Replaced the passenger axle/wheel hub last couple of night (2006 non-S manual). Forgot to drain the transmission fluid first so there was a mess but I wiped everything off. Finally got everything put back together and went for a drive last night.

This morning there was a small patch of fluid under where the axle goes into the diff/trans. I didn't have time to look under the car but could this be a axle seal leak or just where the fluid accumulated from me not draining first? (I'm not really sure of the anatomy of the diff)

Thanks

 

Sounds like an axle seal. Crawl under the car and clean everything up so you can see where the trans fluid is leaking from. You did re-fill the transmission right?

 

I'll have to clean it up tonight. I refilled the transmission but it only took a little more than 1 quart. I just removed the fill plug (left the drain alone) and added fluid until it started running back out.

Not sure why the seal would be gone (it was a about a couple of ounces of fluid on the garage floor), the axle went in pretty easily (ie I didn't beat it around getting back in the trans).

 

It's the seal. Anyone replaced these before?

 

Dealer did ours because it was still under warranty. Not difficult to change though. Remove axle. Remove seal. Drive in new seal. Install axle. Do you have a Bentley manual? It should go over the process

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No Bentley but have Haynes Guide which shows it. Just worried that whatever I did the first time I might do again when putting the axle in.

 

hey i am trying to replace my seal but no luck. I dont want to force a screw driver in there and damage the machined casing, I can get the inner metal part of the seal out, which then leaves the rubber piece and the metal backing in there. How do i get these out? The rubber seal wouldnt budge. And I really hate to have the "pry it out and break everything else" attitude. Can you help explain how to remove it? I am on the drivers side. No tranny fluid came out of my axle hole in the tranny when i got the driver axle out. So i am guessing it was pretty low. :( makes me sad to find more and more proof that the previous owners neglected this poor car.

 

hey Tummi gummi I am doing the same thing, or I am going to be when my seal gets here. Please, let me know how you get the seal out and put the new one back in. I posted in on an axle topic about the same thing. I don't even know if I need a new seal but I just ordered one anyway. If when you pull the axle out, the transmission/differential hole has a substantial amount of fluid come out, does that mean that my seal is definitely bad? It didn't leak before I pulled the axle out. and I could stick the axle back in and stop the fluid completely. I would just like to know, I am going to replace it anyway. R50 2004

 

I just got mine in. Don't make the mistake I did and try going from the side of the casing and catch the lip of the seal. And replace the whole thing. I just spent 62$ ordering the seal from minimania. Oriellys offers just the rubber piece but from what I can see this is too intertwined to replace the rubber only. So how I ended up getting it out was taking a short 8" length pry bar(with around a 45* angle tip) and sliding it along the backside of the seal(in between the seal and the bearing) and taking a rubber mallet to the end of the pry bar. It came right out. I try chiseling along the outside ring but that was just going to end up damaging the casing and the seals mating surface. So don't stress it. Definitely have a good set of pry bars with that angle tip and a nice flat headed shape to the tips to get these out. It made quick work of the otherwise impossible pita!

 

I got mine at pelican parts for $23.75. I have always found them to be the highest price for any mini part that I have ever searched for. I also use rock auto and sometimes ebay. I also got a new wheel speed sensor for 15$ on one of those chinese web sites. I bought 2, just because the last time I needed one, it cost me 100$. Thank you very much for all the tips. It will be a week before I can finish it, because I have to wait for the seal and GL-4 to ship to me.

 

Damn wish I tried pelican parts but I'm pissed at them as they are the reason in in this mess to begin with. Their guide to remove axles says to remove both seals... You don't have to remove them!!! And it seems impossible with the axle in the way so I tried removing mine and screwed it up. It really felt like the axle didn't want to come out as if something was holding it in. Once I got the pry bar it came right out and seal was still in there. To reinstall the seal I imagine any rubber mallet will do the truck just make sure if you use an extension is at least plastic and 2" surface.