S5000 FI back from the shop but...

I like this guy. He post well,takes suggestions about removing stickers without being a little bitch (coughBILLcough) and hes going to pass his countach on to a kid. Bravo sir.

Hey Downdraft! What's your secret? You seem to have the only car that is not leaking gear oil.

 

My engine out service is coming up in a few weeks, and I am determined to stop the gear oil leak permanently (or at least for a few years).

 

To hear that Albert's car is leaking is not very good news, because I remember that everything had been re-done as new in that car.

 

Anyone else have any tricks on stopping the gear oil leak?

Hey Downdraft! What's your secret? You seem to have the only car that is not leaking gear oil.

 

My engine out service is coming up in a few weeks, and I am determined to stop the gear oil leak permanently (or at least for a few years).

 

To hear that Albert's car is leaking is not very good news, because I remember that everything had been re-done as new in that car.

 

Anyone else have any tricks on stopping the gear oil leak?

 

 

may be use an old mineral oil for the gearbox: mine oil is a state of the art Shell Transaxle 75W-90 full synth and i think this does not help the gasket to last long.

 

Who knows: i think Alex car is the only one Countach i saw that does not leak oil. Mine started to leak oil from the trasnmission shaft after 15-20 hours of working since new.

 

May be Alex has a secret, but i just think he is a lucky guy.

 

ciao

 

 

So nobody has any solutions to the gear oil issue?

There must be a solution, if Alex's car is not leaking, and the rest of us have cars that leak.

 

Albert- 12 hours of driving and it leaks again? Sorry to hear that.

 

 

So nobody has any solutions to the gear oil issue?

There must be a solution, if Alex's car is not leaking, and the rest of us have cars that leak.

 

Albert- 12 hours of driving and it leaks again? Sorry to hear that.

 

The solution (for oil leaks in general) is to live with it, unless it's something big. It's common for any old car (exotic) to leak. The castings were just not done to the level of precision that is done now. Don't use synthetic oil. Try to drive the car every 2 weeks or so. Mine doesn't leak any gear oil, but it does leave a drop or two of oil. My engine was resealed, but it leaked oil out of a cam cover, badly within just a few miles. I got a new gasket & used the black permatex sealer. It started leaking again in under 50 miles!!!! What a pain, remove 3 carbs, air box. This time I used Loctite 518. This is some weird stuff. Its red, only hardens from lack of air. It's not cheap, but this stuff is the best thing since sliced bread. I used it with a gasket, but it's designed to be used without one if you want. No leak still, several years later. This sealer impressed me enough, that I tried it out on a 1970 Land Rover. I resealed the transmission, transfer case, & oil pan gasket . It stopped leaking, and this truck leaked badly. I've used it on a few more, all with favorable results. I have heard about Hondabond. That's another that you could use. So my 2cents, don't use Permatex on any old Lamborghini.

you have to think that this car is a disaster, full of project and assembly errors: few things last long on that car!

Exhaust cam covers often leak oil (the left one looks to be the worst, who knows why). Now mine is fixed, but at the second attempt and using a sealant.

A small leak from the gearbox is not a problem at all and, talking with a lot of people who worked at the factory, every car suffered (more or less) this problem.

 

Giulio Alfieri completely failed the 5000S cranckshaft oil passages design: first 10 cars (more or less) destroyed the cranckshafts due to lack of enough oil flood and Lamborgthini had to redone and modify all 10 engines on warranty. This story was reported by a former Lamborghini worker: if you look at the crankshaft you will se some oil passages closed, they were the Alfieri's errors.

 

Countach is not perfect, it's an hand made italian supercar designed and assembled by a bunch of people more than 40 years ago without big financial resources: it's a miracle it works and does not explode.

 

Remenber the car body was assembled using an hammer: you cannot exchange the rear trunck lid of two Countach as they are all different each other and fitted with the hammer.

 

Keep the leak and clean every now and then the lower part of the clutch housing to reduce the oil leak on the floor .

 

ciao

" it's a miracle it works and does not explode."

 

That was a funny comment,

Thank you for sharing so much on this, as I said, I wanted to keep the CT for my son, but would he appreciate it? with flaws and all?

