting a minimum of 24 hours on the last cover plate before adding ATF. I have no idea whether it will shift properly when filled with ATF. Sometimes taking a risk has a positive result, other times negative result.