[DeTomaso] transaxle

Tue Nov 10 17:31:48 EST 2015

Sometimes,  broken bolt-heads will stick to the drain plug magnet or come out while draining the ZF- which slould be done yearly! Note you run the risk of destroying your ZF if one of the broken bolt heads gets caught in the ring & pinion mesh. At the very least, the bottom cover will be cracked as the bolthead squirts out at high velocity. At the worst, the whole case will open up like a walnut.... In a recent Newsletter, there were photos of an owner who found EIGHT broken bolts (out of ten total). This has been a well known problem since the Pantera was still being built. Mangustas were factory safety wired but very, very few Panteras.

 The two 11-1/2" long cross-bolts through the bearing side-plates and the lower cover keep one from removing the lower cover while the ZF is mounted in the car. And even if it was somehow removed, removing sheared ring gear bolts with no heads and properly torquing new US-made bolts in place, then safety wiring them all the while on your back under the car, is not an easy task. Remove the ZF and do this on the bench.

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Cabanski <tcabanski at tencom.com>
To: detomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
Sent: Tue, Nov 10, 2015 1:31 pm
Subject: [DeTomaso] transaxle

Have always heard an occasionally clunk when I'm waiting at a stop
   light
with the car in neutral.

   Thought it was a bad universal joint, but
checking them seems to show
   they are good & tight.

   I now think that
the ring gear bolts are loose or that one or more of
   the bolt heads may have
sheared off.

   They have not been safety wired.

   Is there an easy way
to confirm?

   Look for shaving on the bottom drain plug on in the gear
oil?

   Can you remove the anything while it is in the car to confirm?

Tom

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-------------- next part --------------
   Sometimes,  broken bolt-heads will stick to the drain plug magnet or
   come out while draining the ZF- which slould be done yearly! Note you
   run the risk of destroying your ZF if one of the broken bolt heads gets
   caught in the ring & pinion mesh. At the very least, the bottom cover
   will be cracked as the bolthead squirts out at high velocity. At the
   worst, the whole case will open up like a walnut.... In a recent
   Newsletter, there were photos of an owner who found EIGHT broken bolts
   (out of ten total). This has been a well known problem since the
   Pantera was still being built. Mangustas were factory safety wired but
   very, very few Panteras.

   The two 11-1/2" long cross-bolts through the bearing side-plates and
   the lower cover keep one from removing the lower cover while the ZF is
   mounted in the car. And even if it was somehow removed, removing
   sheared ring gear bolts with no heads and properly torquing new US-made
   bolts in place, then safety wiring them all the while on your back
   under the car, is not an easy task. Remove the ZF and do this on the
   bench.

   -----Original Message-----
   From: Tom Cabanski <tcabanski at tencom.com>
   To: detomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
   Sent: Tue, Nov 10, 2015 1:31 pm
   Subject: [DeTomaso] transaxle
Have always heard an occasionally clunk when I'm waiting at a stop
   light
with the car in neutral.