hoiguibbo

oil scattered on the bottom of the transmission shell. The first time I noticed this was when I did my 2nd oil change on it myself. The stabilizer bar was darkened from the burnt oil and i tried to trace the oil. It seemed to be coming from the oil filter and I was thinking it could have been just the oil filter not properly tightened cuz it was my first time doing oil change (1st oil change, had difficulty loosening the oil filter due to shop had tightened and had unusual looking fitment oil filter). Back to my 2nd oil change, like i said I noticed oil on the transmission underneath.. i tried to clean it up abit and brush the darkened part and just drove it to san diego about 120 miles. when I got there, I checked no oil leak whatsoever so im thinking it really was just the oil filter. 2weeks later, i checked underneath, there was no burnt or the part I brushed wasn't darkened but I found oil in teardrop. Just small leak. Since I thought it was the oil filter or the oil filter area, i looked it up. people say it's the oil pressure switch. But then I took it to the shop it wasn't it. they said no oil leaking from the oil filter or oil pressure switch. then they concluded it is something from the inside of the transmission, which could cost me $950 to repair. fluid is the same from engine oil cuz it is manual tranny. Where could this oil be really coming from?it's just minor leak so shop said just drive it and top off tranny fluid. What do you guys think? I have a 95 civic coupe. I'm kinda panicking because I baby that car and it looks clean everywhere. I don't like the thought of something is leaking. I drive it to SD atleast once a month and I total 350miles. Could this affect my car bad? and what should be done. THANK YOUUU

GolNat

iTrader: (7)

It's leaking from inside the tranny? It's got to be exiting somewhere. Probably from a seal due to age.

If it's not a big leak I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep an eye on the level.

ezone

$950 can purchase a LOT of oil.

hoiguibbo

Hey guys, I just had my car looked at again at a different shop specializing in hondas. This time they had the car hydrolifted, and with that had to charge me 45 for the check and if I had the work done over there it would have been free. So what he thinks is the culprit and to me he sounds really sincere and honest. He said about 3 things could be the culprit. 1, rear main seal 2 front main seal, 3 driver side's axle seal. Basically 1 and 2 is the priciest one up to $850. but he said when he traced the oil leak (i was there under the car), If I'm lucky it could just be the driver side axle seal. But that itself would cost me $290. . . Either one, I still don't have the money... The leak is small and I dont see any of it since I cleaned it up. but that onetime I checked there was a droplet on the tranny.... @Golnat, where do I check the oil level? i think it isn't the engine oil cuz I havent lost oil and could it be the tranny oil? if so where do I check. Thank you

hoiguibbo

Yeah could be the seal, but when we traced the where the oil is, it starts from the left side (driver side) then to the left side (passengers) in which the tranny is located. But if we are talking about seals, I had the rear main seal replaced when I had my clutch replaced at the same time.. This was in October 2013. So I'm not so sure if it is the rear main seal. It's either the mechanic didn't properly install the rear main seal or something else then. thanks

hoiguibbo

Yeah so expensive. what kind of oil is it that comes out of the driver's side axle seal?

xRiCeBoYx

iTrader: (22)

Didn't read the first post because surfing on iPhone sucks; just read your last "update" post.

The oil coming from the axle seal is different than the front/rear oil seals. Front/rear seals would be engine oil, axle seal would be transmission fluid.

hoiguibbo

I see. but is it possible to just drive my car with that oil coming the axle? and i dont think it's possible to check the tranny fluid oil so I wouldn't know how to top it off. and it takes alil effort to do that. To be honest the oil could be coming from there cuz when I think about it it cant go from bottom right (tranny case) to all the way up to the axle area. I'm hopeful that it could just be that or oil filter area somewhere. Can I still drive my car LA to SD? I need to see my girl. I dont have money to spend $850 to fix it. and it is just really small oil leak.

ezone

Can you afford to replace the transmission when it blows up because it ran too low on fluid?



Of course it is possible. It's not convenient though.

Time to learn, time to go to work.

You drive how fast?
Ever seen what wind can do?


Some chicks cost money. Cars ALWAYS cost money.

Make the chick come to you.

JUST axle seals shouldn't be that high.

Axle seals from a dealer are $23.15 for the pair. Plus get 2 quarts of fluid.
Bust out some tools, DIY, save a ton of loot.

Chicks dig guys that can fix their own cars.



Or ignore the leak and hope it goes away, because that works so well for so many other things.

hoiguibbo

EZONE! bro I really appreciate your straight forward and honest answers man. Really accurate. Thank you for your response. Rate how hard can the axle seal DIY 1-10 (10 highest) . . [And base it also on my knowledge: I may be a noob. but I am meticulous at things and I make sure they're really in their proper order. And pretty familiar with hondas maybe not mechanically but specs and parts are what's familiar to me.] And on your last answer to hope it'll go away. it seemed to have gone away that's the thing because I have diagnosed this leak before I went to SD and cleaned up the dirty burnt area and since then, it hasn't burnt up that area. I don't think that it ran out of tranny oil either or engine oil because, engine oil is at same level. however at tranny I wouldn't know how to diagnosed it because it is still working perfectly smooth even after I drove it to SD.... On the other note though, if I can really do it myself I would be really proud... and like you said, it would impress my girl. So that's def a plus. Thanks again man

hoiguibbo

or your last answer could be sarcasm.... But just saying, since I drove it to SD I did not find any leak but a tiny droplet one last time. not to sugar coat my situation either. But bottom line is I am willing to work on the problem myself.

hoiguibbo

if anything, anyone know's anybody here in Socal, cerritos, norwalk, Long beach area that can work on my problem (axle seals) with reasonable price I can consider that too. $290 for just the drivers side is too expensive for me. I can afford it but I would have to save within 1 month first.

ezone

Yes, the last line was sarcasm.

If it quit leaking, maybe there isn't any fluid left to leak, or it is now too low to come out the axle seals. You can't know unless you check the fluid level.

If you check and find the transmission is still filled to the proper level now, then maybe the leak is coming from something else.

Rate an axle seal job for a DIY?? Nope.
Some people can't change a light bulb.
Nearly everything is DIY to me, because I do it for a living.
I can't assess your abilities or equipment access. I suggest you obtain a service manual and peruse the procedures yourself, see what you think.

HTH

hoiguibbo

yeah i get you... Okay let's say the oil is coming from the driver's side axle's seal. Noob question the tranny oil could also come out of there? because the tranny is on the passenger side and that's where the fluid is placed.

ezone

The ONLY fluid that can exit an axle seal is transmission fluid.