Replaced pinion seal, now major leaking
09-14-2007, 10:16 PM
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Replaced pinion seal, now major leaking I was getting some drips on the garage floor where the yoke meets the rearend, so I changed out the pinon seal. I had no leaking for about 30 miles, but now, I got some good-sized puddles on the ground and a little bit of whining on decel.
In looking at it with the driveshaft out, I can see oil underneath and around the inside of the washer under the pinion bolt. What went wrong here?
I followed the sticky and all other install info I could find through searching. Please help
In looking at it with the driveshaft out, I can see oil underneath and around the inside of the washer under the pinion bolt. What went wrong here?
I followed the sticky and all other install info I could find through searching. Please help
09-14-2007, 10:36 PM
#2
Where did you get your replacement seal? I had the same problem after i had bought a new seal from car quest, same result as you. Come to find out according to new era performance, the 2002 seals are slightly different than the previous years. New Era says you have to get seal from the dealer.
09-14-2007, 10:53 PM
#3
The new seal you have has a smaller ID as compared to the old one. The old type used one seal in the housing. The new type has a seal in the housing and a seal on the yoke. Heres a picture of the new two piece seal.
What I did was remove the seal off the yoke and leave it off, then you can get an old style seal. I always had a drip around the seal area with the original crap. Heres a picture 9,000 miles later . So '90s something or earlier 7.5 seal, remove the one off the yoke, enjoy a dry housing.
What I did was remove the seal off the yoke and leave it off, then you can get an old style seal. I always had a drip around the seal area with the original crap. Heres a picture 9,000 miles later . So '90s something or earlier 7.5 seal, remove the one off the yoke, enjoy a dry housing.
09-15-2007, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by 8a8mfh
The new seal you have has a smaller ID as compared to the old one. The old type used one seal in the housing. The new type has a seal in the housing and a seal on the yoke. Heres a picture of the new two piece seal.
So where do I get this new two piece seal? Or is that the one I have?
What I did was remove the seal off the yoke and leave it off, then you can get an old style seal. I always had a drip around the seal area with the original crap. Heres a picture 9,000 miles later . So '90s something or earlier 7.5 seal, remove the one off the yoke, enjoy a dry housing.
So where do I get this new two piece seal? Or is that the one I have?
What I did was remove the seal off the yoke and leave it off, then you can get an old style seal. I always had a drip around the seal area with the original crap. Heres a picture 9,000 miles later . So '90s something or earlier 7.5 seal, remove the one off the yoke, enjoy a dry housing.
09-15-2007, 06:56 PM
#7
Originally Posted by 916LS1
Do you mean I should get an older two piece seal and use both pieces, one on the yoke, and one on the pinion? I don't think I understand, sorry for being a dumbass.
I went to every auto parts store and they all list the old seal for applications that take the two piece seal.
The dealer didn't have it in stock.
What I did and it worked was get an older style seal, with the older style seal you have to remove the part thats on the yoke. So what you end up with is the exact same seal and yoke outside diameter as say a 1984 camaro with a 7.5 rear.
Hope that all makes sense.
I got the idea from a thread here maybe a year or so ago so maybe I can find it later and post a link to it. Someone else made me aware of doing it like this.
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09-15-2007, 11:47 PM
#8
Heres when I first learned about the seal. https://ls1tech.com/forums/gears-axles/480230-where-do-you-find-right-pinion-seal.html
It'll still get damp with oil if you install it dry, I used red loctite around it. I wouldn't use silicone or rtv.
I'll admit the last picture I posted was after about 100 miles, this pic I took tonight (was a pic of the LCA brackets, I cut that out for size) it's not the best angle to show pinion seal leakage but as you can see it's starting to rust so it's obviously not leaking out of the pinion seal at all, this is approx 9,000 miles and 12-14 months later. Don't know if it matters but I also switched to non synthetic gear oil.
It'll still get damp with oil if you install it dry, I used red loctite around it. I wouldn't use silicone or rtv.
I'll admit the last picture I posted was after about 100 miles, this pic I took tonight (was a pic of the LCA brackets, I cut that out for size) it's not the best angle to show pinion seal leakage but as you can see it's starting to rust so it's obviously not leaking out of the pinion seal at all, this is approx 9,000 miles and 12-14 months later. Don't know if it matters but I also switched to non synthetic gear oil.
Last edited by 8a8mfh; 01-10-2008 at 07:37 PM.
09-16-2007, 01:22 AM
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Now I get it. Thanks for all your help. This afternoon I retightened the pinion nut and put some blue loctite on it (don't have the red stuff). The whining went away, and after a 10 mile drive and 3 hours of sitting, there are no drips. If this fails I will do what you suggested and get a new yoke seal. The yoke fit through the new pinion seal pretty nice, it wasn't tight so Im sure I got the correct pinion seal.
But now I've got another question, I thought you can change a pinion seal without draining the fluid (I actually drained it during the seal swap). I attempted to take off the yoke only this afternoon, and gear oil came pouring out. Is this normal?
But now I've got another question, I thought you can change a pinion seal without draining the fluid (I actually drained it during the seal swap). I attempted to take off the yoke only this afternoon, and gear oil came pouring out. Is this normal?
09-16-2007, 10:40 AM
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What Gm basically did was use a speedi-sleeve to stop the common pinion leak problem right??? I had to get the seal from GM I have the part number somewhere if you need it....
09-16-2007, 05:17 PM
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Originally Posted by 8a8mfh
The newer production cars came with two piece seals, one piece on the yoke, one in the housing. The problem is when you go to any autoparts store they give you the older seal which has a smaller diameter. I don't know what you did but what I did was put this seal in, the yoke fit too tight into it because of the seal part on the yoke. It lasted a few miles before it ripped apart and started pouring out.
I went to every auto parts store and they all list the old seal for applications that take the two piece seal.
The dealer didn't have it in stock.
What I did and it worked was get an older style seal, with the older style seal you have to remove the part thats on the yoke. So what you end up with is the exact same seal and yoke outside diameter as say a 1984 camaro with a 7.5 rear.
Hope that all makes sense.
I got the idea from a thread here maybe a year or so ago so maybe I can find it later and post a link to it. Someone else made me aware of doing it like this.
I went to every auto parts store and they all list the old seal for applications that take the two piece seal.
The dealer didn't have it in stock.
What I did and it worked was get an older style seal, with the older style seal you have to remove the part thats on the yoke. So what you end up with is the exact same seal and yoke outside diameter as say a 1984 camaro with a 7.5 rear.
Hope that all makes sense.
I got the idea from a thread here maybe a year or so ago so maybe I can find it later and post a link to it. Someone else made me aware of doing it like this.
04-27-2008, 04:46 PM
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I just had the same problem. I told the dealership they needed to replace the yoke seal and the pinion seal, but they didn't believe me. So when it leaked again, I brought them this thread. They replaced the pinion deal again, and it leaked again, so they finally replaced the yoke seal.
Pinon Seal Part# 12471523
Yoke Seal Part# 12479332
2002 Camaro SS with 3.42 gears. No the Auburn diff.
Pinon Seal Part# 12471523
Yoke Seal Part# 12479332
2002 Camaro SS with 3.42 gears. No the Auburn diff.
04-28-2008, 06:38 PM
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Remove the pinion flange and inspect for worn grooves on shaft. If you can feel anything while scraping with your fingernail, replace the flange. The seal should still be ok, but replacement couldn't hurt anything
