Kilroy Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 My Legacy is leaking gear oil from the passenger side front differential. I replaced the halfshaft a few months ago and it seemed fine at the time. Is there a seal there that can be replaced from outside the vehicle or is it an internal seal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 manual or automatic? are you positive it's leaking from that seal behind the axle? if it is, it is replaceable. not terribly difficult, but you need to get it right. the plate that needs to be removed affects the load on the internal parts and is very important to get just right. just this year there was a discussion where someone from VA (forget his username) has replaced this seal a few times without issue. i believe it was in the older generation forum. i would find that thread, he details how to do it and suggests it's not that bad. essentially the plate retaining the seal must come off and has to be reinstalled properly. other than that...a seal, is a seal, is a seal....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniberp Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 My Legacy is leaking gear oil from the passenger side front transaxle. I replaced the halfshaft a few months ago and it seemed fine at the time. Is there a seal there that can be replaced from outside the vehicle or is it an internal seal? I had a problem with the right side shaft boot leaking because the inner band clamp on a brand new shaft gave up after a few months and leaked. That is the one exposed to the most heat. It was fixed by replacing the inner band clamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 It's an automatic, I'll be sure to update my sig to include that. I used engine cleaner twice to remove all the oil/debris from the underside of the engine and transmission and then went for a drive. The oil seems to be leaking from just under the point where the halfshaft inserts into the front diff. Each time I stop there is smoke from the burnoff on the top of my muffler and if I lift the hood it is very evident (and embarassing). I'll try to find the thread that shows how to repair this, I have to do a 1200 mile trip this weekend and I'm trying to get the car running perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 The oil seems to be leaking from just under the point where the halfshaft inserts into the transaxle. Each time I stop there is smoke from the burnoff on the top of my muffler since you have looked at it and we haven't, i'm sure you are right and it's gear oil coming out of the axle seal on the front differential. but, if you weren't sure, i would tell you to check your inner cv boot on the axle on that side. grease cooking off on the exhaust is a dead give away for a bad boot on the passenger side. you did say passenger side didn't you. i would think gear oil would leak down and run back along the trans housing. but since you are sure just disregard my input. good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 if it's leaking that fast and pronounced, then you should show an equivalent loss of gear oil in the trans. that would be my first concern, have you ever checked it? if you run out, you'll need a new transmission. since yours is an automatic, the stub axles will pull right out of the trans. with the axle removed, the stubby shaft just pulls out of the trans, it's held in place by a circlip. pull it out and pop it back in. don't be fooled though, the seal still will not come out with that stubby shaft removed, looks like it might but it's held in place by that very large, goofy looking retainer. that actually turns. you'll need a special tool...or more likely, use a hammer and chisel or something else to knock it around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 since you have looked at it and we haven't, i'm sure you are right and it's gear oil coming out of the axle seal on the front differential. but, if you weren't sure, i would tell you to check your inner cv boot on the axle on that side. grease cooking off on the exhaust is a dead give away for a bad boot on the passenger side. you did say passenger side didn't you. i would think gear oil would leak down and run back along the trans housing. but since you are sure just disregard my input. good luck. ANY info is appreciated and will not be disregarded, thanks for your suggestions johnceggleston! I have had to top up the gear oil twice, so that is why I am quite certain that is where it it coming from. I am positive it is gear oil burning on the exhaust, it is a golden color and sticky. This has been ongoing for about a month now. Since I haven't had time to do anything about it (and the sticky little puddles can just be cleaned up) I have just been keeping an eye on the gear oil level. I can see a shiny gold ring that the halfshaft fits up against, I had figured that was an external seal. There is also a flat thin piece of metal coming out next to the retainer and it is bolted down to the housing, any idea what that is for? Thanks for the info grossgary, I knew that the retainer came off and can see that someone had been whacking away at it in the past as there are a couple of teeth missing on it. Would attempting to tighten the retainer help with the seal and would it be a forward or reverse thread? Would removing the retainer give me direct access to the seal and is it as simple as just removing the retainer and replacing the seal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Is this the thread that you recall seeing grossgary: "Careful here.... The trans seals are retained in a threaded insert that threads into the side of the transmission case. This threaded seal holder is threaded to a certain pressure against the differential stubs. If you arent having any trouble with clunking in the front end then mark your trans case and the threaded seal holder to each other before you start unthreading it out of the case. This is known as "backlash" and messing with it is not for the novice mechanic as you can do SEVERE damage to the front ring and pinion gears. Leaks from these seals arent limited to any model and they all use basically the same seal from the factory. Not sure how there would be something special limited to Foresters but i suppose thats possible." