MatraSport Forum

My left hand diff seal is leaking. It has been doing so just slightly for a while, but now it's a real leak and I have to do something about it. Before I start wasting time I don't have trying to find the right way to fix it (i.e. getting the drive shaft out - that's the problem of course), I'd like to hear from the community what's the easiest way.

At the moment, I think the easiest and best way is to remove the complete trailing arm + drive shaft assembly completely, but let me know what your experiences are.

/Anders

(http://gallery.dinsen.net/d/14838-2/DSC_2771.JPG)

There are no seals in the diff.  The oil is kept in by a core plug at the end of the drive shaft tube, so the leak must be elsewhere.  The only way you can get at it is to remove the trailing arm and take the drive shaft out.  The shaft is held in by a snap ring.  If you are lucky you can put a lever behind the joint and it will snap out.  If not you will have to dismantle the diff.  I was unlucky when I changed my gearbox at the New Year.  I ended up taking the diff with shaft still attached to a club meeting.  Roy spent an hour trying to get it out and in the end we had to resort to a 30 ton press to remove it and the end of the drive shaft broke off.  I'll try and find the diff components to see if I can work out where the leak can be.  Have a look at my thread "One of those jobs I wish I'd never started" to see what joys lie in store.  Good luck!

Thanks for your input, Pete!

I don't understand why you say there are no seals in the diff, as there's one listed in the parts guide and Roy has even supplied me one when I bought the car from him. It's a regular shaft seal.

Roy actually overhauled my gearbox before I got the car three years ago, so I expect to be more lucky than you regarding getting the driveshaft out. I do remember your thread (excellent subject title, by the way - we can all relate to that feeling!), but haven't looked at it for a while, so I'll take an extra look.

But you are right, I should really clean the box down and see if the leak is really where I expect it to be. I hope I'll have an hour tonight with it.

/Anders

Yes you're right.  The layout is slightly unconventional in that the driveshaft is not sealed but the splined tube into which the driveshaft fits is and that is the seal you refer to.  The photo shows two possible leak points, the seal and the 'O' ring round the outside.  I'm sure that when Roy did the 'box he would have used plenty of grease when re-assembling it, so it should come apart easily and shouldn't be too difficult a job.

That photo is very informative - thanks for sharing it. I see the seal is sitting in the cover around the drive shaft. I suppose I'd better order a new O-ring for it too. I have only the seal.

I have checked my correspondance with Roy back in spring 2006 when he did the gearbox before handing the car over to me: He replaced the right hand seal back then. However he didn't replace the left hand one as he had only one and they were not available at the time. Then he gave me a new one with the car. His comment back then was that he chose to do the right hand seal as that is the most difficult to access "in situ", whereas the left hand one is easier.

/Anders

Like I intended, I cleaned up the dirty area yesterday evening, and while it still looks clean, there's a thin film of oil covering the surface below the driveshaft after todays driving. There are no other indications of leaks on the gearbox. So the seal has definitely failed.

Good thing it's not pouring out, so I can for the moment just top up the oil (which is only just at the min-mark now), and our holiday starts in less than two weeks for now, so I'll be able to find some time to do the job. I'll see if I can get one of the recommended driveshaft tools made up before I attempt any unapproved methods  :o

Thanks for your help so far, Pete!

/Anders

Hi, can someone please point me at this parts guide, or at least give me the part numbers etc for the gearbox oil seals?

Cheers,

Antony

I think you can use Simons parts catalog. Chapter 9 is the gearbox and differential. I believe the O-ring that is mentioned in this post is part nr.: 09231

http://www.simon-auto.de/pdf/katalog_mur.pdf

Thanks. Is that the Citroen part no also?

No, that is not the Citroen number.
I was in a good mood today, and did some research on this, because there is still no solution I presume.
At the moment I bought my 2.2 I found my left seal was leaking very slightly.
I went to car-joy to buy 2 seals in case it would be getting worse.
So far didn't use them.
(http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9315/p1020131medium.jpg)
(http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/8315/p1020132medium.jpg)

If I look closely it is aftermarket aziatic stuff.
It has the number piantk 1028
This number did not ring a bell on the internet, so I looked at the partslist for the Murena.
(http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/5750/sealdif.jpg)

Here you can see it is Peugeot number 3010.14
I found a website that give info on this number.

http://www.ls-autoparts.com/Artikel.asp?Item_Number=15013000&Parts_manufacturers=AJUSA&FazTyp=583e3341e8ad0ca3cfcf930bf70c1da8&Sprachnr=1

Here is info on sizes.

Aussendurchmesser [mm] 50
Innendurchmesser [mm] 35
Breite [mm] 8

I compared the sizes with the 2 I have, and they are the same.
So the seal is also used in a Peugeot 205 83/87 on the cam and big end.

No problem to find I think.
Look at the website I provided.
They are used in a wide range of car.

Ajusa number 15013000

O rings I have Matra numbers.
(http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/5959/steekassen.jpg)

No research done in this yet, but they look very universal.

Wow, thanks Oetker!
So the driveshaft oil seal on a Murena 2.2 is the same as the camshaft oil seal on a 954cc XW8 205?? Bizarre.

I'll give my local Peugeot dealer a call and see what they can find.

it could be that the seal is the same as for gearboxes used on peugeot. be1/5 and be3/5 for example.
do you have some dimension, I might be able to se if its the same

Aussendurchmesser [mm] 50 (outer diameter)
Innendurchmesser [mm] 35 (inner diameter)
Breite [mm] 8 (thick 8mm)

As stated in above posting ::)

Removed one O-ring.
(http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/5286/p1020133medium.jpg)

Outer diameter 30mm thick 2mm
Looks very standard.

Doubt it.  The Peugeot 'box is of a conventional layout, with the seal sealing the driveshaft joint.

Does this help?

@ titus,

Think that is 1.6
We are on a 2.2 differential, wich is different.

Titus,
That's a crankshaft rear seal.  We're talking about the one where the driveshaft goes into the diff.

Hello Anders,

You should remove the N/S trailing arm, and short drive shaft, which should come out on yours as it was well greased, and then you can change the seals.  You can remove the arm and shaft together to save removing the hub nut and shaft from the hub.  I've done this a number of times.  You have the lip seal which I gave you, and an 'O' ring if you need it, is part number 3010.15  Should be a straight forward job!  Make sure you lubricate new lip seal before you put the drive shaft back.  Dry lip seals are quickly destroyed.

Roy

I wasnt very precise but  ca 48mm and ca 35mm was it on the driveshafts seal

A little bit eager to post :)