My rear differential has a very slow drip coming out of the front seal. I was just wondering how hard it was to replace the seal and what you recomend i use for a gasket. The guys at napa say locktite ready gasket. Im open for suggestions. Is this a common problem w/ 4runners?

 

Have you checked the breather to make sure it isn't clogged?

 

Its not really that hard to replace. You just have to watch out for your pinion nut and crush sleeve. After you've pulled the seal and replaced it, don't tighten down on the nut too hard because you'll ruin your crush sleeve and the bearing preload will be off. But I think if you are carefull and don't tighten down too much, you will be ok.

I have heard you are supposed to replace the sleeve if you ever take any of the pinion parts apart, but that involves taking the whole 3rd member apart. So I would make sure and get a few more opinions of this and not try it just yet.

and yeah, clogged breathers can cause this too. it happened to me on my housing seals.

 

how do you check the breather. what is it, where...

 

Top side of the diff is a round cylinder unit about the size of an ink pen or slightly bigger. Grab it and move it around and lightly pull up and push down repeatedly until it moves freely. It allows the diff to breathe and if clogged the pressure will mess with seals and such.

 

There is a great chance it IS your breather, which is a 50 cent part that Toyota stealerships charge $9 for. Basically, as the differential heats up when you are driving, there is a pressure buildup inside of it and it needs to be vented. The breather is a little screw-in plug with a hole and a loose cap to keep dirt out, found on top of the differential. If it gets plugged up it can cause differential oil to be forced from the seals, usually very slowly.

I have personally seen this happen. After the breather was cleaned, the leak disappeared immediately. Doing oil seals is a major job and there may be nothing wrong with yours at all. Find the breather and clean it. Make sure that you can blow through it. I bet that will take care of it. If it is really cruddy, just buy a new one. Costs about $8-9 from Toyota, and about 5 min to replace.

After that is done, you can also think about extending your breather. Basically it means attaching a rubber hose to a fitting so that the pressure from the diff can still vent, but water will not get in during river crossings. There are tons of posts and webpages about extending your breathers, just do a web and forum search.

 

I took mine to the gear shop and they charged me $60 to replace the pinion seal. They didn't have to remove the third member.

 

That's what your breather may look like, it is directly ontop of the diff. If you wiggle it, and it doesn't move, have it replaced.

 

Beavis & Butthead mode ON:::uh uhh uh uhhh he said if you wiggle it and it doesnt move. B&BH Mode OFF ok sorry I know you guys hate them. I have never seen a breather that bad, all I gotta say is DAYUM

 

WOW THAT IS A BAD ONE!!! What did it come off of? 1979 4Runner prototype rusting in the mountains of Japan?

 

I found it under my truck after I bought it
Was wondering why my rear seal was seeping a bit, that would be why!

 

sick thanks alot ill go check it today