Transmission, Manual

Transaxle Rebuild Tips

> Has any body rebuilt an older 5 speed transaxle? ie; replaced syncros,
> bearings etc.?? If so I would appreciate any tips... I bought a 275 LSD
> that needs syncros and want to rebuild it myself. The manuals talk like it
> is easy????However, I suspect it isn't .. If there is any experience out
> there?.... I would appreciate the help?

Ken, I just removed the transaxel from my '83 Euro S about a month ago and the box is currently
sitting on my mechanic's bench awaiting parts. The PO of my car had raced it frequently and
the syncros in 2nd and 3rd gear were particularly bad. I tried Redline 75W90 which provided
some improvement, but not enough. The transaxel is easy enough to remove by following the
repair manual sequence. It helps to really get the rear end of the car up in the air. I raised the
front of the car about 4 inches with 2x12 planks
and then put jackstands under the rear. The box itself is fairly easy to disassemble down to a
certain point. The diff comes out easily (make sure you pay attention to the shims on the axel
bearing carriers) and so does all the shift gear. Where things get tough is removing the pinion
shaft which requires the use of special tools. I took mine to a factory mechanic who did the rest
of the teardown and inspection. He recommended new synchro packages (synchro ring, shift
bands, thrust blocks, stops, etc) for all gears, plus new shift sleeves for 1st/reverse and 2nd/3rd.
The diff itself and all the gears are in great shape, which is testimony to the robust
construction of these units. I am still tracking down parts supplys and will let you know what I
find. The estimated labor bill for the shop work (teardown and complete re-assembly) was only
about CDN $450. The big cost is in the parts (current estimate CDN $1800). Good luck.


Dean Cockshutt
1983 EuroS (complete renovation underway)