Lubrication system for vehicle transmission

A system for lubricating the gears and bearings in a vehicle transmission (10) includes a fluid pump (60) mounted on the exterior of the transmission housing (14) and connected to a rotatably driven shaft contained therein. When operated, the pump (60) draws lubricant from a sump defined in the lower portion of the transmission housing (14). In a first embodiment, the lubricant from the pump (60) is delivered through a fluid conduit (65) to a single internal lubricant conduit (70) disposed within the transmission housing (14). The internal lubricant conduit (70) includes first (72) and second (74) distribution legs having respective pluralities of apertures (72a, 74a) formed therein. The apertures (72a, 74a) are located directly above the region where the various gears contained within the transmission (10) mesh. Lubricant sprayed from the apertures (72a, 74a) falls from the meshing gears under the influence of gravity and is collected in the sump defined in the lower portion of the transmission housing (14) so as to be recirculated. In a second embodiment, the lubricant from the pump (80) is delivered through a fluid conduit (86) to a pair of internal lubricant conduits (92, 93) disposed within the transmission housing (14). Each of the internal lubricant conduits (92, 93) includes respective pluralities of apertures (92a, 93a) formed therein located directly above the region where the various gears contained within the transmission (10) mesh.