I have an '88 5 speed. The driver's side axle seal was leaking. I pulled the axle, replaced the seal, and reinstalled. In fact, I did both axles while I was at it. I got everything back together and while still on jack stands I ran the car in gear. The driver's side was still leaking. Maybe I buggered the new seal. I did the job again. It is still leaking. I am quite sure the leak is coming from between the seal and the axle, not the seal and the transmission. My question here is do I have my axle in far enough? I think the retainer clip is clipped in. If it isn't in far enough the compression spring in seal won't grip the axle. If this happens it would surely leak.

Following is my driver's side. I can fit a 7/16" bolt head between the axle CV and the axle seal. Is this too much of a gap, meaning the axle should be in further?



Following is my passenger side. I can not fit the same 7/16" bolt head between the axle CV and the axle seal. I'm guessing the gap here is about 1/8" smaller. This side has not leaked (yet) during my testing.



Again, the driver's side axle sure felt like it clipped in, but what do I know. I've never did this job before.

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Stanton
'88 Formula, red on gray

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

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Stanton
'88 Formula, red on gray

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"Turbo Slug" - '87 Fiero GT. 3800 turbo. Sticky tyres. Driven hard!
https://www.youtube.com/cha...1wZvWQlkYxTjivW_0XNg

I figured out the problem. It isn't good.

Perhaps it doesn't seem so, but the axle is fulling inserted and engaged in the above photo. The seal is fully sealing around the axle. I took out the new axle and compared it a second time to the original axle. They are the same. I looked inside the transmission to have a looksee and took some measurements. Everything checks out.. The c-clip on the axle sits in a groove, but the c-clip does not fit into a corresponding groove in the transmission. The splines in the transmission (actually the differential case) are shorter in length than on the axle. The c-clip is compressed as it is being pushed into the differential case, when the clip is beyond the splines in the differential case it expands into open space. Long story short my axle is doing this. My problem is a worn out differential bearing and race. There could be other problems inside, but I'm guessing not. Watch this video to see the movement of the differential. The axle is just wobbling around in the transmission. The seal is only meant to seal around a stationary spinning axle. The seal can not handle the lateral forces it is be subjected to and oil easily gets by it. My transmission needs repaired.



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Stanton
'88 Formula, red on gray

[This message has been edited by oneinch (edited 02-05-2021).]