Hey guys. I went on to the dodge forum to find out about a voyager that I'm trying to fix for my niece. No one writes back. i guess I have gotten spoiled on FTE. Anyway I'm trying to change the front trans seal and I'm having a hard time getting the drivers side axle out. There's no place to pry and I'm not sure if it just comes out like the passengers side. I don't want to break something. Any one do one of these?

 

It will come..some stick worse than others.i have destroyed axles getting them out.

 

I got it. I'm surprised it came out.That notch could have been deeper. Like to take a grinder to it for the next guy. Thanks fordman67 for the reply. Hey, have you ever seen a front transaxle seal that doesn't leak when the motor is running or in any gear as long as you hold the brakes so the axle doesn't turn, but then when the axle starts turning fluid just pours out from behind the flywheel?

 

That's 'cuz the Voyager's a Plymouth....

Maybe it's not the input shaft seal (I assume that's what you mean by "front" seal). Dunno how much this applies to other transaxles, but there's a common syndrome with the Saturn trannies, where a pin on the diff gear slips out. Sometimes it grenades the whole tranny case, but sometimes it just pokes a tasteful hole in the casing wall between the diff section of the transaxle and the "bellhousing" area (the cavity between the engine and tranny). Maybe something similar has happened with this tranny, and it bleeds out only when the axle is turning.

Is the tranny still bolted up? Dunno if this would shed any light, but it might be worth sliding the axle back in (might get away with not putting it in all the way, just enough to engage the splines, and then turn the axle, with the engine OFF, and see if that causes the bleeding. Same test with the engine running, turning the axle by hand, but tranny in Neutral or Park. Just to see under what conditions it bleeds out.

 

madpogue, That's a really good idea. but I feel I'm to far into it. I just hpoe that when I get it apart the problem is glaringly obvious. so i don't get it back together and still have the leak. Glad that someone agrees that this is strange. The story is the crankshaft position sensor was bad and when they removed it, it was broke off. So, after they replaced it, the van made a terrible noise. they removed the inspection plate and the broken piece was down in there. Sounds fishy to me. Now I really want to know what it is.

 

I don't even know where that sensor is.

 

I don't know enough about the Voyagers to be of any help to you Steve. I put a heater core in one several years ago and swore I would never work on one again! LOL!

 

Hey Bill, hope things are great with you.There not to bad to fix (on somethings, I guess). If your going to have something that's going to break down ALOT hopefully it will be easy to work on. Ouch!

 

There was one guy that helped over there, so that was nice. I just had to ask the right question.

 

The crank sensor goes into the bell housing . It reads off the tone ring on the flywheel . It needs to be removed before you drop the tranny , or you will break it . FYI , these things have a lot of issues with broken flywheels also . Unbolt it when the tranny is out and check for cracks . They break around the reinforcing ring , spin a few degrees , and " weld back together " .That could have started this hole thing .

 

JWC 3 Thanks that's a big help. I probably would not have removed that first.. The sensor is about $55-$60. I will check the flywheel. The story is part of the starter broke off and that broke the CPS. The thing ran with no noises when they brought it to me. Still i will look for cracks.

 

JWC 3 are you saying I may have to weld the fly wheel?

 

No , if the flywheel is even SLIGHTLY cracked , replace it . I work on a fleet of dodge minivans . I see many come in for something as simple as a miss , or CEL , that is caused by a broken flywheel / flexplate . I also see worn thrust bearings in the motor that allow the crank to walk . That can cause your issue also ( I hope not ) Just things I want you to be aware of ! Check the crankshaft end play while you have it ! Best of luck !

 

because I can do that.

 

These are the things I need to know. Funny thing I learn more about how to fix a dodge on the ford truck forum than on the dodge forum. Thanks. Is it just as easy to drop the motor and trans together to do this work? I had an escort that i did that once to change the motor. Lifted the front of the car with my engine hoist and rolled the thing out from underneath. That worked great.