Grinding coming out of ditch now fluid leaking out of diff at drive shaft. (1 Viewer)

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Threads
22
Messages
195
Location
Marietta GA
Questions:
1. Can I put regular gear oil in my limited slip just long enough to get to a shop.
2. What should I expect at the shop?

Going up a steep narrow sort of paved road I pulled into a ditch to let a car buy. I was in 2WD but I have limited slip in the rear. Getting back onto the paved road I used minimal throttle but it took some doing and while I transitioned onto the pavement there was some unpleasant grinding like the wheel hit the body or I had picked up a big stick. Back on the road I didn't see any problem and there is no noise driving.

Back at the house I noticed oil spatter around the rear axle and fluid running down the housing from the front of the diff housing.

BTW I've had the limit slip about 5 years and it has been amazing. Typically I only use 4wd when I need to get into low range.
 
Do this to help your narrative. When the rain lets up snap a couple of pictures and post them so everyone can see. They are worth 1000 words.
 
Do this to help your narrative. When the rain lets up snap a couple of pictures and post them so everyone can see. They are worth 1000 words.

the exchange rate on pictures goes up and down. With the markets being so low right now picture may only be worth about 823 words. But still a worthwhile investment.
 
Have you checked the fluid level in your rear diff?
 
Waiting for the rain to let up which it has a little so I'll get some snaps and check the level shortly.
 
Semi-float stock rear axle? Or Full float?
 
A grinding sound like the sort that happens when you catch a small rock in your brakes?
 
The fluid is very full, so much so it comes out as soon as the plug is free. It is clear and clean looking.
The drive shaft does not seem to have any looseness in any direction other than the typical lash.

I was really surprised to see the fluid level so high considering how much splatter there was and how wet the case was.
I probably drove 10 miles at 45 or so on the highway after the event in the ditch, which wasn't the only hard spot of the day by the only one with the noise.

Hopefully these pics are worth more than a barrel of oil, which as I understand it is less than the barrel itself.

P1090018.JPG


P1090019.JPG


P1090021.JPG
 
I would clean off the pumpkin with solvent. check your axle vent tube (blow through it to see that is not clogged), and then drain off any fluid from the diff that is above the fill level. If it doesn't leak after that, then you don't need to replace your pinion seal, if it does leak, well - then you do. If you sense the pinion nut is loose, tighten that immediately.

The limited slip additive prevents clutch chatter in the diff, but many people with older/weak diffs just leave the additive out to tighten it up a bit.
 
when was the last time you inspected that thing? could the leaking and the grinding be unrelated?

One cause of a grinding noise under the condition you describe is a broken motor mount (drivers side IIRC). The engine will lift off the mount under load and the fan will hit the radiator shroud. You can easily check the tips of the fan blades to see if they are worn. Of course the grinding noise would come from the front, not the rear if this is the case.
 
when was the last time you inspected that thing? could the leaking and the grinding be unrelated?

One cause of a grinding noise under the condition you describe is a broken motor mount (drivers side IIRC). The engine will lift off the mount under load and the fan will hit the radiator shroud. You can easily check the tips of the fan blades to see if they are worn. Of course the grinding noise would come from the front, not the rear if this is the case.
I have heard that fan noise before. I'm pretty sure it was from the rear.
when was the last time you inspected that thing? could the leaking and the grinding be unrelated?

One cause of a grinding noise under the condition you describe is a broken motor mount (drivers side IIRC). The engine will lift off the mount under load and the fan will hit the radiator shroud. You can easily check the tips of the fan blades to see if they are worn. Of course the grinding noise would come from the front, not the rear if this is the case.
I was under it about three days ago rinsing it off with fresh water. We aren't often in places that let you do that so I was just really giving it a through rinse. Also I do push ups right in front of it all the time. That was what I was doing when I spotted the spatter. I think it happened on this drive.
 
Pull the driveshaft and see if the pinion nut loosened up on you. Who put the Limited slip in and did they do an entire bearing swap or just swap gears?
 
Pull the driveshaft and see if the pinion nut loosened up on you. Who put the Limited slip in and did they do an entire bearing swap or just swap gears?

ACCGarage.com in Atlanta did it about 5 years ago. I don't know about bearings. They did know I would be flat towing it so we discussed bearing but it might have been just the front wheel bearings. I can pull the receipt and see. I did make it clear that we would be out for years with no support so we tried to make sure everything was in top shape. So far so good.

It is an 87 with over 260K on it might be as much as 280K. I'm the original owner but the speedometer cable has been broken for long periods.
 
I would clean off the pumpkin with solvent. check your axle vent tube (blow through it to see that is not clogged), and then drain off any fluid from the diff that is above the fill level. If it doesn't leak after that, then you don't need to replace your pinion seal, if it does leak, well - then you do. If you sense the pinion nut is loose, tighten that immediately.

The limited slip additive prevents clutch chatter in the diff, but many people with older/weak diffs just leave the additive out to tighten it up a bit.
I'll do those two thing and maybe see if I can get to the pinion nut without the staff coming over and fusing at me.
 
Pull your drive shaft and check your universal joints for tight spots. That rear uni joint in the photos looks as dry as a dead dingo's donga!
Pulling out of that ditch might have put the rear axel on a weird angle and at the same time put the uni joints at tighter angles than when you are just driving on the road.
 
I wonder if maybe you dragged the driveshaft on the ditch when you were pulling out and it put pressure on the seal causing it to leak. It’s a theory.
 
Drained it down, cleaned it up. The vent was clear.
Did 10 highway miles up hill. Dry when I got back.
I'll try to do the pinion nut just in case when the weather clears up.
I guess it leaked under stress which doesn't sound right.

I'll get bearing checked and replace that seal when I can get in for a service.

Thank you for all the assistance.
 
Pull your drive shaft and check your universal joints for tight spots. That rear uni joint in the photos looks as dry as a dead dingo's donga!
Pulling out of that ditch might have put the rear axel on a weird angle and at the same time put the uni joints at tighter angles than when you are just driving on the road.
Could be, but it should have been greased in San Diego a few months ago.
 
At least check and see if there is any play in the pinion (not rotational but up/down)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom