I've recently developed a major oil leak on my 900cc Seicento, and discovered that the oil is leaking out of the inner cv boot. On other cars I've owned this boot would have been full of grease and not oil. Anybody got any idea why I should have oil leaking out. Could it be the oil seal between transmission and shaft worn or do Fiats somehow lubricate cv joints with the transmission oil.

I'm thinking that if it is just a boot repair i could tackle it myself whereas if the seal has gone it may be a little beyond my ability (and time).

Cheers

Scootermoose

it is cv grease, when cv grease gets hot it changes its viscosity making it thinner, hence it looking like its oil, i have exactly the same problem, been like it for a week, its gonna get done next weekend. the job is pretty easy according to oldskool. get a haynes manual and its self explanatory

casper1496 said:

get a haynes manual and its self explanatory

Click to expand...

At this point i would like to point out that there is no haynes manual available for the sei and no plans for a release of one so if you plan to tackle the job using a haynes, get a cinq one as it is the exact same 899c unit

Are there not manuals on CD for seis on ebay? Granted their not haynes but..... its still a help.

like i said get a haynes manaul there the same in that area!

On the 899cc cars, the inboard CV joint is not greased, it is bathed in the transmission oil and is part of the gearbox.

It could be the boot leaking or the joint between the CV boot securing plate and the gearbox (it bolts in with 4 bolts)

SkinzCinqSproting said:

Are there not manuals on CD for seis on ebay? Granted their not haynes but..... its still a help.

Click to expand...

The factory manuals are on CD (which is no use unless you've access to a computer and -- preferably -- a printer). They're not supposed to be available to the general public.

They're pretty much what you'd expect from a factory manual -- no "use the factory tool or make your own with a wire coathanger and papier-mache" stuff. Some bits are better than Haynes, some worse, and they do expect a degree of training.

I have the set: the Porter one, the Haynes and the factory one. They do complent each other pretty well, but if I had to choose one, I'd choose the Haynes (except for the electrics).

Cheers all for the info. I am now totally confused. Some say it is grease others say it is oil. The leak is definitely from a split in the inboard boot (if you squeeze it oil comes out). It is also definitely oil - it smells and looks like transmission fluid. What I can't understand is why oil is leaking out of the boot - the only explanation is that the inboard cv joints are lubricated with trans fluid. Anybody got any ideas.

On the subject of manuals I have found a seicento pdf file on t'internet and am in process of downloading it

casper1496 said:

it is cv grease, when cv grease gets hot it changes its viscosity making it thinner, hence it looking like its oil, i have exactly the same problem, been like it for a week, its gonna get done next weekend. the job is pretty easy according to oldskool. get a haynes manual and its self explanatory

Click to expand...

You have a different car.. correct answer for any FIRE derived engine'd cento, but not an 899'er

scootermoose - correct assumption, on the 899cc engines the gearbox oil lubricates the inner CV joints. (as tom has said!) So you are defeintly leaking gearbag oil, wants sorting out and oil level checking.

As has been said, get yourself a Haynes manual

Cheers - i'll do that