Hi guys, I had a leaking seal on our transmission so decided to replace it (TH Auto, 3.5L)
Is it possible to push the seal in too far or not far enough? does it need to be level with the gearbox case or just in as far as it goes? Old seal was stuffed so I put a new one in but still getting leaks I had trouble getting seal all the way in but I'm 95% sure it's all the way in, it's the driver side seal so a bit hard to get at.
I looked into getting the special tool MD998325 but it's a bit pricy..

My reasoning behind thinking I've pushed the seal in too far is that the dust seal (metal ring) on the end of the driveshaft isn't going over the lip of the seal but sitting approximately 1mm (or .5mm) away from it which is where the oil is leaking from..
The pictures in the manuals give the impression that the seal is supposed to be pushed all the way in so it's got me stuffed..

Anyone?

check you havnt damaged the drive shaft seals when reinstalling the shafts, they should fit flush with the lip

The seal just pushes in, by hand, when it bottoms it is in the right place. Have you checked that the lip of the seal hasn't turned over when you put the shaft in (replace seal, lubricate it), or that the housing where the seal sits is damaged (apply sealant), or that there is damage on the drive shaft itself?

Hmm, it mustn't have been pushed all the way in.
I pressed in the edges of the seal yesterday all the way around (with a pry bar because that's the only way I could force the thing in! I have girly hands)

Today I lifted the car up by hand (I never said I had girly arms) and the seal doesn't appear to be leaking now.
So it mustn't have been seated right?.

So the metal dust cap on the driveshaft is supposed to sit about .5mm away from the seal?
I'm kind of a bit concerned that dust and crap will get past the dust seal and kill the rubber seal or worse will get past the seal into the box, is the .5mm gap normal?

Am going to leave it on the stands for a few hours and keep checking it to be sure, but turning the driveshaft back and forward isn't making it leak at the moment..

Bugger.. Now I can't use the excuse of an oil leak to get out of going to the wedding on the weekend :(

gearbox oil to low to drive it then? may work

I've officially had enough, taking it to Mitsubishi to get the seal done.
I must be pushing the seal in too far as the lip isn't even touching the metal ring on the driveshaft let alone sealing.

Sounds like its the opposite, ie the driveshaft isn't all the way in.

That can't be possible ? drive shafts don't shrink do they?
Even with the drive shaft bolted to the engine block it's still not seated on the seal right.

Are we talking about the intermediate drive shaft or the drive shaft on the passenger side?

Your profile says you drive a 380 but you used a shaft/intermediate shaft from a 3.5 auto magna?

Can’t comment if the shafts are different between the magnas/380s but the intermediate shafts are different between the manuals/autos for the magnas.

If it's the intermediate drive shaft, there is a ring around the transmission end with a lip on it, it should go in up until this lip hits the case and should sit up against the seal. There's no ring or lip on the passenger drive shaft, the CV joint just sits up flush with the case and seal.

Are we talking about the intermediate drive shaft or the drive shaft on the passenger side?

Your profile says you drive a 380 but you used a shaft/intermediate shaft from a 3.5 auto magna?

Can’t comment if the shafts are different between the magnas/380s but the intermediate shafts are different between the manuals/autos for the magnas.

If it's the intermediate drive shaft, there is a ring around the transmission end with a lip on it, it should go in up until this lip hits the case and should sit up against the seal. There's no ring or lip on the passenger drive shaft, the CV joint just sits up flush with the case and seal.

It's my wifes car, hence why I need to sort it out.. It's a TH auto
It is the intermediate shaft..
I'm now wondering if someone replaced the shaft with the wrong one before we bought it because it just aint long enough.. the ring on the end of the driveshaft is about 10mm from the transmission case even when the shaft is bolted back onto the engine and wheels back on etc..