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Are these guys lying to me? help mechanic

mousemouse Member Posts: 3,624
edited May 2009 in General Discussion
My son noticed his car in car in a few weeks ago to get the power
steering checked. They replaced the two rear brake seals while
he was in for that. Now today he took his car in after coming
home he noticed black melted stuff on his real wheels. They
just called; 1100 bucks because the whole rear axle needs
replaced. They said it had been leaking internally. My question
was why didn't they see anything when they replaced the two
rear brake seals 2 weeks ago? Well this was internal...we
couldn't see it. Huh??
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Comments

  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,093 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Don't know because I don't know what kind of car.

    But, generally a leak in the rear axle will come out by the rear tires, and be slung all over the place by the tires. No junk on the rear tires, no leak.
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    black melted stuff is 90W gear lube, not saying its a scam, not saying it isn't, but when replacing brake cylinders unless it was leaking allot some may have not noticed it, but it unlikely both rear end seals blew together, and rare that they blow at all, most blow out from over filling the differentials, 1,100 is allot for replacing a rear end
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  • mousemouse Member Posts: 3,624
    edited November -1
    2004 police interceptor crown victoria. Wouldn't they have
    noticed something leaking 2 weeks ago when they changed the
    rear seals on both brakes? Could they have done something
    wrong to cause this rear axle to go out now?
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,093 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Not if they limited themselves to only the wheel brake cylinders. getting to the rear axle seals means taking the rear back plate off.

    If they simply emptied the oil from the rear differential, that could be done by taking the drain plug off the cover plate.
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • mousemouse Member Posts: 3,624
    edited November -1
    When they emptied the oil, could they have overfilled the rear
    differential then? He hasn't driven over 10 miles a trip
    until today. Had an appt. that was 35 miles away this am.
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  • penetraitorpenetraitor Member Posts: 3,870
    edited November -1
    My guess is you have a young tech that doesn't know what hes doing. It would be unlikey to have to change both sides of the wheel cylinder seals, with out replacing the whole wheel cylinder itself. 5 years old and a bad wheel cylinder is not that common. I doubt you need a whole new axle itself either, unless your hearing a growling noise.

    I'd drain the differential all out and look for metal shavings, use a magnet. Replace rear axle seals and that maybe all you need. This may have been your initial leak in the first place. It just got worse after they messed with it.

    I'm not a rear end guy but I'd like to know what seal it was that blew out internally to cause it to leak internally.
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  • AlpineAlpine Member Posts: 15,093 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Brake seal/rear axle seal two different systems. If they messed with the axle oil, while working on the brakes, then they were doing bad things.
    ?The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.?
    Margaret Thatcher

    "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
    Mark Twain
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  • kayzapkayzap Member Posts: 382 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    $1100 seems high but I'm figuring replacing the whole axle from the junkyard.

    Go over to crownvic.net. Those guys really know their stuff.
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  • NOSLEEPNOSLEEP Member Posts: 4,526
    edited November -1
    What are rear brake seals. Do you mean brake calipers. The 2004
    Crown Victoria has disc rear brakes. If the rear brakes were worked
    on
    It is very easy for an unskilled mechanic to damage the axle seals
    in the differential.
    What does leaking internally mean. That is were the oil is used - in
    the differential.
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  • mousemouse Member Posts: 3,624
    edited November -1
    Who knows? My husband likes these guys...local chevy dealership.
    I take my car somewhere else, I think they see my husband coming.[:(]
    So I just keep my mouth shut.
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  • Colt SuperColt Super Member Posts: 31,007 ✭
    edited November -1
    Email ringpinion.com adn ask them. It's Randy's Ring and Pinion isn Seattle, and their tech support in all things rear-end related is without equal.

    You can also give them a call on their 800 number - I just don't have it in front of me.

    Main Office & Service Shop
    Randy's Ring & Pinion
    10411 Airport Road SE
    Everett, WA 98204
    Map & Directions

    Customer Service
    Toll Free: 1-800-292-1031
    Tel: 425-347-1199
    Fax: 425-347-1440

    There you go.

    Doug
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  • penetraitorpenetraitor Member Posts: 3,870
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by NOSLEEP
    What are rear brake seals. Do you mean brake calipers. The 2004
    Crown Victoria has disc rear brakes. If the rear brakes were worked
    on
    It is very easy for an unskilled mechanic to damage the axle seals
    in the differential.
    What does leaking internally mean. That is were the oil is used - in
    the differential.


    This is a good point. I don't work on any Crowns but since this vehicle is equipped with rear disc brakes and not drum brakes the only other seal in the area would be for the piston in the caliper.
    At which point in todays society you replace the whole caliper.

    The only other rear seal that I can think of now is the ones they already replaced. Which should now be covered.

    I'm afraid they may have taken you. But I haven't been a technician for 8 years either now.
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  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,586 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mouse
    Who knows? My husband likes these guys...local chevy dealership.
    I take my car somewhere else, I think they see my husband coming.[:(]
    So I just keep my mouth shut.



    Well, they aren't selling any cars these days, I mean, a dealer has to make some money somehow.
    I never take my vehicles to a dealership for repairs. I have a good old home town mechanic, they sell auto parts up front, a 4 bay garage in the back, two mechanics.
    Very good, cheap, and honest.
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  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    something screwy here...find honest local mechanic
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  • mousemouse Member Posts: 3,624
    edited November -1
    Thanks fellas. Will try Randys Ring when I find the receipt for
    what they did originally...if they even gave one, going by
    my Sons memory. Also will try the crownvic.net. I thought
    things were going too well lately...i DID GET MY VACATION THOU...
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  • slumlord44slumlord44 Member Posts: 3,702 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Anything leaking out of a rear end should be able to be fixed by replacing the appropriate seal. I can think of nothing that is leaking that should require replacing the entire rear end unless they cracked the housing while working on the brakes. What you need is a second opinion from an independet garage before spending that kind of cash. I am thinking the shop overfilled the rear end and that trashed the seals. If so, draining and refilling the rear end properly and replacing the appropriate seals should fix the problem for a lot less money.
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