5 Speed Tranny in my Rabbit leaking suddenly

tonbra · Post by **tonbra** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:44 am

I parked my rabbit in the garage and left for a month (I am moving cross country and started my new job before moving). Anyway, came back home this month to get the rabbit ready to ship and noticed a big gear oil-slick from under the car. In a month of not running how did I spring a big leak in my trans? Whats the likely cause/problem?

coke · Post by **coke** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 11:02 am

Axle flange seals are probably the culprit.

Vincent Waldon · Post by **Vincent Waldon** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 1:32 pm

Yuppers.... assuming you can track the fluid back to one or both of em...you'll have to have a look.

Here's a good site on repairing them:

http://www.brokevw.com/020flange.html

damac · Post by **damac** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 3:07 pm

I just finished up a complete suspension rebuild on my old 85 jetta that had all original parts.

I yanked my axle flanges and had to install a speedi sleeve on each of them due to grooves.

I installed the new seal kits and still am not seeing fluid collecting in those areas like when I got the car.

BUT I noticed that with the car pointing nose down that a puddle showed up with the car sitting overnight

Mine is collecting where the tranny meets that flange on the engine side. So now I have to assume the seal between those pieces is breeched and that some internal seal is leaking

I can't say that the clutch is slipping but I assume the tranny has never been apart and it has original seals and something inside is either showing itself when angled and/or the seals have lost their life.

I am mad at myself now because I didn't even look into it before tear down, just assumed it was the flanges.

Unless I overfilled mine somehow after draining 2 batches of oil, I think I am going to have to yank my darn tranny out

Vincent Waldon · Post by **Vincent Waldon** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 3:10 pm

Yeah, any time I pull a tranny I do both flange seals, the input shaft seal, the pushrod bushing and seal, and the throwout bearing.

Cheap and easy to do... when the tranny's on the ground at least. Some folks say "if it ain't broke don't fix it"... but I don't have that kind of luck.

coke · Post by **coke** » Sat Nov 20, 2010 4:28 pm

I did the same on the 91 Gas job. We had to literally beat the flanges out of the transmission with a huge block of wood and a huge hammer. They were STUCK. Never in my life have I seen flanges stuck like they were.