kastockton

Have a leak -- been diagnosed as "front drive-shaft seal on transfer case".

Any one have experience with this?

Cost of seal? Labor time to repair?

MP4.2+6.0

Your description of it is critical. In particular, it reads like it is the seal for the front axle specifically. If so, then it is basically the outer seal on the side of the case where the flange is to which the front CV axle bolts up. All on the passenger side of a US spec (left hand drive) car. By contrast if it is an inner seal as it first comes off the tranny/diff area, that would probably be a much bigger tear down to get at.

If it is that outer side seal, that is no different really than any other seal on the side of a differential case going out to a drive axle. Basically that means unbolting the particular drive axle from the flange. Bentley seems to say (by omission) you don't even have to drop part of the exhaust, which surprised me a bit). It does say you take off the heat shield casting that is above the inner CV joint area. The drive flange is integral to the stub axle which passes through the seal. To pull it you apparently just run bolts through the CV bolt up holes against a temporary back plate. Effectively that is like a built in gear puller in terms of the leverage. The stub axle is held in by a spring type circlip which lets go under pressure (same as the newer Audi outer CV joints are set up). Voila, with flange and stub axle removed you would be at the seal. Pry it out, insert new one with the right tool (or in my world by using the back of a socket of the right dimeter...), replace that circlip for best practice, service the differential fluid, and button it all back up.

Haven't tackled it before (have done lots of Audi CV boots in front though that require work in the same area at the flange bolt up), but feels like maybe 4-6 hours by a mechanic with a lift who has general Audi/VW AWD experience. Someone less comfortable could estimate more. Most Audi seals cost $10 or $20 type numbers; you will spend as much or more on the fluid if you replace it. And the labor on a seal job is usually like 95% of a bill if you don't DIY. Kind of like space shuttles and O rings in the extreme--getting at the O ring/seal and the bad things that happen when they go are the issues, not the parts cost.

Again, critical it is not the inside seal, which would then require pulling that front diff sub assembly to get at.

kastockton

Excellent question and I'll circle back with the shop about whether inner or outer.

I fear they were talking about the inner... as there was some talk between the service guy and technician about what whether something disconnected from the transmission or not... They also couldn't give me a time estimate on this so I again, I fear it's the more critical of the two you mentioned.

Boy... the grid of this "new to me" car is starting to wear on me. I absolutely love the thing, but compared to my '01 it's been a lot to take in. Mine must have been beaten on daily by a very unkind previous owner.

MP4.2+6.0

I bet/hope it may well be outer seal from the words you first used.

04's do have teething pains as a quite new model compared to the D2, and many were sold deep into '03, making them 7 years old now. Tranny was all new--revised differential and torque converter position, 6 speed, etc. Actually a welcome change in general to the no- that-reliable prior five speed.

kastockton

Seems to be a more sinister leak than I'd hoped for... the indy called and said they didn't want to get into it as it looks like it's more involved than they are willing to get. I'll add their notes once I have them. They suggested this was a job for the dealer.