Rear diff leak

Hey, y'all

My rear diff is leaking. I'm guessing that somewhere in the rust it's found a hole. Do you agree? What's the fix?

Thanks

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wow

 

I can't believe I'm looking at a 12 year old vehicle.

 

Step 1: make sure you still have oil in there
Step 2: clean off the diff with degreaser, clean off rust also
Step: put flour or baby powder on oil and let it leak or put uv die in the diff fluid and a black light to trace where it's coming from

Then either repair or replace it!

 

Why?

 

I just noticed it today, so I have started to diagnose yet. Degreaser was on my list. Where to get uv die? And a black light? They still make those?

And replace - it looks to me like replace is the whole axle. Is that right?

 

Make yourself a new rear cover I measured and one of the standard weld on pipe caps is a perfect fit

Put a fitting in for the fill hole your bracket for the e-brake cable

your good to go

I find it strange a Georgia truck has that problem

 

I bought it in the North Carolina mountains. It was in Illinois for at least a little while, too.

What's a "standard weld on pipe cap"? The idea, I guess, is get one of these mysterious things, modify it appropriately, cut off the back of the diff, and weld this new thing in place?

 

Never seen a diff housing rust like that before

 

They are used to cap off a tee or the end of a line.

I think it was a eight inch pipe cap I have notes some place.

It happens because of the weight saving measures to meet EPA fuel mileage requirements

That section is real thin.

If you deal with McMaster-Carr or due a search for weld on pipe caps it should give you an idea.

 

Because I owned a 92' Nissan Pickup, and still own a 97' Blazer and neither of the rear diffs on those trucks look nearly as haggard as the picture you provided.

 

I would take off cable bracket chisel, chip, scrape, wire brush what ever it takes to find hole then drain the oil and hit it with the mig welder probably just a pin hole but if its larger then make a patch and weld in place. I'm not sure if the bolt holding the bracket is threaded into a blind hole or if it goes through but that is where I would start.

 

Auto parts store or Amazon should have the die and blacklight

 

It looks like you're in Puerto Rico. Somehow, I doubt they salt the roads there in the winter. You should have seen the bottom of my F-250. It had lived in central Illinois for years (bad purchase on my part). It had *lots* of rust under it, and rust related problems.

 

If you look a little below where it says I'm located in Puerto Rico, you'll also note I'm in the military. We typically don't live in one place very long. Believe me, my vehicles have seen road salt. And my shit doesn't look like yours. I wasn't making fun of your vehicle when I stated "I can't believe I'm looking at a 12 year old vehicle.", I was simply saying how utterly pathetic is how much we pay for these vehicles, and how quickly they fall pray to external rust and corrosion, compared to other vehicle brands.

 

Chip, scrape, wire brush, then JBWeld. Thats what I did and its held up for 18 months. Mine was so bad that cable clip is no longer attached.

 

It is the liquid brine up here it also gets into the bridges as well and just takes out the steel

I am really surprised we have not had a major bridge failure.

Every spring I am under the vehicles seeing what needs replaced.

 

I liked the JB Weld idea. It reminded me that I've got an air compressor tank leak patched with JB Weld that's been holding for years.

I put a wire wheel on my drill and scrubbed as much rust off as I could, drained the diff, sprayed it again with degreaser. Rinsed with water to get rid of the degreaser. Rinsed with alcohol to get rid of the water. Rinsed with acetone because, why not? Patched with JB Weld. I'll refill the diff tomorrow and watch it for a few days. If I don't see a leak I'll prime it and paint it. If I do see a leak I'm really no worse off than I am now.

 

possibly from pinion seal thats seeping bad and getting carried back by the wind.

 

I saw where it was leaking from. Pinhole, but I saw it.