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Hoping to get some insights on the seals that, according to the manual, can be replaced without dropping the tranmission. I've dropped my oil pan and pulled of the rear housing. It was profoundly filthy but ended up cleaning. The bushing inside the the housing was badly scored, so that will get replaced, and the new seal and gasket will go on.

To the control valve and throttle valve shaft seals, two questions:

- is removal of the control valve shaft a matter of removing the two set screws with nuts on them, or is it something else? Looks like there are several things on that shaft, so naturally just worried about it all falling out.

- the throttle valve seems simpler, but I'm curious if the way it's setup right now is actually correct.

- while the pan is down, in addition to clean the screen, are there any other checks/maintenance items I should look at.

Thanks in advance.

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Check if you can even remove the selector shaft with the trans in the car: is the frame in the way? It is on the V8 cars but I don't remember on the earlier ones.

Yes the parts will have to be loosened but no big deal. Take some pictures and just throw it back together as it was. Probably obvious to say that you should bottom the set screw, then set the jam nut.

Side note, I was talking to a guy at Hershey today who had his transmission serviced by some random shop. The idiot mechanic tried to remove the set screw without first loosening the jam nut and actually broke the driven end of the set screw. Then when he reinstalled the set screw, somehow also stripped the bore. Not sure how that happened when it was already too broken to drive with a screwdriver, but oh well. In my opinion about 10 seconds of careful observation and an average dose of common sense would tell someone how to RNR a darned setscrew properly...

The throttle valve looks OK but the book tells you how to set it if you would like to check.

What did you do to get that part so clean?

Thanks, HPH! Been following your replies on similar threads on this topic on here, too. So, the manual lists this seal under "Oil leaks. (Leaks that do not require the removal of the transmission to correct.)" There is indeed a little access hole in the frame that grants easy access to the neutral safety switch. The lever is right next to the switch, so I assume it'll also use that access hole. The manual just describes the removal as "The control valve cross shaft and lever may be removed by removing the lock bolt on the inner lever and slipping the shaft from the case." I unscrewed that first screw on the left last night, but the shaft didn't move (all still seemed clamped together). Might just need some gentle persuasion?

Sounds good on the throttle valve. Just looked sort of goofy to me, like the lever is wedged between the throttle valve plunger and the stop. There don't appear to be any pictures of this in the manual, just thought it looked odd.

Cleaning for me on these cast parts is brake clean, flathead screw driver to scrape of the really heavy stuff, wire brush and mix of different brass wire wheels on a corded drill (occasionally switch to a Dremel for tight spaces). I use 0000 steel wool on smooth/finished surfaces. This one turned pretty well! I'm going to see if I can replace the breather with something modern. Screw appears to be 7/16-20, and not NPT (which is annoying, because all of the breathers on McMaster, for example, use an NPT thread).

I too have been on this seal replacement adventure!

On my 53 Cavalier I can not remove the selector control shaft without removing the transmission. But I got brave one day and decided I could get the seal out anyway, which I did and got a new seal in, but there is a bit of damage on the shaft so the leak is about the same.

I replaced seals on the low and reverse band adjusters as they were weeping a bit. This is an easy fix.

I replaced the tail shaft seal when I had the propeller shaft off to rebuild the ball and trunnion universal, easy to replace this seal.

The little seal on the throttle valve shaft was not too hard to remove and replace without removing the shaft.

But I've decided to pull the transmission when I park the car for the winter. Then over the winter I'm going to clean and check everything, and put a rebuild kit in it. This will give me a good opportunity to take care of those pesky leaks along with making sure my transmission is in tip top shape. Rebuilding the transmission will be a new adventure for me! My car has provided me with many adventures, but I love working on it as much as driving it!