Hi All,

General question, on speedo gear removal. Can removal and replacement of the speedo gear be done without draining the gear oil? Assume rear end on stands? Need to replace both seals. 

Thanks.

Lift the rear as high as your jack stands allow. Get a rubber cork from Running or any real hardware store that is the same size as the oring. Or use a shop rag to plug the hole when you get the gear out.

Thank you.

The speedometer hole is the same as the fill plug so it shouldn't leak out. Maybe a drop or two. When you get the seal and o-ring done leave some clean paper under there overnight to make sure it's stopped leaking. Seems like I had to use a deep well 10mm socket to get the seal all the way down. 

2 hours ago, siteunseen said:

speedometer hole is the same as the fill plug

You meant level, right?  The oil level will only be as high as the bottom of the fill plug unless it's overfilled.  Or warmer than when it was put in.

I remember working on my speedo cable without doing anything special.  Had it in off and on a few times trying to get the cable properly inserted in to both ends after a transmission change.

Hi All

Thanks for the input all back together, not leaking thus far but only a couple of miles on the road.

Yes, the transmission swap could be the causing the leak. Swap to a wide ratio 5 speed the pinion gear housing was slotted and turned 180 degrees. Meaning all images of a 4 speed pinon gear housing (hoses the gear and shaft) the hold down plate slot and 10MM bolt are top. The 5 speed slot and hold down plate and 10MM bolt are bottom. 

The seller of the trans took an angle grinder and created a slot on the other side of the housing and installed. Assume the housing came off a 4 speed trans and is not a 5 speed housing?

Yes the 4 speed was at 12:00 and the ZX (generalization) was at 6:00. The pinion gear itself is the same for both but the holder was different as you noted. 

Cutting a slot was the least expensive way of application. The other option was to buy a new holder. You can still get them from Nissan. At least last I checked. 

As long as it doesn't leak you should be fine. No one can really see it with the car on the ground wheel side down. 😁

Yeah, don't reinstall with the hosing original slot position, speedo doesn't work. Job is always better the second time 😞

Thanks for the info and confirmation.