hey guys...i got a couple drops every morning under there and its coming out my front axle housing where the drive shaft is...NOT on the sides...my whole U joint is covered nicely in oil......im not losing much oil at all...is there a seal in there?...some help please while the weather's still warm up here and i have the time to fix these things

Andrew

 

Yes, there is a seal there, it's called a pinion seal. Are you sure it's not just oil coming out of your breather tube?

 

and that your differential isn't overfilled

 

thanks for the reply guys....differential is not overfilled in fact its about half an inch low (should be even with the nut opening right?)...whats this breather tube? there is a tube pointed right at the spot thats stained...whats that

 

If it is the blow by tube then some of that is normal. On the other hand you said the u-joint is wet which is way outboard and you might have an inner seal leaking in the axle. In order to fix it the front carrier has to come out and a new seal put in it. Not the most fun thing to replace. It helps if you have the right tool to push the new seal in. I am pretty sure they get relaced from the inside of the axle. It has been a little while since doing one.

Is fluid dripping out below the u-joint on the end of the axle? Then that is your problem.

Always replace the other sides seal at the same time.

 

mr. T - I believe full is 3/4" below hole. I know, it sounds strange, but that's what I've heard on the front end. Is that tube you're referring to, approximately 3/4" OD? If so, it sounds like your breather tube.

struggle - He said on the driveline, not on the sides.

 

yeah sides are clean...its right out the driveshaft area...but its hard to tell cause when i roll into the driveway and look under there it doesnt drip and i see nothing thats ready to drip...its a couple hours later that i find 2 drops under the U-joint...this must have been going on for a while(i wasnt parking on the driveway so i couldnt tell) and since that time the U joint got coated with with oil

oh and yes there is a plastic see-through tube pointed right at the wet u joint..but i have neevr been there to actually visibly see a drop come down yet...

does that pinion seal frequently wear out? or is that an unusual thing

 

Does the oil smell like gear oil, or engine oil? There is a distinct difference in smell between the two. It has been my experience that axle & driveline seals don't just leak a drop or two. When they start to go, they splatter oil along the bottom of the truck as you drive down the road. You'd also have more than a drop or two under the affected area. You'll leak enough that the oil stain will the diameter of a soup can lid.

When my driver's side axle seal went last month, it just started leaking, a lot.

 

My pinion seal is bad also. Just gets the u joint wet looking. Too lazy to pull the gears out to fix it.

 

.....you don't have to pull the gears, just the yoke.

 

i changed the motor oil in the truck to see what oil in fact it is...and it is not motor oil...so we're looking at front axle fluid....Jambii i think u got what i got...as far as i remember its a really cheap part that seal from NAPA or car quest or whatever...what special tools will i need? i do have a gear puller and press and ur regular tools...but nothing i can think of beyond that...will that do me fine?....

 

Sweet deal, I would have figured you would need to pull the pinion. Any special tools for this job?

 

take plug out of front diff. and compare diff. oil with oil from leak for trouble shooting,the clear hose is the blow by for the engine,follow it up to see where it is connected, breather for front diff is up on the frame by the inner fender on pass. side...

 

the seal should only be about $10 from napa. To remove the pinion seal-


1. Remove the bolts that connect the driveshaft to the yoke. Make a mark with a wax pen on the yoke and the driveshaft so you know how it lines up when you re-install the driveshaft.
2. Move driveshaft off to the side.
3. Remove the pinion nut with an impact and socket.. I think it is 1 1/4, but not sure.
4. With a hammer, tap on the yoke to remove it.
5. Use a seal puller to remove the old pinion seal.
6. When installing the new seal make sure it is going in evenly before tapping it in. I usually use a large socket that fits on the metal ring of the seal to tap it in.
7. Re-install yoke.
8. I dont know if there is a torque spec. on the pinion nut. I usually run the nut on with my impact. If you use an impact, dont tighten it down as much as the impact can or you will collapse the crush washer. Just make sure the nut is on tight. I would think that 200-250 ft. lbs. would be ok.
9. Re-install the driveshaft.

If you have any questions pm me.