Many probably share this love-sometimes hate feeling towards these cars. I felt I didn't need to deal with it and thought of selling, and then I saw it and renewed my vows. Owning these cars resemble a relationship!

 

 

. This time I used Loctite 518. This is some weird stuff. Its red, only hardens from lack of air. It's not cheap, but this stuff is the best thing since sliced bread. I used it with a gasket, but it's designed to be used without one if you want. No leak still, several years later..

 

 

What you used is a anaerobic sealant its used on alot of stuff this is a alternate one same as loctite 518

 

http://www.permabondllc.com/TDS/A136_TDS.pdf

 

you will not usually find these items stocked on the shelf at your local parts store.

 

johnny

What you used is a anaerobic sealant its used on alot of stuff this is a alternate one same as loctite 518

 

http://www.permabondllc.com/TDS/A136_TDS.pdf

 

you will not usually find these items stocked on the shelf at your local parts store.

 

johnny

 

I had to get on ebay. The last one came in a tube that is the same size as a tube of caulk from Home Depot. It fits in a caulk gun as well.

 

"it's a miracle it works and does not explode" had me laughing. Maybe that should be our slogan. For the record mine does not leak gear oil (i'm glad because that stuff does smell Really bad) but it does drip a little oil. They all have something, just like the old F-cars and Jags. Look at Jay Lenos garage website. He has pans under most of those cars.

"it's a miracle it works and does not explode" had me laughing. Maybe that should be our slogan. For the record mine does not leak gear oil (i'm glad because that stuff does smell Really bad) but it does drip a little oil. They all have something, just like the old F-cars and Jags. Look at Jay Lenos garage website. He has pans under most of those cars.

 

 

ciao

I guess a countach is alot like an airplane if its not leaking that means it out of oil...

Haha! nice.

So if I want to refill gear oil, where is the opening?

Haha! nice.

So if I want to refill gear oil, where is the opening?

 

 

i saw the mechanic to check the gearbox oill evel: he raised the car and opened a cap that was close to differential housing: this is all what i remember

 

part 21 here

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/userImages/088/Large/088_013.gif

 

 

 

ciao

Good diagram.

I believe it's part 7 in that diagram. It's a screw in plug.

Jack up your car so you can get under it. Go to the passenger side, and look at the jacking points, then look about 2-3 feet in, run your hand along the gearbox, you will feel the plug. unscrew it, then use a pump or some kind of long long tube to put the gear oil in. Run the tube through the engine bag and put a funnel at the top. Dump the gear oil into the funnel, it will flow through the tube, and into the hole.

 

 

Downdraft!!! Tell us who your mechanic is so we can ask him for his tips on stopping the gear oil leak.

 

Good diagram.

I believe it's part 7 in that diagram. It's a screw in plug.

Jack up your car so you can get under it. Go to the passenger side, and look at the jacking points, then look about 2-3 feet in, run your hand along the gearbox, you will feel the plug. unscrew it, then use a pump or some kind of long long tube to put the gear oil in. Run the tube through the engine bag and put a funnel at the top. Dump the gear oil into the funnel, it will flow through the tube, and into the hole.

 

 

Downdraft!!! Tell us who your mechanic is so we can ask him for his tips on stopping the gear oil leak.

 

I believe it's part 7 in that diagram. It's a screw in plug.

 

Congratulations! You just drained 16 liters of engine oil and replaced it with gear lube.

 

The diagram shows the crankcase/differential assembly. If you need to check gear lube for the differential pull plug #35.

If you want to check gear lube in the transmission you need to remove the fill plug on the transmission which is not shown in this diagram.

 

As far as this on going issues with Countach's leaking gear lube leaking. You first must determine if it is coming from the transmission output or input seals or the pinion seal in the differential, either way it is an engine out service.

 

My thought is that the majority of the gear lube leaks on Countach's come from the output shaft seal on the transmission.

If the seals are replaced properly with good quality Viton seals the car should not leak.

 

Sincerely Vic

 

Hey Downdraft! What's your secret? You seem to have the only car that is not leaking gear oil.

 

You're making me paranoid! I cant find an oil leak on mine, although she is peeing water from the water pump (sigh)

ah well, Soon to be fixed.

ah yes, part 35. that looks right. i knew it was a side plug somewhere.

