Ed, I believe someone has not only assembled your gearbox from parts, but
they've chosen inconsistent ones ! Before TS50000, the dipstick in the top
cover was the only fill hole, there was no plug on the side for it. This is
documented in both versions of "Original Triumph", both in the section on
the gearbox and in the production changes list, "the dipstick was deleted
and a fill plug added".
Those 'plugs' you are looking at are actually the retainers for internal
shafts. (The upper one with the locknut is the pivot for reverse, the other
one is actually a long pin that retains the layshaft.) It sounds like
someone has installed a later top cover/shifter, without the dipstick, and
failed to add a fill plug. If the fill plug were there, it would look like
a pipe plug : square head and threads showing on the sides above the surface
of the gearbox.
I'm not sure what you do now; if it were my car I'd find an early top cover
to put on as I really like the dipstick. Of course, my gearboxes have all
more-or-less leaked, perhaps it's not as important on ones that don't. None
the less, I actually converted an early cover with dipstick to use on the
4-synchro box I hope to get installed soon. This makes it easier to follow
the factory's recommended 12K change intervals; plus I can add oil on the
side of the road if necessary (which it was on the way back from VTR in
Colorado).
However, with care and a little luck, you should be able to drill and tap
for a fill plug with the gearbox still in the car (but the tunnel removed of
course). Remove the top cover and stick a piece of wood or plastic down
between the proposed hole location and the nearest gear/shaft; then be sure
to flush all the chips out afterwards. I don't know a measurement for the
fill plug location offhand, but if you decide to go this route, I'm sure
someone on the list can come up with it.
Randall
>
> I went to check/add the gearbox oil and then was confused. (This
> happens the
> more and more I find out about this vehicle and the more I know about the
> TR3). I had drained and added oil (80W90 WGT. gear oil) a year
> or two before
> but have forgotten which location where I added.
> The gearbox has the ID# TS22042 on the left side boss, non syncro
> first gear,
> currently non OD, but may have been OD in the past. The housing
> accepts the
> bullnose starter. The oil filler plug appears to be on the left
> side of the
> gearbox, but as I look now there are two possibilities upper
> front and lower
> back (the upper front appears to have a lock nut). Of course the
> dipstick/oil
> filter under the dash does not exist, though a casting location does. I'm
> leaning toward the lower location as the fill plug.
> This is the first time that I located the gearbox ID# and again I
> am confused
> and there does not seem to be any reference (Piggot, Haynes,
> Bently, Moss,
> VB, TRF, etc) where I can find info as to the change over associated with
> gearboxes. The vehicle commission # is ~TS 38450, but as I look
> and identify
> more this vehicle appears to have been assembled from 2 or 3 vehicles.
>
> Any suggestions appreciated.
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