Ok,

So my head is somewhere back in 1967...I shall now, and forever refer to
them as a CV joint/boot. ;)

Anyway, I think it is definitely gear oil leaking out into the boot.

Archives and some suggestions here all mention the Drive Flange Cap (blue
plastic thing)...

But I'm wondering if anyone has strong suggestions about changing out the
Drive Axle Seal as well. Seems like a lot of extra work to go through if it
is not a like candidate for the leak.

Any advice on determining which one might be the problem? The Flange Cap or
the Axle seal... If you read the thread below, it quite literally happened
just as I jacked up the opposite side of the van - if that is any kind of
clue.

Thanks,
Ben

On 11/28/07 11:10 AM, "Ben Cichowski" <cichowski@montana.edu> wrote:

> Thought that might be wrong...(Swing Axle that is)
> 
> It is hard to say what kind of lube it is, but it is definitely �liquidy� in
> nature � that is what got me alarmed. If if looked like CV grease, I
> probably would have let it slide.
> 
> So, I haven�t taken the CV�s off of a vanagon before... It sounds like, once
> I take it off the tranny, that there is a plug in the center of the tranny.
> And some people now glue it in with RTV? Am I on the right track? � just
> trying to follow archive descriptions. I�ll have to take a look first to see
> if I need a 12 pt key or if it is just allen � I didn�t take a close enough
> look and I�m at work now.
> 
> I guess no matter what, I need to pull the CV off the tranny and at least
> inspect the plug (if not glue it in) and then clean/pack the joint again.
> 
> Does it sound like I�m heading in the right direction...anyone?
> 
> -Ben
> 
> On 11/28/07 10:52 AM, "neil N" <musomuso@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Hi Ben.
>> 
>> Not to alarm you but.......
>> 
>> There is a seal in the centre of the tranny flange. A small plastic cap. It's
>> might be leaking a little gear oil into the CV/boot. There should be info on
>> this in archives.
>> 
>> Or there is so much CV grease in there that as you say, jacking it up pushed
>> some out.
>> 
>> I'm pretty sure CV grease doesn't "melt" or break down to the point of
>> draining out. 
>> 
>> But I'm sure I'll be corrected by the list if I'm wrong!
>> 
>> ;^)
>> 
>> On Nov 28, 2007 7:49 AM, Ben Cichowski <cichowski@montana.edu> wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>> 
>>> I checked the archives - there was a good post similar to this - but no
>>> follow up replies.
>>> 
>>> I had my '88 Wolfsburg with the rear end up in the air on jack stands last
>>> night to make a slave replacement easy.
>>> 
>>> I noticed one of the Swing Axle Boots leaking a bit of of oil out on the
>>> narrow end facing the wheel. Kind of squeezed out when I jacked it up on the
>>> opposite side. I'm thinking it may be a result of jacking the van up one
>>> side at a time to put in the stands, thus put extra pressure on the opposite
>>> side.
>>> 
>>> Has this happened to anyone else...and is it something to worry about - i.e.
>>> change right away...
>>> 
>>> ...or is it a common occurrence from jacking the vehicle up that just leaks
>>> a bit only when under pressure like this, but doesn't pose much of an issue?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -Ben
>>> 
>>> BTW, slave and clutch MC replacement took all of an hour or so - Thanks Ken
>>> for the quality parts. The MC I got from you is about 3 times the quality of
>>> the one I took out from the PO...and the "new" slave he had put in looked
>>> like it had been through a war. Now I'm just waiting on my pressure bleeder
>>> now to come in.
>> 
>