Need some help. Noticed a spot on the driveway, thought it was ac condensation but noticed over the last week it didnt dryhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley24.gif. Gave it the sniff test, http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/throw up.gif definately stinky diff fluid. Looked under the rear end and it looked like the Rear Diff exploded. Synthetic everywhere, pumpkin soaked, shocks, bottom of gas tank, exhaust, even the bottom of the bed was coated with Diff Fluid. But I cannot locate a source of leak. Wiped everything dry, no accumulation I can see..???


If it was a seal, it would be concentrated near the wheel hub correct? It looks like someone hosed the underside of the truck. Nothing forward of the pumpkin..


What do you all think. Any chance the front seal at the driveshaft could fail? That would allow it to fling all over everthing while driving I'd guess. Plugged vent hose causing overpressure upon heating up resulting in blowby? But where? Sort of coincides with running the Quad at 135 and flogging it a bit as of late, I think its been occuring for 2-3 weeks at the looks of the underside. Where should I start my self diag.? I have the MagHytec, I'm hoping its just a leaky cover, that would be an easy fix.

Maybe some dye in the oil? Put some in there and go for a spin...at night. Get the ol'e blue light out and see what ya find.





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Only two things I could guess that could get it spread out that far under there are the vent hose on top (was it still connected? is the nipple to the pumpkin cracked?) or the front seal on the diff housing. Sounds like it's only leaking while the system is turning, so maybe running it on a lift to get the shafts/gears turning and looking for a leak.

After letting it sit, I've noticed some accumulation at the front seal http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley19.gif. It appears it's leaking there, I've never changed a front seal, I posted a request for a how to in the Tech Forum, if anyone has done it or knows how I'd appreciate some info.

Never done one, VFR, but the service manual shows it to be a relatively simple fix. Disconnect the pinion shaft u-joint, remove the nut holding the pinion yoke to the pinion shaft, slide off the yoke, pull the oil seal and replace and reassemble. There is a special tool for holding the pinion yoke while untorquing/retorquing and you have to mark and torque test the unit before/after to assure you have correctly returned the preload to the pinion shaft. I wouldn't want to attempt it myself, looks like a dealer/specialist job.

Wouldn't this be a warranty issue?

Did you verify fluid level yet?


Could the vent be plugged, and the hose is cracked, or has a pin-hole?

My front pinion seal started to leak shortly after I put the hot juice onhttp://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley17.gif but wasn't as much as you described.


It went away on its own.


I think your going to need a BFW to get that pinion nut off though!


Blake

The pinion seal is easy to replace. The part # for an '02 is 26064030, probably same for an '03 but I'm not positive. You will probably need to have a gear puller to get it out, the flat kind with the 4 protrusions that kind of looks like a hand. Not the 3 jaw type. You'll also need to have a 1 1/2" 12 pt socket. The instructions are here. Just do a search on pinion seal because there are some key things to do such as marking the pinion nut and shaft so the preload is correct. In all it's quite easy to do. Edited by: Hound

You will probably need a heel bar to get the old seal out and you would need a seal driver to put the new one in, which you could make your own drive pretty easy.

Job is done (sort of)http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/smiley24.gif, gory details in Ask The Techs. I'm a bit unsure of my preload, may not be right.