Advice on a small leak

[Jeffery]

2001 Wrangler with AX5 manual trans. Mileage is 96k. I have recently purchased this Jeep and intend it as a daily driver in the winter. Everything works fine and there are no known mechanical issues. I have put about 700-800 miles on it so far. While going thru the various system checks, I have noticed a small leak (maybe one drip every other day) from the front of the clutch housing. The fluid appears to be a high viscosity gear oil so I am making the assumption that this is the front transmission seal. Transmission shifts OK, being my first Jeep it is hard for me to assess as I expect it to be a little "Loose" and somewhat "clunky". There is a little "nudge" between 1 & 2nd gear, not a grinding and within what I GUESS to be the norm?

Can I get some feedback on the following?:

being that is is such a small leak...how serious do you feel it is?

Have yet to flush the transmission (bought the gear oil and what I crawled under I found the 19mm Hex drain and fill plugs...have to make a trip to the shop for that!)

If it is the transmission front seal, what is the general thinking on the repair? Replace with a serviced rebuilt? Replace the seal only? Is there a better manual to upgrade to?

In general, just looking for a "if it were you, what would you do?"

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

I don't know if there's an upgraded transmission for that or not. I'm sure someone will let us both know, but at 1 drop a day I wouldn't look into rebuilt anything. Seal replacement at the most. I wouldn't even think about pulling this transmission to replace the seal until it was leaking pretty bad. After changing the gear lube I'd probably just check the level every couple of months to keep track of what's actually happening and if it got worse I'd try to decide whether to fix it or replace it based on what other suggestions I got from here.

Now if I was burying it in muddy water on a regular basis I'd check the level after that first trip to make sure it wasn't getting fuller and would want to replace the seal somewhat sooner.

 

[Jeffery]

OK, so that one vote for the "don't sweat it" crowd! Thanks for the feedback.

 

[MutantNinjaTJ]

I see you are using the term "Gear Oil" for the transmission and I am hoping you are just using the term loosely as you don't want to put Gear Lube in the tranny, you'll want to use Red Line MTL, or Royale Purple Manual Tranny Lube. And I wouldn't sweat one drop every couple days, You might have a very minor rear seal leak from the engine and you are seeing motor oil, not gear lube. Rear seal is very easy to fix on the inline 6's

 

[Boinked]

I also would wait. I have a small leak in my AX-15 and i just check the gear oil every oil change. Add if necessary. Im going to wait untill I either need to rebuild the transmission or replace the clutch. I just cant justify dropping a transmission to fix a small leak.

 

[Boinked]

I see you are using the term "Gear Oil" for the transmission and I am hoping you are just using the term loosely as you don't want to put Gear Lube in the tranny, you'll want to use Red Line MTL, or Royale Purple Manual Tranny Lube. And I wouldn't sweat one drop every couple days, You might have a very minor rear seal leak from the engine and you are seeing motor oil, not gear lube. Rear seal is very easy to fix on the inline 6's

He has an AX-5 so he is going to have a 2.4l 4cyl. If i remember correctly the rear main requires removal of the flywheel.

Also redline MT-90 is the better choice for the AX-5.

 

[05 Blue Unlimited]

Yeah 1 drop every other day is not an issue IMO. I have a tray of kitty litter under mine to protect the floor.

 

[Jeffery]

I see you are using the term "Gear Oil" for the transmission and I am hoping you are just using the term loosely as you don't want to put Gear Lube in the tranny, you'll want to use Red Line MTL, or Royale Purple Manual Tranny Lube. And I wouldn't sweat one drop every couple days, You might have a very minor rear seal leak from the engine and you are seeing motor oil, not gear lube. Rear seal is very easy to fix on the inline 6's

Yes...my loose lingo...I meant that it was of a thicker viscosity than engine oil. Three liters of Mopar 75W-90 is what I bought to replace. Thanks for the feedback

 

[Jeffery]

He has an AX-5 so he is going to have a 2.4l 4cyl. If i remember correctly the rear main requires removal of the flywheel.

Also redline MT-90 is the better choice for the AX-5.

 

[05 Blue Unlimited]

Oh and you may know this but do not drain the oil until you ensure you can get the fill plug out.

 

[Jeffery]

Hi, you said something that caught my attention: You said if I have a AX 5, that I also have a 4cyl... I have a 4.0L 6 cylinder with a 5 speed manual trans. I ASSUMED it was an AX5, but as I look in the FSM, it doens't say how to tell. I have run my VIN and it doesn't declare WHICH manual transmission I have. How do i tell?

 

[Jeffery]

Oh and you may know this but do not drain the oil until you ensure you can get the fill plug out.

Good advice. I am actually still seeking a 19mm(?) that I can use to open the drain plug..any advice on where to find this tool? It needs a slim profile because there is something that I remember runs right next to the drain plug. Could be a clearance issue.

 

[Jeffery]

Hi, you said something that caught my attention: You said if I have a AX 5, that I also have a 4cyl... I have a 4.0L 6 cylinder with a 5 speed manual trans. I ASSUMED it was an AX5, but as I look in the FSM, it doens't say how to tell. I have run my VIN and it doesn't declare WHICH manual transmission I have. How do i tell?

 

[Boinked]

Hi, you said something that caught my attention: You said if I have a AX 5, that I also have a 4cyl... I have a 4.0L 6 cylinder with a 5 speed manual trans. I ASSUMED it was an AX5, but as I look in the FSM, it doens't say how to tell. I have run my VIN and it doesn't declare WHICH manual transmission I have. How do i tell?

That make a world of difference. You should have the NV3350 5 speed manual transmission. Then you definitely should use redline MLT. (Or equivalent). Never the less make sure you use the right gear ool for the right transmission.

The AX-5 was used in the 4cyl up until 2002.

 

[Jeffery]

Well hell thanks for the tip. It should be more clear in the manual! Is the tag on the transmission the only way to tell?

 

[MutantNinjaTJ]

And just to help you out, the 19mm is a 3/4"

 

[bromel]

Yeah you have the NV3550. The transmission is stout but notorious for shifting like a dump truck. Definitely use Redline MTL. The 1-2 shift is also notoriously notchy, especially when cold. I know the "nudge" you're referring to. The trick is to shift maybe 3/4 of the way until you feel the synchro engage, then shift all the way.