My "new" '74 Duster- or why I need a project like a hole in the head

Nice! Lots of space in there. Interesting that the pilot bearing failed. Has it gotten harder to shift?

Space for the moment, once the electrical is done and I move some projects it’s going to be more full than I’d like already.

It mostly just makes noise, occasionally the gear change isn’t quite as smooth but it’s not really harder to shift.

My current working theory is that I had a rear main seal leak which got progressively worse until I changed the seal last year. So the oil from the rear main may have washed out the grease the bearing came with over the last few years. And then I stopped the leak.

I thought you used a pilot bushing not a bearing?

It’s from Advance Adapters. They show a bushing in their pictures, but the actual part is a bearing.

I looked up all the dimensions of the bushing and bought a bronze bushing insert, when I take it apart I may change it over. I have a new bearing/adaptor too if that doesn’t work out, but I’d rather have a bushing.