Oil Seals for Renault Transaxle Gearbox

[James Court]

Gentlemen, I am reliably informed that most of you are very knowledgeable about the said transaxle and its problems, especially the oil leaks. What is the difinitive solution and where can I obtain the necessary seals?
I actually have a Noble P-4---the first one to be put on the road, privately built---the one with the 747 wing on the back. Some of you will have seen it at Castle Coombe a few years back before the Big C grabbed a hold of me. Dialysis every second night and the latest Chemotheraphy are doing their stuff to keep me going. It's VERY expensive, so please keep paying your taxes so that the great NHS doesn't collapse ! J.C.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Welcome to GT40s.com James

Where is the UN1 leaking oil from?

I would presume down the drive shaft adaptors and then out through the roll pin hole.

2 things to look at.
1) On your adaptor the center splined hole should be sealed before the CV joint - if not the oil will contaminate the CV grease.
2) Once the adaptor is fitted fill the roll pin hole with silicone sealer and then fit the roll pin with the curved end towards the transmission. (I have also tape wrapped over the end of the holes as an added barrier but this is not normally necessary.

Seals can still be purchased from a Renault main dealer - make sure they are fitted square to the shafts. Other parts the best sourse id Chris Cole

Ian

 

[Mike Pass]

Hi James,
I got my drive shaft seals from Chris Cole ( Tel:01952 416051). He also supplies an O ring for belt and braces sealing. Hope you are winning with your illness.
Cheers
Mike

 

[James Court]

Many thanks, Ian and Mike for your quick replies. the leak is where the driveshafts join the transmission. I have replaced the O-rings twice since putting the unit in the P-4 in '88. but they seem to last for about 1000 miles only. Since then I have resorted to constantly topping with as thick a gearbox oil as I can find----then mopping up oodles of the stuff from the garage floor !! At least it means that there is always fresh oil in there.
Thanks Mike for your good wishes on the medical front; after my next session of chemo starting on Wednesday, I shall have another CT scan in early February to see what is happening inside. Here's hoping. J.C.

 

[Stephane Goria]

Leak is a common problem.

Most of the time, and according to your words that when you change your seals, you do not have leaks for some miles, I would say your driveshaft adaptors have some surface troubles.

The solution is simple and very efficient : machine down the outside diameter of 1.5 mm, then make a stainless sleeve of 1.55 - 1.60 mm and heat shrink it on the adaptor.

Then place new OEM seals, you have a lot of reproductions but they are not as good as the original renault ones. Also most of the repros are in fact seals for the UN5 wich are slightky different, so here no compromise : renault OEM.

And then problem will be gone.

Greetings

Stephane

 

[(C)arlos]

Stephan,

what about micro polishing the adapters ....? Would that help?

Cheers
(C)arlos

 

[Stephane Goria]

Carlos,

I suspect the CV to be marked where the lips of the seal stand.

For example, old mechanicals from Renault, those who have met the UN1 (and know what a gearbox is without having to look at a computer..), when changing seals, displaced them 1 mm forward to avoid the lips to stand at the same pevious place. These seals are known to eat a bit the steel so after a while or if the CV joint material is too soft, it then get marked. The stainless sleeve would correct this and brings to the CV a material with an high coefficient of resistance to friction.

Anyway your idea is great and should be a move to do when CV jonts are new if there is enough material to accept the microplishing .

will think about it when gettnig my new CV joints.

Hapy new year.

Stephane

 

[(C)arlos]

happy new year to you to ....

I agree...it is worth to try .....will do on the GTD when I start the build
cheers
(C)arlos

 

[James Court]

As anticipated, a veritable fund of information and help for me, a mere outcast with only a P-4( the one with the 747 wing on the back). Thank you very much indeed.
But how did the Stars&Stripes fetch up against my name? Granted, my origins are from there, and I have flown with, and for them, many times, but, despite a very strange accent, I am a genUine, BedUine, "Cockney",
(For those who don't know what that is, it's one who has been born within sound of Bow bells in London.i,e,. a true Londoner. J.C.

 

[Scott Calabro]

The solution is simple and very efficient : machine down the outside diameter of 1.5 mm, then make a stainless sleeve of 1.55 - 1.60 mm and heat shrink it on the adaptor.

I use these at the hangar...


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