As I was filling the transmission, I ran out of lube, so I topped off the last quart with ATF. Now the synchros work better. Oh, and now the tires smoke instead of the clutch.

On an unrelated note: It passed emissions testing today.

 

Umm.....

I'm confused. What were you pouring in the transmission in the first place?

 

EDITed for formatting.

 

I put in about two quarts of regular 90 wt gear lube. Then I put in about one quart of ATF.

 

So you got the clutch fixed?

~T.J.

 

Yup. I didn't want to bring it up cause you guys would be pissed. I just put in the reman clutch plate for fifty bucks. I did take the throw out bearing apart and greased it, and I did check all the seals. Everything is fine. The oil that was inside the bell housing was from when the oil cooler leaked. It must have leaked for years cause there is oil everywhere.

Yup, it burns (tire) rubber just like I would expect from a real sports car. The thing runs great. I do appreciate your advice on the subject.

By the way, this is my first real sportscar. Hondas are front-wheel- drive wannabee sportscars. I don't count the Explorer either even though it's really a Mazda.

 

Oil inside the bellhousing is usually the front tranny seal gone bad - causes clutch slipping too.

 

Hmmmm. Well, you may be right, but the old clutch was worn down almost to the rivets, the pressure plate was bottomed out, and there was oil all over the inside and out all the way back to the rear bumper. The old clutch didn't seem to have oil on it, but it could have burned off causing the fried chicken smell (according to my son). It will be a while before I can be sure. Meanwhile, it only cost me fifty bucks to get my car back.

 

I woulda put in a new front main seal anyways...

all the work to put in a new clutch kit, including the money, makes it worthwhile to put the new seal in for sure... nothing like finding out a few weeks, possibly a few days from now that it WAS the front seal, and now you have to pull the tranny again, replace the seal AND put in a new clutch kit, now that the kit you just put in is contaminated with tranny fluid

just my two bits though...

 

You gotta realize that my time working on the car is relaxing. I like to work on it, and I like to get away with doing it cheap. If I halve to take it apart again, fine. I won't mind. I have other transportation.

 

Some cars DO use ATF as manual tranny fluid... A good example is the older Volvos... My dad's uses Type F... Although it is 4 speed with automatic overdrive, so that may play into it, but the friction modifiers are supposed to be good for the synchros...

We should fill our entire cars with ATF... Radiator, WIndshield sprayer, etc... It's all good!

 

My old S10 used ATF in it's 5-speed manual tranny. I was like... draining the tranny to drop it so I could replace the clutch, and I'm going.... why is the fluid red? Wait... that's ATF! Then I read in my haynes manual, it says 4quarts of ATF... I'm like, that can't be right, so I looked in the Chilton.... "4 quarts of ATF"....

Automatic tranny fluid in a manual....

oh well....

 

My explorer? ATF in the (Mazda) manual . That's how I knew it was okay.

Thanks for finally getting around to the reason for the post, Pele.