re: V8 diff leak: HELP

[Eliot Lim <eliot@u.washington.edu>]

>  The smoking hot-exhaust in my V8 got bad enough that I took it to get
>  fixed.  (This is not a job for the likes of me.)  It's the right front 
>     differential leaking.  It has a bad seal (which may be caused by 
>    something else bad inside -- who knows?)  My regular mechanic wouldn't 
>     fix it because you need special automatic transmission tools.  He 
>     referred me to an automatic transmission shop that wouldn't fix it 
>   because of the exhaust and AWD driveshafts that have to be removed to 
>   access the transmission and differential.  They recommended taking it 
>     to the dealer.  (GULP!)  My impression from the list is that the 
>     dealer will only replace entire subsytems on this car, not repair 
>     them, and my rear end is tightening up just thinking about the cost.


this happened to my car many many years ago.  you won't like the outcome. 
the dealership determined that because the front diff seal was leaking,
the front diff oil had mixed with the slushbox fluid, which meant that it
did not have long to live.  thus they replaced the entire tranny.  all
under warranty at the time.   i had not noticed the slightest thing wrong
with the car;  this was discovered during routine service.

eliot