yesterday I took off from my dad's house to go eat and drove half a mile down the road to the restaurant, and in that short drive noticed my tranny was clunking horribly. When we got there my dad informed me that I had left a nice big puddle of tranny fluid in the driveway. This leak started just yesterday because there is no fluid where I normally park. I took this picture this morning. It is hemorrhaging tranny fluid from the passenger side axle. (sorry the pic is crappy, it is almost impossible to get my camera to focus in that space)



Does this look like the axle seal popped out?
It does to me, but I could be wrong...
If it is... how could that happen? and more importantly can I put it back in without having to pull the damn axle, (because that passenger side axle is a *****...)

 

Its hard to see if you seal is out or not. Its possible to happen, but not probable. I have the same problem. Started a leak from nowhere from the passenger side CV shaft. When I went to the dealer to ask, since I went ahead and changed shafts and seal, the dealer told me that the differential bearings are bad, a very common problem with our cars at higher milage. Basically the trans is worn out. That is probably why you also hear the clunking. The Differential is shifting back and forth, hence the fluid leaking. I would have them check to make sure. What they do is grab the axle to see if it has paly inside the diff in the trans.

 

I can believe that diff bearings are bad, but would the leak start suddenly? I just replace the tranny in August because my old one had diff bearing failure. The tranny I put in was perfect until I let a dealership change the driver side axle seal along with alternator (school had started and I didn't have time to do it myself. I know, big mistake). The bastards gave me the car back missing half the tranny fluid and I drove for almost 400 miles before I figured it out.

Anyway... I just can't believe that it suddenly would fail and start leaking massivley like that. My old tranny started leaking slowly. This one is also an LSD tranny. I didn't think diff bearing failures were as common on these.
I don't have many of my tools here, and I have no tranny fluid to fill it up with, and no stores sell GL-4 fluid around here. I have to order it and wait.
This really sucks...

 

Well... I figured it out. I was so busy focusing on the tranny area, that I completely missed it at first.

You won't believe this. The brakcet that holds the passenger axle has completely snapped off. Allowing the axle to back out of the tranny. Would explain the problem. I guess I have to pull the axle and replace the bracket.
Does that bracket come with the axle or is it a separate piece? (can I buy just it?)

Edit: Thought you might want to see it.

 

That's exactly what I was going to suggest. The axle doesn't come with the bracket so you'll have to order that from nissan. It'll probably be <$10. Good luck!

 

Yep, all those pics add up. That metal dust shield on the axle should always cover the axle seal - clearly it's sitting about 1/2" out.

The bracket is a separate part. Nissan #39780-31U00

 

Yea that bracket snapped on me one time for no reason. I think its more then $10 though. More like $70 if my memory serves me right

It allows the axle to completly back out of the trans and you will lose your gear oil instantly.

-matt

 

Wow. Surprising, I never saw this happening...

Get that sucker back in and change your tranny fluid for good measure.

 

Well, I can't do anything until tomorrow since dealerships aren't open today...
anybody ever gotten tranny fluid from the dealer? I really don't want to have to go order it from redline or amsoil. I think a quart or two should fill it back up. What was leaking out looked like new (amazingly).

and that damn thing better not be $70!! lol... although I guess they kinda have you by the *****... so I'm sure it is... oh well... it's only money...

 

all the nissan dealerships in my area only sell GL-5 oil

You're better off ordering the redline stuff now. Make sure to drain the oil first if that oil is still new from what I heard it'll all fall out once you take the axle out. Don't make any hard left turns.

 

36mm socket helps to seat the axle seal well.

 

Do you think I will need to replace the axle seal or should I just push it back in and not worry about it?

 

The axle seals cost peanuts. I just had to replace my drivers side axle seal, which has been leaking for almost 3 years but got worse.

Fortunately, Mr. Lube locations where I am from stock both Quaker State and Pennzoil 75w90 GL4 gear oil (drive throughs). I topped up after the seal replacement.

 

I replaced my axles recently, and I didn't replace the seals, I'll let everyone know how that works out for me. However, in this case, I would feel that replacing them is necessary since you've been driving around with the seal and axle separated.

 

it depends on the condition of the seals, but new seals are pretty cheap. wouldnt hurt to get new ones, lube them up to prevent cracking when installing, and use a 36mm socket to help seat it fully.

install the axle carefully to seat again the seal nicely

 

This bracket is not cheap...
Dealer near me wanted 135 + tax
I called Dave Burnette and it was still 110 shipped. And of course, no one actually has it in stock, so I will have to wait till the end of the week to fix my car. Guess it's gonna be a fun week...

 

I need a mild translation here.......

 

Have you ever tried to replace the passenger side seal in situ? It's a b*tch. Definitely drop the center crossmember if you intend to do so.

The splines of the axle were still in the diff, even sitting 1/2" proud. It should not have damaged the seal much. The question is whether the axle moved any further than I see in the first pic. If you don't think it did, then you can probably leave the seal alone.

Dave

 

Ok, thanks. Judging by the fact that I was able to drive it with no problems, for a while with nothing more than the annoying clunk of the bracket flopping around, eveytime I shifted or touched the gas pedal... It should be OK

Now I just have to sit back and wait... It's a good thing I don't start my new job until next week... This week however, will be really boring...

 

I got the part and replaced it today.

here is the brocken bracket... $110 piece of crap...

 

yeah fanaticrockford was selling those brackets for like under 20 bucks shipped. i bought one from him a couple weeks ago.
i tried to replace my axle seals with new ones from nissan which were made of metal (And not plastic like the ones in my tranny) and they were impossible to get in. i ended up just putting the old ones back in.

 

good god! I wish I had known that!
I figured I wouldn't find this piece of crap anywhere but the dealer.

 

I was checking threads and this appears to a similar issue I am having. I had the axles changed on my car and then took it in for alignment at Pep Boys. They told me that the left side axle was not in right and had to be reinstalled. They said it was causing the transmission oil to leak which explains why I was low on transmission oil. The axle change happened about 2 months ago. They did not try to sell me doing the job and I had not told them that I had it worked on prior so they definitely saw something. Is it possible to have the left side axle go in "wrong" and be fixed by simply reinstalling it?

 

i don't see how you could put the axle in wrong... unless it's just the wrong axle. It pretty much won't go back together unless it is installed right.