Cdn Ferret C/S 31 restoration

[Robin Craig]

Thanks for the comments.

If you looked at the for sale section I do have a second Ferret in need of work, but once you have done one they are a breeze.

Currently that vehicle is supposed to be spoken for but the entity that is working with me is moving at a glacial pace and we have been dancing for over a year already but the music is still playing.

R

[Robin Craig]

Last Wednesday we pulled the power pack apart and removed the fluid flywheel which has gone out to my friends at Kingston transmission for a look see and clean up.

Tommy the owner, (along with his wife Darla) is a lover of things odd ball and different and has the fluid flywheel half and a stack of manuals on his shop bench and clear instructions as to what to do with it.

Tommy is a wizard with transmissions of any variety and the more of a challenge the better. While his everyday business is your common or garden family wagon and sedan type vehicle monster loader and heavy equipment and ancient units do not scare him, it is like laying down a gauntlet to him.

He has successfully and reasonably rebuilt a military Mercedes automatic tranny that had many possible variations to it with no problem.

I cant say enough good words about him and the quality of his work.

He is itching to get his hands on the t case and gearbox also.


R

[CsepelLaszlo]

Robin, PM sent.... Thanks

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

Last Wednesday we pulled the power pack apart and removed the fluid flywheel which has gone out to my friends at Kingston transmission for a look see and clean up.

Tommy the owner, (along with his wife Darla) is a lover of things odd ball and different and has the fluid flywheel half and a stack of manuals on his shop bench and clear instructions as to what to do with it.

The fluid flywheel is not exactly rocket science, nothing to them, a bonus earner for that guy

[Robin Craig]

Richard,

I am not a rocket scientist as many will attest to

I am desperatly short on time and Tommy is a good egg and he is going to be able to teach me some things so it is not money squandered.

There is also the fact we have a Mk 2/3 with some major issues and I really want it done right the first time.

Tommy will be explaining to me the simplicity of how it works when I get back as we are away for Christmas right now.

R

[Robin Craig]

So,

After the carrier recovery on Thursday I managed to fit a brief visit to Tommy and the fluid flywheel on Friday.

He had taken it apart and has found a few things that new replacing, a seal, a bearing, some crush washers, some circlips and some bolts.

Here is what it looks like apart.

This is the heart of a leaking Ferret power pack and is in my humble opinion the one item that owners do not address properly because it is so involved to get at it. They "try" to fix it by adding fluid on a regular basis and dismiss fluid leaks as "Oh its British, they all leak". Mike, take note please.

In reality the fluid flywheel should not leak, period. If it does it should be sorted.

I really would like and intend to have c/s 31 "sorted" and this is typical of the lengths I will go to in that direction.

As an aside, while on holiday before Christmas, in a junk store in southern Ontario I found this plaque that will go on my office wall


regards

Robin

[Gunner]

Hi Robin:

Thanks for posting the "guts" photo... it gives me a sense of what's ahead. Unfortunately the 'top it up on a regular basis' option will have to do until nicer weather as I don't have a heated space to pull the power pack...

Are overhaul kits aval for the flywheel? I was reading about a John Deere seal as an option; which way did you go?

Cheers, Mike

[Rick W]

Steep learning curve for you I suspect Robin! They are fairly basic to work on. In my opinion the flywheels have a tendency to leak when the vehicle has been left standing and the gasket shrinks on one side. They need a regular drive out of the garage to keep running sweet.

[Robin Craig]

Tommy has found all the parts available locally.

Yes the seal is a John Deere number, we just have to resolve an issue with that and how the retaining washer holds it down. It is minor and simple.

Just bear in mind that this bolts up against the flywheel and the whole unit is the fluid flywheel and that the flywheel cavity is part of the volume for the oil contained within.

There is a parting surface between the aluminum and the steel of the flywheel that we want to get really clean and also look at the bearing at the back of the flywheel so I am likely going to take it off today.

Mike, as far as a kit, Tommy has had to buy some things in minimum quantities of 5 or 10 so he has spares that he can put together as a a complete kit for you.

Cleanliness is everything with these things, and attention to detail. They are as Richard pointed out, quite simple, but as I am not an expert and don't have a nice water soluble parts washer using Tommy has been the best way to go.

R