mcrandy

I have noticed a substantial leak on my wifes 2004 RX330 AWD coming from around the right axle seal at the front diffirential. Shes always had a ever so slight leak there but you only could tell from the accumulated grime than seeing any fluid on the ground. A few weeks back I did an extensive 120k preventative maintenance and changed out the ATF/filter, did a complete flush of the power steering fluid, brake fluid/pads/rotors, coolant, and the timing belt. I also did the front and rear differential with mobil 1 75w-90. Since then the oil is a decent trickle and leaves a small drop every now and then and is mostly evaporating on the exhaust pipe. Im fairly savvy mechanically but Im stumped where the oil is coming from . The ATF is still at the same level but short of sticking a feeler in to the front diff I have no way of knowing if that is what is coming out. Im thinking that I either broke somethign loose and now its leaking out, or more likely it had dried up in there and had no oil to drip out since we got it two years back.

My question is it doesnt seem like an axle seal from the way its leaking, but what else could it be. I see a set of bolts holding in what looks like a flange on the right side of the transaxle there but I cant tell what it is and what else it is connected to. I have been around this site for a while and used it a fair amount to do a lot of tough jobs but havent been able to find anything here or on the web with a schematic or picture of what Im looking at or need to replace. The Chiltons has the standard axle seal replacement and Sewell doesnt have a schematic of the differential that I can find, just the axle side of the puzzle. Attached is a picture if it helps but Id be curious to pick someones brain that has seen the tranny out to see if its just a seal or the gasket between the two pieces there.

lexuspcl88

Recently I went and changed the oil used castrol synthetic 75-90. I just felt it was time to do so doing
71'000miles, on my lexus GS 300 year2006'The old oil was very clean, did I waste time and money ?
As for your leak, it seems to be coming from the seal or the nut. So add some good stop leak in the oil, and this would stop your slight leak, make sure that d diff is full of oil.

I am a bit of a novice- an takers my car to the mechanic
I live in Trinidad .
Lexuspcl88

lexuspcl88

I have this other lexus GS 300 year 2007' in Illonois Round Lake, I just serviced a good 90'000 mile
Service. The honest mech at Sears told me that my cabin filter was clean and did not change it, the transmission was good do he left that out, he was unable to and did not change the differential oil.
Should I go to another shop and change the diff oil ??
I suspect that the oil is clean.
I need an advice on this.
Lexuspcl88

mcrandy

I picked up the gasket today which goes Behring the flange with all the bolts in it, I'll keep you posted how it goes. I could have put in heavier weight oil as I live in Southern California and rarely go up to the snow but wanted to do it "right" and wanted to fix it and stay away from the sealers as well. Just found a torn lower ball joint seal on the other side so looks like ill just do the whole front end in one big job. As far as the Sears guy, with the AWD, it's hard to check the front oil but draining it is as easy as taking the bolt out of the drain plug and putting it back in the fill plug. 5min job on the lift. It is nice to have someone you can trust though.