Speedo drive oil leak

[AndyMcDonnell]

I am currently replacing every 354 gearbox seal on my Spanish R4 1.1 GTL. What an oily aged on mess! However nearly, there I cannot remove the speedo drive to peplace the seal. Haynes has no info on extraction. Tried pulling from outside, twisting from inside but scared to break. Photos of removed gearbox end cover and oil leak. I have removed the speedo cable holding bolt fully. Is the little indent on the top of the plastic insert, in line with the securing bolt a clue? A lever or tap point. I’m stumped, if it should just fall out it sure is ceased - the gear obviously still turns and works. Any advice greatly received - Merry Christmas to our Renault 4 family from sunny Spain.

 

[JdeW]

Not very complicated, you have to completely remove the 6mm screw with its lock nut, then you take pliers and you pull the square cable drive upwards.
Normally it comes easily, otherwise you have oxidation of the aluminum of the cover and the sleeve which guides the pinion.
Anyway it's just slipped in, it's the screw that holds everything.
And merry christmas from a rainy Netherlands.

 

[AndyMcDonnell]

Thank you so much for the quick reply. I guessed it was ‘force’ required but did not want to start with that in case I break it. Either way it will now be pulled out in one piece or many Merry Christmas

 

[JdeW]

Actually, the whole speedo gear consists of many parts


And when in doubt about pulling you might use a flat screwdriver and lever it out at the green arrow carefully not to damage the gear teeth.

 

[AndyMcDonnell]

Thank for the diagram makes things clear - I gently had a knife blade at the green arrow but stopped as the blade was flexing. Basically I’m pulling to overcome the O ring. Thank you so much

 

[angel]

Try heating the gearbox end cover with a hot air gun, directing it to the aluminium around the plastic bush.
I usually lever -very gently- between the gear and the cover and remove it as an assembly.

 

[AndyMcDonnell]

Hi everyone, the only way I could finally remove the plastic gear mechanism was with a pin pinch and hammer. Tried heat, penetrating fluid, pry bar and blades but it would not budge I single millimetre. The body has 4 vanes and between one pair where the body starts to grow in width the punch at a shallow angle was struck very hard, several times. I actually thought the body would shatter but it had to be removed as oil was leaking heavily from the top / speedo square drive. However it moved and had to be hit out all the way - oddly no damage other than a tiny impact mark from the punch. There was no corrosion down the hole once body removed - perfectly clean, the hole is measured round too. It is now all reassembled and after 200km the speedo is still working fine with zero leaks. In fact the whole engine, gearbox and driveshafts haven't a single leak or weep. What a journey!