# CV boots, Front of engine crank seal



## M.J. (Aug 29, 2002)

My car is almost eight years old (since I bought it new) and has 102,000 miles on it. (1.6 ga with 5-speed manual) My left outer CV
boot has just started leaking (small tear, losing grease, have caught it immediately, no clicking at all ) With that many miles on it
is it better to replace whole shaft or would it be just as good to take it off, disassemble, clean, repack, and replace both boots?(the reason I ask this way, is because of past posts of vibration problems on rebuilt shafts) 

My front crankshaft oil seal is also leaking since about 95,000, can this repair/replacement be done on car using floor jack and stands? And is there any tips on either of these repairs that could 
make the job(s) easier, that those of you who have past experience with, could share?

I don't beat on this car,and have taken good care of it since it was new. I do all my own maintanence and am reasonably good at mechanics ( I'm picky, about cleanliness and doing it right, have Factory shop manual)

Any help would be appreciated........... Thanks....MJ


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

I just replaced (after 142K miles) my first boot ($16). I would definitely do a boot job vs. replacing with an axle that was "remanufactured." It IS easier to just slap in a replacement axle but the boot job is sinfully easy, or at least I think so and it's interesting to take apart the CV joint. I must be a freak or something, but I enjoyed doing it! All you do is tap the CV joint and it will readily separate. Clean the joint _thoroughly_, slip the boot on the shaft, push together the joint, slide boot on, that's it.


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## Guest (Nov 11, 2002)

I just replaced the front crank seal on my 1994 sentra xe. it was cake........ jack and stands would work fine and it is very easy. if you have any questions just email or pm me


Greg


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## Joshb13sentra (May 13, 2002)

Save yourself the money and do it yourself. It's easy, just make sure you have a decent amount of rags on hand to clean up the grease.


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## toolapcfan (Jul 10, 2002)

I'd just replace the whole shaft, but that's how I do those sort of things. A remanufactured shaft is like $60 or less. I bought them at AutoZone for my '93 XE when I did them both. Check Napa, I think they might be cheaper, plus you've likely got a main Napa store in your area that'll have them in stock. To do the shaft easy, drain your tranny, then just unbolt the two bolts that hold the spindle to the strut. Swing the knuckle away and pull the shaft out of it. It's helpful to have someone pulling on the strut to give you more slack. (Be careful for your brake hose though). Try not to twist on the shaft at all while pulling it out of the transmission, you want the splines to all line up nice when you're putting the new shaft in. Make sure to swap your seal cover off the old shaft onto the new one. Lightly twist the shaft left and right while trying to reinsert it back into the transmission. Slip it back into the spindle and you're all set. I'm going to be doing my crank seal soon as well.


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

Tool, why do you drain the trans?


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## Guest (Nov 11, 2002)

Hey M.J. I just pmed you about the crank seal R&R like i said it is very easy and inexpensive. I should have done mine along time ago...preventative maintenance........... and for the cv boots listen when i lowered my car i did mine too my left cv was clicking and just in horrible shape so i replaced the whole axle on that side but just bought a cv boot for the other cause it had a small tear and was not clicking yet................. just changing the boot is sooo messy. it is so much better to replace the whole axle like tool said.


lata 

Greg


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## RiceBox (Apr 30, 2002)

Centurion said:


> *Tool, why do you drain the trans? *


You don't have to drain the tranny but be ready with a bucket because all the gear oil will spill out quickly.


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## toolapcfan (Jul 10, 2002)

Like Ricebox said. Your shafts are at the bottom of the tranny, so once your shaft is pulled out, all the fluid in the tranny will come out. So I always just drain it first, more controlled draining than letting it run out while you're trying to get the shaft out. Then just buy 3 quarts of new fluid to put back in when you're done. The fill hole is higher up (obviously) than the drain plug, and both are a bitch to get loose. Unless you've got a 400+ lb. impact wrench, just use a breaker bar with a cheater bar on it. That's the only way I've even been able to get them loose, and I've taken them out three times in the past 6 months. (not all in the same sentra mind you).  The easiet way to fill the tranny is to get a piece of hose about 2-1/2' long that fits inside the fill hole and will also fit over the end of a funnel. (I think most autoparts stores carry a cheap $5 funnel like this that has a hose on it already). Then once you've got the hose in the hole and with someone holding it in there, someone else dumps the 2.5 quarts in up top. I've tried various methods to fill and this is by far the cleanest and quickest.


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## M.J. (Aug 29, 2002)

*I'M still leaning toward boot replacement*

I got all the PMs, Yeah, I agree with, it will probably be a bit messy. But I'll just get a couple rolls of those shop towels and cans of brake cleaner and do a real good job cleaning them up. I'll be working off of a work bench and have good air compressor to help the process along, and do a good repack with CV grease. I still got to get the parts and a good puller for the crank pulley-harmonic balancer (I've been losing about 1 quart of oil per 3500 miles or when a oil change is due) I've never had a problem buying tools when I'm fixing something for myself because you still save the money in the long run plus you know its done right.

I will probably just change my trans oil anyway. I got about 50,000 on this batch . My question on this is, I'm using Valvoline 80w90 dura-blend gear oil (manual trans) but as its getting colder it does not want to shift until it warms up a bit. A lot of times I let my car warm up for a least 15 minutes, before I drive it just so I can shift it. Is there any good alternatives(I know about 75w90, but have heard from others that it does'nt make that much difference) Any Idea's


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## M.J. (Aug 29, 2002)

*I'll drain 1st, and refill after all work is done*

I've put a hose on the end of the bottle (some have tapered openings) and once I located the hose to the fill hole, I cut a hole in the bottom to allow air to come into what is now the top. Takes a little situating but works pretty effective.


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

RiceBox said:


> *You don't have to drain the tranny but be ready with a bucket because all the gear oil will spill out quickly. *


Well I only lost about a cup of trans fluid. I have an auto so I guess it's different with a man trans, but I've done a few and I don't remember much if any fluid loss. Oh well, it's been a while...maybe my memory is going....


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## Joshb13sentra (May 13, 2002)

*Re: I'M still leaning toward boot replacement*



M.J. said:


> *
> 
> I will probably just change my trans oil anyway. I got about 50,000 on this batch . My question on this is, I'm using Valvoline 80w90 dura-blend gear oil (manual trans) but as its getting colder it does not want to shift until it warms up a bit. A lot of times I let my car warm up for a least 15 minutes, before I drive it just so I can shift it. Is there any good alternatives(I know about 75w90, but have heard from others that it does'nt make that much difference) Any Idea's *



At sentra.net they have an article under engine modifications. I'm using redline racing 90w (I think) right now. I'd use motul gear oil when I get another chance.


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