It's leaking...
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Rocky Top
It's leaking... I used the search & read thru a bunch of the "leaking pinion" threads; My friend who's a mech @ a Toyota dealership insists that I need to get mine fixed. I have a full bumper-to-bumper warranty on my car, so that's not an issue. I've just read some of the horror stories & now am very leary about having anything done. "If it's leaking, it's not empty"
I've personally looked @ & don't see a "leak". It looks moist/lubed, but there is nothing on my driveway & nothing indicating "spray/leak" on the underside of my car.
I hate this topic more than power windows, but just want a straightforward answer; Take it in & let 'em screw it up, or leave well enuf alone?
Don't blame anyone for not posting a response to this, as it's such a commom thing. If you do respond, thanx in advance-
Amy
I've personally looked @ & don't see a "leak". It looks moist/lubed, but there is nothing on my driveway & nothing indicating "spray/leak" on the underside of my car.
I hate this topic more than power windows, but just want a straightforward answer; Take it in & let 'em screw it up, or leave well enuf alone?
Don't blame anyone for not posting a response to this, as it's such a commom thing. If you do respond, thanx in advance-
Amy
I understand not wanting to let dealership hacks work on it, I don't take mine in either.
However, if it is leaking, it will make a hell of a mess under the car, and eventually will run out of lube. The tunnel will have oil in a 360 degree pattern if it is leaking fast.
Easy fix though, do it yourself. Drain oil from diff, remove driveshaft, pinion nut, yoke, seal, bearing, and crush sleeve (good time to put in a solid pinion spacer) and replace with new crush sleeve or solid pinion spacer (follow directions for setup) and previously removed bearing and new seal.
There, leak fixed and rearend upgraded with solid pinon spacer !
However, if it is leaking, it will make a hell of a mess under the car, and eventually will run out of lube. The tunnel will have oil in a 360 degree pattern if it is leaking fast.
Easy fix though, do it yourself. Drain oil from diff, remove driveshaft, pinion nut, yoke, seal, bearing, and crush sleeve (good time to put in a solid pinion spacer) and replace with new crush sleeve or solid pinion spacer (follow directions for setup) and previously removed bearing and new seal.
There, leak fixed and rearend upgraded with solid pinon spacer !
I've never had a car that didn't weep from the pinion
seal. But a drip a day will take a long time to kill it.
Need to see how bad it really is. A single snail track
down the pumpkin is normal but goo everywhere is
not.
People do not maintain the diff anywhere near like
GM says the service interval needs to be. If you care
to pull the cover and put on one with a drain plug
that will make things easier next time. But then, it's
also likely that you'll find things in the sausage that
make you think about vegetarianism....
I rebuilt mine (had it done) because of all the shavings
I found. Or at least, that was my rationalization for
putting a better chunk and gears in along with a full
replacement of all wear parts.
seal. But a drip a day will take a long time to kill it.
Need to see how bad it really is. A single snail track
down the pumpkin is normal but goo everywhere is
not.
People do not maintain the diff anywhere near like
GM says the service interval needs to be. If you care
to pull the cover and put on one with a drain plug
that will make things easier next time. But then, it's
also likely that you'll find things in the sausage that
make you think about vegetarianism....
I rebuilt mine (had it done) because of all the shavings
I found. Or at least, that was my rationalization for
putting a better chunk and gears in along with a full
replacement of all wear parts.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 311
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From: Rocky Top
This is sounding like it's not worth replacing for the little bit of moisture I'm seeing. Like I said, there's nothing at all in my driveway, and the mechanic friend that looked @ it works at a Honda dealership. I know he means/meant well, but don't think he's up on our cars.
Thanks for the replys-
Amy
Thanks for the replys-
Amy
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 393
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Originally Posted by 1KwikSSChik
This is sounding like it's not worth replacing for the little bit of moisture I'm seeing. Like I said, there's nothing at all in my driveway, and the mechanic friend that looked @ it works at a Honda dealership. I know he means/meant well, but don't think he's up on our cars.
Thanks for the replys-
Amy
Thanks for the replys-
Amy
Take advantage of his know how and tools
The bearings gm used in our cars pit in no time, so overhaul the whole thing while you have his help. The parts are cheap and the solid spacer seems to stop the leaky/wet pinion seal syndrome.Dealer techs are just trying to beat the book; they will slap a seal in and off you go. No preload check, no nothing.
Let your friend help you get it done the right way.
If the bottom of the car is not covered with gear oil getting flung up on it, and you do not see any drops on the driveway, I would not mess with it. These 10 bolt rears will leak at the pinion seal very easily, and with a new seal you could end up with a worse condition than you have now, down the road. I would suggest periodically checking the gear oil level in the rear though. Bob
