TheSamba.com :: View topic - Replacing manual transmission drive flange oil seal

Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:59 am

You replaced the O ring that seals the bearing/seal support too?

Sat Oct 09, 2021 7:09 am

Syncro Jael wrote: So I had the parts and did the job. I used a seal puller. Off in less than a minute. Lots of gear oil came out.

Does anyone else experience oil leaking out when the seal is pulled? Does that mean the trans was slightly overfilled or is this normal?

I am on my 3rd go around now. Replaced seal, still leaks. Installed speedisleeve, still leaks. Now I am going to put a new seal in there and RTV every non rotating surface. I actually think it was not leaking past the speedisleeve, it was leaking past the outside of the oil seal. Everything was wet.

Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:21 am

4Gears4Tires wrote: Syncro Jael wrote: So I had the parts and did the job. I used a seal puller. Off in less than a minute. Lots of gear oil came out.

Does anyone else experience oil leaking out when the seal is pulled? Does that mean the trans was slightly overfilled or is this normal?

I am on my 3rd go around now. Replaced seal, still leaks. Installed speedisleeve, still leaks. Now I am going to put a new seal in there and RTV every non rotating surface. I actually think it was not leaking past the speedisleeve, it was leaking past the outside of the oil seal. Everything was wet.

RTV can cause the seal to pop out, best to use something tacky. I am old school here and just use #2 Permatex, but there are lots of choices out there.

Have you checked that the case vent for the transaxle isn't clogged?

Loosing some oil is normal when removing the axle seals, but you shouldn't get a lot. I typically only raise one side of the rig at a time when doing seals which can help if the tranny if overfilled.

Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:21 pm

Case vent line is not clogged. It's actually fairly new. I used a Honda Civic rubber brake line since it had the appropriate banjo fitting. :lol:

Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:56 am

I've read this thread a few times before attempting on my own driver side as I was noticing gear oil dripping down and since I already had the axles off doing CV boot r&r I thought, why not.

The seal came out with some force using a hand gear puller with the hooks, but the real problem I'm having is getting the new seal back in. I tried using a 2" PVC connector fitting and scrap board to seat it in while hitting with a hammer but it wouldn't go in. Then I tried using a racket straps to create and "x" on the PVC connector to push it in but it seemed to only get 3/4s of it on and when I looked closer the side not in has the rubber ridges all cut up. So now I've boogered the seal and need a new one.

Has one else had difficulty getting the new seal in? Do you think putting the seal in the freezer would shrink it enough or is that a fool's errand?

Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:14 am

Post a pic with the seal out and how clean is your mating surface?

Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:47 am

DCzilla wrote:
Has one else had difficulty getting the new seal in? Do you think putting the seal in the freezer would shrink it enough or is that a fool's errand?

Some seals can be a royal PITA to get it, try another brand.

Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:41 am

I can't outside to show the trans, but these pictures show the seal.

Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:30 am

DCzilla wrote:

Depending where you are for parts availability, I'd put that seal in. the upper grooves are still ok, jut the first few are jammed.

You already know how to extract it :)

the mounting of that side CV joint is your only extra work...and the blue/green flange cap.

Tue Feb 22, 2022 11:22 am

vanis13 wrote: DCzilla wrote:

Depending where you are for parts availability, I'd put that seal in. the upper grooves are still ok, jut the first few are jammed.

You already know how to extract it :)

the mounting of that side CV joint is your only extra work...and the blue/green flange cap.

Ha! I'm 100% with you, I would have used that seal but I still couldn't get it seated. I stopped because it looked like it was starting to mar the top inside of the output housing. If the lip of the seal was slightly bent inwards I would think it would help get it started then could be driven home with the PVC connection and hammer.

Tue Feb 22, 2022 1:35 pm

Don’t modify the seal but chamfer the housing edge if anything. For me, installing the seal with a dry clean housing, no goop nor oil, reduced the Whack-a-Mole effect.

Wed Feb 23, 2022 4:29 pm

4Gears4Tires wrote: Post a pic with the seal out and how clean is your mating surface?

Weather warmed and not wet for me to get under. The marring is on the upper right, just inside the cavity.

Wed Feb 23, 2022 5:16 pm

DCzilla wrote: 4Gears4Tires wrote: Post a pic with the seal out and how clean is your mating surface?

Weather warmed and not wet for me to get under. The marring is on the upper right, just inside the cavity.

that's interesting and unfortunate. unfortunately you are likely not to know if that was there previously and that was causing your leak or if it was your attempt.

I like the flare the housing lip idea.

Luckily the seals ahve many ridges.

Wed Feb 23, 2022 6:53 pm

You can create a slight chamfer with a utility knife. You can also apply a tad of grease or a sealant right at the edge to act as a lubricant.

Wed Feb 23, 2022 7:19 pm

In this situation why cannot the seal be chamfered? The edge being driven in is not really doing any sealing.

Wed Feb 23, 2022 9:38 pm

dobryan wrote: In this situation why cannot the seal be chamfered? The edge being driven in is not really doing any sealing.

The counterbore for the seal was obviously damaged by some previous mechanic driving in the seal with a piece of rough iron pipe, pretty sure that was the main problem.

Thu Feb 24, 2022 5:00 am

Current plan is to order (2) new seals (different brand), sand the edge starting with 320 then 1200 grit. The marring is about 2cm long and maybe 1cm high in the larger part. When the seal is pulled it drips oil so I'm going to drain the oil and see if a cleaner surface helps get the new seal started. If it does I was planning to put a tiny bead of hylomar on the outer grooves of the seal to help make the connection tight where I sanded. I've already gotten the gear oil fill plug off which was badly stripped. That took a bit of penetrating oil and an 18" breaker bar. The drain plug is equally hard to access but with a 7/16" rod connector I should be able to fit under the crossbar and open.

Thu Feb 24, 2022 7:26 am

Wildthings wrote: dobryan wrote: In this situation why cannot the seal be chamfered? The edge being driven in is not really doing any sealing.

The counterbore for the seal was obviously damaged by some previous mechanic driving in the seal with a piece of rough iron pipe, pretty sure that was the main problem.

I agree, that needs to be addressed first.

Thu Feb 24, 2022 7:36 am

DCzilla wrote: ..... I've already gotten the gear oil fill plug off which was badly stripped. That took a bit of penetrating oil and an 18" breaker bar. The drain plug is equally hard to access....

1 I've had very good luck with Teflon tape (plumbers tape) on the threads. Snugs up w.o leaks and easy to re-remove.

2 I'm surprised to read hard access on fill plug. IIRC it's a extension on the socket to get past the shifter or a wrench right up by the trans on a hex insert. What was your difficulty?

3 the hex needed is 17mm iirc. I found a standard thread threaded bar connector at my local true value that was that exterior nut size. It now lives in the van.

4 mustache bar/access. I no longer remember since I've had my subi so long but what has worked very well is #4 threaded bar adapter was cut in half and pushed into drain plug. My hack sawing job left some ragged edges which have held it in there for 20?k miles. It is nice now to just use a box end wrench to get that drain plug out.

Thu Feb 24, 2022 8:27 am

Your right, I have a 17mm hex head socket for the fill plug and thought I could also use it for the drain plug but the mustache bar prevents clearance. I misused "difficulty" in accessing the fill plug, that was straight forward after dropping the shift linkage. The difficulty was getting the stripped plug out. It looked like someone tried getting it out before without taking down the shift linkage and buggered the head.