Left a little puddle :( (Take Two)

[Patryn999]

Took the car out today (only a short trip) got back and a few hours later when I went to move there was a little puddle under the rear diff. Oh noes!

Took a quick look after jacking the car up and it seems to be coming from the shaft exiting to the drivers side wheel. I says suspect cause its coated the bottom of the diff and everything else in proximity too

So would anyone be able to give me a heads-up on the cost of repair or what I would need to do? I have a mediocre amount of mechanical knowledge, but its all to do with either old cars or motorbikes. And I don't have a pit down here in chch so that makes things tricky.

I guess what I should say is there's a box of (your choice) beers in it to whomever could give it a look-see.

Cheers,
Carl.


Should also note that AYC fluid is still high, haven't lost much but obviously have to keep close eye on things.

Also as to whether or not I could still drive if I pay attention to AYC level.

Thanks all.

[Gly]

drive shaft seal, a $15nzd part,
and an hour or so to change it,
inner cv to come out,

[Patryn999]

Ah, thats piece of mind. Thanks! Is that a Mitsi part or aftermarket? I'm downloading the CAPS db so should hopefully sort things out myself.

Heh, think I'll get a mate to help. He owes me after I spent the day fixing the wiring & ECU on his truck. Some surf with an old supra engine in it.

[Patryn999]

So, took a better look under it today. What stops the axle/driveshaft/whatever conencting to the wheel from popping out of the diff?

Reason I asked is because I could see a bit of bright metal between the rubber boot and the diff, so I gave it a push - it has about 1/2 - 1 inch of travel. Thought something would be holding it in is all.

[Subaru ETA]

a circlip on the end of the shaft. can you take a pic?

[Patryn999]

Here's a shot of it at some extension, and pressed back in. Just the fact that you can see bare shaft when you pull one direction (not very hard) concerns me.

Cheers.

[Subaru ETA]

does it make any **** up noises when driving, cornering etc?

[Patryn999]

nope, it was handling fine without anything scary like that. However between when I had a dry parking spot and a freshly oiled one I wasn't pushing it (dropping gf back home so was bit of a cold run. No gunning it )

Might have started slipping out (and thus leaking) but not quite to the stage where gears no longer mesh? Sounds improbably but could be.

[Subaru ETA]

it shouldnt really be moving that far. take the wheel off and make sure the hub nut is tight.

i guess it might be a case of pulling the shaft out and making sure the circlip is in tact. i never had the axle / diff out so i can see how the circlip would be damaged tho

[Patryn999]

They're cars. They're the bane of my existance! Yeah. Going to pull the entire shaft out, just hoping its not too much to figure our as I've never done it before. Water pumps and clutches and a timing belt are about the extent of my tinkering.

Will I need any special tools? Been researching and have all the right fluids so though I'd change everything (gearbox, tf case etc) out while I was at it.

Don't require dismantling/dropping diff to pull or insert shaft? Thought I'd ask before I start pulling on expensive stuff! haha. Also haven't driven it since I noticed the puddle, driving cars you know something's wrong with has the tendency to end in tears...

Thanks.
Carl

[Subaru ETA]

nothing special required to pull it out and you dont have to pull the diff apart.

the oil in the gearbox isnt that old either - replaced it when the gearbox was apart so i would be interested as to how it looks

[Patryn999]

As long as no teeth come out with the oil I think I'll be happy

Yeah, hub nut is tight. Just jacked it up fully and put axle stands under the rear to get wheel off. Doesn't look like too much of a mission, so probably just do it myself. Cry to my friends if something stumps me...

Cheers.

[Patryn999]

So, how does one go about getting the driveshaft out itself? Do I have to remove wheel hub (handbrake etc) entirely to get to it or is there some other way?

Got down the disc off and thought I better stop there in case I'm going wrong way.... haha.

[elnevio]

Should just pull out (with a bit of a tug) without the need to remove the hub. If you've undone one of the suspension arms (can't remember which one!), the assembly will be able to pivot, and that should allow the driveshaft enough room to be pulled out of the diff.

[Gly]

yes you are wrong lol,

undo the big nut holding the cv into the hub,

then undo the upper nut holding the suspension arm to the upper a-arm,

you can then pull the suspension arm forward and push/knock the cv backwards out of the hub,
this will be a little tricky (you may need to undo some of the lower suspension arms to make it easier)

then you have to get a pry bar or long screw driver between the inner cv cup and diff to pop it out,

then you can pull the whole driveshaft assembly out

[Patryn999]

Thanks, that was alot easier than I thought it was going to be - removed disc so i didn't sray crc all over it

Got the ol' knee between weel arch and hub with hands on driveshaft and got it out, in the mean time I must have clicked it back in because went to remove it and it no longer had the slop that I showed in the pic above. Still, seal replace'n time.

[Subaru ETA]

hmmm i would be concerned as to why it had come out tho....i never heard any weird noises from the rear the whole time i owned it and you say you havent heard any noises...just seems strange

[Gly]

id probably replace the replace the circlip just for piece of mind,
it shouldnt just have popped out without some pressure on it

remember to use a little grease on the seal before you pop in the cv again

[Patryn999]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Put a thanks out to NZ CVs in chch - tried to get clip from EDL fasteners, branch was shut. Blacks and SKF had nothing, Mitsi dealer in town had nothing (and apparently neither does NZ by that part no). At a long shot went to these guys and they just gave them to me.

Big thanks to them

[Davezj]

so how is going, keep us posted.

when you pushed the drive shaft back in originally did it go baack in with a click.

did it still leak after you clicked it back in? or did you not test it.