2011 Burb - FML - What would you do here?

[rmaker]

I was under the burb this evening replacing the sway bar bushings and noticed that my transmission seal around the yoke is leaking. I was like, wtf - this was bone dry a few weeks ago. Started thinking - just made two road trips to the west coast of Fl and Orl with no issues.

Brief history - I had the drive shaft replaced on 5/16/23 and it was dry - I assume they put in a new seal (I will verify tomorrow) - invoice indicates "New Fab, Tubing, U-joint, Weld Yoke".

Just before (like two days before) the trip to the west coast on 7/20/23 I had the EVAP hoses replaced, they did it really fast less than two hours. Guy mentioned to me that they dropped the drive shaft to get the tank down - I was kinda like wth since it was a brand new shaft, but figured they know what they were doing, no biggie.

Now I see this leak and I wanna blame it on the guys who dropped that tank. The drive shaft is scuffed up too, like a 6-inch line of scratches in the pristine paint.

what would you do here? Go to the shop that dropped the tank or call the drive shaft shop and tell them its leaking (assuming they put a new seal in), or just bite the bullet and have it replaced.

Before the new drive shaft

Today

 

[petethepug]

Go back to the first shop who did the repair, and more than likely did it right. Ask them how to handle it. I’m sure they’ll puff up and be insulted the other shop ruined their work and even give you a few pointers on what may have occurred.

 

[03catburban]

Appears it leaked fluid when they pulled driveshaft and didn't clean up after.

I'd clean it up and then see if it's actually leaking

 

[rmaker]

Appears it leaked fluid when they pulled driveshaft and didn't clean up after.

I'd clean it up and then see if it's actually leaking

I wiped it down - wifey will take it to work tomorrow. and I'll take a look when she gets home and see if it's all wet again.

 

[j91z28d1]

Appears it leaked fluid when they pulled driveshaft and didn't clean up after.

I'd clean it up and then see if it's actually leaking

this.. use brake clean and get it good and clean, so you can see fresh fluid.


back story on the drive shaft? I'm guessing some drive shaft shop built you one? I can 99.9% guarantee they didn't changed the seal.. there should be a real seal under the dust cover you see. it installs in the back of the tranny.

 

[swathdiver]

I wiped it down - wifey will take it to work tomorrow. and I'll take a look when she gets home and see if it's all wet again.

Check the fluid level before she heads out.

 

[rmaker]

I stopped in the shop that did the EVAP lines and fuel pump (dropped tank and drive shaft). Told them what was going on and they said they will replace the seal at no charge. WooHoo! I went ahead and bought the AC Delco seal so they don't have to eat the parts ($25) and so that I know what is going back in.

 

[rmaker]

this.. use brake clean and get it good and clean, so you can see fresh fluid.


back story on the drive shaft? I'm guessing some drive shaft shop built you one? I can 99.9% guarantee they didn't changed the seal.. there should be a real seal under the dust cover you see. it installs in the back of the tranny.

The back story on the drive shaft is... (it's all detailed in another thread somewhere).. Bought this thing in April, had some issues, once I finally got a good road test on it - at highway speeds, it was shaking like a mf'r. Came on here looking for advice and several suggested it might be the drive shaft - to which I sort of scoffed at - turned out the drive shaft had a helluva ding in it and it was bent. Had a new one fabricated and installed. No more violent shaking.

 

[petethepug]

Very smart move

AC Delco seal so they don't have to eat the parts ($25) and so that I know what is going back in.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

The back story on the drive shaft is... (it's all detailed in another thread somewhere).. Bought this thing in April, had some issues, once I finally got a good road test on it - at highway speeds, it was shaking like a mf'r. Came on here looking for advice and several suggested it might be the drive shaft - to which I sort of scoffed at - turned out the drive shaft had a helluva ding in it and it was bent. Had a new one fabricated and installed. No more violent shaking.

Yet one more reason why this Forum ROCKS!

 

[donjetman]

Make sure the tranny isn't over filled w/atf.

And this is why I'm a DIYer.

 

[j91z28d1]

The back story on the drive shaft is... (it's all detailed in another thread somewhere).. Bought this thing in April, had some issues, once I finally got a good road test on it - at highway speeds, it was shaking like a mf'r. Came on here looking for advice and several suggested it might be the drive shaft - to which I sort of scoffed at - turned out the drive shaft had a helluva ding in it and it was bent. Had a new one fabricated and installed. No more violent shaking.

had you looked under it to see if it was leaking between the new local made shaft install but before the 2nd shop worked on it to see if it was leaking?


I only ask because I personally have zero faith in local built drive shafts. it wouldn't surprise me if the seal doesn't fix this and you end up with a new Dorman shaft.

 

[rmaker]

had you looked under it to see if it was leaking between the new local made shaft install but before the 2nd shop worked on it to see if it was leaking?


I only ask because I personally have zero faith in local built drive shafts. it wouldn't surprise me if the seal doesn't fix this and you end up with a new Dorman shaft.

I have been under it a lot since the new drive shaft and never noticed any leak or wetness. I had it in the 2nd shop about two weeks ago for the EVAP lines. They would have definitely said something if it was all wet and leaky looking. It's too coincidental to me. The drive shaft shop is solid, JD Driveline in FTL.

