Transmission Leak!

[ZachM31]

Well i got my engine in and everything, and the car runs (surprised me when i started it up, i figured something would be wrong or something) but so far so good, anyways, after i got the axles in, i filled the transmission up with BG synchorshift like i have always used, and now i have a small leak (after a weak of slow drips, it has accumulated to a puddle about 1.5 feet wide) so my question is, can something be wrong? i am almost positive that it's coming from the drivers side axle (the one where the carrier bearing just bolts onto the engine block) the one side that pushed in came out on me when i was replacing the boots for the control arm, so i know that one is fine because i pushed it in and felt it pop into place, so yeah, just want to know if it's possible for the other side to leak? it never leaked before i took the axles out, so am i missing something?? any help will be appreciated! thanks

 

[BREW]

Hey bud I'm having the same problem, except my leak is on the passenger side axel. I tried an oil seal that was supposed to fit the car from a parts warehouse, it was a piece of shit. So I went straight to the dealer to pick up the factory oil seal. I installed it with the transmission on the car, what a pain in the ass. When I installed it I'm not quite sure if it "popped" in or not, but I found a socket that would fit around the seal to tap it in. Today I went to fill the trans with BG sync and it started leaking approximatley .1 quarts from full. I start to suspect that I may have overfilled it, or the car is sitting at an unlevel angle. What worries me is when I go to drive it and make left hand turns, if I'm going to dump fluid all over the ground, should trans fluid be able to escape the seal that easily?

As far as your situation goes the oil seal part number is MD719710 for the driver side. I would start there. This is assuming you have a 5-speed trans.

 

[ZachM31]

Alright thanks, are those that hard to replace? i am sure it's just take the axle out, and then take a screwdriver and pry the seal out, and then put the new one in, the drivers side one will probably be a bit harder, specially with the whole "take off the transfer case" but yeah, i need to see where the leak is actually coming from, i have been sick lately and havent had the energy to go out and get the car up and crawl under there...thanks though!

 

[Black91TSiAWD]

Im having the same problem now too. I went to change my tranny fluid saturday and got it all filled back up, only to look down and see at least a quart of it leaking back out.

So I called the dealer to get a part # and maybe order one and he told me he only had the driver seal listed, but assured me it was the same seal for driver and passenger. Is this true? I never trust anything a dealer mechanic tells me so I wanted to find out first before I ordered it. MD719710 was the part # he told me.

Its not a big deal replacing the seal with the trany still on is it? I always thought thats how you did it anyway?

Any help would be great

 

[ZachM31]

I am almost positive that they arent the same part #, on an AWD at least they arent, the drivers side (one right above the transfer case) is mostly metal, and is a PITA to get out, at least it was for me, the passenger side is alot easier, mainly because you dont have to take the transfer case off and stuff like that, but even after i did change both of the seals, guess what? the leak switched sides, now it's a fairly small one, but it's coming out of the passenger side, so i took it all apart yesterday and cleaned it up, put it back together (i figured my axle was scored a bit on the end, letting oil pass by) but that wasnt the problem, so yeah i dont know what i wanna do now, it's a small leak, but enough to make you wonder when your tranny is gonna seize up because you havent checked the oil level in a week? i dont want to just leave it, i was thinking of just having a shop do it for me, thats money though, and they will probably just replace the seal, so i dont know..

 

[ZachM31]

New question, if you overfill a transmission, will the excess leak out? The reason i ask is because i went to add fluid to it tonight, since i figured it would need some after a weeks worth of driving, so i jacked both sides up, so the front end was off the ground, unbolted the drain plug and oil started coming out, so i assumed that i had overfilled it... Mainly because the fluid should have gotten angled away from the drain plug with the front end off the ground, but it still came out, i guess i'll watch and see if it still leaks (the leak switched sides, so thats why i wonder about it, i did order a new seal for the passenger side, even after i replaced it... Just making sure..

 

[GeosTalon]

You mean fill plug, right? It's always going to come out of the drain plug unless it is at a really extreme angle. Did you try to wash down the underside of the car, drive it, then put it up on some ramps to look underneath? I've got a leak also, and one where the rear differential is as well, but that looks harder to fix.

 

[ZachM31]

Sorry, yeah i meant fill plug, words got before my thoughts on that one..

 

[AL92]

I have a weird problem.I think my drivers axle seal is leaking but not 100% sure.The axle is wet though and even where the boot is by intermediate bracket.It drips oil or tranny fluid not 100% sure onto the downpipe and onto the oil pan by the drain plug.
I would not have though leaking axle seal could let oil get this far down the axle.
But I am pretty sure its not engine oil on there. I doubt overfilled trans get should check today and see how much is in there kind of pain to check at home to keep it level.

 

[jonheslop]

I don't know if I'm too late, but for the guy who asked is both seals are the same part number your answer is no. On a 1g AWD the two seals are totally different. Don't ever let a dealer tell you he knows more about a DSM than you do. Also, I had the same leak that you all are describing. I replaced both axle seals and still have the same leak. I know that is where it's coming from but I don't know how. I don't think overfilling the tranny would make it leak but anything is possible. I just know that the whole point of the oil seals is to seal oil in.

 

[jonheslop]

I forgot to add something. The leak I have is pretty big. Other than the axle seals and drain plug/fill plug, are there any other places that would leak huge amounts of oil?

 

[Kalisko]

Bringing this back up from the dead, But I'm starting to have the same exact issue. After about 2-3 weeks of sitting it in the garage i have about a cup amount of gear oil sitting right below the transmission. I had an extra transfer case and threw it on there this time hoping that it'd stop, and it still leaks. (Less, but it's still dripping a little bit.) Any tips on seals and things? installs and possibilities?