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MG MGB Technical - OD disassembly/reassembly

My overdrive appears to be leaking between the brake ring and the front and back housings. I understand that there is no gasket between these parts, and only metal-to-metal pressure is supposed to seal it up. I have 2 questions:

1. How difficult is it to separate the brake ring from the housings to use a sealant to stop leaking? Will a million parts spring out of the unit that I as a relative amateur will have a hard time putting back together?

2. Will using a gasket or even sealant for that matter change the distances between gears or other parts within the overdrive such that it won't work properly?

I have searched the archives but have no luck getting these questions answered, so thanks in advance to any who can help me.
Erick Vesterback

You should not have flying parts if seperating the OD at the brake ring. If it is in the car its going to be tough, I would seperate it just enough to clean and put a sealer on the surfaces. The tough part will be getting the surfaces clean and sealing them up before you get oil seeping out. There are several sealers you can use, Hylomar being one of them. the thickness of the sealer when assembled will not cause and problems due to thickness wich will only be a couple thousandths.
John H

Thanks John - I plan to remove it from the car to do the job, so hopefully without oil in the unit, I can thoroughly clean the mating surfaces and use a sealer of some sort. Never heard of Hylomar, but hopefully it is available where I am. The diagrams of the internals look complex, so I was hoping it wouldn't be difficult to reassemble once the unit is sealed.
Erick Vesterback

Hi Erick:

Past experience, many MGB/LBC owners with Laycock overdrives play overdrive roulette. If you spend the time to remove the engine/gearbox, and then remove nuts and bolts from the unit; you should have the O/D overhauled; replace all o-rings, gaskets and cone clutch. The O/D pump pressure should also be checked out and adjusted to correct operating pressure. If you have a LH type then the gearbox is robust enough to use without a total rebuild, but if it is a 3 syncho "D" type, then the gearbox should be overhauled.

Good Luck: Rich Boris 67 B roadster
Rich Boris

This thread was discussed between 26/10/2006 and 28/10/2006

MG MGB Technical index

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