I was recently doing some maintenance on my HHR while I had it up on the lift in my shop. I noticed some fluid streaks on the inside of the passager tire. I traced it down to a transmission shaft output shaft seal. So I ordered a
"ACDelco 24203910 GM Original Equipment Automatic Transmission Front Wheel Drive Shaft Seal with Protector Kit". After removing the CV shaft I noticed that this type of kit had previously installed. I purchased the car about 2 years ago with 67K miles on it.
I have done several of these over the years and usually, it is a straightforward procedure. Pop out the old seal and replace it after the C/V shaft is out. The issue I have run into someone had previously installed this kit. This kit contains an inner sleeve that provides a new surface for the new seal to ride on and a matching larger seal the matches the diameter of the new inner sleeve.
For the life of me, I cannot remove the replacement sleeve from the transmission out shaft. There are two circular clips that come with the new kit that fits on the transmission output shaft. I was able to remove the outer one but cannot see or get to the second one. I assume its further in on the shaft and holding the replacement sleave on the output shaft. I can grab the old inner seal sleeve with a pair of needle nose vice grips but cannot get to come out. The outer seal will be no issue to replace but this inner sleeve will not come out. The sleave only has a slight amount of movement in and out and the inner axle shaft also moves with it.
I'm really stumped here with this issue. Has anyone else ever ran into this problem?

 

I am confused; how does the oil travel down the shaft over the boots then onto the tire. Wouldn't it be more likely the boot split?

The output shaft seal would leak around it on the transmission.
There is a stub shaft on the passenger side that usually comes out attached to the axle.

 

Here is the procedure in pix:

 

The seal appeared to be leaking out on the seal onto the C/V shaft the being slung off while driving is what I figured. Anyway, now that I see there is a stub shaft that needs to be pulled it all makes sense. Honestly this the first time I have run into this type of setup. The diagram is extremely helpful. Now I just need to locate a stub shaft tool so I can change the seals out. Thanks for posting the diagrams guys!

 

The puller tool is a slide hammer with a grabber attachment.

I just don't see how a light fluid could travel almost 2 feet over the boot ridges then onto the wheel without getting slung of by centripetal force. The laws of physics do apply and I know of no force that could act outward.

I would suspect brake fluid, bearing grease or axle grease long before I would look inward to the trans.

Usually it just oozes out the seal or drips.

 

The only sign of any fluid leak was at the CV axle seal. The inside if the inner fender well also quite a few wet areas on it. All the brake lines and inside of the steel rims was dry also. Anyway, I've got a KentMoore J38868 tool ordered. Thanks for that info. I have a slide hammer and a U shaped attachment that fits on the end. It looks a lot like an oversized crows foot wrench. My wife purchased a 1990 Lincoln Continel new and that stinking car would have one of the rubber CV boots split ever 1-1/2 - 2 years. So I was pretty familiar with removing the C/V shafts. Thank goodness the newer cars have much better materials they make the CV boots out on nowadays.Thanks also for all the diagrams!

 

UPDATE: Thanks to DonBrew for his input. I finally got the Kent-Moore J38868 tool in I bought used off Ebay for $ 62.00 in. Worked perfectly for removing the stub shaft when attached to a slide hammer! As far as the other specialty tools to change our the sleeve on the stub shaft, I have a vertical hydraulic press in my shop, I used 1" thick plate that came with my press came with the press that has various hole sizes. I did take a piece of 1/2" masking tape around the shaft to mark the sleaves location. Only took about 3/4" pressing to remove the old sleave.
Now to install the new sleave. I found a 1/2" drive 12 point socket that would fit snug around the stub shaft to secure it in a straight up vertical position. I also found that a 1//2" drive 27mm 12 point deep socket fit perfectly inside the sleave's seal and clears the stub shaft by a fraction of an inch. Back to the press and a few strokes on the press and the new sleeve is installed on the stub shaft.
The rest of this project was as straightforward as any other output shaft seal change would be. I really appreciate the advice I received. The seal and sleeve kit was about $30 off Amazon. The Kent-Moore J38868 tool $62 and a 27mm 1/2" 12 point deep socket $12 @ local parts store. So for just over a hundred dollars, I completed this project. What would a Gm Dealer charge me $700-$1000??? HHR forums ROCKS!!!!!

 

 

Holy crap, that j41228 tool is over 200 dollars! Good to know you can just use a socket like OP said. This is not a common issue, right? seems like a potentially catastrophic job if you dont do it right.

 

Kent-Moore tools are always outlandishly priced, there is almost always a much cheaper alternative.

I broke the inner plastic part of the cup thingy.and just went on with no problems.