Rear pinion seal leak (1 Viewer)

[bmwjnky]

So my rear pinion seal has started to leak a decent amount. I got a new factory seal but was wondering if anyone has done the seal without redoing the crush sleeve? With the BMW's I used to work on we would mark the nut and pinion shaft before taking it apart and when we put it back together we would tighten the nut just a little more than where the mark was and it would be fine. Is it possible to do something similar with the 80 series so the whole 3rd member doesn't have to come apart?

 

[jfz80]

Yup. Thats exactly how ive done it.

Mark the staked nut. Count turns off. Replace seal and add nut back to stake plus a lil more. Restake. All good

 

[thatcabledude]

That will be fine.

 

[landtank]

Look at the passenger side upper control arm. If there is oil on that arm, the problem is the outer pinion bearing and replacing the seal will likely do nothing to cure your problem.

 

[bmwjnky]

Look at the passenger side upper control arm. If there is oil on that arm, the problem is the outer pinion bearing and replacing the seal will likely do nothing to cure your problem.

Thanks for the tip, I'll take a look and see but I've mostly just seen fluid drip from the front and down the 3rd member.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

If you pull the axle shafts out a bit you can rotate the pinion and feel the preload. If it's zero, or close, the bearings are dead and should be replaced. It's likely time for a refresh anyway. Since you're in Sac, Sean at River City Differentials does a great job and is reasonable $$ wise.

If the outer pinion bearing is worn, a new seal will only fix the problem for a few weeks/months. Anyway with these third members, it seems like a leaky pinion seal is a symptom rather than the problem. Good luck.

 

[bmwjnky]

If you pull the axle shafts out a bit you can rotate the pinion and feel the preload. If it's zero, or close, the bearings are dead and should be replaced. It's likely time for a refresh anyway. Since you're in Sac, Sean at River City Differentials does a great job and is reasonable $$ wise.

If the outer pinion bearing is worn, a new seal will only fix the problem for a few weeks/months. Anyway with these third members, it seems like a leaky pinion seal is a symptom rather than the problem. Good luck.

I'm hoping it doesn't need a rebuild because I wanted to gears down the road but I don't have money to do them now.

 

[Whileemptyheadsdream]

Look at the passenger side upper control arm. If there is oil on that arm, the problem is the outer pinion bearing and replacing the seal will likely do nothing to cure your problem.

Hi, sorry to hijack. I built two completely new thirds for my 95, details in my sig. Slee sent me the stock oil slinger for the 8'' and the fan blade one for the 9.5. I have to drive It on the highway this summer cause my son wrecked his car and Is driving my car till he goes back to school. I have oil sprayed all over the undercarriage above and behind the diff. I replaced about 4 ounces of fluid In the last 3 months. Nothing sprays when I clean It up and go 45mph and under. Have you heard of this fan type oil slinger blowing oil past the pinion seal In your 80 series experience.? Again sorry and thank you.

 

[landtank]

I've only seen the fan blade style slingers on Hi Pinion fronts. The rears should have a flat slinger.

 

[Whileemptyheadsdream]

I've only seen the fan blade style slingers on Hi Pinion fronts. The rears should have a flat slinger.

Thank you for the Information. The fan slinger would only fit the rear. I instinctively wanted to puy It on the High Pinion but no dice. I am new to L/C as of 3 years ago and I still have much to learn. Thanks and Be Safe !

 

[landtank]

I believe it was in 2002 when Toyota enlarged the pinion shaft of the 8" and 9.5" ring and pinions. I know that Nitro has since started to move their gear sets to that new standard. In fact I believe all of their 8" gear sets are now to that standard.

So if that fanned slinger was loose on your 8" pinion but fit the 9.5" then you just have an early 8" pinion and should not have used the supplied slinger. The rear should definitely have a flat slinger.

 

[scottryana]

I would give Slee a call Monday. They will take care of you

Thank you for the Information. The fan slinger would only fit the rear. I instinctively wanted to puy It on the High Pinion but no dice. I am new to L/C as of 3 years ago and I still have much to learn. Thanks and Be Safe !

 

[bmwjnky]

Thanks for all the good info in this thread. I'm going to try the seal first since it's cheap and easy to do and see what happens next week. If I can get about 8 months out of it that will hopefully give me enough time to save up for gears and front and rear rebuild kits.

 

[landtank]

the reason for the fanned slinger on the high pinions is that the oil return passage is on top of the pinion. That fan slings the oil up into that top passage.

On the rear diff the return passage is under the pinion so you want a flat slinger so the oil will drain back through that lower passage.

 

[bmwjnky]

Rear pinion didn't look to leak much from Ventura to Long Beach while driving on the slower highway 1 so I'm just going to keep it easy on the way home tomorrow and replace the seal and fluid Tuesday after work and see what happens.

 

[ajax1]

If your diff breather is plugged it can leak out the pinion seal

 

[bmwjnky]

If your diff breather is plugged it can leak out the pinion seal

I'll check but I don't think this is the issue because I ran new ones when I did my lift. Going to do the seal and new fluid in about an hour and hope for the best. Maybe it will get me by long enough to find a good deal on some 4.56's or 4.88's or maybe it will just fix it since the seal is 2 months shy of 22 years old.