55 Buick Century Rear end

[Sid Hiatt]

I noticed transmission fluid leaking from my rear end, what the cause and what's the fix? How much can I except to pay. Thanks, Hope you can help

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

From where, Sid?

 

  Ben

[Sid Hiatt]

Ben

I had not drove the car for a few weeks and when I went into the garage notice trans fluid on floor under drivers' side rear wheel going to the rear end wet at the front of rear end where drive shaft attaches to 

drive shaft. Have never seen this before on the car.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Trans fluid back there means a problem farther forward. Like in the front of the torque tube. The seal up there is leaking by, allowing trans fluid into the torque tube.  Look up member Old Tank on here. His site has a "fix" for this problem.

 

  Ben

[EconoJoe]

I was down this road last spring. A few pictures tell most of the story.

 

 

This is the seal that leaks into the torque tube and eventually into the rear axle.

 

 

Removing the seal revealed a bushing with a groove worn into it approximately .025" deep.

 

 

A search for a new bushing was fruitless. Some members advised moving the bushing on the shaft to use a new location for seal contact. Mine wouldn't budge and I didn't want to destroy it with more force. I first cleaned and filled it with JB Weld.

 

 

 Then I installed a Speedy Sleeve that was readily available at my local NAPA.

 

Once that was resolved I drained the differential and repacked the rear wheel bearings, reinstalling with new inner and outer seals. It made for an interesting job that I enjoyed doing. Hopefully once.

Edited September 28, 2022 by EconoJoe (see edit history)

[usnavystgc]

@EconoJoe, that's an excellent fix, love it.

[JohnD1956]

Please indulge me. I dont see how adding additional length to the existing bushing changes the location where the torque tube seal has to sit. 

[EconoJoe]

JohnD1956: There was no "additional length" added to the existing bushing. It remains in the same spot on the shaft. The JB Weld filled the wear point back to the original o.d. of the bushing and the sleeve provides a new polished surface for the seal. The sleeve is .015" thick, making the finished o.d. of the new bushing surface .030" larger. The seal is able to flex enough to allow for the extra thickness. The only place I had previously seen them sold for automotive use was for worn harmonic balancers (for the front oil seal). I had never used one before but apparently it's a common fix for worn sealing surfaces.