[xj-s] XJS 3.6 / Getrag 5 speed manual - Transmission leaking

I have a 1985 XJS 3.6 with a Getrag 5 speed manual transmission.
The bearings on the main shaft are worn which allows the shaft
move. This movement causes the rear seal to leak, everything else
about the transmission works well. I am told it is extremely hard
to find parts for this transmission and it is better to find a good
used transmission to replace the worn one. If anyone has knowledge
about the repair of this transmission or the location of a good
used tansmission, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Thanks in advance.–
j.p. summers
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At 03:47 AM 23/11/2010, you wrote:>I have a 1985 XJS 3.6 with a Getrag 5 speed manual transmission.

The bearings on the main shaft are worn which allows the shaft
move. This movement causes the rear seal to leak, everything else
about the transmission works well. I am told it is extremely hard
to find parts for this transmission and it is better to find a good
used transmission to replace the worn one.
j.p. summers


Engineers usually choose bearings and seals from a bearing
manufacturer’s standard catalogue.
This should be plan A whatever they are designing.
Plan B is to have special bearings or seals made to order.

Gears and other transmission specific parts will be made by Gertrag.
They could be hard to find for an old design of box.

If you strip the box and take the old bearings and seals to a bearing
supplier you might get lucky.
You can always Google and maybe find a shop on the planet that bought
up a lot of spares.

Richard Dowling, Melbourne, Australia.
1979 XJ-S coupe + HE V12 + 5 speed, 1988 XJ-S V12 convertible, 2003 XJ350

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In reply to a message from Richard Dowling sent Mon 22 Nov 2010:

I totally agree with you Richard. Besides, in many cases you
might find a very similar bearing that you can adapt with a
little turning and/or placing an adequate washer. Here in
the 3rd world I’m used to such adaptations, since sometimes
finding appropriate parts is impossible. And most probably
it will be much better than buying a used gearbox from a
wrecker, since the other gearbox will suffer from the same
worn parts, unless it comes from a crashed car with low miles.

F.ex. the other day I was unsuccessfully trying to find a
clutch bearing for an old BMW 2002 (year 1969). But the same
part for a newer BMW 320 was identical, except for the
bearing support (that doesn’t wear) and that could be taken
away from one and inserted in the other one with a press.
Result: a new non-existing bearing available!–
The original message included these comments:

If you strip the box and take the old bearings and seals to a bearing
supplier you might get lucky.
You can always Google and maybe find a shop on the planet that bought
up a lot of spares.


Luis Gasperini / '91 V12 XJ-S conv. 5sp
Montevideo, Uruguay
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In reply to a message from The Q sent Mon 22 Nov 2010:

bearing kit listed for gatrag 290 at
www.tbtrans.com/transmission_parts.htm 88.59 for bearing set. no
affiliation, just looking for parts and remembered reading your
post so I looked it up while on his site.–
john rinaman '84 xjs 5 speed
zelienople,pa, United States
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