mustang seal issues

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:17 pm

The mustang handled very well this weekend at CMP w/ the tokico d-specs and carbotech xp10 pads. After swapping tires for my last run on the 2nd day, the tranny was covered in oil and I had oil on the inside of the right rear wheel. I could see where the axle seal is leaking. Drove the car home and it’s now ready to be worked on. I have never dropped the tranny in a mustang and I’ve never done an axle seal.

Has anyone done either of jobs? Any gotcha’s I need to watch out for? Is there any place on line I can view the shop manual for an 07 GT? I have to try to get these fixed over the next few weeks so I can get ready for last autocross of the year for our club.

As a side note, just looked at the right rear wheel, and no oil what so ever after the 3 hour drive home. Tranny is still leaking and leaving a very small puddle under the car, so that has to be addressed. Since the axle seal is no longer leaking, should I still consider replacing?

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:33 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

The mustang handled very well this weekend at CMP w/ the tokico d-specs and carbotech xp10 pads. After swapping tires for my last run on the 2nd day, the tranny was covered in oil and I had oil on the inside of the right rear wheel. I could see where the axle seal is leaking. Drove the car home and it’s now ready to be worked on. I have never dropped the tranny in a mustang and I’ve never done an axle seal.

Has anyone done either of jobs? Any gotcha’s I need to watch out for? Is there any place on line I can view the shop manual for an 07 GT? I have to try to get these fixed over the next few weeks so I can get ready for last autocross of the year for our club.

As a side note, just looked at the right rear wheel, and no oil what so ever after the 3 hour drive home. Tranny is still leaking and leaving a very small puddle under the car, so that has to be addressed. Since the axle seal is no longer leaking, should I still consider replacing?

Unless Ford has changed the axle venting system since 88, the oil on the axle is probably from the axle breather . . . assuming you had a fair amount of high G left turns. No big deal except for the mess. Been there, done that. FYI there is info around on solving the axle vent issue. I may have it somewhere on my computer at home. The simple solution is replacing the fitting which currently may have a "jiggle cap" with a fitting you can put a hose on and running the hose to a catch can. I think, however, that there is a better/neater solution. You might check Maximum Mustangs or Griggs.

Regarding the trans, beats me. Are you sure it is trans oil? Did you happen to overfill it if you changed the oil? Is there a breather near the front? Is it dripping from the clutch housing area (i.e. front trans seal or rear engine seal)? FYI if the trans vent seems too far to the rear for where the oil is, it "could" be due to turbulence sending the oil mist 'everywhere". You can hope. :cry:

Also, do the SN197's have a hydraulic clutch? If so, any chance it is clutch fluid?

Dick

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:11 pm

DickRasmussen wrote:

Unless Ford has changed the axle venting system since 88, the oil on the axle is probably from the axle breather . . . assuming you had a fair amount of high G left turns. No big deal except for the mess. Been there, done that. FYI there is info around on solving the axle vent issue. I may have it somewhere on my computer at home. The simple solution is replacing the fitting which currently may have a "jiggle cap" with a fitting you can put a hose on and running the hose to a catch can. I think, however, that there is a better/neater solution. You might check Maximum Mustangs or Griggs.

Regarding the trans, beats me. Are you sure it is trans oil? Did you happen to overfill it if you changed the oil? Is there a breather near the front? Is it dripping from the clutch housing area (i.e. front trans seal or rear engine seal)? FYI if the trans vent seems too far to the rear for where the oil is, it "could" be due to turbulence sending the oil mist 'everywhere". You can hope. :cry:

Also, do the SN197's have a hydraulic clutch? If so, any chance it is clutch fluid?

Dick

In regard to the axle vent, I saw it dripping from end of the axle. I could see the axle vent and it was dampish, but no more than it's ever been.

As for the tranny, I believe that the slave cylinder and brakes all use brake fluid. What I felt was a heavier grade oil, so definitely tranny gear oil. Hard to tell where it was leaking from. Just cleaned it off and I'll look after while.

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:33 pm

Is your car outside the limits of the drivetrain warranty already??

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:52 pm

There is not many places for a tranny to leak. Did you recently change the fluid? If so, are you sure the drain and fill plugs were tight?

The seal for the drive shaft is another common place for a leak to start. Those are not tough to replace.

