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Finally got to drive my Healey today!

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I used 20W-50 for years before switching to Redline MT90. The trans has been rebuilt once and the O/D has 175K miles without a rebuild and works perfectly. Pretty much any oil will work except extreme pressure gear oil which allegedly will chemically attack brass components (though it's recommended for other gearboxes with Laycock deNormanville O/Ds--go figure). Supposedly, the ND oil allows crud to settle, but when I change the oil all I get out is clean oil with a tiny bit of extremely finely ground brass suspended in the oil. This brass 'shake' is so fine you can't feel it when you rub it between your fingers--no way it would plug any passages (keeping in mind many greases are oil thickened with finely ground soft metal, like lithium or molybdenum). When we rebuilt the gearbox the insides were spotless.

The total capacity of the trans and O/D is a bit less than 4qts IIRC. If no one else chimes in I'll dredge my owner's manual out and check for you, but I believe that's correct. Add 3qts then a little at a time checking the dipstick. Run the car a couple miles, exercise the O/D and check again.
 
I believe non-detergent oil is recommended because it doesn't collect the tiny particles that can interfere then with the overdrive. With non detergent they are attracted to the magnetic drain plug. The concern is with the overdrive not the gearbox itself.

Driving 3,000 miles a year, I really don't think it matters what oil you use in the gearbox (within reason)
 
My journal is going to get a lot of ink, not to mention writer's cramp.

Any more thoughts out there...Bring it on (but first, I'm going to the pool!).

Thanks again all!

Paul
 
My journal is going to get a lot of ink, not to mention writer's cramp.

Any more thoughts out there...Bring it on (but first, I'm going to the pool!).

Thanks again all!

Paul
 
Hey Paul,
Per the BMC workshop manual, capacity with overdrive is 7.5 US pints and 3.6 litres or about 3.75 QTS. You'll have a bit of overflow if you try to put 8.25 quarts in the old girl ! Engine oil sump is 15.3 US pints or 7.25 litres.
Regards,
Mike
 
Mike, I just checked the BMC manual I have (funny, no copyright date I could find so I'll use the ISBN# shown as 0 948207 47 7. Anyway, yes, those figures do show as you indicate so I will be sure to use the right amount before I take her on the boulevard.

Thanks for the important spec's.

Paul
 
Hi again everyone!

Milestone #1 - Driving the Healey up and down the driveway. Done.

Milestone #2 - With new emergency brake cable installed and seatbelt added (among other things done), I got to drive my Healey around the block today for the first time. Nice initial feeling and it was fun, but ended up a stressful ride. She stalled out on me three times. Then in trying to push her to the curb in neutral, I sense one brake (Driver rear) was locked up and finally, the battery died the third time in trying to restart so I had to take my battery back to the garage and charge it up. The car did make it back, finally.

My main concern at this moment is with respect to her stalling out. I made notes to the car's specific behavior as follows:

1. Before stalling out the first time, she made it to the end of the block and then to the next corner before losing power and coasting to a stop;

2. After waiting several minutes again, I was able to get it started and go for a distance around the third corner (I do remember hearing the car misfiring once just before stalling out);

3. Last wait was the same. And after recharging the battery, I was only a few houses away from home. The car made it into the garage and I let it idle for a bit and then it gave one more misfire before stalling out.

Before buying this car back in October, it also stalled out several times on the road.

Since that time, I made repairs including, but not limited to rebuilding both *carbs, installed new plugs and wires, replacing all required lubricants, rebuilding all brakes. During all idling periods in the garage, no problem with stalling or misfiring and even driving up and down the driveway was there ever any sense of problems.

I do remember reading here at one time about the fuel pump or gas being suffocated. I do have a spare fuel pump I could try swapping and of course, I should finish the rest of tuning up the car (change condenser, rotor, points and cap).

Any other thoughts or from those who had the same results??

* I realize I need to tune up the carbs, even though they have been rebuilt. Perhaps I should clean up some loose ends before posting my issues here, but any advice that is obvious is appreciated.

I have to say, she did look pretty sitting at the curb.
 
Check the Dizzy: Condeser,points and rotor also look at the Coil. Maybe it is just a yard bird-Keoke--- :laugh:
 
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