 

[j91z28d1]

ahh that's good then. hopefully the seal fixes it for you.

 

[swathdiver]

I only ask because I personally have zero faith in local built drive shafts.

What's your story? My experience has been the opposite.

 

[j91z28d1]

What's your story? My experience has been the opposite.

I've had drive shafts balanced, they said all good. still vibrations, took it back they showed me it says 00. still crap, said we could build you one, did that.. worse than before.. tried some many different things over the years, different shops, different cars. friends and people I've known.. always bad experience.

now if you order one from a high end race shop, that does carbon tubes and stuff, I hear with work but super expensive. I've not had anything fast enough to spend that money. so no hands on experience.

years ago there was an article about what it takes to balance drive shafts for Nascar and how the oem had to update their balancing as drive shaft speeds get higher as over drive gets longer. some crazy 5th order harmonics going on that local shops just don't have or care about.

but I have horrible experiences with just about every rebuild shop. I'm just done with all these mom and pop places. so nice to have local people but in the end they just cause me more hassle from bad work. I deal with odd ball one off stuff that usually is out dated and you can't just order part for. so first thing everyone says there's a rebuild shop they know their stuff. every time it turns out they charge more than new stuff, do the worst work. causing me to do 3 times the work and always wanna blame something else. like I can't load test a battery. toss in some cheap reman from Mexico and hardly ever have a problem.

it's painful. so when I see someone have a shalt build local, I've just heard the story at least 50 times in my life and it's always bad. sometimes it's not bad enough people notice it but it's never oem quality and spec. my experience, you just can't get good work out a dirt like local business struggling to stay afloat.

 

[swathdiver]

Don't know if this was your situation but the driveshaft, new or old ought to go right back on the same places it came off. Meaning, the slip yoke has to go on the same splines it came off of up front and the same for the differential yoke.

My friends and I used a driveline shop in Fort Lauderdale in the 1980s and 1990s and always had good results, those shafts took our Buicks up over 140 mph and into the 9s in the 1/4 mile. Years later I worked at a shop that built driveshafts for trucks and farm equipment. Our man was good welder and our customers had no complaints other than cost!

I knew of one driveshaft shop in my new AO but they closed down a few years ago. Haven't found a new one yet. Until then, we have Denny's Driveshaft and UPS!

 

[donjetman]

What's your story? My experience has been the opposite.

I've had 100% satisfaction with local driveshaft shops too, but only for the past 50 yrs

 

[j91z28d1]

Don't know if this was your situation but the driveshaft, new or old ought to go right back on the same places it came off. Meaning, the slip yoke has to go on the same splines it came off of up front and the same for the differential yoke.

My friends and I used a driveline shop in Fort Lauderdale in the 1980s and 1990s and always had good results, those shafts took our Buicks up over 140 mph and into the 9s in the 1/4 mile. Years later I worked at a shop that built driveshafts for trucks and farm equipment. Our man was good welder and our customers had no complaints other than cost!

I knew of one driveshaft shop in my new AO but they closed down a few years ago. Haven't found a new one yet. Until then, we have Denny's Driveshaft and UPS!

oh they are strong, big mud truck racing guys in Tampa if I remember right.. but I'm just asking for a totally different thing. I want zero vibration and they just aren't setup for that kinda work.. at least any I've been in, admittedly it's been years since I stopped even trying. and it's not something I'd even notice on a race car, or even on the throttle then shut down, maybe a top end speed type car.
i only really notice drive shafts in a quiet smooth car doing 80 plus in a 0.50 over drive on the highway.. more so in a manual because the shifter bolted straight to the tranny in your hand, but they are there in these autos.

no worries, I'm glad you found a good one but I just can't recommend someone Google a local shop and have one built if they don't know what to look for equipment wise. and I would never at this point use one myself as long as the cheap ish Dorman or a oem gm is avaliable.

as for lining it up, I've heard clocking it on the short little splined shafts, and I heard of marking the rear. first thing I try is spin the back 180 to see if they fixes it. I've noticed it changes the speed at which it happens, but I've never had it actually fix anything. never heard of the front spline, wouldn't even know how to mark that, they kinda move around when you line them up, and if you did. it would just be back to the factory location from a factory installed shaft. you'd have no reference point for a new or built shaft?


all I know for sure is when I throw a new oem drive shaft in anything, it's perfect. if I try to repair myself or use something else it'***** or miss, in my case always miss.

 

[rmaker]

Don't know if this was your situation but the driveshaft, new or old ought to go right back on the same places it came off. Meaning, the slip yoke has to go on the same splines it came off of up front and the same for the differential yoke.

My friends and I used a driveline shop in Fort Lauderdale in the 1980s and 1990s and always had good results, those shafts took our Buicks up over 140 mph and into the 9s in the 1/4 mile. Years later I worked at a shop that built driveshafts for trucks and farm equipment. Our man was good welder and our customers had no complaints other than cost!

I knew of one driveshaft shop in my new AO but they closed down a few years ago. Haven't found a new one yet. Until then, we have Denny's Driveshaft and UPS!

Was the drive line shop in FTL Broward Power Train by chance? They have since become JD Driveline & Service LLC. Been around forever and highly recommended.