Leakage out of top vent from rear shaft drive assembly? whats the problem

The Saturn Vue came in the FWD and AWD models. As built, for the AWD to work you need the driveshaft. If you remove the rear drive shaft and fix it so there would be no leakage, you could easily drive the Vue as a FWD vehicle.

Only if that is where the leak is.
Would be good to determine that before dismantling.
Leaks could be from the front seal, from the differential cover, from the fill plug, or from the vent.
Some differential covers are using sealant instead of a gasket these days.
A leak indicated from the front seal ( where the drive shaft is attached) might tell you to just keep adding oil, as it could be really expensive to fix.
God bless your efforts.

when the rear is jacked up is it the wheels that turn only with no drive shaft movement. does the drive shaft turn when the rear wheels are off the ground. Does the drive shaft turn when you have it in neutral with you foot on the clutch and the rear wheels off the ground
The purpose of the questions is to establish whether the pinion and crown wheel in the diff are seized or if the main shaft and clutch shaft in the gear box are seized.

remove the drive shaft ( tail shaft) lever out the old seal. put sealer around new seal and fit back in extension housing. Use something that is the same size as the outer edge of the seal and tap it in flush with the edge of the transmission housing. Expect some oil to drain out when the tail shaft and seal is removed

This should help you a fair bit, it's not that big a job.
Instructions below found at:
http://motorcycle.justanswer.com/questions/1ayag-remove-rear-wheel
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In addition to the obvious of elevating the back of the motorcycle to get the weight off the rear tire, you need to unbolt the final drive from the swing arm and remove the final drive and rear wheel as an assembly. The drive shaft will come out with the final drive, not a problem.

Once you get the assembly off the bike, you can remove the axle then separate the final drive from the rear wheel and do what you needed to do.

When you go to re-install the drive shaft, you have to align the splines. Sometimes it is easier to put the bike in gear so the female splines on the intermediate shaft don't turn as you rotate the rear wheel to insert the drive shaft.
When you go to put it back together, just tighten the bolts that hold the final drive to the swing arm evenly in a crossing pattern until tight.

As an aside note, while you have it off, make sure you grease the splines on the end of the drive shaft and the splines for the rear wheel before putting it back together
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All the best, plainnash

I'd say yes. The differential fluid is often overlooked by oil change technicians, even though it's something that should be topped off periodically.

It probably would cost more than that to repair it once it wears out.
Axle Housing Assembly Removal & Installation To Remove:

1. Lift the vehicle.
2. Drain the lubricant from the rear axle housing.
3. Remove the rear axle assembly from the vehicle.
4. Remove the brake caliper brackets from the rear hubs.
5. Remove the rear cover and gasket from the rear axle housing.
6. Remove the rear axle shafts from the vehicle.
7. Remove the rear differential assembly from the vehicle.
8. Remove the brake backing plates from the rear hubs.
9. Remove the rear drive pinion shaft yoke and seal from the drive pinion.
10. Remove the drive pinion from the rear axle housing.

To Install:

1. Install the drive pinion into the rear axle housing.
2. Install the rear drive pinion shaft yoke and seal onto the drive pinion.
3. Install the rear differential assembly into the vehicle.
4. Adjust the differential side bearing preload and the backlash.
5. Perform a gear tooth contact pattern check.
6. Install the brake backing plates onto the rear hubs.
7. Install the rear axle shafts into the vehicle.
8. Install the rear cover and gasket onto the rear axle housing.
9. Install the brake caliper brackets onto the rear hubs.
10. Install the rear axle assembly into the vehicle.
11. Refill the lubricant in the rear axle housing.
12. Lower the vehicle.

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I think that changing the fluid would take about an hour, and depending on the garage, and the labor rate, that they might elect to take the rear cover off of the differential, and drain it that way and replace the fluid once it was put back on. He could inspect the gears while the cover was off and tell you how bad it was.'

Do you hear any clunking or gear mesh noises from the rear when putting it in gear or running the vehicle?


Some mechanics would simply top off the fluid and wait until it wears out, which could be several thousand miles in the future.

Use gear oil for it of the recommended viscosity in the service manual.

Generally thicker than motor oil.

So, adding fluid would cost only the amount of the fluid plus some labor.
A bottle of fluid might cost $9.99 or so depending on where you get it.

You might be able to do this yourself if you crawl under there, remove the fill plug at the top, and just add gear oil. If there isn't enough room you might drive it up on some ramps and then crawl under there.

The Constant Velocity (CV) joints are located on the inner and outer edges of the axle shaft. The axle shaft runs through the hub and bearing in the spindle.

