TR2/3/3A drilling out shifting tower for a dip stick

[sp53]

Has anyone drilled out the shifting tower for a dip stick? Perhaps it might be best to take it in to a machinist. I do have a drill press.

 

[CJD]

I would think it would be easy with a decent drill press. It is just a straight, vertical hole, slightly larger than the dip-stick.

 

[sp53]

I guess my concerns are cutting the cast aluminum and having a quality finish on the edge. I was once told to stop worrying about the mule going blind and load the wagon. For me, one time things like this are difference between framing some house with wood or pouring 50 yards of concrete. One is easily fixable the other not. I guess I have an old shifting tower somewhere to practice on and it was probably drilled and not cast in first place by an Englishman after WW2. Somehow, I should be able to apply Randall’s story about George Washington’s axe.

 

[TomMull]

I wonder what you'd gain. It's pretty easy to check by the removing the filler plug at engine oil change intervals and if you don't have a puddle under the transmission after it's been parked, there would be no reason to check the level more often.
Tom

 

[CJD]

Just something cool about being able to reach over and check your tranny oil with your best suit on!

 

[groupdeville]

Or...if you have a TR2 or TR3 gearbox, you could simply purchase a transmission cover with the hole already drilled in it, and transfer over any shifter mechanism parts you need to in order to maintain a smooth-working mechanism. Having the dipstick hole in the top of the cover makes refilling the gearbox very easy when changing the lubricant. Using a small funnel and one of today's squeeze-bottle oil containers, it's much easier than using the later-style side plug for filling.

 

[TFB]

Im not sure of the details but I had my tr3b trans with first gear syncro built with an earlier dipstick top.
I like It.I can access the drain plug easy and fill from the top.As mentioned the drain plug is easily reachable without jacks but filling at the side plug not so easy.
Tom

 

[sail]

I had my cover drilled by a machinist and I put a plug in the tunnel for it. I Got the dip stick off eBay, doesn't get used much but nice to have for a quick check. In the process I learned shops that aren't interested in doing piece work and thankfully found one who was and they also put HeliCoils in the trailing arms.

 

[titanic]

Steve-Not only do you have to drill the top cover, but also make a dip stick. Not a difficult job, if you have the equipment. A simpler plan B might be to just drill a hole in the tunnel cover in line with the fill plug. This gives the same advantage as the dip stick, being able to check&add oil without crawling under the car. Make the hole to fit a plug like the one used in the floor for the jack. I made this mod to my TR6 and found it very useful.
Berry

 

[sp53]

I got a hole drilled in the top cover without any problems. There is an existing hole that is about ½ that almost goes through on the inside, but there is a lot of metal left on the sides. I drilled ¾ hole, roughly-from the inside out using the ½ hole for guide. The drill press was my father-in laws and he had a bunch of old bits that where pretty old; I could not see any markings on it. I just picked through until I found one that fit nice into top cover that had an original dip stick hole. I used the old drill bit after sharpening it with a little stone dermal bit because the bit had a bunch of dings in it plus I was too cheap to buy one; unless I really had to. Anyways, it cut right through; the stuff is soft.
steve

 

[CJD]

One more step closer!