Axle shaft seal.

[Cirrus8]

Just got my Vette back from the dealer after they installed an axle shaft seal part #12369460 in the drivers side of the diff. Is this seal a permanent fix? Has anyone had this seal fail after installation? C4C5 Tech, what do you think?

[JT ZR-Won]

Moved to C5 section------>

Jay

[BlackNBlue95]

Originally posted by Cirrus8
Just got my Vette back from the dealer after they installed an axle shaft seal part #12369460 in the drivers side of the diff. Is this seal a permanent fix? Has anyone had this seal fail after installation? C4C5 Tech, what do you think?

It's a common failure.. so far when I do them I remove the side cover and replace the axel seal and o-ring.. so far that has worked.. but I heard from C4C5Specialist.. about a bulletin about using anerobic sealer on the flange of the side cover to help it seal.. anerobic sealer from what I understand is kinda like RTV silicone but it stays tacky...

-Rick

It is my understanding a TSB came out calling out for a new seal design p/n 88996703 & p/n 89047953

[c4c5specialist]

Hi there,
While both are true, the revised seals and the anerobic sealer, the installation is 9/10ths of the repair.
There is now a preliminary document of the updated service procedure for this repair.
This entails the new seals, along with the anerobic sealer on the flange mating surfaces, to ensure NO repeat repairs.
This is now how the Getrag company, whom makes the c5 differential case, is sealing the side covers.
If I were a betting person, I would say that we should be doing alot less after these get in the field.
As for anerobic sealers and the composition, this is very good sealant. You see, when exposed to air, it will always remain tacky. However, when air does NOT contact it, like in a mating surface, it will harden to a stiffer consistancy than RTV, but still flex slightly. A very good sealant for this application.
I hope that this helps, and allthebest, c4c5

[Cirrus8]

Thanks to all. I took the Vette for a high speed test run for approx 120 miles yesterday and NO LEAKS!!! Happy day.

My understanding from another post on the Corvette Forum, is that they came up with a new design seal p/n 88996703 & 89047953. Also I am encouraging people to write a complaint to:
Mr. G. Richard Wagner Jr.
GM Chairman & CEO
General Motors Corporation
300-T Renaissance Center
Detroit, MI 48265

They should repair at their cost all differential leaks caused by this known defect for cars in and out of warranty for at least a period of 5 years

[c4c5specialist]

Originally posted by bellomo
My understanding from another post on the Corvette Forum, is that they came up with a new design seal p/n 88996703 & 89047953. Also I am encouraging people to write a complaint to:
Mr. G. Richard Wagner Jr.
GM Chairman & CEO
General Motors Corporation
300-T Renaissance Center
Detroit, MI 48265

They should repair at their cost all differential leaks caused by this known defect for cars in and out of warranty for at least a period of 5 years

HI there,
What is also NOT talked about, is that over 60% of the leaking differentials, were actually OVERFILLED, AND DRIVEN HARD. This would have the excess blown out the vent tube.
Why would you write to someone, whom has already addressed the situation, and if the Corvette techs repaired them under warranty, there is no cost to the customers???????????
If you do NOT have this leak within the first 3 years, chances are, you are not going to have it.
How can you hold someone else responsible for repairs that a franchise dealership does??????
Allthebest, c4c5

I guess I was addressing my concerns on the differential leak to those owners who have experienced this problem outside the warranty. I have a 99 corvette that has 9000 miles on it that just started to leak this spring. The car is past the 3 year warranty but only has 9000 miles. Repair cost $600. I find it hard to swallow to pay this bill for a known design or quality defect for a car you purchased for $40K+ new. I would expect GM would do what is right on a known issue like this and either extend the warranty for this type of problem or reimburse owners in this situation with low mileage like mine. I guess the chances of a leak after 3 years is not out of the question if it happend on my car with only 9000 miles. Also I hear the leaks reappear more often then not even after the repair, The latest TSB may have a fix for that but why should the owners who made a repair once then have to pay again due a quality/design/manufactability issue. Customer Service seems to be a thing of the past and soon will be good old American manufaturing base.

[c4c5specialist]

Originally posted by bellomo
I Also I hear the leaks reappear more often then not even after the repair, The latest TSB may have a fix for that but why should the owners who made a repair once then have to pay again due a quality/design/manufactability issue. Customer Service seems to be a thing of the past and soon will be good old American manufaturing base.

HI there,
If the leaks reappear, that is a problem with the person doing the leak repair, NOT GM.
They have told us, the service technician, how to correctly repair these leaks for years.
If you have to pay for the repair the second time, that is something you should take up with your dealership, not GM.
Over 500 c5 customers, 141 different c5 axle leaks repaired, and not one reoccurance, when performed per GM repair guidelines.
Service of Corvette is MY JOB, not GMs.
Allthebest, c4c5

I've had the seals replaced on both of my Z06's. Haven't had a problem since the fix, nearly a year ago.

[Greg C]

Just got the Vette back from having the left rear axle seal and side cover gasket replaced. The tech used part #88996703 & 89047953 (are these the "updated" seals?)...tech also used what is refered to as "sealant" part #1052943...is this the "anerobic selaer" you refer to in your reply below?....
Also is the "updated" axle seal a triple lip seal? I did talk to a buddy of mine about the problem (he works at the GM proving grounds) and he said there was a new triple lip seal designed for the right side axle seal because that side takes more of the "torque" when one drives hard and they had " seal failures" early on....I did ask the tech that did the repair on my vette and he said he was not aware of a triple lip seal for the axle..............should this triple lip seal also be used on the left side?

QUOTE=c4c5specialist]Hi there,
While both are true, the revised seals and the anerobic sealer, the installation is 9/10ths of the repair.
There is now a preliminary document of the updated service procedure for this repair.
This entails the new seals, along with the anerobic sealer on the flange mating surfaces, to ensure NO repeat repairs.
This is now how the Getrag company, whom makes the c5 differential case, is sealing the side covers.
If I were a betting person, I would say that we should be doing alot less after these get in the field.
As for anerobic sealers and the composition, this is very good sealant. You see, when exposed to air, it will always remain tacky. However, when air does NOT contact it, like in a mating surface, it will harden to a stiffer consistancy than RTV, but still flex slightly. A very good sealant for this application.
I hope that this helps, and allthebest, c4c5[/quote]

[jwawhite]

My car is in the shop today, will respond concerning my discussion with the Service Mgr. and repair invoice, perhaps tomorrow.

[jwawhite]

Dealer didn't call me in time to pick car up on same day as repair, drop off at 7:30 am.

Invoice reads 3 seals: 89047953; 12369456 and 88996703.
I am familiar with the first and last number listed from earlier posts, don't know what the other seal was for. The last item listed is for lubricant, 89021677.

I haven't checked under the car yet to ascertain if the area was cleaned up but the Service Mgr. did say they would steam clean it in a discussion before I took the car in.

On pick-up, I mentioned to him that in reading about this problem on-line there was a mention of a warped cover from over torque on the side plate and that some were being replaced. Ans: If it was needed it would have been done. Okay.

Will take the car out to Viva Las Vegas (I live about an hour north of LA on the coast) and see how it goes.. I think fast!

[Mike Mercury]

Originally Posted by bellomo

It is my understanding a TSB came out calling out for a new seal design p/n 88996703 & p/n 89047953

right. Here is what I have listed for the new-style updated part numbers:

center-shaft seal: 24207010
O-ring: 12369456
(these for the A4 seal plate)

89047953 (new revision) side plate outer "O" ring seal (use with anerobic sealer)
88996703 (new revision) output shaft(s) center seal
(these for all C5 carriers)