My Colt thinks it's a Brit

[guido.e.koch]

Hi all Mitsu Fans!

My Colt has developed a nasty oil leak - seems like over night. It's leaking from the transfer case where the prop shaft comes out.

I have replaced the rear transfer case seal... twice! (first time I thought I might have damaged the seal - 2nd time I was extra careful, even added a bit of sealant)

3rd time my mechie checked it out, found nothing wrong, knipped the seal spring to make it shorter and seal more tightly - still leaking

It's getting really annoying - my friends don't allow me to park at their place anymore...

My theories:
1) I fitted remanufactured gearbox mountings, the rubber seems quite soft and they put extra stress relief holes in the rubber. Now there is quite a bit of left-right movement if I wiggle the transfer box by hand (the transfer case anti-roll mounting is not installed on my Colt). This causes noticeable in and out movement of the prop shaft as the transfer case moves side to side. I think this might put extra strain on the oil seal...?!

2) There is a bushing inside the rear part of the transfer case housing which captures the prop shaft end. There is slight but noticeable play (up-down-left-right) if I move the prop shaft end (yoke - i think it's called) around in the transfer case - nothing alarming according to my mechie. This movement could be so much (or at least on the threshold) that the oil seal cannot get a tight enough "grip" on the yoke and there's the leak.

Any thoughts or experience from anyone with a similar issue?

Thanks!

[Armond]

I believe your theories are right,

That movement is not good for that seal...

[Woestynbrak]

Your theory no 2 is spot on. The slight movement on the splines is enough to allow oil seepage. I have exactly the same problem on the Triton front diff sideshaft.

Your mountings will not effect the oil seal at all unless it put a load on the shaft by exceeding the universal joint's working angles. Highly unlikely scenario.

[joubertjg]

check the gear levers dust covers, had the same problem replaced the oil seal 3 times, i decided there must something else wrong, removed the plastic covers around the hand brake etc, and found that one dust cover was torn, repaired the dust cover, and oil leak gone.

[guido.e.koch]

Thanks for the input gents!

Looks like I'll have the transfer case housing re-sleeved then. My mechie told me that's what he had done on his Pajero, still waiting for results.

Watch this space

[guido.e.koch]

UPDATE:

So I had the transfer case output housing re-sleeved and the yoke checked and polished, no more play on the shaft inside the housing.... but I still found traces of oil - I just hope it's some spillage from when they assembled everything again. I'm still monitoring.

Thought inbetween: what are the chances that the yoke will have developed a crack or hole somewhere outside the housing where oil can leak through??

Happy Friday!!

[guido.e.koch]

So it was STILL leaking at the seal...

More work carried out: remove the prop-shaft again, have it balanced, fitted new centre bearing and mounting, refitted. After 100km test drive there was no oil leak to be detected... holding thumbs....

Theory: when the centre bearing / mounting gets old, some vibrations (not the good ones) are transferred to the slip yoke in the transfer case which puts stress on the seal. And apparently one does not notice these vibrations in the cab.

We'll see!

UPDATE: So far so good. All is still dry and leak free Seems to me the above work has done the trick!

Cheers!

[Armond]

That is good news.
I'm glad you found the problem.

Please keep us updated...