Axle Vent
NOTE: If the vent cannot be cleared, it must be installed new.
A plugged vent will cause excessive seal lip wear due to internal pressure buildup. If a leak occurs, check the vent. Make sure the vent hose is not kinked. Remove the hose from the vent nipple and clear the hose of any foreign material. While the hose is removed, pass a length of mechanics wire or a small diameter Allen wrench in and out of the vent to clean it. Connect the hose when done. The vent is located on the drivers side top of axle housing.
If you plan on doing most repairs yourself I would suggest buying a Haynes or Chilton manual for your particular vehicle. Or there are some data disks on e.bay($12-$15) For a cost of under $25, you can almost do any repair yourself with these manuals.Also there are online manuals like the site called ALLDATA where guides can be viewed for a fee. All these solutions will save you time and money, and give peace of mind over correct repairs. I can post you some procedures here also.

1. CAUTION: Do not use heat to loosen a seized lug nut. Heat can damage the wheel (1007) and the rear wheel bearings (1225).
2. Loosen the lug nuts (1012).
3. Remove the center cap.
4. With the weight of the vehicle on the wheels, loosen the lug nuts Raise and support the vehicle. .Remove the wheel and tire assembly.
   
5. Remove the lug nuts.
   
6. Remove the wheel and tire assembly. Remove the axle housing cover (4033).
   
   1. Loosen the axle housing cover bolts (4346) and drain the rear axle (4001).
   1. Remove the axle housing cover bolts.
   1. Remove the axle housing cover.
   

7.Remove the rear disc brake rotors You will have to remove the brake caliper to get rotor off.
8. CAUTION: Once the differential pinion shaft (4211) has been removed, turning the differential case (4204) or an axle shaft (4234) will cause the differential pinion gears (4215) to fall out of the assembly. This could result in chipped or damaged components.
9.
1.Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt. 2.Remove the differential pinion shaft. 10.CAUTION: Do not damage the rubber O-rings in the U-washer grooves. Remove the U-washers (4N237).

1. Push the axle shafts inboard.
2. Remove the U-washers.

11.Reinstall the differential pinion shaft.
1. Install the differential pinion shaft.
1. Install the differential pinion shaft lock bolt finger-tight.

12.CAUTION: Do not damage the inner wheel bearing oil seal (1177). Remove the two axle shafts.

CAUTION: Never remove the axle shaft oil seal by itself. Always remove the rear wheel bearing and the axle shaft oil seal at the same time. NOTE: If the axle shaft oil seal is leaking, the axle housing vent may be plugged with debris. Use Impact Slide Hammer and Axle Wheel Bearing Puller to remove the rear wheel bearing and the axle shaft oil seal.

Axle bearing puller end..
Installation
Lubricate the lip of the inner wheel bearing oil seal.
Use Premium Long-Life Grease XG-1-C or equivalent meeting Ford specification ESA-M1C75-B.

1. CAUTION: Once the differential pinion shaft has been removed, turning the differential case or an axle shaft will cause the differential pinion gears to fall out of the assembly. This could result in chipped or damaged components.
2. Remove the differential pinion shaft.
3. Remove the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.
4. Remove the differential pinion shaft.

CAUTION: Do not damage the inner wheel bearing oil seal. Install the two axle shafts. CAUTION: Do not damage the rubber O-rings in the U-washer grooves. Install the U-washers.
1. Position the two U-washers on the button end of the axle shafts.
1. Pull the axle shafts outward.

Install the differential pinion shaft.
1. Align the hole in the differential pinion shaft with the differential pinion shaft lock bolt hole.
1. Install the differential pinion shaft lock bolt.

Install the rear disc brake rotors; Install the axle housing cover and fill the rear axle housing (4010) with 2.4 liters (5.5 pints) of specified lubricant
WARNING: Always remove any corrosion, dirt or foreign material that may be present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub or rear disc brake rotor that contacts the wheel. Installing wheels without proper metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the lug nut to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in motion, causing loss of control. Clean the wheel hub and mounting surfaces. Install the tire and wheel assembly.
Position the tire and wheel assembly. Install the lug nuts and lower the vehicle. Tighten the lug nuts. Install the center cap. WHEW Hope this can help you

place a jack under the transmission and raise it a bit unbolt (the transmission mount) "i think thats what u mean its all i know that above the transmission holding it in place. You'll need a rachet wrench for this and a long onbe at that,, if not you can use a piece of pipe,, you'll want the extra power.. Unbolt it and lift it off,, if its still too tight jack the transmission up a bit.That providing your refering to the transmissing mounting rubber Which is all i can think you man its the only thing above the transmission. The ABS is 2 parts ,, its a mastercylinder and a booster. Its mounted on the firewall (its the thing you pour brake fluid in.) Unjack any wire or hoses by unscrewiung them and pluging them with something.. DUCT TAAPE or rescue tape works.. Unbloth both the mastercylinder and booster from the firewall... unmounting the drive shat.. well you'll see where it bolts ,, front and back.. Thats the easir part.. you will heed o happer, pull and tug the shaft until it pops out.. Hope I was helpful.. if you need more help please feel free to ask.

The final drive assembly has to be unbolted from the swingarm and it is removed with the rear wheel. Once the assembly is off the bike, the axle can be removed and the final drive separated from the wheel.