SO I had a transmission oil seal go bad on the driver side half shaft of my 91 CRX Si. This happened because the balancer on the shaft came apart and was casuing vibration.

Now when I order a new oil seal it was different than the one I removed. The outside diameter was the same, however the inside was slightly larger so that it does not seal up tight around the half shaft as the original did. There is a slight amount of play. I have talked to several different dealers and they all tell me the number of the part I have is the right number. Before I put this in and try it, I am wondering with the half shafts were different from year to year on the CRX's. I am wondering if along the way I have somehow gotten a half shaft for a different year? Or was there a design change in this oil seal and they just do not fit as tight as they did?

Any insight on this would be great.

Eric

 

Eric,
I'm assuming since the balancer came apart, you replaced the half shaft. My guess is they gave you the wrong one. The seals for the Si trans are the same for all years 88-91. The axles from all 88-91's will fit into the trans. You "may" have gotten an automatic axle, or possibly even an automatic seal. I doubt that different s\dealers would have confirmed the correct part and it not be it, but "some" dealers are lazy, and when they look up the part by number, it's an axle seal so it's got to be right (even if it IS an axle seal, but for an AUTO tranny and didn't pay attention enough to look up the part by application and not by the number you gave them. If they did do this, you most likely got the wrong axle (especially if aftermarket, I have NEVER gotten the correct one on the first try yet) . I usually send the old one back with the driver and say, come back with the EXACT one..

Hope this helped...

If you need more help call me at the shop in the morning..973-696-5164

Jeff


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I concur on some of that above but the Si for 88-89 had a smaller OD seal landing and required a smaller ID seal. They went larger seal lands and larger ID seals for 90-91. I have been stung by a later seal in and earlier car as it drops right in and I didn't notice the ID was too big for the axle. Small but it can make a lot of oil come out, I lost a whole track day at Putnam PArk several years ago and now check my diameters.