Bradshaw

Hey guys, i've been a member for a bit now but this will be my first post. TONS of good info here! but i'm sort of at a down point right now.

So i got this 94 civic vx from my friend for cheap a while back, but he toasted the transmission and clutch. So a friend of mine i worked with gave me his old transmission for 50$. all is good but it just sits there. After a couple month of staring at this thing this weekend i got payed and decided to knock it out. Got a new clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, drivers side lower motor mount, and all new fluids for everything.

Finally got it all button back up tonight and took it for a test spin to the gas station and back. everything seemed good but it had a funny burning smell. i looked around and didn't see much and assumed it was the new clutch wearing in.

well when i get home its a little smokey. i look under the bottom and low and behold transmission fluid everywhere. looks to be coming from the seal and the shift linkage but i could be wrong. needless to say i wasn't too happy about it having spent 20+ hours this weekend trying to get it ready to run.

Funny thing about the whole thing was another honda guy friend of mine, i remember him telling me something about redoing the seals in the transmission or something. i have a feeling had i done whatever he was talking about this wouldn't have happened.

anyways just wanted to get some info out there and if anyone has had similar problems and solutions i'm open ears.

thanks in advance and glad to be here!

Former User

Where do you see fluid leaking from? Post pictures. If it's from the axle seals, it's a pretty easy fix.

Bradshaw

from what i can see, it looks like it is the axle seals. most of the leaking seems to be coming from right around where the shift linkage is.

Former User

The leaking fluid eventually accumulates at the lowest points due to gravity. Do you see a stream of fluid coming from where the axle inserts into the differential? Post pictures there if you can.

Bradshaw

i'll have to get those pics in the morning. question, would running the vehicle without the axle shafts in cause any problems? cause while it was on jackstands i ran it and shifted the gears just to make sure everything still worked while the shafts were out. gonna kick myself if that caused it.

Former User

The MTF would leak out without the axles installed.

NotAJDMFanBoy

Probably the axle seals. Or you don't have the axles in all the way. Grab the inner housing and pull. If you don't get the little ring to lock into the differential, the axle can pull out. Happened once to me, jacked up the car, coerced it in and all was well.

Bradshaw

so most likely my axle seals are probably doneski. guess thats what i get for being too excited about this. well i guess i know what i'm doing next weekend.

Bradshaw

i will check this! could most likely be true! thanks bud

Bradshaw

this is what my drives side axle shaft looks like



and to me it looks like you were right and the axle isn't quite all the way in. tried for a bit to get it all the way back in this morning but wasn't quite able to. little bastard is putting up a fight. well anyways i gotta get ready for work so i'll have to tackle this tomorrow.

Bradshaw

okay so i'm not having any luck. is there a chance i may have to use a different axle shaft for the drivers side for this transmission? the transmission came out of a 4 door or a 2 door civic not a 3 door hatch back. it feels like the shaft that goes into the transmission is physically too long. it will not go in any more after what i've pushed it to. i don't wanna **** up the transmission by pounding on it any more to try and force it in because it is not going to. is there a different axle i need to get in order for it to work? thanks for any help guys

edit: both the old and new transmission are P20 A000 transmissions. maybe the snap ring on the axle shaft is messed up? it seemed a little loose when i was looking at it a few min ago. should it have very much play in it or be tight around the axle shaft spline?

and thanks if i can get a quick reply! i'll be checking on this briefly while trying to sort this out..

strategy400

It does look like it's not in all the way.

Call <insert auto parts place here> and have them lookup the axle part number for you car. Then have them look up the axle part number for the car the transmission came from. Compare.

If they jive, then you'll have to get it to pop in. You may want to pop loose the lower ball joint on that side and pull the shaft out to see if anything is misplaced/buggered up before you go crazy trying to get it in.

Keep in mind that the splines can screw up your seals if you aren't careful (perhaps the person who removed the old axles from the trans was NOT careful). I am always about 78% paranoid when inserting/removing my axles. I wrap the ends in newspaper if they are going to be out for an engine swap or whatever.

I have had to use a sledge and block of wood to "coerce" the axle to pop in. This involved me under the car guiding the splined end in and applying inward pressure while someone gave the other end of the axle a love bump with the block/sledge to persuade it in. Not enough to damage anything mind you, just a love tap. Inertia is your friend. Worked like a champ.

Again I'd make sure to inspect the inside axle end to make sure the C-clip is present and accounted for and positioned correctly, otherwise I'd go to extreme measures to find it or fix it. A C-clip floating around in the trans doesn't sound promising.

Maybe also while you have it out get a mirror and light and take peek in the diff and make sure all looks acceptable and nothing is out of place in there.

From the pic it definitely looks like the axle isn't completely inserted. Going by that I would hope the seals are ok, they are pretty tough as seals go. Also, keep in mind a new axle (with fresh C-clip) is what, $50-60? Might be worth the headache it will save.

Bradshaw

WELL GUYS I FIXED IT!!

wouldn't ya know, the transmission had NO seal on it. really glad it took me this long and this much headache to figure out. 5$ part and it was good to go!

also my cv axle boot was torn and leaking grease everywhere, i also just went ahead and got a new cv axle. she's running like a CHAMP now!


so the moral of the story is, MAKE SURE WHEN YOU BUY A USED TRANSMISSION THAT IT STILL HAS THE AXLE SEALS ON IT! hahaha

anyways thanks for everything guys.

now the next question is, what will my next mod be now that she runs?