What kind of oil is leaking from my rear differential?

What kind of oil is leaking from my rear differential?

You will find grayish or light brown oil under the backside of your vehicle. The leak could be on the rear differential cover, the axle seals, or the pinion seal. How to stop it and bring the vehicle to the normal running condition?

What kind of crank seal does a XK120 use?

The front crankshaft seal for the XK engine remained virtually unchanged in specification throughout the production run from the late 40’s through 1987. The main exception is the early XK120 engines that utilized a rope seal on the front. The original seals were a conventional spring backed rubber seal.

Can a pinion seal cause a differential leak?

Another differential leak could be at the pinion seal. There is a yoke at the front side of the differential, and the surrounding seal can wear out over time. In order to replace the seal, you have to dislodge the yoke and pry out the seal. After that, place a new seal and then attach the yoke to its components.

Where are the seals on a rear differential?

Some differentials put these seals just outside the bearings, while others have the seals all the way at the end of the axle tube. Due to different designs, your differential can leak from many different places making it difficult to determine the exact leak location. However, many people find that rear differential leaks are the most common.

You will find grayish or light brown oil under the backside of your vehicle. The leak could be on the rear differential cover, the axle seals, or the pinion seal. How to stop it and bring the vehicle to the normal running condition?

Why is my rear axle bearing leaking oil?

diff oil had flushed the bearing of grease and so part of it was broken up. Eventually the bearing would of clapesed or seized. When i first noticed the problem was the day before we were going on a touring holiday. I removed the half shaft and replaced the axel seal then drove 1800 miles on it. Aug 10, 2010 2,610 1 36

Another differential leak could be at the pinion seal. There is a yoke at the front side of the differential, and the surrounding seal can wear out over time. In order to replace the seal, you have to dislodge the yoke and pry out the seal. After that, place a new seal and then attach the yoke to its components.

Some differentials put these seals just outside the bearings, while others have the seals all the way at the end of the axle tube. Due to different designs, your differential can leak from many different places making it difficult to determine the exact leak location. However, many people find that rear differential leaks are the most common.

What does a leak in the differential look like?

Whether the vehicle is a rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, finding leaked fluid in the rear of it indicates a differential leak. The fluid looks like motor oil but has a distinct smell.

What to do if you have an oil leak in the rear axle?

The axle must be drained to cure any serious oil leak. Once you have a rough idea of where the leak is located, clean the area with a proprietary solvent and drive the car for a few miles to warm the oil and restart the leak. This should show its exact source.

How do you fix a rear differential leak?

Fixing the rear differential oil leak – resealing with RTV silicone Loosen bolts Prize open case Drain oil Scrape off old gasket sealant with a plastic scraper Clean cover plate Apply sealant (gasket maker or RTV silicone) Place cover back on and hand tighten Fully tighten and leave for 24 hours before filling with oil

What would cause a rear differential to leak?

In most case, age, wear and tear, or excess exposure to harsh weather and elements causes the differential gasket to break or leak. However, in some very rare cases, excessive pressure inside the rear end housing can also lead to pushing the gasket out which can also create a leak.

What does a leak in the rear differential mean?

Usually, if you have a leak at the rear of your vehicle and it’s rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, it means your differential is leaking. Differential oil usually has a distinctive smell. So if you see oil from a leak and it has a distinctive odor, it could be a differential fluid leak.

How much does it cost to repair a differential leak?

On average, differential repair can range anywhere from $500 to as much as $2,000. The costs will depend on the mechanic, the location (rear and/or front), the significance of the repair, parts being used if the entire differential has to be replaced, where you live and your car’s make and model.

What does it mean when your differential seal is leaking?

Be prepared for this eventuality should you find you have a leaking axle seal. If you find that your leak is in the front of the differential where the axle joins the assembly, it’s likely your pinion seal is leaking.

What does it smell like when you have a differential leak?

Differential oil usually has a distinctive smell. So if you see oil from a leak and it has a distinctive odor, it could be a differential fluid leak. However, differentials don’t always leak from the differential itself. Sometimes the outer axle seals fail and fluid leaks into the brake assembly. You might not see a leak of this type right away.

What’s the correct way to repair a rear differential?

The “correct” repair would be to have the differential overhauled, which would involve removal from the vehicle, opening the differential, installing new wear-components like bearings and thrust washers, then reassembling with new gaskets and seals.

What should I use to stop a rear differential leak?

Adam-. For a rear differential leak, we recommend using the BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak. BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak is more concentrated and is the universal application that will work for various leaks such as oil pan leaks, rear main leaks, valve cover gasket leaks, etc.

What does it mean when your differential oil is leaking?

Differential fluid often looks just like motor oil. Once again, you’ll have to put your eyes on the leak to determine its origin. Usually, if you have a leak at the rear of your vehicle and it’s rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, it means your differential is leaking. Differential oil usually has a distinctive smell.