| Author | Message | ||
     David Balfour New User Username: sidchrome Post Number: 7 Registered: 2-2009 |
There is an issue with the Hydramatic transmission in my Silver Cloud II SZD471. I need to source a new transmission pan gasket. Can anyone suggest a cost effective supplier within Australia or have a gasket they may wish to sell? | ||
| Richard Treacy Grand Master Username: richard_treacy Post Number: 2150 Registered: 4-2003 |
These gaskets are quite easily sourced, but are a darned nuisance to ship around the world for such trivial bits. Your transmission sump is cast alloy, and is very forgiving compared to the steel ones on the early R-Types and the Turbo 400s on Silver Shadows sealing wise. Those have standard GM patterns, whilst yours is a Crewe alloy special with its own gasket pattern. You have t6hree options: 1. Go through the pain of buying a genuine one from the UK. 2. Buy a sheet of quality gasket material and cut out a gasket using the sump as the pattern. That may take you 15 minutes. And, wait for it, the best solution is to come ! 3. Stick three layers of quality masking tape over the face of the alloy sump. Make sure that the tape ends meet with a clean butt and with no ridge. Clear out the bolt holes with a drill bit, then trim the edges with surgical scissors. Presto. The latter method is also ideal for engine sumps, such as on most or all Crewe and Derby cars ever built. I know of dozens of cars done this way, including several prewar RR and B cars by the way. It is a fantastic solution, especially as there is no worry about the gasket shifting or being distorted during fitment. It is also the most long-lasting solution. As implied, do not use the masking tape solution on steel sumps. Besides, for the steel sumps on THM400/3L80s of SY and SZ cars, the sump gasket and filter kit is sold off-the-rack in a plastic display pack at Supercheap for…. $6.95 !! RT. | ||
| David Balfour Experienced User Username: sidchrome Post Number: 42 Registered: 2-2009 |
Richard, I never did thank you for the aforementioned advice, so thank you. Unfortunately for me, there was a little more wrong with the transmission than first thought and a complete strip down was necessary. Consequently, a full rebuild kit was sourced which included a pan gasket. Even that wasn't enough as the previous shonky re-builder who was presumably located in Arizona where the car had lived for the previous 20 years, had fitted a check valve backwards, used Ford FMX clutchpacks, and had so badly misaligned the torus cover with the box that the one of the steel aligning pins was bent over and squashed. This misalignment spun the front bearing out of the box and damaged the shaft, gears etc etc. All good these days- well almost. Box is back with my transmission guy who is getting the front pump overhauled to get the clearance down to 1 thou. The box had only done 6 miles since overhaul and suffered slight slipping after 5 miles. He suspected band adjustment - thus my search for the front band tool, but he decided to do the pump as a matter of precaution as the couple of boxes done in the years since mine both needed pump clearance resolved, so now mine is also getting the treatment. | ||
| Nathan Dixon New User Username: dicko1009 Post Number: 2 Registered: 9-2016 |
The other option is all parts are available from the US at reasonable prices (exchange rate no good at moment) from FATSCO Automatic transmission, they have all parts for vintage hydromatic gearboxes inc RR/Bentley ones | ||
| David Balfour Experienced User Username: sidchrome Post Number: 43 Registered: 2-2009 |
Hi Nathan, Fatsco did supply nearly all the parts back in 2013, and were especially helpful in obtaining the shaft and gears, gaskets and clutchpacks. Subsequently another RROCA member, at my recommendation, sourced a replacement pump from Fatsco. It was installed but turned out to be too worn to generate sufficient pressure to prevent slipping- such is the risk using second hand parts when new ones are no longer available. That particular pump was overhauled locally and now works perfectly. I've just bought another gasket set from Fatsco, and it arrived here in Australia just 3 days from New Jersey, so you can't fault their committment to customer service. |
