Fixing 5 speed shifter leakage

[loneshepherd]

Hi guys,

So I noticed after getting my truck back from the shop (that botched my clutch job) that I have a new leak. I got under the car and both sides of the trans and t-case are wet. It feels like heavy gear oil and looked like it's coming from the top of the transmission. A quick forum search said to check the shifters. So I pulled the trans shifter and it looked alright, the bolts weren't tight at all. I pulled the t-case shifter and found they didn't even bother putting the spring in correctly and smashed it between the mating surface of the shifter and the t-case.

The two paper gaskets were ruined (and old), the metal gasket thingy is deformed by spring, and there is an imprint from the spring on the t-case shifter base, which I hope won't affect anything.

I'm not rolling in the dough so the question is - can I just carefully put a small bead line of FPIG on both sides of the metal gasket and call it a day?

In the event that I should buy new paper and metal gaskets ( I think its one on each side of the metal one?? ) I can't seem to find the part numbers for them. Its a 98 4runner 5speed 4x4.

I haven't ever done trans or t-case stuff on these cars, or any car for that matter, so as usual forgive the ignorance and thanks for reading / helping.

Photos:

How it looked directly after removing the shifter.

Shifter mating surface showing where the spring leg was smashed

Imprint onto the metal gasket thingy

Matching the spring up with the damage, looks like it was just thrown in or installed backwards

Imprint onto the shifter base

 

[2TH4IST]

Gear oil silicon or the equivalent fipg will be fine. Clean surfaces well, lay a small bead and tighten down with everything installed correctly.

That sucks that the shop messed that up.

 

[loneshepherd]

Ok. Just got some ultra black permatex from amazon.

The shop messed everything up so bad to the point where they didn't argue when I asked for my $1k back (I provided all the parts for a clutch replacement, literally everything and then some). This is just one more thing I am discovering in the aftermath.

Is there any easy way to check the oil level in this trans? its been leaking for a bit now and I don't want to accidentally drive it low. It is my daily afterall.

 

[pluton]

Check the trans oil level by unscrewing the filler bolt. It could be either 24mm normal or 10(?)mm Allen head. Stick finger straight in. Move finger slightly down. You should touch oil right at the bottom edge of the filler hole. That's the official recommended level-bottom of the filler hole. Many folks, when filling, try to quickly pump in "a little extra" but it's not necessary.
Either FIPG or the original gasket(s) plus FIPG makes sense to me. At least you got the $$$ back. It's kinda funny that they didn't fight you on the refund....maybe you found an honest...but somewhat incompetent....shop!

 

[Zhehan]

I had the same leak. FIPG fixed it.

 

[NachesPass4x4]

I just did this on my 2000. I cut my own gaskets out of felpro 3157 gasket material and smeared on some permatex aviation form a gasket. I don't normally use the form a gasket on the shifters but I did this time.

Ive been using the felpro gasket material on Toyota shifter for years.
The permatex aviation has always worked well on the paper gaskets when assembling tcases.

 

[loneshepherd]

Check the trans oil level by unscrewing the filler bolt. It could be either 24mm normal or 10(?)mm Allen head. Stick finger straight in. Move finger slightly down. You should touch oil right at the bottom edge of the filler hole. That's the official recommended level-bottom of the filler hole. Many folks, when filling, try to quickly pump in "a little extra" but it's not necessary.
Either FIPG or the original gasket(s) plus FIPG makes sense to me. At least you got the $$$ back. It's kinda funny that they didn't fight you on the refund....maybe you found an honest...but somewhat incompetent....shop!

I don't have a pump, would it be viable to take off the filler bolt and slowly add it from the top with the shifter off until it comes out of the filler hole?

 

[phattyduck]

I don't have a pump, would it be viable to take off the filler bolt and slowly add it from the top with the shifter off until it comes out of the filler hole?

All you need is one of those little hand pumpers that screws into the top of a gear oil bottle, available at any parts store. You'll use it all over once you have it (trans, t-case, diffs, etc.).

Like this:
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...suv-1994-toyota-4runner?q=gear+oil+pump&pos=0

It doesn't have to be anything special. If you did it all day long, then you might want a 'real' pump, but an extra 5-10 minutes to hand pump every 30k miles isn't a big deal.

-Charlie

 

[NachesPass4x4]

I don't have a pump, would it be viable to take off the filler bolt and slowly add it from the top with the shifter off until it comes out of the filler hole?

That's how I do it. Beats sitting under the rig pumping away.

 

[loneshepherd]

Lol sorry to keep reviving my thread without any fun updates. The mt-90 that I ordered ages ago barely arrived, and I thought it was the gallon, but it was just a quart. So I'm still waiting on two more quarts to arrive.

While I wait though, should I get mt-90 for the t-case as well? or what do ya'll recommend running in that? and how much oil is it going to take for that?

That stuff sure is a lil pricey .

 

[phattyduck]

Just go with any old 75w90 or 80w90. The T-case isn't fussy. Just change it often enough...

-Charlie

 

[NachesPass4x4]

As far as Redline goes, Redline recommends the 75w90 GL5 for the cases.