Front driveshaft play and seal leakage

[feeley5000]

Leaking tranny fluid... I recently (few hundred miles) installed a Cardone reman axle in the passenger side of my '90 Tsi (AWD). The axle seal has developed a slow leak. When I was shining around underneath the car, I noticed the passenger side drive shaft has some radial play where it slips into the transmission. If I push upward on the fat part of the shaft (between the transmission and the inner boot), I detect about a 1/16" of play. Is this normal?

It seems to me that such play would stress the seal in an unnatural way, and may have led to the leak. It's also possible that I got sloppy installing the seal...

If this play is not normal, does anyone have measurements on the diameter of the shaft where it slips into the tranny. I'd like to compare these with the diameter of the splined portion and the round portion just after the splines with my reman when I pull the shaft out.

Thx
Ryan

 

[feeley5000]

Does anyone have any info on this at all. Surely someone knows whether or not a right front drive shaft should move at all if you grab it where is fits into the transmision and shake it around?

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[lasertrash]

no axle should'nt move sounds like you don't have it locked in.

 

[feeley5000]

Thanks lasertrash. If by "locked in" you mean inserted into the transmission far enough that the circlip engages, it is "locked in". The axle doesn't move in and out of the transmission. It moves up and down. If it is not supposed to move, I have either a bearing problem in the transmission or the axle shaft is not quite the right size. I sure hope the problem is with my reman axle, but somehow I doubt it...

Does anyone else have any insight for me before I tear into it?

 

[_dOp_skyLINe]

same here someone know if the play is normal?>?

 

[goodbuds]

im having same issue? took off didn't leak put back on 2quarts of red line on deck.

 

[scott90gsx420]

I have this same issue.. Mines a slow leak but has been doing it for a long time.. I need to replace the seal and see if that helps but considering yours is new i really don't know.. You could try pulling and seeing if the seal is ripped or crimped in there and re installing..

 

[miguelmcv]

Did you lubricate the seal before installing the shaft?.
If you didn't, then you might damage the seal.
I pass through the same issue and replace the seal two times and it still leaked, after taking the axle out, (did a really good clean up on the axle shaft, lubricate the seal) and that was It.
It leaked wright after the installation, But after driving it . It was good.
Note, You have to make sure when inserting the axle shaft, to be straight, "Do not Bend the shaft to much when inserting it".