Blair

Had a small drip coming from the pinion seal. Went to the local neighbourhood garage to get the seal replaced. Mostly because our kids play together. Talked to the guy about how he would do it, especially setting the pre-load, which I read is like 175 ft/lbs.
He said they match mark the nut and take it back to that spot. That was three days ago. This morning I'm leaving my firehall and I notice I've left a small puddle on the apparatus floor, right under the rear pumpkin and I can see drips coming from the area that the driveshaft connects to the diff. I'm gonna go back and see the mech. on Monday, but I don't want to be offside on the guy, as I mentioned, he's a neighbour and our kids play together.

I'm thinking he didn't get the pre-load right, but I don't wanna sound like a goof when I talk to him. Any suggestions about what may have gone wrong, to cause a small drip to turn into a real leak??? And, what needs to be done to get it right??? I've read that the pinion seal can be a PITA. Maybe I should have just left it alone, and lived with the drip???
Thanks,

keisur

that is one reason I don't like employing a friend for these kinds of things.

anyway, the only difficulty I had was un dimpling the bolt to get it off. then it was just pull the companion flange, replace the seal and then botl it back on. now, you are talking about the pinion seal? It sounds more like the input shaft seal, are they the same thing? a pinion seal I thought required third member disassembly, I could be wrong though. sounds like possibly, if he got the preload right and the seal wasn't installed improperly {sometimes they get kinked over when driven in and bend therefore leak} then I would venture to say maybe it's the pinion bearing that's bad. just my random thoughts.

Blair

Well, Keisur, you're sure right about employing friends. Others in the 'hood sorta gave me a heads up, about having recurring troubles after going there, but I live in a small village and he's literaly right around the corner, so....
I can tell you that next time, if the job is beyond my tonka tool kit, the runner is going to the dealership. I just love this truck so much, it's worth the $$$, I think.

In hindsight, I shoulda had the GF pick me up in the city, at the dealership

Mech says the bearing felt solid, so I'm not leaning in that direction, yet. Something else, too...today after I got back to work, I noticed small oily droplets on the tailgate and window. Related???
Anyone else with some input?
Thanks,

keisur

everyone thinks that about Toyotas . Even POS Toyotas, if any exist. haha

The droplets on the window, I would say that's a bit far away unless you got some funny wind breaking up their in Canuckland. When I lived on Selfridge ANG Base outside of Detroit we'd get really squirly wind off of Lake St. Clair in the spring. I guess maybe the turbulent air flow could pull it up there kind of like what happens to the exhaust carbonizing the bumper and lower tailgate of some vehicles.

Blair

Thanks for the input. Got under the truck last night. definite leak at the seal where the driveshaft enters the diff. Threw the oil around the underbody in a circle and behind the rear bumper is some pretty slick evidence that it's also throwing lube oil out the rear of the truck. Took a liter and a half to top up the diff this morning. So, with1.5 liters lost over 5 days and about 350 miles I figure if I keep a close eye on it over the weekend I should be okay til Monday, when I'm off duty and can leave it with my mechanic neighbour for the day.

keisur

1.5 litres in 5 days! that's a pretty good leak you got there chief. That's all coming from the companion flange? My front output shaft was only dripping. Wow!

Blair

Correction: 1.5 liters over 5 days. Still kinda heavy, for my liking.
Prior to 'repair' it was a small drip, which others told me was something that I should just live with. However, in my quest to maintain the runner at it's peak, I felt i should have the seal changed. Didn't realize the guy was gonna put in a SCREEN, not a seal

keisur

you had it right when I read it, 1.5 in 5 days.

A screen? I can't believe there are people out there that just feel, 'oh just live with it.' Man, I know what you mean about maintaining the runner, it leaks and it shouldn't! it needs to be fixed, 'nuff said, that simple! That's why people get such raw deals on alot of used cars, because to many chumps have that 'aw just live with it and trade it in' attitude. that's cool you are going to get it taken care of though, good luck. I replaced mine I think two junes ago and I haven't have a leak in it since, of course it was the front though.

Shane

If he didn't coat the inside of the flange (where the nut and washer are) with RTV or similar sealant it will leak through there, you'll see the oil coming out between the two flanges instead of from the tin shield behind the pinion flange. The oil on the back window of the rig is just blowback, once you get this leak fixed properly it will stop.

keisur

I never used RTV and mine didn't leak anymore.

Shane

You either got lucky or you had enough gunk left on the splines to seal it up.

Blair

Update: Leak appears to be fixed. Another new seal...may have crimped the first new one on install. Mech also mentioned the yoke may have become grooved.
However, I did find out that I need a new clutch. Funny how you never know how much mech work you need, until you take it to a mechanic!

On RTV: Some do, some don't. If I do it again I'm gonna make sure it has RTV. It just seems right.

I'm with you keisur...if it's broken, noisy, or leaking, get it fixed! Whatever it costs today is one tenth of what it's gonna cost you when it really breaks!