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variator drive seals ST-4 replacement

Cidertom

Cidertom

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US Air Force Veteran
Greetings:
After a couple of summer runs, I find a pool (puddle, not just wetness) of transmission fluid under cat. (More than my saws needed. and it's increased since that post) Pulled engine to get a good look. RH output seal is leaking badly. Pulling transmission this weekend. Looked back through "it's a surprise" and other posts. but didn't get some questions answered.


?1 doing both sides. Anything else I should really look at, measure, adjust while the variator is out? I'm not planning on cracking open the transmission or breaking the variator towers loose unless I realllllly need to.



?2 Looking at setup drawing , just pulling drive gears, caps, seals and reinstalling should not require re-setting the gear mesh from the looks of it. Any input?


?3 No starter issues. But... is it worth doing a tear-down, inspect, replace while it's out? Or let sleeping dogs lie? I'm torn between a new one with infantile failure and when is this old sucker going to give out. I didn't move the hand crank nut to the new engine...


Any other advice from those that have ventured this trail before me?


CT
 
I think you are on the right track. Nothing special required to change out the seals. Ironically I thought I would have to do mine a few years ago. But with some long run times those seals must have softened up, as I am leaking a lot less than it did when I bought mine.. for what ever reason. If I have to get in there I will change to a larger 15 tooth drive gear..

The starter, now is the time to replace, repair, or just clean and reinstall.

The time is now. Winter is coming once again!

Regards, Kirk
 
I can’t help with the seals but I do remember mine leaking from the there a bit too. I just kept the trans topped up.
If your original starter is working fine, I would leave it in. I’ve found that the new rebuilt starters can be crappy. My Buses all have original 45+year old starters in them now and never have any problems with them. Only issues I’ve had are ground connections like the trans strap or negative battery terminal needs cleaning every once in a while. But I did replace my starter in the snow trac with a newer one that didn’t need the starter shaft supported. It worked just fine. Nothing wrong with the old starter except the starter gear and flywheel teeth didn’t match up. (12 volt starter with a 6 volt flywheel).
You should have it all fixed up for the first snowfall. :wink:
 
Got transmission out. Seals were hard and had cracks. Back to Applied on Monday for new seals.

My original idea was the same as Surfers, just top it off. But, this wasn't a seep, it was leaking out as fast as I could pour it in. Bearings looked in good shape and splines were nice.:smile:

I think the seal between the housing and the transmission is seeping a little, but it was a minor wetness. It will stay until the next rebuild unless it fails.

Using the engine, tranny out as some room to work at cleaning up other issues.
 
neighbors was out for rebuild and seals so we took it to a vw show.
DSC00783.jpg
 
Going down hill. The place where the tube met the transmission that was only wet, is now leaking. I guess the movement disturbed it just enough. New gaskets on order now.

Should have known just to do it, because it needed to be done correctly.
 
I think we drilled a hole for a vent on those uprights and plugged the one on the shifter.
 
Today found: According to the manual for the 1978 year, it should have been splined shafts into the transmission. I found paddle shafts instead. But the variator shafts and bearings were the later style appropriate for 1978.

Broke 2 studs putting it back together. Got pieces out OK, so new studs tomorrow (I hope ). Either the diagram I have is wrong or these were weak. It says torque to 4 KPM which converts to just shy of 29 ft pounds.

ct
 
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