Front axle seal leaking. Please help!!

J

jaxbusa

New member
Hello,
Yesterday I installed the toyotec ultimate 3inch lift. I also replaced both cv axles with remanufactured units from Napa. I checked the seals on the front differential and they appeared fine, so I didn't replace them. Today I found diff oil in the driveway. I looked under the vehicle and it was all over on the right side. In light of the problem, I replaced the right axle seal. I checked the end of cv and it was smooth with no burs. I didn't touch the seal with any sharp edge. Wiped up all oil and drove it around. I parked in a different spot and saw oil on the ground and it's got a drip coming from the seal. I don't know what else I should do. Please help!!
 
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That's a bummer, for sure. How did you install the seals? I wonder if your right seal may have been damaged during istall? I recently had a bad left seal and decided to just replace the cv half shaft while doing the seal (NAPA half shaft). No problems at all. Hope you get it figured out easily enough. It's a lot of work, but if you are confident in the cv part, you might want to just try reinstalling the seal on the differential. Be Very careful and use some assistance - I used a 2 1/2" (IIRC) exhaust connector from the Zone ($2.38 or so) to help tap the new seal in evenly.
GOOD LUCK!
 
I got another cv axle from Napa and installed it. when I took out the old one I saw that my new hub gasket was slightly eaten up on section of it and the spring was out on that side. Another trip to my local stealer and 25 dollars later I had a new one. I installed the new axle and drove it around and didn't see any oil. I drove it around again and didn't see any oil. I cleaned up and went to the grocery store and checked it and saw a drop hanging from the outer axle. On the pan under it I saw a little bit. I am going to give it a little bit longer to see what it's going to do before I fire my AR15 into the side of it and light it on fire. It's not leaking nearly what it was before. Woo Hoo!:redbrick:
 
pearlj10 said:
That's a bummer, for sure. How did you install the seals? I wonder if your right seal may have been damaged during istall?
Click to expand...

I kept the original seals on the outer ends of the differential. I was carefull and inspected the seals. Only the right side leaked. After seeing the leak, I replaced the perfectly good seal with a new Toyota seal. I drove it in with a motorcycle oil filter wrench that fit perfectly on it. I had assistance holding the shaft and guiding it in. The splines never touched the seal. I appreciate you guys asking these questions.
 
Did you fit the seals over the shafts to see how they fit first before installing them? Try putting some grease on the shaft so the shaft won't be dry when first turning when driving.
 
gm350reratliff said:
Did you fit the seals over the shafts to see how they fit first before installing them? Try putting some grease on the shaft so the shaft won't be dry when first turning when driving.
Click to expand...

I did. The old seal felt okay. The new seal was really tight. I put a thin coat of grease on the shaft before the install. It doesn't leak when it sits, just going down the road.
 
It may be a case where the seal needs to be driven allowing it to "seat in" to seal and/or it will eventually swell helping it seal. If I remember correctly, I've seen a few GMs like this.
 
gm350reratliff said:
It may be a case where the seal needs to be driven allowing it to "seat in" to seal and/or it will eventually swell helping it seal. If I remember correctly, I've seen a few GMs like this.
Click to expand...
I was also wondering about that. Does anyone know if this is true? My thought on it was if that was the case you would see new cars leaking on the lot after a test drive.
 
gm350reratliff said:
It may be a case where the seal needs to be driven allowing it to "seat in" to seal and/or it will eventually swell helping it seal. If I remember correctly, I've seen a few GMs like this.
Click to expand...

Uh...I don't think seals need to "seat in". If a new seal on a new cvj leaks it is usually because of a tolerance issue. Wrong seal or cheapo aftermarket part.
 
Yesterday I wiped up all the leaks and drove it around one more time. I said that if it leaked then it would go to the dealer. Well, it didn't leak. My wife drove it around today and it didn't leak a drop. I am keeping a close eye on it. I took out the differential fill plug and it was slowly oozing out. Still full. My fingers are crossed.
 
It's been about a week now after I replaced the CV axle. The seal is still leaking. It's just about 1 drop hanging from the axle tube on the right side. I wipe it off every time I see one. I was given the idea to wait and see if it stops because I was told that if you use grease a little grease on the seal and axle durring assembly, you might change the surface friction. By giving it a little time it will hopefully "wash" away the grease. My gut feeling from the begining is that it will need to be replaced. To recap: after replacing both cv axles, the right one leaked. I replaced the seal on that side and it still leaked. I then replaced it with another cv axle and it still leaks. It only leaks when you drive it. The new seal was tight. The cv was smooth where the axle seal rides. I am going to give it another week then I'll replace the seal and change fluid. This is getting expensive.
 
