Leaking from driver side axle?

C3L1CA · 09-30-2008, 02:40 PM

Has anybody ever had a problem with leaking transmission fluid out of the drive side axle?

The leaking fluid is right in the hump for the down pipe sits and my t-case is usually covered in oil and my flex pipe get soaked in fluid and starts smoking after a drive.

Thought it might the oil return line where it bolts to the oil pan. Bought a oil return gasket, put a little rtv on the bolts, and new washers and that is no longer leaking. So I know its not that.

I also know its not the t-case because I have RedLine heavy weight shockproof, that fluid is red in color. The fluid on the t-case has an oil color to it, so I know its not that.

All the bolts around the oil pan don't look like they're leaking either.

Reason I think it might be coming from the transmission is that there is oil on the axle and the back of the block itself is dry. The t-case also had a decent amount of fluid just sitting on the top of it as well.

So is it common to have tranny fluid leaking out where the driver side axle bolts in?

Hope you guys can give me some good advice, I really want to go get my car tuned before the e85 blend starts to change.

1g dsm d22 · 09-30-2008, 02:59 PM

tanny seals maybe? aka cv axle seals.

Backinajiffy12 · 09-30-2008, 06:04 PM

i could be the hose for your power steering connected to your rac an pinion so check your power steering fluid. and let me know when and where you are gonna get your car tuned ive been trying to find some local dsm'ers.

Auto RS T · 09-30-2008, 06:37 PM

Inspect the oil closely and determine where it is coming from (engine oil, power steering fluid, tranny). A drip off the car would be the best to look at.

Once this is accomplished clean off all the oil with degreaser and then go for a drive. Now that you have the suspect fluid narrowed down, you should be able to look and see where the oil is coming from. Sounds like a drivers side axle seal from the description. If it isn't apparent, try adding a dye and a few more drive cycles.

steebm · 09-30-2008, 06:45 PM

well it sounds like a axel seal so if u can determint that fore sure replace it its not that hardbut make sure u check the axel for a grove or roughness but if it starts leaking again there could be something internal with to much play in it i got one doing the same thing but i havent fixed it yet cauz its my only vehicle

4g63t · 09-30-2008, 08:54 PM

Mine is leaking also and i just put in a shep tranny witch comes with new seals. I am going to get a new seal from napa or advance or something. and i hope this fixes it. but i don't think it will because it was leaking before with my old tranny and i cant figure out what is going on. Its like the seals are to big for my shaft.

codyw · 09-30-2008, 09:00 PM

I had a similar problem. When I put in a tranny I forgot to put in that (I think 12mm) bolt that goes on the backside of the tranny right above the x-fer case. I was leaking fluid from my axle seal. I noticed a little gap, maybe 1/16 of an inch between the block and trans because of that bolt missing. So I put the bolt in and it sucked the trans up tight to the block and that little bit pulled the half shaft in far enough to seal. Problem solved.

C3L1CA · 09-30-2008, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backinajiffy12

i could be the hose for your power steering connected to your rac an pinion so check your power steering fluid. and let me know when and where you are gonna get your car tuned ive been trying to find some local dsm'ers.

I'm positive its not power steering fluid, because I know I checked 3 times to make sure all the clamps were on the ends of the hose. Also, if you can imagine the axle drawing a line horizontally right above the oil pan and right in the middle of the subframe, there is no oil above the axle line.

As far as tuning goes, I wouldn't take my car anywhere else but DB Performance in Rogers. Shane is the most knowledgeable tuner in the state. 763-428-9882

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auto RS T

Inspect the oil closely and determine where it is coming from (enigne oil, power steering fluid, tranny). A drip off the car would be the best to look at.

Once this is accomplished clean off all the oil with degreaser and then go for a drive. Now that you have the suspect fluid narrowed down, you should be able to look and see where the oil is coming from. Sounds like a drivers side axle seal from the description. If it isn't apparent, try adding a dye and a few more drive cycles.

I've tried the cleaning and then go for a drive approach and still can't tell exactly where its coming from. After a drive there is oil covering all of the t-case, and half of the oil pan. Its so much fluid that it starts to drip after the drive. I've cleaned it off every time after driving and still can't pinpoint exactly where the leak is coming from.

After cleaning and putting it up on jackstands it doesn't leak. Thats another reason I think it might be tranny related because it only seems to happen after driving and not idling in the drive way.

