I've been holding this off for a while due to working everyday and my max being my daily...

Can I lose a significant amount of trans fluid from it spinning out the axle? It leak like a puncture, it leaks as the axle shaft spins and the oil coating the axle works it way out.


Also, how can I tell if my trans fluid is dangerously low? My dip stick is a piece of **** and ALWAYS shows the appropriate level, but I can't believe it's in the same level after months of driving.

 

you are not leaking any transmission fluid...your axle will eventually get dried out and start clicking around turns.... youll be fine though

 

the trans is separate from the axles and any fluids in the axle are separate , you see underneath the axels meet the trans with splines w/o fluid and the boots are pre filled with gear oil, when the boots rip andf dry rot they leak and thus break and click when they get dirt in them . if your leaking tranny fluid check your seals . however i would always keep up on your trans fluid and all fluids in the car!

 

Ok, maybe the others did not understand your question. If your axle seal is leaking, you are loosing transmission fluid. It seems like a pretty important fix to me since the tranny is expensive. I don't know how fast your fluid is leaking so I can't tell you how much you have lost. But I would recommend fixing is ASAP. Especially since it's been leaking for months now.

I think the others thought you were talking about the axle boots and not the axle seals.

 

yea if the axel is not seated properly it would permanently f up your trans stop driving . sorry i didnt realize you were speaking of the inner seal where it inserts into the trans, i just installed this axel on my 96 it can be a ***** to seat properly. but if yours was installed correctly and is moving incorrectly you might need more than a new axel post pics if u can, i know its a tight space.

 

Get it fixed man. I am pretty sure its not a lot especially when the car is in motion, I don't think any comes out until you been at a complete stop for a while.

 

Okay, theres a lot of misinformation in this thread...lets clear up things a little bit.

OP, how much is your car leaking, say overnight? Is there even residue on the ground in the morning, or is it just around the axle seal/on the driveshaft?

Unless you are getting dangerously low on fluid (ie, you are losing a lot of fluid and not topping off the transmission) you aren't really at any risk.

Is it dangerous? No, as long as you monitor the transmission fluid, you could drive your car like this for quite some time. I wouldn't rush and go out of your way to get it done, get it done when you get a few spare hours, and just keep your eye on it, especially if it appears to be worsening.

 

Not much, about a quarter sized drop over night. Mainly on axle shaft where it meets seal.

Thanks for the input. Will definitely fix it soon. Any advice on removing/installing new seal? I hear the installation is a pain in the ***.

 

It sorta is a PITA. I was lucky when I had almost the entire engine apart, that I could easily access this seal. My oil pan was dropped (both upper and lower) and the entire suspension and steering was off of the car (thus the hubs were off the car). Of course, the passenger side axle was off of the car.