So my car seems to drive just fine but it has a slow leak from the driver side axle seal that I can't seem to fix.

I've tried multiple new seals along with two different half shafts. The stub on the half shaft certainly appears clean and free of nicks or burs and there's no discernible vibration or anything in the rear. There are also no cracks in the case.

I'm wondering whether it's possible that I may have just slightly bent the driver side output shaft and that it's slowly reaming out or opening up the seal as it spins. Every time I pop a new seal into the case, the leak stops for a matter of days and then slowly shows up again.

I was thinking of lifting the wheels and putting the car in 1st gear to see if there was any visible wobble from the stub as it spins but I imagine that if it's not enough to cause any vibration it would probably be too slight to see.

I'm wondering if there's any way I could do a runout test on it or something.

Does this sound like a plausible scenario? I can't see what else could be causing the leak at this point. Any other ideas?

Thanks

 

bump.

 

Well.... The propeller shafts are supported either by a roller bearing on on e side and a short shaft on the other. If all the parts inside the differential are working correctly, the output cup that slips into the rear-end SHOULD be properly supported and remain centered in the side seal.

I have see cases where the Belleview Spring that applies loading on the posi clutches break and allows excessive slop and that allows the output shaft to wiggle

Try this. Jack one REAR wheel off the ground. Put the tyranny in N and rotate the wheel that is OFF the ground. If the clutches are working correctly, it will be fairly DIFFICULT to rotate that wheel. If it rotates easy,, you could have a broken Belleview Spring.

Jack up the rear and support on stands. See if there is excessive slop at the CV where it enters the differential. If you can wiggle it,, that most likely your issue. Here is a post with pictures of a C5 rear-end. It details up-grading the C5 rear with C6 parts. It will give you a very good idea of what I’m talking about:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...post1573407966

Take a look at the pictures of the broken springs.

When they break, the clutches no longer have the correct preload and no longer provide the correct posi action. The outpt shaft on the SHORT SHAFT side (passengers ) is most effected by broken springs. Which side is leaking on yours??

BC

 

Bill,

Thanks a lot for the info. I'll try that test. It's my driver side seal that's leaking. The passenger side is bone dry.