The pilot bearing seemed fine when I checked it. It turned round freely with no noise and did not move when I wiggiled it back and forth.

The seal on the input shaft looked good. I am sure I replaced it when I rebuilt the trans.

I did drop the trans while trying to get it in and the input shaft did rest on the bell housing which may have contributed to the seal failure....I guess something can be said for following the Haynes manual more closely and at least fabricating a couple of guidepins to line the trans up with the bellhousing...

I am pretty sure that the rubber o-ring seals that go around the three alan bolts that hold the input shaft cover (and seal) onto the trans go around the alan bolt heads (thats at least the way I installed them) but not entirely. Perhaps they go between the cover and the trans...I did not think to look if there was a space for them when I installed them.

First, the seal. The seal itself is in the little cover/shroud that goes over/around the imput shaft itself, which is easily removed with the three allen screws that hold it to the front of the transmission casing. That is a piece of cake once the transmission is out and bellhousing off. I expect you will also need to source or make a new gasket that goes between that housing and the front of the trans. case...if there is/ever was one.

As for the bearing... I don't know how much play is acceptable... But, you might check the amount of play in various gears. I would think that there would naturally be more play in neutral, which is probably where it was when you installed it. With a puller of some sort, I think you could indeed pull the input shaft without taking anything else apart...though, at least one or two of the selecter rods would have to come out along with their shifter forks. And, you'll be getting into them 3rd/4th shift sincros and dogs and stuff....

Personally, I'd just do the seal...but it could be that the excessive play in the shaft is the whole root of the problem...

-Matt

It is normal for the input shaft to have a little play when not installed
in the car, or (more correctly) not bolted up to the engine. The pilot
bearing in the back of the crankshaft is what keeps it straight.
Unless the bearing is really loose, my guess is that you just have a
dried-out front seal, which is fairly easily replaced once you get
the tranny out of the car. If necessary you can replace the bearing also
but it is not as easy.
--
George Downs, The "original" Walrus3, Bartlesville, Oklahoma