Weird rear end issue. Fluid e'rwhere!

[Schurkey]

I put a little stop leak in it for the drive shaft seals

Stop leak.

GET
THE
STOP-LEAK
OUT
OF
THERE.

 

[Hipster]

I would look around a little more, a little bit of oil blown around looks like hella mess, Check the transfer case fluid. Make sure it isn't bone dry like all the fluid has already left and none left to drip. Already said check all the fluids. Buy a can of brake clean and spray down/wipe up the front yoke seal area on the rear diffseal area and look at it closer, if not dripping would leave it alone. Look at the driveshaft yoke that comes out of the t case closely for wetness.. Tastes like ATF.

 

[Astro]

Hey all, thanks again for the tips. I went ahead a replaced the pinion seal, which turned out to be a little easier than expected.

I'll let yall know how it progresses.

Schurkey, why so strong on the stop leak out of curiosity? I'm not usually an additive guy either, but I'm kinda in a bind with funds so I was hoping that would slow it down a bit. The manufacturer of the stop leak says its "ok" for rear ends.

I do desire to learn, so hit me!

 

[Hipster]

Stop leak tends to elasticize the seals for lack of a better term, make them softer, make them swell, the seal (is already on it's way out) so you accelerate it into it letting loose and puking out. Very temporary solution. Put it in an engine or trans and you'll be replacing a bunch of gaskets or rebuilding sooner rather then later.

 

[Schurkey]

Schurkey, why so strong on the stop leak out of curiosity? I'm not usually an additive guy either, but I'm kinda in a bind with funds so I was hoping that would slow it down a bit. The manufacturer of the stop leak says its "ok" for rear ends.

I do desire to learn, so hit me!

My immediate concern was with the type of "stop leak" you were using. You didn't list a product name or link to product info. I could imagine you'd dropped a cooling-system tablet into the differential. That could lead to grit running through the bearings, and between the gear teeth.

If what you used is "recommended" for rear axles, then it's just a matter of that diluting the actual lubricant, and "softening" the seals excessively leading to outright failure of the seal rather than slow leakage.

Thousands of years ago, I heard of folks dumping a few ounces of brake fluid into the engine, transmission, rear axle, whatever. The brake fluid was supposed to act as a "seal softener" that would supposedly rejuvenate rubber seals. At least the price of the brake fluid was reasonable, about 1/3 the cost of "specialty" products which may or may not have been...brake fluid in a differently-labeled bottle.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Stop leak.

yeah, saw dust is way better. Just kidding! Years ago, an unscrupulous used car dealer would throw some in to quiet down the hum in the rear end then, sell it!

 

[Astro]

Copy, I didn't know how stop leaks worked. It was blue devil stop leak, not for the cooling system haha.

https://a.co/d/9R0ji6b

I went over it with them to find it if it was safe before trying it out.

 

[Schurkey]

yeah, saw dust is way better. Just kidding! Years ago, an unscrupulous used car dealer would throw some in to quiet down the hum in the rear end then, sell it!

Or hamburger. Or banana peels.

 

[Hipster]

yeah, saw dust is way better. Just kidding! Years ago, an unscrupulous used car dealer would throw some in to quiet down the hum in the rear end then, sell it!

Ain't that the truth! Or in the trans.

 

[Astro]

That's so crazy. Well I'm hoping it lasts a bit longer. Is it possible to replace the shaft seals without taking the wheel bearings out? It is right? I've never done that before.