How to Fix a Front Axle Seal Leak in a 2000 Chevrolet Impala

The 2000 Chevy Impala base model came with a 3.4-liter six-cylinder and a four-speed automatic transmission. The axle seals on your transmission allow the axles to be connected to the output shaft inside the transmission without any fluid leakage from around the axle shaft. Commonly the axle shaft seal only needs to be replaced in the even of extreme wear or accidental damage during an axle shaft replacement. To replace the axle seal you will have to remove the axle shaft from the transmission and wheel hub assembly.

Instructions

Removal

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheel to be serviced with a lug wrench. Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with a floor jack and place jack stands under the front sub-frame rails. Lower the vehicle until it rests securely on the jack stands.

2

Remove the wheel and tire from the vehicle and place it aside. Hold the sway bar link bolt steady with a wrench and remove the sway bar link nut with a socket and ratchet. Lay out the sway bar link pieces as they are removed for aid in assembly later. Discard the sway bar link nut.

3

Instruct a helper to sit in the vehicle and apply the brakes. Loosen the axle shaft nut with a 34 mm socket and 3/4-inch breaker bar. Instruct the helper to exit the vehicle. Straighten the legs of the tie-rod end cotter pin and remove it with pliers. Remove the tie-rod end castle nut with a socket and ratchet. Install the tie-rod end separator between the steering knuckle and tie-rod end. Tighten the separator bolt with a socket and ratchet until the tie-rod end separates from the steering knuckle.

4

Straighten the legs of the lower ball joint cotter pin with pliers and remove it from the lower ball joint nut. Remove the lower ball joint nut with a socket and ratchet. Pry between the lower ball joint and the lower control arm to separate the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle.

5

Install the spindle removal tool over three of the wheel studs and install lug nuts over the studs. Tighten the lug nuts stud with a socket and ratchet. Tighten the spindle removal push bolt with a socket and ratchet while pulling outward on the steering knuckle slightly to remove the axle shaft from the wheel hub. Hang the axle shaft as straight as possible with mechanics wire from the suspension.

6

Position yourself under the vehicle so that you can see where the axle enters the transmission. Place a pry bar between the axle shaft inner joint tripod and the transmission case and pry outward enough to separate the axle from the differential side gears. Support the axle shaft by hand and pull it out of the transmission. Remove the axle from under the vehicle and store it in a safe place.

7

Install the seal remover to the inner side of the bottom end of the seal and pry upward against the transmission case to remove the axle seal.

Installation

8

Clean around the inside of the seal mating surface with a shop rag. Position the new seal into the bore on the transmission case and push it straight into the transmission as far as possible by hand. Select the seal installer tool that fits as close to the edge of the seal as possible and place it over the seal. Tap the seal installer tool with a hammer until the seal sits flush with the transmission case.

9

Lay out some shop rags on the lower control arm. Slide the axle shaft through the hole in the inner fender and rest the outer-most joint on the control arm. Coat the rubber edges of the new seal with fresh transmission fluid. Line up the splines of the axle with the splines of the transmission and slide the axle into the transmission. Apply some directional force to seat the axle shaft circlip in the differential side gears. Grab the inner joint and pull on it, if the axle is properly seated it will not remove from the transmission by hand.

10

Pull outward on the steering knuckle and guide the axle shaft into the wheel hub. Install a spindle nut to the axle shaft hand tight. Push the steering knuckle into place and guide the lower ball joint stud into the steering knuckle. Install the lower ball joint castle nut hand tight.

11

Place a washer onto the sway bar link bolt followed by a bushing. Push the sway bar link bolt through the underside of the control arm. Slide a bushing onto the sway bar link bolt followed by a washer and the center sleeve. Install another washer and bushing on top of the center sleeve, and then guide the link bolt through the sway bar link. Install the final bushing and washer to the link followed by a new lock nut.

12

Tighten the lower ball joint nut to 15 foot-pounds plus 120 degrees with a torque wrench. Tighten the sway bar link nut to 16 foot-pounds with a torque wrench while holding the link bolt stationary with a wrench. Guide the tie-rod end nut into the steering knuckle and install the castle nut. Tighten the tie-rod end nut to 22 foot-pounds plus an additional 120 degrees.

13

Install a new cotter pin through the lower ball joint castle nut and bend the legs in opposite directions around the castle nut with pliers. Instruct a helper to sit in the vehicle and apply the brakes. Tighten the new spindle nut to 159 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Instruct the helper to exit the vehicle.

14

Install the wheel onto the vehicle and install the lug nuts hand tight. Lift the front of the vehicle off of the jack stands and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds in a criss-cross pattern.

15

Drive the vehicle to a local repair shop to have the front end alignment checked and adjusted as necessary.