Dana 18 transfer case leak help needed

I'm not sure if this is highjacking the thread, but forgive me if it is. I cannot get my D18 to stop leaking around, through the speedometer cable connection. Anyone have any suggestions.

 

Mine leaks there too. Been thinking about putting a rubber o-ring in there (I'm not on board with using RTV). Part of the problem is turning it by hand. I don't have super strenth fingers so now that it's on there I really don't want to take it off.

Has anyone else used the o-ring trick?

 

I have been using High Tack gasket sealer on all of my threaded bolts that go into any thing with oil in it. Works great, not one leak yet, and easy to work with. Just a bit messy if you're not careful, but cleans up with rubbing alcohol.

 

Later model 20's and 300's used the o-ring trick and they still leak. Better off using RTV on the splines.
Just curious, why don't you want to use RTV?

 

No splines on the speedo coupling.. What I did was to cut a piece of old inner-tube and make a flat washer with a small hole in the middle for the speedo core. That is for the cable coupling to the driven gear adapter. For the adapter itself I put a new "O" ring between adapter and T-Case.

 

DOH! I was thinking about another thread when I posted this. Sorry guys.

 

Yeah nickmill, after I read your post, I had to go back and re-read to make sure which post I was in..

 

If you can find a speedo driven gear housing from a later 20 transfer case some of them had a seal inside that sealed against the driven gear shaft. That might help. An o-ring as mentioned would probably help too.

 

Yeah, what Walt said. No problem Nick but I was trying to figure out what splines you were talking about.

I'm sure I'll eventually get that thing off of there and try the o-ring thing.

 

Also the nut on the speedo cable has to be tight. It (cable) will wiggle around as the core turns and wallow the flat surface on the cable and you will have no chance of sealing it then.