My gearbox started to leak from the O/S diff seal, was just a drip overnight type leak but enough to make the gearbox and subframe wet with oil after a week or so.

I changed the seal 2 days ago and thought i'd managed to seat it all properly etc however ive looked under the car this morning and its leaking again.

I'm wondering now if the steel support ring where the seal sits is bent or damaged in some way.

I'm going to try and get under the car with a torch and see if its leaking from the seal-drive flange part or the seal-steel collar.

Anyone have any suggestions short of replacing the seal again

I can't really be bothered to have to unbolt the driveshaft again and try tapping in a new seal as access is so tight and its awkward on the driveway.

I'll probably just live with it and top up the gearbox oil every few months.

That support can easily take a clout as the box goes out or in, as you can imagine.

Mine had a number of marks on the outside from collisions with the flywheel, but didn't look dented by its experiences.

Did you use any of that blue radial shaft seal stuff on it?

I think you said before that the diff bearings felt OK/minimal play?

Zero play in the diff flanges either direction so i'm sure thats all ok.

The old seal I removed had lots of rust in the grease and around the flange shaft where it seals against the diff seal. I'm guessing this was from the way the gearbox had been stored for a while by the breaker.

I swapped the flange from my old gearbox as it was in better condition no rust etc. No, I didnt use any radial seal grease I just used all purpose which is making me wonder now if that could of affected it.

 

I'm also wondering if I pushed the seal in too far. I though I had it seated about where the old one was, but it could have gone slightly too far in which might have reduced it's contact area with the flange.

How easy is it to change those seal supports? I see they are cheap enough but also must be a very snug fit to stop them leaking as they dont seem to have a seal of their own.

My memory of the seal position is that it went in as far as possible?

Not sure how the support bit is fitted.

 

Let me send you some of the blue stuff if you do end up replacing the seal again.

Not sure how crucial it is, but I've got loads going spare.

Thanks for that, before I do anything else I think i may have an alternative place that the oil is coming from

Ive cleaned all the oil from around the gearbox, dogbone mount and subframe as it had dribbled everywhere.

I found that when I cleaned the oil from around that metal sleeve where it was forming a 'drip', there was lots of oil all up and around the gearbox casing where the sleeve is fitted.

I am now going to leave the car jacked in the air until later so I can see exactly where the oil is leaking from, as there is no indication of it coming out from behind the flange shaft from the diff seal.

Im not sure how much sense that makes but here's a picture that might better explain it.

The red arrow is where I thought it was leaking as the drips of oil form here(might still be the case), but appears dry.

The black arrow is the recess where the oil seems to be building up, note the damage to the left where It seems a lever has been used at some point. (maybe the breaker who I bought it from??)

The green line shows where the front of the seal was tapped in to, not all the way back but in the same position as the old one was mounted.

 

Yes, just been for a drive and the oil is pouring out of that hole on the left of the sleeve.

Going to try and get some oil resistant sealant tomorrow and run a bead of it all the way along the join

turns out the diff seal was never leaking, although im sure 99% people would of changed it first as it was exactly what you'd expect from a leaking diff seal.

All good experience though

 

 Good news I think.  Shouldn't be under any pressure so may well seal OK.

 

 

Yes, no pressure and not leaking whilst car is stationary so must be just above the level of the GB oil.

Wonder how much oil I've lost must be quite a bit i reckon as it seemed to be pouring out all over the subframe

 

Glad its this tho and not the diff seals again as Ive had enough of removing those spline bolts lol.

Will pick up some loctite flange sealant tomorrow from halfrauds and get it sealed up.

Used the loctite 5990 liquid sealant which has done the trick.

Driven 100 miles and no leaks so I'm really pleased as I don't have to take off those driveshafts again

 

Next thing to do is the rear shocks which have started leaking

6 hours ago, clarendon462 said:

Used the loctite 5990 liquid sealant which has done the trick.

Driven 100 miles and no leaks so I'm really pleased as I don't have to take off those driveshafts again

 

Next thing to do is the rear shocks which have started leaking

 

Loctite certainly won't work on them!

Thought i might be able to put a bit around the seals? No?

 

Probably going to go cheapskate and get some used ones off ebay, do the Mk2 shocks fit? I think ive seen somewhere most of the vw small cars use the same shocks right up until recently.

If so I will get some off a newer car and they should be ok for a few years

4 minutes ago, clarendon462 said:

Thought i might be able to put a bit around the seals? No?

 

Probably going to go cheapskate and get some used ones off ebay, do the Mk2 shocks fit? I think ive seen somewhere most of the vw small cars use the same shocks right up until recently.

If so I will get some off a newer car and they should be ok for a few years

 

Nasty.

 

I've got a nice set of secondhand brake pads if you need them...

Ill take them only if they've got less than 1mm of material left.

 

Is it really such a big risk buying some used shocks provided they arent leaking?

I don't really want to spend out on a new set as Ive just spent loads replacing the gearbox and all the front ball joints

If I do go new is there any harm in non genuine stuff of ECP?

 

No, that's fine, by all means buy the cheapest new ones you can find, but do buy new.