hey guys i really need some help on this. so i just got my axles done on friday, replaced my old ones with brand new ones. i drove my car home and left it there and then today this morning i had to drive to the ups office so basically i drove for maybe 20 miles total between when i got my axles put in and right now. i pulled my car in backwards into my garage and i didnt notice any leaks on friday. just a few hours ago i was about to go to nj and i pulled my car out and forgot something so i got out and thats when i noticed it.... fluid everywhere! it was spattered in spots everywhere on my garage floor. i didnt know what was going on so i looked under my car, and everything on the left side is soaked! i originally thought it was the oil pan but when i checked the right side it was dry. i then proceeded to check my transmission fluid and it was completely dry. guys im like going crazy now and im scared that ill have to replace the tranny. btw i have an auto tranny. i believe that this could be an axle seal leak, but im not sure if i did any damage to the tranny while driving. i would appreciate some help with this. im going to call the shop that did it monday, hopefully they will fix this but i just want to know whats wrong. thanks!

 

You probably didn't notice it...

Easy test, pour the recommended amount BACK into the tranny and watch and see if it's leaking out. IF so, drive right back to whoever changed your axle.

My guess is they probably let the fluid out, OR, maybe they didn't push the axle all the way back in. Do the test first to see if it'll hold tranny fluid.

 

well i cant do anything till monday. ill try the test but im mostly afraid that i didnt damage my tranny. im not sure when it poured out and i dont know if it was right after i left the shop or after i came home. but i know it was when i was driving because the bottom is just soaked. also when i was coming home from the shop on friday, something didnt feel right and there was a squeaking when i turned the wheel and i called him and he told me to bring it saturday and he ll check it out but i didnt have time. thanks for the help btw!

 

Rockstar's answer is RIGHT on the money !!!

pour the recommended fluid and amount back in....if you see it leak/if it leaks then go back to the shop

 

ok guys quick update. so this morning i called the shop and they called a tow truck company for me.... which took 5 hours for it to get to my house and another half hour to get it on the flatbed without ripping my bumper off and scraping up everything. but i got to the shop and when they took the axle out and the seal on the inside that holds the axle in place was broken. they said that it was the original seal and when they showed me the factory axle, the end was riding 2-3 threads back from where it should be, so the seal got used to that setting and when the new one went in, it didnt seal up properly. so basically as i was driving, tranny fluid was spinning on the axle and throwing it all along the bottom of the car soaking everything (reaching as far as my rear bumper). also they drained all the tranny fluid and im glad that it wasnt dry, still had about a quart in it. but im glad that the shop is taking care of everything from the tow truck to labor and parts. all i have to pay for is just the tranny fluid theyre going to put in. i am going to be getting my car back tomorrow morning because they ordered the part and a wrong one came in and when they got another one it was also wrong. and honda didnt have the part, so it will come tomorrow morning and he will put everything in and take it out for a longer test drive. im glad that this wasnt a huge problem and im thankful for all the input from you guys!

 

^^^ that sounds like a good shop....maintain good relations with them

and am glad they found the issue and are fixing her up for you....sometimes some shops do astonish me on how they install shit in a hurry and then end up paying a lot more to do it right !!!

did u get the car back or when are you gonna get her back ?

 

ya im glad the guy didnt pull any bs and just said he ll fix it without a problem. i was worried because i didnt grab a receipt because i paid cash but theyre cool and i can now see that i can trust them.
and ya im not happy that i couldnt use my car for basically 3 days (missed one hell of a party on saturday because my parents didnt let me take one of their cars because they were mad that i was modifying mine and thought i should learn a lesson ) but he says that it was weird that this happened because he said that they never need to replace the factory seal but i guess my axles were worn pretty badly so that might have been the problem.
and hes going to call me tomorrow morning when he gets the part and ill go grab my car then. hopefully its all fixed up and i dont have anymore problems.

 

^^^ man i would love to work with a shop like that (as a customer).....mega props to them !!!

 

Glad to hear you got it resolved, bud.

 

unfortunately theres now a wobble and shaking at low speeds like 20+ at low throttle. not sure what it can be. i know my one friend said to get a wheel alignment and my other friend suggested that it might be the rack and pinion. and its alot slower now at wot it doesnt feel like it was before. any help??

 

what brand axles did you go with? Do they have a little rubber piece in the middle of the shaft (Dynamic dampener)?

i'd also check simple things like wheel lug tightness

 

i went with empi (i think) brand axles and they do not have the dampener. i called the place that did it and he said that you only need that rubber piece if the axles arent balanced.
he also said it is probably because my car is so low. (i am on function form type 1 coilovers) but they are set at the highest height.
also my tires became really noisy and the whole car just feels sluggish. i have blizzaks up front so i switched my winter set of wheels with my summer wheels and tires yesterday and they are still noisy and i hear a slight squeaking. i asked him about an alignment and he said that i had one recently done and that this wouldnt mess with it. the vibration was also still there from 20-30 with my summer set on. im just really annoyed and trying to figure out what it can be.

 

hmm there have been a few problems on other threads where an aftermarket axle without the little doughnut dampener causes vibration, but this is just a guess that this is also what you're experiencing.

Just for reference, they're part 16 and 17 here: http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no

and are found on both drivers side and passenger side.

other factors like worn suspension bushings and therefore throwing alignment out from lowering could be the cause.

 

^^^^ Do you think that it could be a motor mount thats making the vibrations. i think the rear one looked like it was leaking. i replaced the passenger one back in september because it was shot. but it never vibrated at any speed.

 

if the rear mount is leaking then it is shot. Check your front mount too. It might not fix your low speed vibration but leaking mounts are mounts that need replacing either way.

 

ya im going to my mechanic today so he'll check it all out. and this morning i started my car and a check engine light came on. not sure what could have caused it

 

he said it was the front mount thats busted. should i just change the rear one while im at it? and should i go with xlr8 or stock mounts. xlr8 has better life span but i heard theres crazy vibration at idle