Driveshaft oil seal

[Tim S]

Here's an odd one - thoughts needed please!

About two months ago I changed (thanks largely to Robin's handy hints) a driveshaft gearbox oil seal (S2 111S - the nearside (short) one). All seemed fine and the car's done plenty of miles subsequently.

Then, this week, a puddle of gearbox oil appeared on the garage floor. I've just checked and it's clearly coming from the seal that I replaced - which seems to have failed quite suddenly as it's been fine for weeks but there's a fair amount dripped out now.

Any thoughts as to why this might have happened??

The real question is should I change it again or trust it to someone that really knows what they're doing!

Cheers

Tim

[roadboy]

I'd be carefully checking the condition if the tripod joint going through the seal into the box.

Was it a genuine MG Rover seal?

Dan

[Tim S]

Thanks Dan. I got it from Geary so should be OK - looking at the website again though I see there are earlier and later types - may have orderred the wrong one though it looked the same as the one that came off.

Cheers
Tim

[roadboy]

Easy to tell the difference. The early types are all black rubber to look at but the later types have a metal outer.

Dan

[roadboy]

Oh, and I've never seen an Elise with the early type shafts/seals.

Dan

[robin]

I'm 99% sure that all S2 have the later type oil seal, no?

[roadboy]

I'm 99% sure that all Elises (S1 &S2) have the later type seal but yes, all S2s will use the later type. Definitely.

Dan

[Shug]

From memory, is it not reasonably easy to nip the seal if you're a bit brusque slotting the driveshaft in?

[alicrozier]

Yeah Shug, to the extent there is a special tool to protect it during refit IIRC...


Edited to add: I did RC.
http://www.deroure.com/search.asp?MAK=1 ... =T000T1390

Oh and early and late seal P/N's for S1 seals:
http://www.deroure.com/diagrams.asp?TBL ... 0&ST=&SC=0

[Tim S]

Thanks all

Yes, I did fit it without the tool - probably a mistake, though still odd it's been OK for so long before failing.

Anyhow, I've just chickened out of redoing it myself and have booked it into Ali's!

Cheers

Tim

[roadboy]

I've never used the proper tool and I've fitted quite a few shafts. Its ok as long as you keep the joint totally square as you put it in.

Dan