Unless there is something really unique to the Mustang, those are the two places I can think of. There is a third, but you probably don't want to hear that one...cracked case.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:01 pm

I think Rodney is alluding to the input shaft seal leaking. On the Subaru, you have to crack the case to replace the input shaft seal so I hope that is not the case on the mustang. This sort of leak would present itself like a rear main seal leak ie: leaking from the interface between the engine and bellhousing. However in the case of the tranny input shaft seal leak, the fluid would be clean and stinky where as engine oil would be dark, thinner, and not as sulfuric smelling.

But if it is an output seal, that is cake to replace (just need a puller, which I'm sure someone here could let you borrow).

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:13 pm

At this point Rodney, autocrossing or track days aside, I would be dropping it off at my local dealer. None of this work is related to anything speed related. Failed seals happen and should be covered under warranty.

How many miles do you have on the car? - AB

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:16 pm

MarcusMcRae wrote:

Is your car outside the limits of the drivetrain warranty already??

it's up to 60k and I have changed out the tranny fluid w/ Royal Purple, so there's the potential that Ford won't honor the leak issue. I actually wouldn't mind doing this as I'll have to drop it sometime to change out a clutch.

Really would be nice to have a lift right now, hate doing this on my back. I'll have to lift it as high as I can so I can slide the tranny out.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:22 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

Really would be nice to have a lift right now, hate doing this on my back. I'll have to lift it as high as I can so I can slide the tranny out.

Rodney, before you commit to this. Be sure to get an idea of just how big (and heavy) that transmission is. If it's anything like the T56 that I put into the 240, there's no way I would pull this transmission out while laying on my back. I don't know how much the mustang transmission weighs, but that T56 was a tad over 150lbs.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:27 pm

Jason Mauldin wrote:

I don't know how much the mustang transmission weighs, but that T56 was a tad over 150lbs.

Or have Dustin to help you since he seemed to be the only one who had the 'guns' for the karts at CMP on Saturday. :wink:

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:28 pm

Jason Mauldin wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

Really would be nice to have a lift right now, hate doing this on my back. I'll have to lift it as high as I can so I can slide the tranny out.

Rodney, before you commit to this. Be sure to get an idea of just how big (and heavy) that transmission is. If it's anything like the T56 that I put into the 240, there's no way I would pull this transmission out while laying on my back. I don't know how much the mustang transmission weighs, but that T56 was a tad over 150lbs.

Per Aarons advice, I'm going to call the stealer and see what my options are. Do dealerships generally read the black box for information?

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:37 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

Per Aarons advice, I'm going to call the stealer and see what my options are. Do dealerships generally read the black box for information?

For something like this, no. If you brought it in with a grenaded engine, then it's more likely. - AB

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 3:38 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

Jason Mauldin wrote:

RodneyWright wrote:

Really would be nice to have a lift right now, hate doing this on my back. I'll have to lift it as high as I can so I can slide the tranny out.

Rodney, before you commit to this. Be sure to get an idea of just how big (and heavy) that transmission is. If it's anything like the T56 that I put into the 240, there's no way I would pull this transmission out while laying on my back. I don't know how much the mustang transmission weighs, but that T56 was a tad over 150lbs.

Per Aarons advice, I'm going to call the stealer and see what my options are. Do dealerships generally read the black box for information?

Technically the event recorders are for accidents and even then, you need to go through a lot of legal mumbo jumbo to get access to the info.

Rodney, if you go in and don't look like a degenerate (and don't have your red wheels on the stang

), they will likely fix it and have you on your way shortly.

However, Royal Purple generally don't have API certs on any of their products (they may say 'recommended for GL5 applications' or 'recommended for API SM applications'). That wouldn't cause a seal to leak any sooner than a certified gear oil though. Anyway, I really doubt they'd ask you about the fluid or lecture you on brand/type of gear oil.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:46 pm

The trans may be a Tremec 3650. If so, there is a vent near the right rear of the main case on the side.

The output shaft seal (drive shaft) is an in the car repair.

The input shaft seal looks to require total removal of all the parts behind the clutch housing (i.e. all the gear shaft assemblies) according to my 2001 shop manual.

According to some specs I found on my 'puter' the 3650 weighs 119 lbs (don't know if that includes the clutch housing). Only 10 lbs lighter than a GM spec T56 at 129. Buy or rent a trans jack. I suspect that Jason's 150 lb number is because the 129 doesn't include the clutch housing which comes out attached to trans . . . I think.

Dick

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Mon Oct 18, 2010 6:54 pm

Dick that's right. My 150lb weight included the bellhousing.

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