boxer axle seal job w/pics | FerrariChat
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boxer axle seal job w/pics

Discussion in 'Boxers/TR/M' started by Newman, May 26, 2007.

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  1. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #1 Newman, May 26, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Today I took my car into work to replace the axle seals, change my oil and tinker with a few other things I might find while im there. First was the floor mat I sacrificed so that my rim will live on if Im too much of a spaz to hit the spinner right. Turns out the mat was as good move since the mallet grazed the ear once during my swings and did hit the mat which saved the spoke and kept my blood pressure at a normal level. All I did was cut a circle in the mat and a slice below the circle so I could stretch it over and it fit tight. The pics sort of speak for themselves, the suspension did not have to be touched to do this job, once the bolts are removed on the hub and gearbox flange the axle compresses and comes out over the top of the hub/rotor. Its tough to say which side is harder to do since the left side seal is deeper in the flange so it seems but the right side has the header very close to the axle and obstructs access to it. If it was a straight axle replacement job without any attention to detail it would take under an hour a side. I cleaned stuff, painted my frame tubes, tightened cv boot clamps (boots were nice), cleaned, cleaned and cleaned again. Changed my oil and filters, tightened the oil return hoses from the valve covers, topped up the gearbox, cleaned the insides of the rear rims, cleaned the tapered flanges for the rims, regreased it all took some swings at the spinners and didnt miss and this all took me 4hrs. Car doesnt leak, oil pressure is 6 bar at idle, 9 driving, shifts nice, wheels didnt fall off. Just remember that the engine holds 13 liters of oil, only put 10 including the filters being filled first, start the engine then add the other 3 after you shut it off or the last 3 will be on the timing belts and no I didnt have that happen.
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  2. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #2 Newman, May 26, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Who woulda thought ford made a seal installer for the boxer, they did and I found it in the transmission guys pile of seal installers. Getting the old seals out was a bit of a pain since a regular seal remover wont fit in there. I took a small slide hammer I have, removed one claw and presto it fit and did the job. That could have been a big PITA without the slide hammer. You can see the small tab on the flat washer that fits in the hole of the flange, the seals have a direction arrow on them and the flanges wouldnt just slide off so with a little help from a bolt grip puller I pulled them off. Sealant must be used on the bolt for the flange as well as the washer to keep fluid from getting past the splines, if you forget, you get to do most of the job over again.
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  3. J.P.Sarti

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    May 23, 2005
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    #3 J.P.Sarti, May 27, 2007
    nice write up, I assume the Cvs are just standard off the shelf part hopefully, one of my Cvs is leaking abit of grease I noticed get thrown around the rear heatshield as well

    don't forget to re hammer the KOs after a few hundered miles as they work loose, I keep a lead hammer in the BB and recheck when stopping for fuel
     
  4. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #4 Newman, May 27, 2007
    Im assuming the boots are nothing special. The axles look like VW parts so if one had a boot to match up im sure something at a local parts place would fit and look right. When I did the 308 boots a while back they werent expensive but then again I didnt buy them from the dealer either.
     
  5. JTR

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    #5 JTR, May 27, 2007
    Nice writeup and good pictures! Thanks for taking the time, you make it look easy!!
    John
     
  6. LP400S

    LP400S Formula 3

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    #6 LP400S, May 28, 2007
    Great job with all the photos,info and all the extra work you did to show us the procedure!!!
     
  7. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #7 Newman, May 29, 2007
    You're welcome. Im going to be tinkering with my fuel system next, take out the injectors for cleaning and checking or replacing and some CIS adjustments. Ill post more pics then.
     
  8. AHudson

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    #8 AHudson, May 29, 2007
    You're considerably braver than I, but I did pick up some valuable info in your post. (Especially the 'last 3 liters of oil' advice.) Thanks very much for the trouble and the pictures.
     
  9. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    #9 RP, May 29, 2007
    Thanks Paul.

    When are you coming to Florida? Bring those blue gloves.
     
  10. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #10 Newman, May 29, 2007
    The blue gloves is right, Ive never gotten so much grease on my hands and arms from an axle seal job. I must have washed my arms 5 times during the seal job alone, very dirty job but as of last night not a drop of any fluid under the boxer.:)
     
  11. dr.mike

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    #11 dr.mike, Jun 9, 2007
    Thanks for the pics and write-up. I'm getting ready to do the same.
    Where did you get the seals? Since they are directional; are there different part #s for left and right? The parts book was kinda unclear.

    Thanks again :)
     
  12. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #12 Newman, Jun 9, 2007
    I ordered the seals through a friend of mine that services exotic cars and yes the numbers will be different left and right. It was a pretty straight forward job.

    P.
     
  13. Drew Altemara

    Drew Altemara Formula 3

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    #13 Drew Altemara, Jul 4, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2009
    Hi Newman,

    This is an old thread I am resurrecting but I can't stop laughing at myself and wondering.

    I had to pull the LHS side transmssion flange on my BB512 as the sealant had failed and gear oil was getting into the CV joint and spraying black gunk into the engine compartment. As a precaution, I also pulled the outboard seal with a "modified" gear puller; had to grind down the sides. In doing all of this I researched your prior work.

    Now here comes the part I am probably going to kick myself for (as I look at my scabbed up arms and fingers).

    I started off by pulling the headers out of the car using every socket, extension, wobble, wrench I had in my tool chest and even buying some.

    So its night time, having some wine. Looking at your thread again to see how you replaced the transaxel outboard seal with the Ford sealed installer and realize..............

    YOU DID NOT PULL THE EXHAUST HEADERS.

    Are you telling me you can pull the half shaft, output flange, seal etc without removing the headers?

    I think I'm going to lay my tired bones down and look at this tomorrow.

    Drew Altemara

    PS: Do you have a part number for the Ford seal installer; may be generic.
     
  14. fastradio

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    #14 fastradio, Jul 5, 2009
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2009
    Drew,

    Here the PN for the Ford Seal Installer: T97T-77000 (Google it...about $35)

    If you're just installing the stub axle seal, there's no need to pull the headers. However, if you're going to replace the diff housing o-ring, as we discussed on the phone, you'll need to pull the headers. Sorry if I wasn't clear on that point ;)

    David
     
  15. Drew Altemara

    Drew Altemara Formula 3

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    #15 Drew Altemara, Jul 5, 2009
    Hi David,

    Your advice was spot on as usual however the mechanic (me) for some reason thought I had to remove the headers to get to the stub axel seal. This was probably because I had the car up on the lift and kept looking up instead of looking sideways and just removing the wheel. Any how now I can make everything nice and clean.

    My leak was as you suggested that the bolt and washer that hold the stub axel was not sealed correctly. I did end up making a small seal puller from a set of gear pullers I had and pulled the seal "just in case". It also turned out that I had a torn inside axel boot on the other side so now both half shafts are out. Time to get greasy.

    Thanks for the number of the Ford gasket installer. It looked like a 42mm socket might work but for the money I'm going to purchase the installer as there in not much room for error down there.

    Again thanks for all your help. It was spot on but it looks like I made this a bigger job than I had to. :)

    More wine tonight!

    Drew
     
  16. Newman

    Newman F1 World Champ
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    #16 Newman, Jul 5, 2009
    Hi Drew,

    Just got back from some fun up north. Yes pretty easy job and yes get the seal installer. I found the one I used at work, snuck it into my box and shared the part number with a few people that asked. The benefit of the installer is the ledge the seal sits on, keeps the spring in the seal tight and prevents it from falling off the lip seal when you drive it in. There isnt much resistance though so you dont have to give it your all to get it installed. Good luck!
     

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