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Re: stubborn axle oil leak

To: Ric Otte <otte@cats.ucsc.edu>
Subject: Re: stubborn axle oil leak
From: Carl Elliott <grunt2@adelphia.net>
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 11:31:01 -0400
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net
References: <v04003a00b34b798e60cf@[128.114.128.216]>
Reply-to: Carl Elliott <grunt2@adelphia.net>
Sender: owner-spridgets@autox.team.net
Doesn't the hub assembly come off the axel.I think there is a seal there also.
Its a regular inner wheel seal, then the rubber o-ring then the paper flange
seal. I had to do all three to stop a leak, Still don't know which one it was.
Carl E.

Ric Otte wrote:

> I've been trying for a long time, unsuccessfully, to stop the oil seal on
> the axle from leaking on my MK II sprite.  I now have no leaks where the
> paper gasket and rubber ring goes (due to silicone), but I get oil that
> leaks out and down the back of the brake plate (it doesn't get into the
> brakes lately because I put silicone between the brake backing plate and
> the mounts).  But I'd like to fix this leak, since I don't know how long it
> will be before it starts leaking into the brakes again.  When I replaced
> the rubber oil seal, and noticed that the axle tube has some scratches on
> it where the oil seal rubs, and while they aren't real deep, they may be
> deep enough to let oil through (I don't know how deep a scratch would have
> to be to let oil pass through).  I can only think of a few options:
>
> 1.  get new rear end.  How available are they in N. California and how much
> would this cost?
> 2.  I have a rear end from a later sprite.  I was wondering if I could take
> it and the one on the car to a welder.  Have him cut off the mounting
> brackets from both axle tubes, and weld the old ones on the newer axle
> tubes.  Then I should be able to simply mount this axle tube onto my car.
> Would this really work?
> 3.  get some fine sandpaper and try to sand down the axle tube where the
> oil seal rubs.  This might take a while, and I'd have no guarantee of
> ending up with a perfectly round tube for the seal to go on.  And then the
> narrower tube might not seal as well.
> 4.  get some epoxy or JB weld and try to fill in the cracks, and then sand
> until it is flush with the steel surface.  I don't think the cracks are
> deep enough for the glue to sink in and stick, but perhaps it would work.
> 5.  get dual bearing hubs or some other upgrade to rear so oil seals might
> be some other place on the axle tube.  I don't know if this would work, and
> it sounds expensive.
> 6.  get another new oil seal and try again.  If it fails, live with the oil
> leak and hope it doesn't get into the brakes again.
>
> Anybody have any wisdom or suggestions?  Thanks.
>
> Ric Otte
> p.s.  I also checked to make sure the breather valve is clear,and it is;
> didn't want any pressure pushing oil out.


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