2G Axle seals leaking at rear diff ... thoughts?

[techboy]

So, if you don't follow my build thread I just finished a 2 year GSX swap at the end of October. I've got a little bit more than 300 miles on my car since I finished it in the last month. Friday I noticed a quarter size drip under the rear of the car so I put it up in the air on Saturday.

It appears my axle seals on each side are leaking. My question is why - what did I do wrong? I replaced both of them when I did the swap, along with new fill and drain plugs and gaskets. They were OEM Mitsu seals from Extreme PSI and I've seal replacements before, so I'm not a first timer. It seems odd to me though they're leaking from both side. Looking for your input. Pictures below. TIA.

Drivers side:

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Passenger Side: (a little harder to see b/c there's metal shield on the axle)

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From underneath.

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[EVLGSX]

Did the axles and rear diff come from the same car?

 

[techboy]

Yes they did. And they didnt show any signs of having leaked when I took it all apart. I even went out to the garage to check and make sure I actually installed the new seals and they weren't sitting in a box unopened.

 

[motomattx]

Are the axle cups grooved where the seal rides? also be aware that on bigger seals like that its easy to deform them during installation or twist the lip of the seal or fold it.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Hmm, maybe an overfill of oil? Shouldn’t be too hard to throw some new seals on.

 

[lglracer]

Kinda stupid but are the axles installed all the way in. I've done it before where the axle was not in all the way and leaked the same way.

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

So just to confirm the axles are from the same diff and car? You never swapped cups or diff even internal diff.

From the pics it looks like they sit out further then they should. On the axle there is a step to something like 40mm or so that should have the seal resting its lip on this and helps seal, if its not then you will leak.

Confirm this and let us know because to me thats what i see in the pic that its not doing

 

[Dentor]

On the photo it looks as if at least the driver's side is not properly inside.
Give the axle a few light hits with a hammer until the snap ring snaps in.
Stupid question, but the sealing rings are also mounted the right way around?

 

[techboy]

Are the axle cups grooved where the seal rides? also be aware that on bigger seals like that its easy to deform them during installation or twist the lip of the seal or fold it.

I didn't notice that the axles were cupped at all where the seal rides. I think if that would have been excessively cupped I would have noticed - I tend to be a very detail oriented person.

Kinda stupid but are the axles installed all the way in. I've done it before where the axle was not in all the way and leaked the same way.

I'm hoping that's all it is as well. The strange thing is, the passenger side is leaking more than drivers, and the drivers side appears to be the one that's not in all the way maybe. Although, it's bit deceiving in appearance since that side is missing the dust shield.

So just to confirm the axles are from the same diff and car? You never swapped cups or diff even internal diff.

From the pics it looks like they sit out further then they should. On the axle there is a step to something like 40mm or so that should have the seal resting its lip on this and helps seal, if its not then you will leak.

Confirm this and let us know because to me thats what i see in the pic that its not doing

Nothing has been swapped, everything is from the same donor car.

On the photo it looks as if at least the driver's side is not properly inside.
Give the axle a few light hits with a hammer until the snap ring snaps in.
Stupid question, but the sealing rings are also mounted the right way around?

Seals are definitely in the correct direction. I didn't take photos of me doing the seals for my build thread, but, like I said, I've done many many seals so I know I didn't put them in backwards. Good thought though.

What is strange to me is it kinda started very suddenly. Being a fresh build, I was checking under the car just everything about time I parked it for leaks and whatnot, then, all the sudden this just starts. If the axles weren't in correctly, or the seals not correct, I feel like it should have leaked from day 1.

I did out the car up in the air and attempted to whack each axle in some more. It's hard to tell whether they moved at all. I guess what I'll do in the meantime is order two new seals from Extreme (they're cheap enough) and wait till spring and see what happens when I start driving it again. It snowed here in PA yesterday and they put salt down on the roads, so my car is done for this season. Time to through the cover on.

 

[EVLGSX]

Im not too far from you and am feeling the wrath of the same storm....... it wasnt that bad but winter is officially here now as the roads are a salt/sand/chem mess.