Torn CV Boot Leaking Gear Oil

Number 18 looks like the inner axle seal alright.

Are you sure it just wasnt old grease, that has melted and run out looking like gear oil?

There shouldnt be gear oil in your CV boot. Ive seen old grease that loses its viscosity over the years and becomes a liquid and runs out when you remove the CV boot.

 

Gear oil wreaks - and I mean WREAKS...if you know what gear oil smells like, then compare that to the odour of whatever the lubricant is that's leaking. Can you snap a pic of the leak area and the lubricant that is leaking?

You need to confirm what lubricant is leaking, and at least get an idea what area the leak is coming from.

I wouldn't order anything just yet, and I would recommend changing a few seals while you have that thing apart...determine the problem first, and then order everything at once instead of ordering part # 18 and then finding out it is actually something else.

 

Have a look at this thread.

I had a leak, but it was not gear oil - it was brake/clutch fluid.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=296614&highlight=leak+underneath+clutch

 

So it leaks when you start the car?

Sounds like there may be something else wrong there mate.

Any pics?

 

Sh*t, I hope your gear oil isnt that black!

Check the colour of your gearbox oil and compare mate.

That looks like old CV joint grease to me.

 

How much did you pay for your CV boots? I went the Porshe parts route and have zero issues. MUCH cheaper.


Rob

 

You have to remember when grease is in its original state, its thick and chunky.

When you melt grease, man o man there is a lot of it. It looks like oil (bascially what it is with additives thrown in to make it sticky/thick)

Pour a teaspoon of oil on the ground and it wont take long before you have a BIG mess on the ground as it slowly runs and thins out.

I am still leaning towards old grease mate, epsecially after seeing the colour of it. Check your gearbox oil level when you can to confirm the right level and the colour. Compare the colour, weight and the smell to the stuff in the CV boot and let us know how you go.

In the meantime, I wouldnt drive it anywhere till you check it all out.

 

No problem friend, thats what we're here for.

Good man!

Good idea, check the gearbox oil level to make sure its right and then confirm the colour/smell to the grease/oil on the ground.

Grease is sneaky when its not in its normal state.

Have you tried to disconnect the plug to the speedo sensor and clean it? Thats what I would try first.

Sounds like a sticking door switch. Push the switch in and out a few times with your finger and see what happens mate.

 

You might be suprised that all it may take is to disconnect and connect to get it working properly again. It may have some crap on the terminals.

Ive done that many times before.

But clean it with some good electrical cleaner (Stabilant 22) and see if that fixes it.

Interesting, may be an issue with the wiring into the switch then.

 

IMO replacing the CV boots and re-sealing the axels should be part of a standard engine out service or at least every 2nd one.

Also, if it is gear oil, which it looks like it is, there is a silicon sealer that works to 'spot seal' the crank case until the time comes to pull it completely apart to seal the whole thing. It is white and comes in a small tube about the size of cortisone cream.

-Billy

 

It is very common for gear oil to seep through the splines of the CV joint drive flange. There is a single bolt with a thick washer under it that holds the flange to the differential output shaft. It is sealed at the factory with white silicone. While you have the axle out replacing the torn boot remove the bolt and clean all the silicone that was under the washer. After everything is clean reseal with fresh silicone. Make sure the notch on the thick washer seats in the slot of the drive flange before you tighten and torque the bolt.

It is also very common for the inner CV boots to tear due to heat exposer from the exhaust. Almost every engine out service I have done has needed at least one boot.

 

Very good info and you are correct that oil can "seep" through splines etc.etc. Happens all the time.

I thought there was an oring to seal that. Ive only ever seen orings at the end of splines to seal against the washer. Obviously something Ferrari thought wasnt an issue when they designed the box or they something they missed. Interesting stuff and good advice to clean and reseal while you are in there.

Also, isnt the flange area and cv boot area seperated from each other? How does the oil travel into the boot from the spline area?

 

The only thing I can think of is the wiring, if its not the switch.

Give the wiring a wriggle and see what happens with the interior light. When you get to it of course.

 

Umm, the "cups" that the CV joint mounts too is solid steel, there is no way gear oil could leak INTO the CV boot. Anything leaking out of the boot itself is going to be grease, period.

 

Thats what I was think. Thanks for clearing that up Steve.