Hopefully this weekend I can add some dye in the tranny and make sure its coming from there before I rip everything apart again.

Thanks everybody for the tips

Auto RS T · 09-30-2008, 11:02 PM

Clean it and then go for a shorter, lower speed drive, maybe just up the street if the leak is that bad.

The axle is seated properly in the trans correct?

rock1t · 10-01-2008, 08:54 AM

agree on that one... did you pop it to get it snug in the trans? if not try replacing your input shaft seal(cv axle seal)

Backinajiffy12 · 10-01-2008, 09:42 AM

Quote:

As far as tuning goes, I wouldn't take my car anywhere else but DB Performance in Rogers. Shane is the most knowledgeable tuner in the state. 763-428-9882

Im an RS guy and Ron is my guy. DB deals to much with muscle for me but its pref i guess

C3L1CA · 10-01-2008, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Auto RS T

Clean it and then go for a shorter, lower speed drive, maybe just up the street if the leak is that bad.

The axle is seated properly in the trans correct?

I'll definitely go for a shorter drive next time and hopefully that will help pinpoint the leak better. I assume it is seated in the trans correct, but i wont have time to check until the weekend with being so busy with work/school. Thanks for all your help

Quote:

Originally Posted by rock1t

agree on that one... did you pop it to get it snug in the trans? if not try replacing your input shaft seal(cv axle seal)

I don't remember it "popping" in, but I do remember it feeling like it was all the way in and in there correctly. I thought only the passenger side snapped in and the drive side was pretty much held in by the bracket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backinajiffy12

Im an RS guy and Ron is my guy. DB deals to much with muscle for me but its pref i guess

DB is half mustangs and the other half is mostly Mitu's. I've heard some horror stories about RS, but different strokes for different folks I guess.

brownfinger · 10-01-2008, 05:04 PM

I got a leak out of my axle shaft seals on the side of the trans before. The girl I was dating at the time had her dad's car one night: A 1.8L auto trans eclipse. After driving that little go-cart around all day I got into my car; a 2.0L MT Eclipse. I proceeded to forcefully select reverse gear WITHOUT pressing the clutch pedal (She was so dumb she made you dumb just by being with her!) SO...the next day my trans was leaking out of where the axles slide in. It was still under warranty, and the dealer had just had the trans out a few weeks before for another warranty claim, So...I went in and threw a fit and acted like a total bitch and they fixed it for free. They said they just replaced the axle seals.
Any way, since then, cause that was obviously back in the 90's, I've had the axles out a few times. It's pretty easy to slide them in and not necessarily hear a positive "click" from the snap-ring seating in the side gear. Translation: Your axle might just not be fully seated. I replaced my control arms a couple of weeks ago, and when I did, I accidentally pulled the axle out of it's seat somehow. I had to pull it out and shove it back in a few times before I was satisfied it was properly seated.
Good luck

C3L1CA · 10-01-2008, 09:02 PM

Does the drive side really click into place like the passenger side does? I know what it feels like when the passenger side axle goes in fine but I didn't think the driver side was the same way.

If you look at that picture from the FSM it doesn't have a circlip like the passenger side. Am I wrong on thinking this?

I'm going to rip it apart tomorrow night and hopefully get her leak free by the end of the weekend.

Auto RS T · 10-01-2008, 10:35 PM

There is no clip on the driverside axle. It should still seat in there firmly.

The seal rides on the smooth silver part of the axle shaft, if it is grooved or the seal is damaged it will leak from there.

Check the transmission bolts for tightness too, like codyw suggested. Quick and easy. I've seen the bolts come loose myself, but would expect clutch engagement problems to go along with this.

C3L1CA · 10-14-2008, 08:37 PM

I feel pretty dumb.

When taking a quick look I saw the oil right below where the axle goes into the tranny so I just guessed it was the axle seal. After taking the t-case off I figured out it was oil leaking out of my oil pan where it meets the block on the back side right above the t-case.

Threw a fel pro gasket in there and it still has a slow drip but its 90% better than it was before. I think the kid I bought the engine from just kinda threw the engine in his truck , straight on the oil pan, and might have bent the pan a bit. Over the winter I'll probably take it off and throw some rtv on it.

Thanks again for all the help guys.