[MENTION=61079]jaxbusa[/MENTION] I realize this thread is 5 years old but if you are still out there how did this play out? I'm in the exact same boat as you were.
 
Have the same issue my diff seal started leaking after sitting up for a week. So while I was removing the diff seal I also changed the CV. Now it's has a slight leak. Could it be possible that I over services the diff? The CV is Napa brand and the dust ring does not fit snug. I don't fill that is the problem. From what I've read on other post is I may have push the seal to far into the diff??
 
What kind of seal did you use?

I'm not one of those people that assumes that anything non-OEM is crap, but my experience with differential seals has lead me to purchase nothing but OEM replacements. I've had new National and Timkin seals immediately leak even when installed properly. I've not had any OEM replacements leak and they're not very expensive either.
 
Right side? How far in did you install the seal? That side can be put in too far, there is a "ledge" or some type of stop in the housing against which the axle seal can seat. If you seat it there it's in too far and will leak. I believe it's because the sealing surface at the CV axle shaft become located in the wrong place, maybe there's a gap due to diameter differences (not exactly sure).

I had read some threads mentioning the same issue so I tried to observe where my OEM seal was before I took it out, but I forgot, however, I noticed there is a marker line in the inner housing surface... maybe about an inch or so in from the outer face. I'm pretty sure that it where you install the seal (the inner edge, I think). When the seal is in, it'll be just inside the outer face. This is opposed to the driver's side which installs flush with the outer face of the housing. One thing you'll find in prior threads in that some people got the seal started, and let the axle seat it when the installed the axle.

Also, make sure you have the correct seal. I got some to have on hand in case I need to address any issues with my CV job (though I have no reason to think there's a problem, I guess I'm OCD). I had suspected a leak after I put on my suspension, the steering knuckle moved on me while I was installing and I heard a "clunk" so I had wondered if the seal got damaged. Anyway, I noticed one of the seal I bought (carquest) wasn't the right size, it was really close, but the wrong one. the inner diameters were off slightly.

90311-47012 = drivers side
90311-47013 = passenger

carquest # 710596 = drivers side (don't have the passenger number anymore, but it's probably only 1 number different)
 
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bob3dsf said:
Right side? How far in did you install the seal? That side can be put in too far, there is a "ledge" or some type of stop in the housing against which the axle seal can seat. If you seat it there it's in too far and will leak. I believe it's because the sealing surface at the CV axle shaft become located in the wrong place, maybe there's a gap due to diameter differences (not exactly sure).

I had read some threads mentioning the same issue so I tried to observe where my OEM seal was before I took it out, but I forgot, however, I noticed there is a marker line in the inner housing surface... maybe about an inch or so in from the outer face. I'm pretty sure that it where you install the seal (the inner edge, I think). When the seal is in, it'll be just inside the outer face. This is opposed to the driver's side which installs flush with the outer face of the housing. One thing you'll find in prior threads in that some people got the seal started, and let the axle seat it when the installed the axle.
Click to expand...

Yes it is the right side and that seems to my issue. I push the seal back unt the outter surface was flush with the housing surface. I did read where they push the seal in to start it than used the CV to seat it the rest of the way. And doing that seats it the correct depth. I guess there is nothing to do but pull it back apart and try again. Might as well do the driver side as well as it showing signs of wetting. Fun times. Thanks for the info.!!!
 
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For some reason I found it best to install seal on the shaft and slide them together in place. I was installing seals first and then shaft and it always leaked by next day (new OEM seals, new shaft). Its really tricky to get it in right place, if you go too far you will crush the seal (what I had) and it will leak. It can also go in not straight and result in the leak also.

What I do is lube the shaft well and slide new seal in place just like shown on picture. All you have to do is just make sure your shaft going in straight until it clicks in place. It literally takes me 20 min per side swap the axles and that including taking my wheels off, I'm just like you using crappy NAPA axles with lifetime warranty and they always seems to fail around 2 year mark, so I'm their regular customer to get free replacements lol.

20140526_203541.jpg~original
 
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