Rear end leak?

**ESBdieselcam** · 04-06-2010, 03:23 PM

Well, put my exhaust on this weekend and noticed a leak coming from the ream end. Looks like an input seal. I remember someone saying that these housing had problems and it would cause them to lea there???? also, if it is just a seal, is that no big deal, just pop the yoke and ban in the new seal???? or will that effect a crush sleeve in the pinion or something.

**cammed goat** · 04-06-2010, 03:33 PM

From what I have been told, tap in a new seal. I could be wrong tho.

**motley** · 04-06-2010, 03:47 PM

wen i put in clutch mine was leaking i put in factory 1 &still leaking if u find answer let me know

**cammed goat** · 04-06-2010, 03:54 PM

I have heard of folks using RTV to create a "seal" around the actual seal. I would advise against this as the previous owner did that to mine before I bought it. RTV got sucked into the rear and gummed up the bearings. Sucked.

**DaddySS** · 04-06-2010, 04:39 PM

Properly applied RTV is a good idea, and to do it right you must replace the crush collar and set the preload.

**JRENIGAR** · 04-07-2010, 07:05 AM

^^^ agreed. I have however done this and just used a hammer and a socket to kind of straighten out the crush sleeve just a little and then re tighten it back to specks. It worked good for me but do this at your own risk. BTW this was done on a 93 ford lightning when the spider gears exploded and front bearings had to be washed to clean out metal shavings that were possibly in there. All turned out good though.

**JunkyardZ** · 04-07-2010, 08:30 AM

A little RTV on the splines of the pinion shaft and yoke is a good idea. Use a hammer and punch to mark the nut and the pinion shaft so you know where it was and then just tighten it back to that point and put a little more on it to smash the crush sleeve a little more. When istalling the seal get one from GM they seam to work better. Put a little gear oil where the seal rides on the flange and you should be fine.

**Cutlass** · 04-07-2010, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by JunkyardZ

A little RTV on the splines of the pinion shaft and yoke is a good idea. Use a hammer and punch to mark the nut and the pinion shaft so you know where it was and then just tighten it back to that point and put a little more on it to smash the crush sleeve a little more. When istalling the seal get one from GM they seam to work better. Put a little gear oil where the seal rides on the flange and you should be fine.

+1 This is exactly how I do pinion seals

**pajeff02** · 04-07-2010, 05:01 PM

I'll be using the same procedure on my POS Ford this weekend. Had to borrow a beam style inch pound torque wrench to check the pre-load so that I make sure to get it back in the ballpark. Based upon similar threads, the stock rears appear to have a bad habit of leaking even with a new seal. Ours was always just "wet" and never dripped, so I did not bother changing the seal.

**cammed goat** · 04-07-2010, 05:22 PM

So it's okay to use RTV on the pinion?

**JunkyardZ** · 04-07-2010, 05:27 PM

A little RTV on the splines where the yoke or flange slides over the pinion shaft. I have done several the way I described and have never had any problems. I have no idea how it would get into the rear end bearings unless someone used an entire tube of it. I put the RTV on the flange splines and slide it over the pinion shaft so if some extra were to come out it should come out toward the front of the car.

**cammed goat** · 04-07-2010, 05:37 PM

OK. At first I was like "WTF?!"

**Cutlass** · 04-07-2010, 06:00 PM

I use pipe sealant paste on the splines. Its what GM recommends

**ESBdieselcam** · 04-07-2010, 06:55 PM

thanks guys...maybe I'll get into this weekend. I've done pinion seals on the big stuff alot! like you say, RTV on the splines. All I am really worried about is re tourqing the nut w/ the crush sleeve. It's not really blowing out, but its pretty wet. I'll have to wait to get the car back though. My mother is borrowing it until her truck gets fixed.....pissed about that