Ford Focus Forum banner

02 SVT Focus (94K) Leaking Gear Oil Please Help

8.5K views 29 replies 7 participants last post by  the machinist  
#1 ·
The leak is coming straight down underneath the middle of the car from a shaft that goes into the transmission. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Also it does not leak while the car is turned off and cold, only when it warms up this is why I suspect that is a seal.

Thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
Yep, axle shaft seal - had to have mine replaced as well. If you take it to have it done somewhere, make damn sure they put the right tranny fluid in. Even the morons at one of my local Ford dealers couldn't figure out which fluid to use until I pointed out they used the wrong crap. They didn't believe me until I supplied them with a phone number had them call the boys in Dearborn.

Get it done soon - the Getrag doesn't like going without fluid for long.
 
#5 ·
Are you out of any warranty coverage? I used the factory Ford XT-M5-QS Full $ynthetic Manual Transmi$$ion Fluid during the warranty period @ $17/qt. I'm going to be putting in an LSD soon, so I'll probably fill it up with Amsoil 75w90 Severe Gear, which I've had great luck with.

Some of the Mini S guys (mini cooper s uses the same Getrag tranny if you didn't already know) like using the Redline MTL 70w80, which may work better for you if you live in a colder climate.
 
#8 ·
I have the same issue. It leaked on the left side last year and I had the seal replaced and everything was fine until I had my first track day in August this year when I noticed that it leaked again. Another SVT was at that event and same thing happened to him. This guy had it replaced yesterday so he's yet to test to see if it leaks but I was wondering if anybody has any suggestion about the replacement procedure or something.
 
#9 ·
OK, what you guys need to do is jack up the car & clean the hell out of the tranny. Take it out for a drive & then get back under it & see if you can figure out where it's coming from. My immediate guess would be a casing gasket or one of the drain/fill plugs because, well, that's all it really could be at this point.
 
#11 ·
Yes a seal driver was used. The leak is not coming from the casing jacket or any fill or drain plug. It is coming from the top near the axle shaft, is there another seal above there?
 
#12 ·
Ok guys here's some pics. I cleaned the tranny up best I could and as far as I can tell the leak is coming from the axle shaft. I don't see how it is still leaking exactly the same after I replaced both of those seals though, just doesn't make sense. The leak comes from in between the small space on the gold bracket and then it gets flung back up, I don't think it is coming from the casing gasket. Plus it doesn't leak when it is cold, only when the car is running and it's warm...

As always I appreciate any help you guys can give, thanks.

Image

By nvmaddog, shot with COOLPIX P2 at 2009-09-24
Image

By nvmaddog, shot with COOLPIX P2 at 2009-09-24
Image

By nvmaddog, shot with COOLPIX P2 at 2009-09-24
Image

By nvmaddog, shot with COOLPIX P2 at 2009-09-24
Image

By nvmaddog, shot with COOLPIX P2 at 2009-09-24
 
#13 ·
Damn, yeah, that seal looks pretty wet. So you had someone do it for you while up on a rack? Do you know whether or not the shaft was properly inspected while it was out? Every now and again, you'll get that one that just doesn't seat right the first time. This is the reason I asked about being on a rack - it's real hard to get adequate room in there unless the tranny is out or the car is up on a rack. Is it still leaking enough to drip?
 
#14 ·
dont forget the power steering rack is right above that and it uses mercon 5 trans fluid which is also red in color that could have a crack or seal bad as well
 
#16 ·
**Update**

Replaced the axle shaft seals again and was still leaking, so I replaced the speed sensor and the leak was gone. Dealership tried to say it was the seals leaking but I knew that they must be mistakin.

Thanks to all for the help!!
 
#20 ·
Can you please tell me were the speed sensor is located? I did a search but could not find anything.
After another track day it leaked again but it's pretty obvious this time that is not coming from the drive axle seal but from somewhere above.
 
#19 ·
Also, you should ALWAYS add anarobic sealer to ANY seal that goes in the transmission, if there is a way to leak, tranny fluid is GOING to find it. Anarobic sealer, will STOP that from happening. (The sealant the put on the seals from the factory is usually not enough)
 
#21 ·
Depending on how bad your leak is, and where it is coming from I would defnitely say it's either those seals or the speed sensor. They way the oil gets flung all over the place made it very hard to determine exactly where it was coming from for me for a long time. If I were you, I would probably do both at the same time and save yourself the aggravation of guessing which is the culprit. Do you have pictures?
 
#22 ·
Thing is that I replaced the drive axle seal last year so that's why I doubt that this is the place where is leaking from. Plus, my friend did replace the seal two weeks ago but after Monday track day he had a leak again so that is why both of us thought that it should come from somewhere else. Can you point where the speed sensor is in those pictures or at least tell me where to look for?
No pictures, it is too cold outside to get under the car :)
 
#23 ·
I'm not sure I have a shot of the sensor itself. Let me do some digging around. It is located directly above the gold plate in the pic above...

Does the tranny leak when it is cold or only once the car is warmed up?
 
#24 ·
that looks hard to reach at!
it doesn't leak at all during day to day driving but only after hard use at the track. if it is indeed gear oil it's not losing much because I replaced the fluid last weekend and I drained 2 liters and put back the same amount.
 
#25 ·
If it's not leaking during daily driving it may not be gear oil. What color fluid are you seeing? The power steering rack is right above and it uses the Mercon 5 fluid as well...

Can you see it dripping after you drive around and leave it idling?
 
#26 ·
No, no dripping. That's the thing, I don't think it's gear oil myself but my friend thought that and replaced his seal two weeks ago but he still had a leak this weekend after the same track day. It's kinda hard to tell what color it is but when I did put in the Royal Purple Syncromax fluid it looked like Mercon, some kind of red and the one on the transmission casing it looks more like engine oil.
For sure it's not power steering fluid, I check that one all the time and I never lost any.
I don't want to ignore it and say it's not gear oil cause there is no way to check the level. Plus it could lose fluid at the speed sensor like yours did so I got to make sure that's the case or not first.
I'll try to get some pictures tonight. thanks!
 
#27 ·
Here are two pictures
Image


Image



I'm starting to think that it could be motor oil coming down from the valve cover because I replaced the gasket twice in the last year and it still leaks in some parts. And every time it was leaking I was getting oil on the transmission (not in the same spot but close). thoughts?
 
#28 ·
Also after I took the pics this morning I cleaned around the drive axle and there was a drop of oil hanging. I took a white napkin and used it to clean it and the color on it was just like the engine oil. So I'm pretty sure at point that it's coming from the engine. It should have been red it it was power steering or gear oil.