Gearbox problem- Molyslip rubber tubing in gearbox

[JackE]

Hi, I have done something really stupid arrrrrrrrrr.

I was just changing my gearbox oil and thought that I would add some Molyslip. All was going well apart from the black rubber tubing pictured below fell into the gearbox. I have tried to fish around and dig it out but cannot find it.



Currently, the gearbox is drained and just has the Molyslip and rubber tubing in. Any advice would be great.

I guess options are:
1. re-fill the gearbox oil and hope it floats to the top and I can fish it out.
2. re-fill gearbox oil drain and hope it comes out- think this would be unlikely.
3. re-fill leave for a few miles (currently not on the road so would be a while) then change oil
4. some big expensive gearbox rebuild
5. something with compressed air
6. ignore and hope for the best

As ever any help would be gratefully received.

My confidence to change the exhaust has decreased significantly.

Seems that I am not the only person to have done this before:
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=512484
https://www.350z-uk.com/topic/115854-help-with-gearbox/

[Mr Bean]

Hmm tricky one that! Try not to do anything too drastic without taking advice from someone of Aidan's caliber although in all (Aidan's) conscience...

Bearing this in mind and not wishing to influence your decision either way:

I am assuming that the filler hole is in the side of the gearbox and also sets the desired oil level.

So if I picture it correctly, ( I have a five speed box so I would be guessing) you are presented with the hole in the side where it went in and a hole in bottom where the oil is drained from. It would be interesting to know whether the tube floats or sinks in gear oil. Probably sinking would be best.

I guess you might try getting as much oil/Molyslip out as you can then suck at the drain hole in the bottom with a decent vacuum cleaner (probably not one of those wimpy battery jobs) with the intention of the miscreant tube getting sucked towards/out of the drain plug hole.

At slightly more risk (of blowing seals etc), you could introduce low pressure compressed air into the filler/level hole with the same objective.

But then if you still have the oil you drained out it will have settled by now and possibly with a bit of filtering you could heat it up (to make it runny) and rig up a system of funnel and catchment whereby you can run it through the gearbox a few times. Having more density than air it would be more likely to carry the plastic tube out of the drain hole albeit with a slight risk of moving it into a less desirable place.

Of course in these situations there is a chance is that if left in there it might cause no harm. Like I said - tricky one.

[Mocki]

I think I would work on the theory that it’s much softer than the gears .
Prob not the correct answer, but 500 miles later it’ll come out in the oil I recon

[tobydog]

True it's softer than the gears and will get mashed. Might cause harm to bearings causing them to skid...

I'd run it for a few hundred miles and change the oil a couple of times.

[JackE]

Hi All thanks for your comments and help.

The filler hole is at the side and the gearbox is full when the oil is up to the filler hole.

I think the approach I am going to take is to try and get it out either by flushing it with oil or sucking with a vacuum, I have brought a camera https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193403946003 as it was fairly cheap and might be useful for other things to try and locate where the tubing is.

I did email holts and they said,
"Sorry to hear about your experience with our product. We recommend you get the rubber tube removed before driving, as it can cause unnecessary wear to the gearbox, or cause the parts in the gearbox to cease. We recommend you visit a reputable garage to get this done."

Thanks again

[johnxl]

Can't help you but I followed your link to the camera and the second picture in the listing made me cringe, guy working with his head under the sill and the car on a small scissor jack. (shame there isn't a squashed hear emoji)

Stay safe
John

[Aidan]

I wouldn't worry about it too much, it's lying in the bottom the case under 4th or 5th gear but is too small to get picked up by them, so it will make it's way towards the diff, maybe get picked up by 1st (4speed) or 2nd gear(5 speed) and chopped into chunks and float about getting gradually chopped finer and finer, but most of it will end up at the diff end and be flung against the bellhousing so it won't get reduced to particles small enough to go through the bearings, as m0cki says give it a few hundred miles and do an oil change it. It only amounts to just over 1cm3 of rubber in 4litres of oil
If you want to try flushing it then jack the offside of the van up by 10 degrees with the nose slightly higher than the back and try putting a litre of oil in, leave it an hour, get it level side to side but a little nose high and drain the oil and you may find it at the drain plug hole, you an use a coat hanger to have a feel for it on the bottom of the diff housing but if it isn't there then chances it is under the low gear on the other side of the pinion bearing waiting to be chopped up

it won't float in oil

[JackE]

Thanks again everyone all the comments really helpful. I will let you know how I get on.

[JackE]

I had a go at filling it and draining and having a look with an old coat hanger but didn't find anything. I plan on running it for about 100 miles then changing the oil again. Will let you know if I find anything.

Thanks again for your help.

[JackE]

So after running the van for about 100 miles I changed the oil again and flushed it out with about 1 litre. It did look like there were bits of the tubing in the old oil, but impossible to tell if it all came out. I didn't notice any change in the van when driving.

Thanks again everyone for the help really appreciated as always.

[jas915]

Hopefully all ok

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