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So... I'm running out of ideas. I have replaced the right side output shaft seal 3 times now, I've tried two different brands of aftermarket seal, tried seating the seal both flush with the outside of the diff and all the way to the back of the bore, no difference. It will not stop leaking no matter what I do. I am beginning to think it might be a problem with the axle causing it to not seal properly. I'm leaking about a quart a week, so not too bad, but I would really like to get this fixed. Any advice or ideas? Should I try replacing the axle and bearing next?
Is the axle new are has it been in service for some time. If its been in service for some time is there any abnormal wear marks or grooves on the sealing surface? I know you probably don't want to hear this but buy the seal from the dealer. Also are you lubing/ greasing the inner diameter of the seal prior to installing the axle.? I'd get the new nissan seal and then go to a parts house that has an axle on hand and examine the fit/tolerance of the axle and the new nissan seal. Then determine what your axle looks like with the same seal.
The axle (if original) has 297,000 on it. Im not sure because I only got the car a few months ago
Yes, I tried installing it with and without lube.
I really don't want to go to the trouble of dealing with a dealer, and I have read that the aftermarket ones are just as good if not better than OEM. Could that really be the only issue?
I have been working on this car for 2 weeks now and I'm just tired of it.
Not sure if yours is auto or manual (or if it will matter), but when I had a leak at the seal it turned out to be a worn carrier bearing in the transaxle. Mine was a manual.
Mine is Auto. Sorry I never specified that. The carrier bearing seemed ok when I took out the axle, it wasn't loose or anything. Also, I have a picture of my axle and seal if it helps anyone:
I assume the axle is pushed in far enough? There is that little 1/4 inch area that has a little more diameter than the rest of the "fatter" part of the axle, it looks like that should be pushed into the seal... I don't see how I could get it in any further though...
The left and right axle seals are not the same. The left seal (driver's) has a 1.535 in opening. The right side (passenger) has a 1.299 in opening. So if you used a left side seal, you will have a leak.
The National, Timken, Autozone part number for the right axle seal is 710124. The Nissan seal is part number 38342-81X01.
Don't be afraid of the dealer. Nissan has lower prices on gaskets than your local auto store. The seal is $12.99 at autozone and $10.02 at the dealer.
Well apparently I'm on my own with this one... Thanks people.
You're not alone. Many of us here are busy with jobs, family, rush hour traffic and need some time to respond.
In the summer of 2011, over 5 years ago, I installed the following National seal on my 99 I30 automatic. It is still running with no leaks after 5 years and 45,000 miles.
As Dennis noted, you can't go wrong with the dealer seal. I typically use National seals because the local dealer rarely has any parts in stock for a 4th gen. Fortunately the local Advance store always seems to have the parts I need with no waiting.
I can't tell from your picture if the shaft has is completely "snapped" into the transmission.
Am I seeing shaft splines sticking out of the seal area?
If yes, then that is a problem. I can show from the pictures that the shaft must be completely mated to the carrier.
Here's a picture from my 95 SE 5-MT (Max I) where I did my first CV joint replacement and seal job in 2010. That car is still running with the seal I installed during the replacement.
IMPORTANT STUFF
Something about the axle doesn't look right.
Here a picture of the axle for an automatic without locking differential.
Here's a picture of the axle for an automatic with locking differential.
As you can see there is an inch difference between the one with locking vs. without.
Has this leak been going on since you purchased the car?
If somebody installed a used shaft from a car with locking on your car that does not have locking, that could explain the inch difference and why I think I'm seeing splines sticking out of the seal area. OR did somebody replace a locking transmission with a transmission without locking and failed to change the CV axle to match?
If you determine that your car has the wrong shaft, I've used CSP shafts from AdvanceAuto on all my 4th gens. I can tell you from experience the passenger side boot on a CSP axle lasts about 5 years before it starts to come apart. Then I get to use the lifetime warranty and replace it. I don't like that part about CSP axles. Strangely, I've never had a boot come apart on the driver side.
IIRC, we had a member on here a few months ago that had a car with the wrong shaft installed that caused some strange problems. Is this the same car?
CS_AR, Thank you for pointing out the difference between the locking and non-locking differentials. I will have to investigate that.
My passenger axle seal has been leaking for about six years. It all started when I replaced the passenger axle. I f'ed up the first seal and a ton of fluid dumped out. I replaced it, but still had a small, constant leak. I took it to AAMCO. They installed a seal or two... still leaked. They blamed the axle. I pulled the axle, brought it back to O'Reilly's and got another one. Second axle (or third depending on how you're counting) and three seals later AAMCO tells me they don't know why it's leaking and to stop bringing it back to them.
