Should the clutch / bellhousing be sealed?

[Damz]

So Im swapping motors and g/boxes between 2x D21 Navaras and I notice that the plate between the motor/Gbox are different.

One of them goes right the way round, sealing the clutch in. The other, only covers the top half, leaving the bottom open to scoop up water/mud etc. Surely thats not right? Wierdly though, Iv been driving the open box around for about 2 years, in mud holes and deep water and the clutch is OK in it. Only OK, not great. It slips when you try and swing donuts on the beach in 2nd lol..

Thing is, Iv already put the full plate on the navara Im selling, and like fark Im pulling the motor and box out again to swap those plates over..

Any input appreciated

[pradon35s]

my 2c-may be wrong..

should be sweetas long as ur not changing gear whilst in the water as where the clutch fork goes through shouldn't be air tight as such either, I'm sure the water would just make the clutch slip a little maybe if it gets wet?

[Sadam_Husain]

Idealy you want your clutch sealed to keep out the mud, rocks, stones, sticks, logs, sand and any other shit that'll get in there and wreck your clutch and release bearing. You still need a drain hole to let any water and mud that does get in there drain out again, a 5-6mm hole in the bottom with a splitpin or something through it to stop the hole clogging up usually works

[Damz]

No worries, thanks for that. Sounds obvious I guess but hell, makes me wonder why nissan made some cover the whole bellhousing, and others are exposed.

Weird!

[Nivapulledout]

some of the Gearboxes I have seen a half plate is bolted on the bottom half, maybe you are missing this

[albundy]

some of the Gearboxes I have seen an half plate bolted on the bottom half, maybe you are missing this

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[Smurf]

make up a plate to cover the bottom section, if you don't want to swap the plates back over.
I'd agree with the others and say you are missing the bottom half

[Damz]

Ahaaa.

That does make more sense. OK ill look at making one up if I cant find one for sale somewhere.

Thx again!