leaking g/box selector shaft oil seal!

[johnw4047]

anyone any suggestions on how stop the gearbox selector shaft oil seal from leaking on my 1991 polo? Replaced the seal twice, didn't make any diff, put some stop leak in but it only stopped it for a week or two. 5 speed box but its the same seal on all of em. Any ideas cos the neighbours are sulking with the oil stains!

[geeforty]

Was it a genuine VW seal or aftermarket GSF etc?

Is the shaft ok, or has it got a scratch / dink which is damaging the seal

Is it definately leaking from the seal, not the casing join (need a thorough degreasing!)

[johnw4047]

yeah its defo leaking from the seal, an they've always been oe seals i think the problem started when a ham fisted vw mechanic removed the first leaking seal with butchery. Ive checked the shaft an it feels ok. So really the q might be is there any way of stopping it leaking without replacing the housing where the shaft goes into the gbox?!

[geeforty]

Ah so it could be leaking around the outside of the seal - especially if the housing is out of shape so the seal is being made oval? - the housing is available as a spare part - 001 301 209 for the MK3 (1990 - 94) gearbox, how you fit it - don't know!

I suppose the optimum solution would be to drain the gearbox oil, remove the seal, wash the seal housing out with carb clean so totally dry and oilfree, then put a bead of oil resistance sealant -silicon RTV or similar around the housing then pop a new seal in, leave it all to set for a good few hours then refill with oil

A Q-A-D solution would be to wash the area with carb cleaner, then smear a load of RTV over the seal and see if that helps things.

Nigel.