I am pulling the top loader 4 speed out of my 58 Ford to fix trans leaks. The engine is a 351C and the engine/transmission is out of a 73 Torino IIRC. The speedometer is off a bunch, like 20% and I was going to switch the gear to correct that. Removed the cable retainer bolt/bracket and had a tough time pulling the cable out of the transmission. When it came out, the gear is chewed up about 2/3 the way up. Question is: this speedometer goes into the passenger side where all of the automatics and 3 speeds go in from the driver side. I have quite a few extra plastic gears that I have saved over the years and all of them except one have the spiral going from left to right if you are looking at it with the clip part down, which is what my chewed up one is. That other one has it going right to left. With the cable being on the right side, did I have the wrong spiral gear on it? Also, it is leaking grease from between the trans and the bell. Is the seal on the inside of the throwout bearing housing? And I'm guessing there is a gasket between that housing and the main trans housing? Any help appreciated.
The front bearing retainer should have a seal inside, and a gasket between it and the transmission housing. Yes, Ford made gears with both directions, you need to be careful to get the right one. It's possible to put the wrong one in, and it makes a mess of things.
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