Ok, NOW what kind of $$ am I in for! Slow drip coming from diff, tightened fill port & drain, no difference. I'm really ignorant on this, so, opinions please?
Thanks!

 

Is it coming from the top, bottom, side? If from the top it could be the overflow line. If the side one of the seals or the fill screw. And worse case bottom hit something and cracked the housing. Should be able to fix most of these, but if not the junkyard is your best bet.

peace

 

How big a deal to replace seals? thanks!!

 

Where is it leaking from, first of all.

Also, never crank down the fill and drain plugs, or you'll ruin the holes they thread into and cause a permanent leak.

 

Well, the bolts were all loose on the diff-tightened it all up, no leaks! Lesson: Look for the simple stuff first!

 

DAM RIGHT!!!!! I had the same problem. there was a slow leak, and it was rattling. i almost took it all apart and had it rebuilt. instead, i replaced the oil and tightened the bolts. result- no more rattle, no more leak. just like you said, look for the simple stuff. good work on finding that by the way!!!

 

I hope thats all thats wrong with mine...Its slowly dripping now too . I should go check that...

~T.J.

 

I also have a funny vibration going down the road, its gotten pregressivly worse, I hope its just the lack of fluid in the diffy, and I hope I can fix that...If not, I fear U-joints, which can be expensive since I have to replace the whole driveline. If thats the case, Ill just go with the MazdaTrix one with the replaceable joints .

Please let this be easy for me ...

~T.J.

 

if you want to redo the diff seal:
take rear wheels off
remove rear brakes
unbolt 3 bolts holding axel flange, each end
pull axels out
remove driveshaft
either plug rear of trans or watch tranny oil pour out
good time to change trans oil
remove 8 or so bolts holding diff to 3rd member
hit diff with rubber mallet many many times to break seal
note: that thing does not want to come loose lots of times. i had to lower diff flange onto block of wood overnite to even crack the diff seal.
pull diff
clean old seal off with gasket scraper or wire-wheel
add black rtv (oil resistant) to flange of diff and bench press that heavy pig onto the 3rd member and bolt it up quick.
installation is reverse of removal )
-bp-

 

another thought on fixing a leak. . .
i had an oil leak coming out from my oil pan, instead of replacing the whole pan, i used brake cleaner to clean all around the part that was leaking, then i put silicon gasket sealer ($3 at auto parts store) over the leaky area. it doesn't look pretty, but it was the cheapest and easiest solution. most importantly. . .it worked!!

 

Cna i give you a little bit of a warning on the diff leak??
I had the same problem and it just turned out to be the bolts around the housing were loose... tighten fix the problem right?? not. Had to go back about 6 times and do it again. till finally it got away from me and I forgot about it for about a week...
Until, I was doing 80 on the freeway and sudenly heard a lund grinding noise followed by my rear tires locking up for about 100ft. rather scary. fortionalty had a spare rear end.