Axle seal replacement - or perhaps not

[orly]

I noticed a healthy deposit of what I thought was gearbox oil around the axle flanges and thought I needed new axle seals. So I bought some replacements and some gearbox oil. Having unbolted one side (wishing I hadn't started on the hard side now!) I now don't think the axle seals are leaking, but interested in your views. There is a lot of CV grease between the flanges. Not sure if that was added by the last person working there, or has leaked from the CV joint? There is no staining on the transaxle case, making me think it's just CV grease leaking out of the interface between the flanges, which I don't think has a seal. Should there be CV grease between the flanges?

Thanks - Olly.

 

[orly]

There should be grease, but only on the inside.... Hard to tell from the pictures and without knowing the work history - could be someone has had them apart and not been tidy putting them back, or maybe the shaft boot is leaking? The metal plate on the shaft side of the CV joint is integral with the rubber boot. If the former, just cleaning it all up and putting it back together might sort it out.
Might be worth taking the shafts off the car, stripping and cleaning and re-greasing the CV joints, especially if the grease looks the least bit dirty.
HTH

 

[dlknight]

They normally leak from the gearbox output shaft seal, but the side of your gearbox looks pretty dry in that picture.

As Steve says the grease is supposed to be there as the CV joint is pressed up against the flange, sealing the joint.

I wouldn't be worried about it unless your boot is torn or there are knocking or clicking noises coming from the joint.

Probably a bit of grease seepage from the CV joint / flange is all

 

[orly]

Thanks for the advice. I think it is just grease seepage. I've cleaned it up and I'll see what happens in the next couple of hundred miles... Anyone want a pair of seals at a (slightly) discounted price?

 

[dlknight]

Thanks for the advice. I think it is just grease seepage. I've cleaned it up and I'll see what happens in the next couple of hundred miles... Anyone want a pair of seals at a (slightly) discounted price?

I just looked at your pictures again, are they both from the same car?

The second picture looks like gearbox oil on the side of the gearbox, the grease in the flange is normal though.

From the second picture I would say that is a leaky output shaft seal, as I said above pretty common.

 

[orly]

Same car. Taken just seconds apart... The first picture is the n/s and has the driveshaft unbolted at the flangesThe second photo is the the o/s side untouched. I don't see oil staining on either side of the gearbox / transaxle next to the driveshafts, although there is sign of leaking from higher up but it looks very old.