Gearbox cluster shaft locking bolt leak

[Osiris610]

The transmission of my 1948 TC was leaking at the cluster shaft lock bolt (Moss 440-080), and some P.O. slathered something like epoxy or JB Weld over the bolt head to check the leak!

It still is leaking a good deal, and I’ve chipped off all of the epoxy covering to clean the bolt head.

The transmission is closed and attached to the engine, and both are mounted on the chassis.

My question is this: can I safely remove the cluster shaft lock bolt from below without disturbing the rest of the transmission setup?

I’m new to TC transmissions, although I have worked a good deal on my MGB and MGA.

Thanks in advance for your comments! Mike Whalen

[dana3]

There is no particular pressure on that shaft fore and aft when the car is just sitting there. No springs are pushing on it, for example. And the shaft is a fairly tight fit anyway (I recall having to lightly tap it with a hammer to get it into place). So I can't imagine taking out the locking bolt would cause anything to jump inside the box.

[Tom Lange, MGT Repair]

There is no stress on the bolt, so it can be safely be removed. It is a long bolt, so I would wrap the threads with teflon tape to stanch the drip

[Osiris610]

Thanks, everybody! That is just what I needed to know.

Mike Whalen