I've just been topping off the trans every oil change and occasionally in between. I'd really like it to stop leaving gear oil stains everywhere I go.
Well, I think I am going to have to replace the CV axle. It's probably a used axle from a similar car but doesn't quite fit correctly. Probably not a maxima as locking diffs are only available in Canada. Maybe an infiniti?
I found my receipt from O'Reilly's (dated 2/21/2009) and the part number of 60-6145 is correct for a non-locking differential. I suppose it's still possible that the wrong part was in the box since it's a re-man.
I found my receipt from O'Reilly's (dated 2/21/2009) and the part number of 60-6145 is correct for a non-locking differential. I suppose it's still possible that the wrong part was in the box since it's a re-man.
For the passenger side, I use National Seal Part # 710124 - The same seal works for VLSD or non-VLSD, Automatic or Manual. That's the only seal that I need to keep in stock for the passenger side. It works on all of my 4th gens.
You can see the double lip inside the seal that really does a good job of keeping the transmission lubricant inside the transmission.
For the passenger side, I use National Seal Part # 710124 - The same seal works for VLSD or non-VLSD, Automatic or Manual. That's the only seal that I need to keep in stock for the passenger side. It works on all of my 4th gens.
...
I just installed one earlier this week. No leaks.
Are you working by yourself? I have you have a helper, I can share a trick for how I mount the seal on the passenger side.
Can you snap a picture of where the shaft goes into the transmission? I think I can tell by looking if you have the wrong shaft.
Right after my axle receipt is a receipt for that very seal. Though that's not necessarily what is in the car now. I installed the seal with the new axle, but did something wrong because there was a puddle under the car in the morning. I installed a second seal, but still it leaked. 11/14/09 I replaced the clutch and maybe the seal again. 1/28/2010 I had Aamco install two seals, still leaked. I swapped the axle under warranty at O'Reilly's, then three more seals before Aamco said no more.
I haven't touched the seal again since then. I just keep an eye on the fluid level in the trans.
My brother helped me install the first two seals. I remember using some contraption involving duct tape and a long piece of PVC. I'm curious to know your trick for installation.
I'll have the car in the air again next weekend when I replace the rear brakes. I'll see if I can get a clear pic of the axle going into the transmission.
My trick for quick passenger side seal installation comes from Lowes.
I get or cut a 5' long piece of 1.5 inch PVC pipe. Then add couplings to both ends. The pipe in the picture is now six years old. I've used it at least six times over the years.
The coupling is a perfect fit over the seal.
I loosen the strut just enough so it can move out of the way so the pipe is in a "straight line" through the carrier bracket to the outside.
Then I hold the coupling against the seal and tell a helper to tap at different clock positions like 12 o-clock, 3 o-clock, etc, until the seal is square with the transmission housing bevel edge. The length of the pipe absorbs the shock from the taps so I won't damage the seal in the process. It seems to take less than 5 minutes to install the seal using this approach. Also, I use some lubricant on the seal outer edge that mates with the transmission housing so I don't risk pinching or scoring the seal rim during installation. The lubricant helps the seal glide into place and it doesn't leak afterward.
At some point, all of my three children have helped me tap a passenger side seal into place. They all like to help and this is an easy task. So they all know about installing seals and the PVC pipe trick.
The seal and axle look like this picture when I'm done.
Komik - Is there any chance you could be losing trans oil from the seal for the transmission shift mechanism? I noticed a small leak starting to develop on mine. It makes a real mess under the car. The oil seems to collect on the flex part of the y-pipe. I guess that will be my next seal replacement project.
I had this problem on my 5 speed 2 years ago. It ended up being the clip inside the tranny not properly grasping the shaft, so the shaft would shift in and out allowing the fluid to leak out.
Komik - Is there any chance you could be losing trans oil from the seal for the transmission shift mechanism? I noticed a small leak starting to develop on mine. It makes a real mess under the car. The oil seems to collect on the flex part of the y-pipe. I guess that will be my next seal replacement project.
There is so much oil on and around the transmission it's hard to see now where it is originating.
I snapped a pic today, but it's not that useful. I can't figure out where to put the camera to see down the axle and into the transmission from the side.
Maybe this isn't the culprit after all. The whole underside of the transmission is wet with gear oil. It's also on the driver's side CV boot, control arm, pretty much everything within a foot of the transmission.
11-15-2016, 09:20 AM