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 This threaded seal holder is threaded to a certain pressure against the differential stubs. If you arent having any trouble with clunking in the front end then mark your trans case and the threaded seal holder to each other before you start unthreading it out of the case. This is known as "backlash" and messing with it is not for the novice mechanic as you can do SEVERE damage to the front ring and pinion gears. i remember reading that thread, and that is the sum total of what i know about it. that and the fact that i saw an ad for a legacy with siezed front axles for cheap once. the owner let an idiot replace an axle and obvioulsy he wrongly adjusted the retainers. don't forget to count the number of turns it takes to remove the threaded retainer. position and the number of turns. i would need more information before i tore into this. it looks fairly simple, but the potential for damage is huge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 kilroy, i've messed with it once, but not on a transmission in a vehicle. i would do just that, mark the exact position of the retaining plate and reinstall it like wise. i don't know if that's the same thread, you could post a link to it, i could only see that one quote you posted. the thread i'm speaking about has someone replying that has actually replaced this seal more than once. he lives in VA, that's all i remember. i would read that thread and his suggestions, glance through the FSM and then do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 i found this while searching 'backlash'. i think shawn makes a good point. http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=401186&postcount=3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 i can not find that thread from the guy who has done it a few times. i searched and came up with nothing. him and i exchanged a few threads within that post and it was within the past year. by marking it and counting the turns you should be golden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Well, if I want to replace this seal before I hit the road I would have to do it tonight after work (around midnight). Should something go wrong, no stores will be open and I would have no way to repair it in time for work tomorrow. I think at this point I will have to make my trip and just keep a close eye on the gear oil level, then repair it after I get back next week. Thanks for the link johnceggleston, I've sent ShawnW a PM and I hope to hear back from him soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 For just the seal in the case you mark the holder and the case of the tranny and count how many turns it takes to remove it so you get it back to the exact same spot. Pull the holder out, install seal, reinstall holder to exact previous position. Actually pretty simple but you will need to engineer a tool for doing it so it grabs those little teeth and doesnt break them off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 I'm a steel fabricator, creating a tool to rotate the retainer shouldn't be a problem. I may just grab an old socket of the appropriate size (we have them up to 9") and do some cross cuts on it. Thanks for the info, I'll get on it next week when I get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 Well, ~2000 km. and hardly any leak at all. On one stop on the way there I saw a few drops of it burning off the top of the exhaust, but the rest of the stops and during my running around after arriving at my destination there was nothing. Also, no leak on the way home, 9 hours straight on the highway each way. I checked it each time I stopped and the dipstick level never went down at all. Is it possible that the long distance drive could cause the seal to reseat itself? I'll still be keeping an eye on it, if it leaks once again I'll replace it right away. Oh, the car ran flawlessly! I went over and back the highest point on the Yellowhead highway with the cruise set at 130 kph (80mph) most of the trip and it ran like a champ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 hot dawg, that's great. if it's an automatic the one thing you could check is to make sure the spring is still inside the seal lip. you'd have to disconnect the axle and pull the axle stub out. then check the inside lip of the seal, i did replace just that little spring one time. i'm not sure what it does, but maybe it keeps pressure on the seal? i know this will get cringes and remarks, but could the front differential be one place to consider a sealant conditioner of some sort? i never use them, but a front differential lacks small passages, check valves, balls and eletrical gizmo's. i might consider it versus all the work involved in replacing that seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcspeer Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 After replacing a transmission in a 98 postal legacy wagon, I took the old one and took the seals out. If I remember correct there is a small bolt you need to remove to turn the cover off, then their is also a O-ring on this cover that need replacing so make sure you get that along with the seals. It was very easy to take the seals and O-ring out and then put them back in, how ever I dont know how critcal getting ever thing back is because mine went to the savage yard after I played with it a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
torxxx Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 check the front diff dipstick o-ring. I've actually bought cars from people because they though their transmission was going out. The o-rings will dry out and shrink and when the gear oil gets hot, it lets it bypass up the dipstick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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