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MOTRS

122S Amazon

1956-1970 / Sedan / Estate / Sweden

All 122S Amazon problems All workshop issues
Common Transmission and Drivetrain

Gearbox oil leaks

Symptoms

Oil spots under the car. Low gearbox oil. Hard shifting or grinding.

Cause

Worn seals (input shaft, rear output, selector shaft). Age and heat harden seals.

Fix

  1. 1 Top up gearbox oil (SAE 80W-90 GL-4, not GL-5, GL-5 eats brass synchros). Check level via fill plug on side of gearbox
  2. 2 Replace leaking seals. Input shaft seal requires gearbox removal. Rear seal can be done with gearbox in situ if you drop the driveshaft
  3. 3 If multiple seals are weeping, consider a full reseal kit (~$50-80)
Cost mentioned in fix
~$50-80

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// More 122S Amazon problems

Other known issues

Common Transmission and Drivetrain

Worn synchros (especially 2nd gear)

Grinding or crunching into 2nd gear, especially when cold or shifting quickly.
Common Transmission and Drivetrain

Worn propshaft universal joints

Clunk when shifting from drive to coast or vice versa. Vibration at certain speeds.
Common Engine

Oil consumption

You're burning through a quart of oil every 500-1,000 km. Blue smoke on startup or under load.
Common Engine

Carburetor flooding or poor idle

Hard starting, fuel smell, rough idle, stalling. Sometimes floods and won't start at all.
Critical Engine

Overheating

Temp gauge creeps into the red. Coolant boils over. Steam.
Common Engine

Ignition timing and misfires

Pinging under load, backfiring, flat spots, poor throttle response.
View all 25 122S Amazon problems