Every morning when I come out to my beloved, who is now running beautifully, I look underneath the car to find a small, egg-sized patch of oil directly underneath the diff cover. If you sit and watch, you cannot actually see the oil dripping, a little round pool just appears when you're not looking. this is a recon back axle, so I trust it is nothing to serious. Would it just be that I need a new diff cover (i've checked Mark's work page) or have the seals gone inside? Will it live a little longer if I keep topping up the oil?
Suzette
Leaking diff cover
-
Noel Reeve
oil
If the oil is coming from the diff cover (ie there are drips and a wetness at the bottom of the plate) then change it ASAP because it will most likely have rusted through, or it might just be that the bolts holding it on need tightening. In the meantime buy a bottle of Castrol EP90 and keep the diff topped up. Believe me you do not want to let it get low on oil or you will be looking at another recon axle. It happened to me.
When you put the coverplate back on _PLEASE_ make sure there are spring washers under the head of each of the 10 bolts, or they will work loose within a few weeks.
I had new diff bearings fitted to an axle and the cretins who did it forgot to fit the spring washers to the plate. It came loose, all the oil leaked out and the axle was never the same after that, even though I noticed it before it got too bad.
If however, the oil is leaking from the front of the axle casing (ie the pinion) then you need to get the pinion oil seals replaced. This is not too expensive, but will need to be done by a gearbox or transmission specialist, because the pinion needs to be very carefully torque loaded when it is reassembled and it is NOT a DIY job.
Hopefully though you will find it's just the coverplate at the back that's leaking. They're about £35 from the Capri club
When you put the coverplate back on _PLEASE_ make sure there are spring washers under the head of each of the 10 bolts, or they will work loose within a few weeks.
I had new diff bearings fitted to an axle and the cretins who did it forgot to fit the spring washers to the plate. It came loose, all the oil leaked out and the axle was never the same after that, even though I noticed it before it got too bad.
If however, the oil is leaking from the front of the axle casing (ie the pinion) then you need to get the pinion oil seals replaced. This is not too expensive, but will need to be done by a gearbox or transmission specialist, because the pinion needs to be very carefully torque loaded when it is reassembled and it is NOT a DIY job.
Hopefully though you will find it's just the coverplate at the back that's leaking. They're about £35 from the Capri club
-
Suzette Bullock
oil from diff
I cleaned the driveway today, got under the car and wiped the diff cover clean, then very technically sellotaped a plastic carrier bag to the floor in order to see how much oil I lost as i knew some of it would disperse on contact with the ground. The car has sat there all day and there are 2 droplets of oil on the carrier bag. When you get under the car, the diff cover has a 'blob' of oil waiting to drip but it takes ages and ages for this to drip, hence the 2 droplets all day. The diff cover itself is wet and I'm not getting any noise from the axle. Is it just the diff cover(it is rather rusty)
Suzette
Suzette
-
Noel Reeve
diff cover for sure
yep, sounds like it's the diff cover.
Make sure all the bolts are tight before you commit to a new one, but if it looks obviously rusty then I would say it is almost definitely the culprit as it is most likely full of holes.
If you are still driving the car, do check and top up the oil level in the diff though, because you don't want to take chances in the meantime!
Make sure all the bolts are tight before you commit to a new one, but if it looks obviously rusty then I would say it is almost definitely the culprit as it is most likely full of holes.
If you are still driving the car, do check and top up the oil level in the diff though, because you don't want to take chances in the meantime!
-
guitarswet
- Posts: 334
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:23 pm
Diff cover
You have exactly the same symptoms as I did ! I would treat yourself to a new cover from the Capri Club. If you fancy doing it yourself the procedure is listed on my work page.
Good luck
Mark
Good luck
Mark
-
Suzette Bullock
diff cover
Yep! you were all right - jacked the car up on a trolley jack, ran it for a while with wheels turning and then investigated. The slight oil leak is coming from a hole which has blown through near to the handbrake rod, where it is welded to the diff cover, so i'm off to order one from cci
Thanks
Suzette
Thanks
Suzette