pityocamptes

I can't find where it is leaking on the top. Oil (looks and smells like oil) is coming down right around the lip below where the shift cable goes into the tranny. I assume this is the rear main seal leaking? I contacted a reputable shop and they wany around $850-$880 to replace the rear main seal, torque convertor seal and output tranny seal. This is for an auotmatic tranny. Sounds like a lot, but I don't have the energy to fit this bitch in the winter...

Anyways, should the seal be leaking with only appprox 92K miles on the engine? Weird... maybe its the time and not the miles... ???? Thanks.

mechanix619

The problem could be a number of things but until the engine is clean and observed I wouldn't throw any money into fixing random seals.


The rear main seal is definitely a possibility but it could be as easy as the dizzy o-ring.

Pics might help, but really the engine needs a good cleaning and then watched for a few days.

pityocamptes

Ok, will take some pics. Engine is very clean. I saw nothing on top. Will check it out this weekend, hopefully it warms up...

mechanix619

Are you leaving an oil mark on the ground when parked for a while?

pityocamptes

Yes, it is.

rhino7

I had a similar issue on another vehicle 2 years ago. I had a driveway drip that I didn't want to fork over $800, so I did an oil change with 20w50 to "seal" any little gaps. A week or two later the oil pressure gauge flipped out, so I did another oil change back to 10w40. No more leaks.

strategy400

Could be the distributor o-ring, valve cover gasket, vtec solenoid, pan gasket or shifter seal. It might be the main seal or its housing but why jump to the most expensive theory first? I'd pull the shifter cover off and look at that seal first. You may have to remove the exhaust pipe and stiffener if equipped. Is this a Y8 engine? If so the pan gasket and drain plug are a suspect.

Telecatster

He should trace the leak from the top downwards. More than likely oil is collecting on top of clutch slave cylinder. I have the same leak right now and it's a PITA to track down.

pityocamptes

Its an auto tranny and I have the SOHC VTEC engine. I looked at the dizzy o ring, no leak, pan, no leak. Finally took it in to the shop and they, after dropping the exhaust, etc. said it was fluid coming out of the tranny seal (cv shaft) on the driver side getting flinged up and then running down the housing. They said they looked up at the rear main and the bell housing, etc was dry as a bone. They also put dye in the oil and did not see any thing.

However, I'm going to need to take it back as its leaking again, but not as bad. I recently replaced the cv shaft with a NEW one. I started seeing leaks so I replaced the seal, but I guess I did not do an adequate job, thus the reason I took it in. I also noticed that they split the lower ball joint boot when using a pickle fork, so I need to bring that to their attention.

In any case, is it common for a tranny seal to leak even when replaced with a new seal a couple of times?!?!?!?!? Starting to **** me off... thoughts? Thanks.

cribby94

Similar issue to all of this, I have a y8 engine, unknown location of a leak, few drips on driveway but im assuming most of the leakage is happening while in motion.

strategy400

Replace the ball joint boot it's not hard before road grime gets in there. They have other tools that won't jack up the boot.
If your diff. bearings are worn and the axle shaft is wiggling around the seal will have a hard time sealing. Also if you replace the seal again make sure the sealing surface on the axle is smooth and burr/ding free. Be careful inserting the splined shaft into the seal that you aren't jacking up the seal.

pityocamptes

Thanks. I called the shop and they said to bring it back in. Told them about the ball joint boot, they said no problem. How could a diff bearing have gone south? Car only has 90k miles on it? It really only started leaking after I replaced the cv half shaft. I wonder if the NEW cv half shaft from O'reilly is ****? Or if its just a bitch to get the seals to seal on these damn cars????

strategy400

If its only 90k then you likely cut the seal installing the axle or installed it poorly.

Racer02gtstang

Aftermarket axles sometimes are smaller than factory axles. Always replace the axle seal with new axle or half shaft replacement