A Couple of 5-Speed Tranny Oil Seal Q's

[TalonJohn94]

I hope someone can provide some information.

Has anyone removed the driver's side oil seal on their trans. with it still on the engine, engine still in the car? HOW? I am unable to even remove half-shaft from trans.

Will switching from GM Syncromesh® to regular recommended "parts store GL-5.." solve my slightly leaking halfshaft (oil) seal?

Thanks for ANY help.

 

[Defiant]

The heavier grease may reduce leakage.

 

[TRBOTSI]

Why can't you remove the axle? Just unbolt the two 17mm bolts on the suspension, the two carrier bearing bolts, and pop the axle out. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes.

And then when the axle is out, the seal replacement is straightforward. Also, get a seal puller if you can. A lot easier than using a screwdriver, and or a pair of pliers.

 

[TalonJohn94]

I'm sorry, PASSENGER'S side. No intermediate shaft, but there is a circlip - and I can't pull the halfshaft out. The DRIVER'S side IS easy as I remember. Oops.

 

[TRBOTSI]

Same procedure minus the carrier bearing. A trick I use is to drive a screwdriver up between the axle and the tranny. Just be careful not to damage to seal, but in your case, it's already bad so go for it. You can also stick a standard screwdriver up there, and then twist it clockwise, (or countterclockwise) with a set of pliers, that will also pop the axle out.

 

[pneumo]

My car is like that, too. I use a foot long prybar and I push on it hard, very hard.

 

[TalonJohn94]

I CAN'T get the halfshaft out.
So I took it to a shop and they couldn't either. (He said in 30 years, he's never seen one stuck in there THAT bad).

Is there anything that could be internally wrong with the trans. except the little circlip on the end of the shaft that I know can get mangled ??

Any help is greatly appreciated before I have to drop the trans.

 

[pneumo]

wow, you're still having this problem? that sux.

If it's just the clip that's holding it in there should be about 1/8" of freeplay in the axle cup; you should be able to push it in/out with your hands. If it doesn't move at all there may be something else holding it in. If there is some freeplay, try using two prybars. Have one person pry from the top and one under the axle cup. It takes a coordinated effort to push on them at the same time.

Again, push hard, Friggen' HARD!
Sometimes I have to jam the prybar in place so it stays without me holding it, then I lay on my side and kick the bar with my foot. If I have to resort to that method I'm usually a little pissed by then and I'm looking to break something. That usually puts me in the right frame of mind for kicking the prybar hard enough. So far it's always worked, and nothing broke.

 

[TalonJohn94]

I swear I did the EXACT same thing!

Also, the mechanic that tried it said there was excessive play with the shaft in the seal - that doing a seal would be useless, it would still leak.

I don't know about that one but .... right now I'm in between garages so I guess I gotta just keep adding more. The leak isn't really THAT bad. You hate to have a leaker DSM though.