 

as far as just replacing the seal to stop the leak, what most people are saying here is that they've done that, and it leaks again very soon after this repair is done.

 

Albert's post says he had that seal replaced and it leaked within 15 hours of driving (i think thats what he said). I assume he's got a capable mechanic and is using the right seals. So maybe there's more to it than just replacing the seal?

as far as just replacing the seal to stop the leak, what most people are saying here is that they've done that, and it leaks again very soon after this repair is done.

 

What did they replace them with?

 

The Lamborghini OEM input & output seals or Viton seals which hold up to the higher temperatures that are present in the bellhousing.

 

 

What did they replace them with?

 

The Lamborghini OEM input & output seals or Viton seals which hold up to the higher temperatures that are present in the bellhousing.

 

 

That's not enough, i think it depends how the seat is machined, i mean how big the bore of the seat is: the bigger is, the worse is for leaking.

Orazio Salvioli (a Lamborghini living legend) says most of the Countach leaked and still leaks oil if the bore of the seat is too big. They do not leak until the oil is very hot and leak oil just when the engine is cooling down after long driving (when the transmission shaft reduces its bore faster than the seat bore).

May be a good sealant between the outer ring of the seal and transmission seal seat could help.

 

ciao

I like this guy. He post well,takes suggestions about removing stickers without being a little bitch (coughBILLcough) and hes going to pass his countach on to a kid. Bravo sir.

 

wow, what could I say, thanks! Sometimes good fun turns into a misunderstanding, the other night I was coming back to the Countach at the parking lot, (surrounded by people as usual) and I got a little intimidated, I tried to joke a little, so I said:

"I know what you are thinking!" "What are you doing?" "Stay away from the car!" Trying to suggest that I didn't look like the owner due to my really sloppy appearance, but nobody laughed. I just realized they all thought I was telling them not to touch the car...

I was trying to be funny and I looked like a jerk.

Congratulations! You just drained 16 liters of engine oil and replaced it with gear lube. eusa_wall.gif

 

Ha! That was funny! and good I didn't run to unscrew that part before that post!. I am really thankful for all the comments, I believe this is great information for me and hopefully for everybody else. Thank you, really!

FYI most NAPA stores stock the Permatex Anaerobic Gasket Maker part number BK 765-1189, PX number 84092

 

As far as a sealant between the outside of the seal and the housing I have heard numerous different things being used, high temp thread sealant, thread locker, RTV. I usually use red thredlock gel on the base of the seal and clean the surface real well. Some seals actually come with this hardened on the outside. But from the description here (seal wearing out quick) it should be wearing out on the rubber inside that contacts the shaft. There is not a lot you can do for this... all I can think is maybe putting a stronger spring on the inside of it, but that could wear the rubber down. Being an engine out service I would just deal with it...

 

 

CT looks great, congrats on saving it from an abusive owner. Another one that could have gone the other way, Kudos. You seem to been enjoying it and driving it a lot as well. Congrats! Much better without the stickers too

FYI most NAPA stores stock the Permatex Anaerobic Gasket Maker part number BK 765-1189, PX number 84092

 

As far as a sealant between the outside of the seal and the housing I have heard numerous different things being used, high temp thread sealant, thread locker, RTV. I usually use red thredlock gel on the base of the seal and clean the surface real well. Some seals actually come with this hardened on the outside. But from the description here (seal wearing out quick) it should be wearing out on the rubber inside that contacts the shaft. There is not a lot you can do for this... all I can think is maybe putting a stronger spring on the inside of it, but that could wear the rubber down. Being an engine out service I would just deal with it...

 

 

CT looks great, congrats on saving it from an abusive owner. Another one that could have gone the other way, Kudos. You seem to been enjoying it and driving it a lot as well. Congrats! Much better without the stickers too

 

Thank you!

 

This is a picture before it went to get repairs, it had a blown gasket.

 

And a recent one, in good running order...

 

On another topic, has anybody tried the Tonino Lamborghini Energy Drink? I kind of want to try it!

Wish i could help but it sure reminds me of the UK motorcycles i used to own prior to turning to Japanese Italian German.

Kaz