Swing Axle oil leak

cadman2005 · Post by **cadman2005** » Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:44 pm

I'm going insane. I have an oil leak again from the axle seals.
I changed both seals 3 years ago and never drove the car up until last month.
Just before I did I filled the trans with the trans fluid recommended and drove it around for a couple days
then put it back on jack stands 2 days later. Now I got oil coming from the boots (also replaced)
and from the drums. I am not sure it is coming from the axle itself or the weep holes.
I don't understand why there is oil in the tubes anyway, does this lube the outter axle bearings?
how much is normal to be in the tubes? could not torquing the wheel nut tight enough cause a leak?
Could I have bought the incorrect seal kit? the pan is a 1960 but it has 4 lug and the bigger brakes
Please someone tell this idiot (me) what I did wrong

1856 · Post by **1856** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 1:19 am

Chuck is there a chance the trans is over filled?

jsturtlebuggy · Post by **jsturtlebuggy** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:17 am

If seal races/spacers have any kind of grooves, pits or rust on them they will leak. I have seen new races that have flat spots on them that never seal.

Another reason for leaks at rear axle seals is if trans vent hole on nose cone is blocked seal is usally easiest place for pressure that builds up will release.

Axle boots that have bolt together seams need the seam placed at 10 or 2 o'clock postion. Putting seam straight up will cause the boot to bind and crack and start leaking.

cadman2005 · Post by **cadman2005** » Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:15 am

I do have the axle boot straight up, so I can change that. I will also check the vent,
When I added oil I removed the side plug and filled till it ran back out, which was the level in the vw book if I remember correctly
thank you both for the info

MELFOL · Post by **MELFOL** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:54 pm

Chuck: I notice you said you had it up on jackstands before the boots leaked. When the wheels on swing are raised off he ground and left to hang sometimes the boots gets pinched against the horns, causing a small leak where it was crushed. The usual fix is to put a 1/4 inch spacer under the rear trans mounts. That raises the trans a little and makes for a little clearance where the boot crosses the horn. If that's the problem you have you can rotate the boot and I've successfully cleaned the area around the pinhole with brake cleaner, and then applied a dab of silicone gasket sealer to the hole and it quit leaking.

For the axle seal leak, if both sides are leaking I'm wondering if you forgot to put the "O" ring in behind the spacer? Just a possibility. Good luck.

cadman2005 · Post by **cadman2005** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:54 pm

The leak from the boot seams to be coming out the end of the boot closest to the wheel, I must not have it tight enough
I will try rotating the boots and resealing and see if that helps.
The leak at the seal--- I removed the axle seal cover and the seal was damaged in the lip, I either damaged it installing the seal into
the cover or when putting it back on the axle shaft. The seal cap I have differs from the photos in theVw book I have.
The pictures show setting the cap on a bench and tapping the seal down into the cover.
Mine you cannot do that because it has a cover over the hole and I have to put it in from the back side. I feel I damaged it pushing it down into the cover. I used an old drill bit (like you would use to drill out a wood door for a lock) I ground down the drill teeth and covered the end in duct tape
and the tapped the seal into place. I could not see another way to install and would love to hear what the PROPER way to install this seal

jsturtlebuggy · Post by **jsturtlebuggy** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:16 am

There was a tool that was made to press in the seal. The way it was made it was a round disc that fit inside the retainer (a little smaller than the bearing) and had a step in it that fit inside the seal area where the spring is. It was made to use in a press. I have one and just use a bench vice to press it in.

I have heard of the use of a freeze plug to press it in.

What you have will work, but I would use a press or vise to seat the seal in the retainer. Just make sure that you do not distort the flat part of the seal as it will cause problems with distorting the seal lip.

Also install the seal race/ spacer in seal retainer and slip over axle when installing it. Keeps the lip of the seal from folding over.