How can I seal this?

[Chevelle454]

What can I do to seal an oil leak from the outside so I don't have to take it all apart? I know it's a temporary thing, but what can be done? I need to drive the truck and the front of the diff is leaking and I don't have time to take it apart at the moment. It's a gasket leak, not the seal.

[piecesparts]

Get up with a NAPA store and purchase a silcone based gasket sealer called the "RIGHT STUFF". This stuff is absolutly crazy about oily surfaces and adheres to metal that has some oil in it. Cleaning with a good electrical contact cleaner would not hurt, but it is not entirely necessary. Try it, and I think you will like it.

[BUDDY]

Originally Posted by Chevelle454

What can I do to seal an oil leak from the outside so I don't have to take it all apart? I know it's a temporary thing, but what can be done? I need to drive the truck and the front of the diff is leaking and I don't have time to take it apart at the moment. It's a gasket leak, not the seal.

& while you're at napa, just get the right diff gasket that you need & fix it the right way on the weekend.

Sheesh, for that matter, don't even get the "right stuff", (even though it sounds cool & I might want to get some to have around), just get the gasket & some gear oil & seal it up on the weekend. If you don't have the truck in 4WD, the front diff doesn't turn anyways, just the hubs do. So, as long as it has SOME oil in it it'll be fine.

I'm a laying-on-the-ground-covered-in-grease-just-once kinda guy myself. But that's just me.

Later,
Buddy

[krue]

It's not a huge project.

[RACINJASON22]

Originally Posted by BUDDY

& while you're at napa, just get the right diff gasket that you need & fix it the right way on the weekend.

Sheesh, for that matter, don't even get the "right stuff", (even though it sounds cool & I might want to get some to have around), just get the gasket & some gear oil & seal it up on the weekend. If you don't have the truck in 4WD, the front diff doesn't turn anyways, just the hubs do. So, as long as it has SOME oil in it it'll be fine.

I'm a laying-on-the-ground-covered-in-grease-just-once kinda guy myself. But that's just me.

Later,
Buddy

with this it's easy and cheap too!!

Ultra Gray sealer will work also just like the "right stuff" personally I like the Ultra Gray better as I have used the "right stuff" also but, thats just me. The only sealer I buy now is Ultra Gray.

RJ22...

[1969k10stepside]

Truck's a 2wd right? No front axle...so you mean the front of the rear diff is leaking? The seal around the pinion? That's a little more of a chore than changing a diff gasket...As for sealing that,dont know.I just change the seals and do it right the first time.Still not that bad changing the seal..

[lowdowndirtyshame67]

Yeah, The Right Stuff kicks @$$, but prob not if it's the pinion seal leaking. All you have to do is drop the driveshaft (4 nuts or bolts) and then the yoke nut. Pry out the old seal and gently tap in the new one...Good as new. If it's the gasket, yeah...just replace it. And I would actually choose Right Stuff over any paper gasket for the diff cover. It will hold so well you will have to pry the cover off with a crow bar!!!

[Chevelle454]

It is a 2wd. It's not the pinion seal, it the gasket between the differential(not the rear cover) and the piece that holds the pinion seal (eaton ho52). There are five bolts holding it in place, but I need to remove the driveshaft and pinion nut again to get at it.

I did my pinion seal and stopped that leak but now that it's back together it's leaking from that area. I actually used a drill and wire brush and cleaned the surfaces good and used Permatex Ultra Black silicon sealant on the area when I put it together but it still leaked.

I'm beginning to think my breather is plugged somehow and when the oil heats up it creates pressure and blows out wherever it can...the top of the breather spins but how can I be sure it's open?

[BUDDY]

Ah hah! Well, that's a little different problem. I thought you were talking about the Dana 44 front axle cover leaking. Sorry.

Hmmm, are you sure you torqued the bolts to the right spec?
Are you sure you got the pinion seal seated all the way?

You may be correct about the breather. I've seen them "look" fine, but not work at all, replace it & you're good. It's just a matter of time before you have to replace it again with another one though. Typical assembly line chintzy design. Let's make it stupid easy to put together & hope it doesn't ruin anything in the first 10,000 miles.

IMO I'd just remove it all together, clean the threads, or tap the hole & put in a threaded barb fitting, then run a piece of hose up high on the frame with a valve cover breather filter on the end of that. You could just leave the filter off to test it, but obviously, you have to try to reseal the pinion cover. Maybe try some of the stuff these guys are recommending.

Good luck,
Buddy

Originally Posted by Chevelle454

It is a 2wd. It's not the pinion seal, it the gasket between the differential(not the rear cover) and the piece that holds the pinion seal (eaton ho52). There are five bolts holding it in place, but I need to remove the driveshaft and pinion nut again to get at it.

I did my pinion seal and stopped that leak but now that it's back together it's leaking from that area. I actually used a drill and wire brush and cleaned the surfaces good and used Permatex Ultra Black silicon sealant on the area when I put it together but it still leaked.

I'm beginning to think my breather is plugged somehow and when the oil heats up it creates pressure and blows out wherever it can...the top of the breather spins but how can I be sure it's open?

[DennyB]

My guess is he is talking about the HO52 nodular carrier where it mounts to the housing.
As a temp fix, try one of the products above.
Otherwise it requires removing the drive shaft and pulling the axles out a bit to remove the center section.