got my car together finally and drove it around yesterday. This morning I noticed tranny fluid on the ground. I jack it up and see that I was spraying tranny fluid out. I pulled it apart and it was coming from the the sealing surface between the seal and the output flange. I have an s52,zf320, and driveshaft all out of a 97 m3. Any ideas on what could cause this? I filled the tranny till it came out the side, then closed it up, so I don't think it was to full. Gona put in another new seal hoping that it was wrong or bad. any ideas before I put it back together?
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Hey, another Lancaster guy. I grew up in Lancaster, but recently moved over to York.
Anyway......its most likely just a leaky rear seal. I've been fighting the same problem on my daily driver 325es. Just make sure that the flange and the area around the seal isn't damaged. If everything looks good, then just slap in a new seal. Wouldn't hurt to read the procedure in the Bentley before you get started. You need to use sealer while putting it back together so it doesn't leak from the center of the flange.
While you back there, you might want to replace the seal for the gear shift selector rod also. -
did both when before I put the motor in. I didnt use any sealer on the seal though. Hopefully that will fix itsigpicComment
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You don't use it on the actual seal. All you should do with the seal is to lubricate it with a little tranny oil before assembly. You use sealer on the flange itself. You put the sealer on the very front edge of the flange. That way it will seal the center of the flange from the rest of the transmission. Otherwise, oil will seep out the splines on the output shaft.Comment
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you can actually use sealer on the seal as well - just the outside edge (not the seal part itself, that would ruin it). I originally changed the seals on my getrag 260 and had the same problem - I took it back apart, resealed the flange as well as the outter edge of the seal and it hasn't leaked a drop since.Comment
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Now Im getting mad. I put a new seal and royal p synchromesh in when I did the swap, then put another one in... still leaked so it pulled it used some emory cloth on the output flange and put sealent on it. still leaked so I drained the synchrmesh and used redline d4 atf and its still leaking. I am completely lost now. I checked runout on the output flange so I dont think its bent. Im not sure what to do. My next move was going to be to put in a new seal and try the bmw fluid. Any other ideas would be greatsigpicComment
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welcome to my world. i have put in 3 rear tranny seals since Christmas (using Redline MTL).......its still leaking, and I don't have a clue why. I've consulted with 2 indy BMW shop owners and 1 master technician from a local dealership (Faulkner) and they all think I have done everything correctly. it is still puking fluid........beats me. Want to get together for an afternoon and try it again? I'm in Wrightsville 17368 and have an oversized 2 car garage with all the tools.Comment
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Bump for my local bud's. Not only are you two guys having this problem, I changed the rear seals in Jason's (JHower08) car and it is puking more fluid then you can imagine. Maybe it's the curse of Amish country? Where did you guys get your seals?Originally posted by OoPEZoO View Post
Come to think of it mine has a slight leak (has for a few months, actually). I'm not touching it though, I can live with a slight leak.Comment
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1rst seal came from BavAuto (it was OEM)
2nd seal came from Autozone (cheap random brand)
3rd seal came from the dealership (OEM, same as BavAuto)
I've been meaning to order a few more from BMA, but I just keep putting it off. Its motorcycle weather and none of my cars have moved in almost 2 weeksComment
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My first was bav auto with royal purple synchromech
second was reardons with royal purple syn.
third was readons with redlin d4 atf
I noticed that the part from reardons is not as wide and now I tried 2 seals and will be trying it today after I get my shifter carrier welded.
also I have that rack all cleaned up and ready for you justin. Gimme a call and Ill bring it out.sigpicComment
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I'm having the same problem with the ZF tranny I recently installed in my 92 E36. I'm glad I came across this thread because I plan on replacing the seal Friday evening before a long trip.
Though I've never tried using a sealer before. What is the best sealer that you guys recommend for this job and where can pick some up?Comment
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Have to check out the Bentley when I get home. It calls out for a specific BMW sealer, but from what I understand.........it is basicly just a flexible high temp liquid gasket. You can get it anywhere. I even spoke to a Master Technician at our local dealership and we walked each other through the replacement process. He said I did everything correctly, and doesn't have a clue why it is leaking. He is thinking it is one of the following
1. the output flange needs to be replaced (not likely)
2. there is to much play in the output shaft bearing and it needs to be replaced (major PITA)
Either way......its expensive, time consuming, and it sucksComment
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Can you only buy this stuff at the dealership or do they sell it at some auto parts stores like Napa?Originally posted by OoPEZoO View PostComment
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you can buy it anywhere. Its just a high temperature liquid gasket......I use it instead of the paper gaskets for the rear differential cover, thermostat cover, timing belt/chain cover.....Comment
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The thing is, I used NO sealers on the rear seal when I did my five speed swap and it didn't leak for a year (now I believe it's leaking from the shifter seal, which I didn't replace).
Did you guys grease the splines for the output shaft? Couldn't it come out of those splines? JHower08's car (the one I did a rear main and shifter seal on) is SPEWING fluid, but we had a LOT of trouble on his flange. It would not go back on, at all. I got pissed and tapped it on with a rubber mallet, but it went on hard the whole way. So I think that's why his is spilling it's guts.
I don't see how this many people in the same area can have the same problem and not be able to fix it. It pisses me off because I spent all day trying to do those seals in his car and now it's basically undriveable, and it's his only vehicle.Comment
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