Axle Seal Leak

[Achelea]

I'm posting the initial question for my buddy so he doesn't incite a riot again. XD

There have been leaks from the axle shaft seals. He's replaced both seals using the proper tools, and as far as he has seen, installed correctly. He used one from O'Reily's

What would cause the seal to leak worse after install?

 

[dsmspickdad]

Wrong seal and/or installled incorrectly, according to Scot's seals.

 

[Kyromoto]

ok well i know the first time i installed it yes it was the wrong seal and leaked even worse. so after i went back and bought the proper one this time it finally stopped leaking...... untill that is i started driving. does anyone know why itd not leak for hours but then right when i drive all of a sudden leak?

 

[romeen]

Are you sure that the axle seated properly when you installed it. The metal ring/clip on the tranny side of the axle may not have fully seated into position.

It's also possible to scuff up the seal when sliding the axle through.

 

[boostd_mitsu]

there might be a groove worn into the axle itself. take the axle out and see if there is a groove in the shaft

 

[Achelea]

The axles are new. The passenger side CV joint blew so he got some new ones. But his car has ABS, but the axles are for the Non abs.

Would that have an effect?

 

[Kyromoto]

The axles are new. The passenger side CV joint blew so he got some new ones. But his car has ABS, but the axles are for the Non abs.

Would that have an effect?

no the ABS difference is on the tire side of the axel not the tranny side. but yeay i double checked seal and axel both look perfect. and this time instead of putting seal flush with tranny like the original was i decided to just put it on the axel and slid the axel in and use the axel to push it in just enough. becous i found out for some reason (maybe it needs a shim and my car never had one?) but the seal sitted way to far back so wudnt cover the axel so the way i just did it now it covers axel completly and still gets into the tranny. and after a little drive i still see no leak. so im crossing fingers this holds up.

resolved....

 

[romeen]

......instead of putting seal flush with tranny like the original was i decided to just put it on the axel and slid the axel in and use the axel to push it in just enough. becous i found out for some reason (maybe it needs a shim and my car never had one?) but the seal sitted way to far back so wudnt cover the axel so the way i just did it now it covers axel completly and still gets into the tranny. and after a little drive i still see no leak. so im crossing fingers this holds up.

If I'm understanding you correctly and the seal was (previously) sitting too close to the end of the axle then that makes me suspect even more that the axle had not been pushed in far enough to engage the circlip. Hopefully you won't develop any leaks but the way you installed the seal would make me a little nervous if this was my car.

 

[Kyromoto]

it was originally to deep in the transmission so it cudnt really get to the axel even when id push it in all the way

 

[Baron4406]

I'm fighting this right now, factory seal leaks after driving it awhile. All I have left is some aftermarket Timkin ones. I'm gonna try and install them with the seal edge hanging out of the tranny a bit.