I don't know why we're all in denial on this thing. The 'B', 'C', and
Midget (A-series) trannies are splash lubricated by the turning of the
laygear. When in neutral, the laygear can only turn if the input shaft
is turning. The input shaft is only turning if the motor is running. If
the laygear ain't turning then the transmission ain't getting lubricated
as the gods of Abingdon intended.
In my garage I have a 1275 Midget ribcase tranny, a 4-synchro 'B'
tranny, and a 'C' tranny open for inspection (yes, I know, I'm behind on
my chores). The only case with the oil-catching trough described by
Barney is the Midget. The 'B' and 'C' cases have no such features cast
inside the case.
If Barney wants to call a thick flat washer with some smiley faces cut
into it a pump, he certainly may induldge himself but it looks to me as
if it is gonna have to be fed a pretty steady stream of oil if it is to
generate enough pressure to make it to 'low'. I see nothing that is
going to feed the washer without the laygear churning it up out of the
sump.
The 'B' case is the late model with the fill hole on the side. The 'C'
has the dipstick. My eyeball says the correct oil level will completely
submerge the shaft of the laygear (but not the gear ends). It also
appears, if the tranny were really full, (as Barney says) the big
reverse gear might swing around enough to dip its toes in the oil but
that's about it.
The only possible caveat I see here is that if the oil was topped up by
jacking up the drivers side and squirting oil in until it dribbled out
in a hurry and if the tow dolly left the car several degrees high in the
bow, then there just might be enough oil pooling in the rear of the case
to have reverse gear throw around enough oil to saving the tranny. Might
not.
Sooo. One more time. It is the turning of the laygear that lubricates
the transmission. If it ain't turning, then your transmission ain't be
lubricated as it was designed. If you're towing the car with the
driveshaft connected you're asking for trouble and you may likely find
what you've earned.
The first thing you might get is a growling output shaft bearing (the
big expensive one). The next thing you might get is a broken 2nd gear
synchro as they get brittle with heat and will no longer tolerate much
abuse. The next thing that could happen is that the bronze bushings
(side note, Midgets use uncaged needle bearings) get worn some and maybe
will not fully engage the gears anymore. This wears the engagement dogs
and eventually you've got a tranny that jumps out of gear. I contend
that once you've burned off the oil film on the bushings, what happens
next is called a catastrophic failure and you might discover the origins
of the 'mysteriously jumped into gear' myth.
OTOH, it ain't my car. Tow it to hell in back any way you want. But I'm
all set to enjoy a good story like "I've towed this car all over and it
never hurt the transmission one bit and even if it does it ain't no big
deal because the tranny ain't to hot anyway as the synchros are tired,
the bearings howl, and it occasionally jumps out of third. . ."
--
Bob Allen, Kansas City
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