In Reference to this thread, i'm still leaking Trans fluid and i'm concerned that my axle may be too long, or too short causing this leak, with a third possibility that maybe the diameter of the tripot on the axle is wrong and not sealing properly. What am I looking for as far movement of the axle/tripots?

Trans is a 4t65e non HD from a 98 LeSabre with an HD Diff from a 98 GTP swapped on. Inner Tripots are both from the same GTP.

I'm assuming if I use a jack to jack up the control arm to the point where its holding most of the weight of the car, the axle shaft should not be "bottomed out" with no room to move around between the tripots, and conversely with the suspension fully hanging , the shaft should not be pulled out of the tripot nor doing anything like hitting the cradle. Anything else to look for?

Anyone know what the diameter of the tripot is as it passes through the seal?
Is there anything else I should look for as the cause of this leak beyond the axles causing the output shaft seal not to seal properly, or the seal being bad?
Its hard for me to get in there and see exactly where the fluid is leaking from, suggestions?

[This message has been edited by ElTee (edited 01-28-2013).]

Jack up control arm and remove axle nut. Optimal length would give approx 1" inward travel and 1" out. If you can push axle through bearing more than 1.5" it is too short. If you can only push in 1/2" or less then it's too long.

Could be worn diff bushings causing axle to not stay centered in the seal.

"too long" would just be an axle that you can obviously bind during normal suspension travel. The "strongest" axle is going to be the longest one.

The tranny shaft has a locking ring for the axle to lock in place if it is long enough to damage the tranny I would think it would have also damaged the ring as well. Too long of an axle would also be very hard to get the axle in place and assemble the rear suspension with out forcing the suspension inward to either bolt the lower ball joint on 84 to 87 models or the main bolt through on the 88 models.
For manual tranny swaps using the stock axles and tranny mounts work for auto swaps using the 4T65E I have found the 92 to 95 Trans Sport or Lumina van axles off 4T60E vehicles work quite well. All this does depend on the mounts you are using. Dan

quote Originally posted by darkhorizon: "too long" would just be an axle that you can obviously bind during normal suspension travel. The "strongest" axle is going to be the longest one.

Exactly. What I do is to assemble the axle to the trans and spindle without tightening the nut. With the strut removed, and the spindle roughly at 90* ,to the ground swing the control arm though the maximum travel. If you feel binding it is too long, if the inner boot stretches too far out then the axel is too short.

------------------
" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Powerlog manifold, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

Thanks for the advice all. I don't believe that it's too long, it wasn't difficult to assemble at all, but I figured I would ask. You're descriptions meet my expectations exactly for that scenario.

Referring to the bushing on the Diff cover causing the leak, would this actually cause it to happen on the opposite side of the trans? I can see it causing a leak on the Diff side (pass) but not on the drivers side.

Sorry, I missed that it was the drivers side leaking. There is a bearing behind that seal as well though. Also the cover has a rubber square cut oring that seals it to the channel plate, trans fluid can leak there, all around the axle and could look like a seal leak.

The Silver machined surface that the seal presses into... what is it? Is it something that can be replaced?

edit: looks like its part of the channel plate and the bearing sits between the channel plate and the shaft? Is that right?

This is exactly what I saw when I pulled the seal, is the bearing inside the hole where the shaft comes out? I didn't notice a bearing when i was in there.

[This message has been edited by ElTee (edited 01-29-2013).]

Item 16 should be bearing, if axle doesn't move excessively in trans it's probably fine. You can just see the edge of the bearing in your picture. If its not leaking around the outside then the damaged channel plate is not the issue. Did you lube the lip before installing new seal, if not the first drive will wreck the new seal.

[This message has been edited by LFiero67 (edited 01-30-2013).]

The biggest issue is I can't get in there and find the exact origin of the leak, but its somewhere in or around the seal. I can't remember if I lubed the new seal when I drove it in or not, so Ill probably get another one when I pull everything to do the hubs next week. I'm just gathering as much info as possible before I do that so that I can hopefully take care of this once and for all.