How long can you drive with a leaking differential?
After a rear differential fluid change, most vehicles will go 20,000 to 40,000 miles before it’s due again.
What causes differential fluid to leak?
Differential oil leaks If the seals dry or wear out, they will leak fluid from the axle shafts. Smaller leaks may produce faint traces of gear oil coming from the differential housing while larger leaks will produce drips and puddles underneath the vehicle.
How do I stop my differential oil from leaking?
However, many people find that rear differential leaks are the most common. Rather than searching for where your leak is coming from, simply add BlueDevil Oil Stop Leak to your differential oil through the oil fill plug and your leaking seal will be reconditioned and restored while you drive!
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.
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 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.
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.