Gearbox Leak?

[jackflash 1]

Hey all

 

So ive started noticing a oil patch under my car. Engine level seems fine. One of the last things done to it before i bought the vehicle from the previous owner was the fitment of a 1.6 gearbox. The oil looks quite light in colour and very clean(gearbox has been in about a month). Any ideas where this might be leaking from?

 

I suspect the bottom driveshaft seal but it just impossible to tell as theres a fine coat of oil all around the area. Are there any breather caps etc on these gearboxes? Also im not entirely sure which gearbox it is as i understand that it could be a BE1 or 3? (the gear layout is reverse below 5th).

 

Im wondering how long i can leave this leak-it seems fairly small atm, ive no idea how much oil the gearbox holds so it hard to judge, basically i have run out of money and cant afford to do any more work on the car for the moment!

 

any ideas would be great

 

regards

[allye 530 3 Cars]

It's a be3 gearbox, could be coming from either drive shaft seal or the speedo/diff housing area if it was disturbed in the gb change. It's very tight fisted of someone not to change the d/s seals when putting in a new gearbox!

[jackflash 1]

Ive spoken to the previous owner , he says the seals were replaced and looking at it I would say they have been. I wondering if they have been damaged on fitment(or are just faulty).

 

I seem to remember seeing a post saying that the seal should sit slightly proud of the gearbox lip( the suspect one is fully pushed home), but i cant find the post now.

 

Could anybody give me an idea if the seal changes are a do-able job at home- I've got axle stands and most tools but I've never messed around with driveshafts on any car.

 

The seal im refering to is the one that has the output shaft to the off side(drivers) wheel.

 

The haynes manual gives some idea of how to proceed, and im guessing i really only need to release the driveshaft without removing it entirely. Any advice in how to proceed would be great- i really cant afford to take this fault to a garage this month!

 

thanks

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

If you are reasonably handy its an easy enough job. However you need the shaft right out of the way so for the mininal extra work personally I would undo the big shaft nut, split the lower balljoint, and then you can remove the driveshaft right out of the way.

[jackflash 1]

hi,

 

When you say remove the big shaft nut do you mean the hub nut? Haynes recommends a fabricated tool to hold the hub stationary whilst this is undone. I dont think ive got anything to actually do this.

 

maybe a rummage at work will turn up something suitable!

[jackflash 1]

leak sorted

 

cheers for help all

[SurGie 54]

A little thing that some people forget, is to put some grease around the lips of the DS seals. Any rubber seal like these two types of seals for the gearbox, seals better with a little added grease/oil like the oil filter does.

Edited July 13, 2011 by SurGie