Leaky Front Axle Seal?
04-13-2015, 12:00 PM
#1
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Leaky Front Axle Seal?
Recently I change the u-joint on my front drivers side axle. Yesterday, with a good u-joint in there, I decided to take it off road for the first time. I hadn't notice any drips or leaks before yesterday, so I think I either damaged the seal when I installed the axle, or it was bad to start with and the u-joint service and off road trip exposed the bad seal.
I have every intention of replacing both seals, and bearings if needed, but I also plan on adding a lunchbox locker to the front in the near future. Since yesterday I have lost about an ounce of diff oil in the driveway, no idea of how much while driving.
I don't really want to pull the front diff apart twice, replace seals now and a month down the road install the locker, so would it do any harm to just keep topping off the fluid level till I have all the diff parts on hand and do the job in one go?
I know I will probably end up having to replace the brake pads in the long run due to contamination, but they are cheap and easy enough to do. Not to mention I would have to pull the calipers anyhow to service the diff.
Any input would be appreciated. I wouldn't be able to service the seals till next weekend at the earliest because I would have to order them and wait for them to come in the mail, and I am just starting a new job this week so I wouldn't have the spare cash for the locker for about a month or so. I am off to pick up some gear oil, because I am going to need it no matter what.
I have every intention of replacing both seals, and bearings if needed, but I also plan on adding a lunchbox locker to the front in the near future. Since yesterday I have lost about an ounce of diff oil in the driveway, no idea of how much while driving.
I don't really want to pull the front diff apart twice, replace seals now and a month down the road install the locker, so would it do any harm to just keep topping off the fluid level till I have all the diff parts on hand and do the job in one go?
I know I will probably end up having to replace the brake pads in the long run due to contamination, but they are cheap and easy enough to do. Not to mention I would have to pull the calipers anyhow to service the diff.
Any input would be appreciated. I wouldn't be able to service the seals till next weekend at the earliest because I would have to order them and wait for them to come in the mail, and I am just starting a new job this week so I wouldn't have the spare cash for the locker for about a month or so. I am off to pick up some gear oil, because I am going to need it no matter what.
04-13-2015, 12:55 PM
#2
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 w/ tupy head
Recently I change the u-joint on my front drivers side axle. Yesterday, with a good u-joint in there, I decided to take it off road for the first time. I hadn't notice any drips or leaks before yesterday, so I think I either damaged the seal when I installed the axle, or it was bad to start with and the u-joint service and off road trip exposed the bad seal.
I have every intention of replacing both seals, and bearings if needed, but I also plan on adding a lunchbox locker to the front in the near future. Since yesterday I have lost about an ounce of diff oil in the driveway, no idea of how much while driving.
I don't really want to pull the front diff apart twice, replace seals now and a month down the road install the locker, so would it do any harm to just keep topping off the fluid level till I have all the diff parts on hand and do the job in one go?
I know I will probably end up having to replace the brake pads in the long run due to contamination, but they are cheap and easy enough to do. Not to mention I would have to pull the calipers anyhow to service the diff.
Any input would be appreciated. I wouldn't be able to service the seals till next weekend at the earliest because I would have to order them and wait for them to come in the mail, and I am just starting a new job this week so I wouldn't have the spare cash for the locker for about a month or so. I am off to pick up some gear oil, because I am going to need it no matter what.
I have every intention of replacing both seals, and bearings if needed, but I also plan on adding a lunchbox locker to the front in the near future. Since yesterday I have lost about an ounce of diff oil in the driveway, no idea of how much while driving.
I don't really want to pull the front diff apart twice, replace seals now and a month down the road install the locker, so would it do any harm to just keep topping off the fluid level till I have all the diff parts on hand and do the job in one go?
I know I will probably end up having to replace the brake pads in the long run due to contamination, but they are cheap and easy enough to do. Not to mention I would have to pull the calipers anyhow to service the diff.
Any input would be appreciated. I wouldn't be able to service the seals till next weekend at the earliest because I would have to order them and wait for them to come in the mail, and I am just starting a new job this week so I wouldn't have the spare cash for the locker for about a month or so. I am off to pick up some gear oil, because I am going to need it no matter what.
04-13-2015, 01:48 PM
#3
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Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Same thing happened to me. I swapped in a D30 High Pinion I got from a junk yard. Replaced all the bearings, seals, etc. Put it in and the passenger side axle seal started leaking. Tore it all apart again, replaced the seal... then the drivers side started leaking.
Tore it apart. Again.
Replaced the seal. Again.
Knock on wood, I've been good ever since. The 3rd, or was it the 4th... time I did it I had it done in a matter of hours. I'm a friggin pro at that front axle now.
Point being, I drove around for quite some time with leaky seals in both situations. One was over a month and I took a 4 hour trip before the last tear-down. You're going to gum up the bottom of your Jeep a little bit, and your fender-wells and inner tire sidewall are going to get pretty oily. I didn't replace my pads or rotors, partly because the pads were new. I just took some Purple Power and scrubbed the components to get the oil off, seems to have done the trick. I did the same for my fender-wells, that was a little more of a pain. As mentioned, keep checking the levels and be prepared to clean up when you get in there and actually replace the seals.
Good luck.
Tore it apart. Again.
Replaced the seal. Again.
Knock on wood, I've been good ever since. The 3rd, or was it the 4th... time I did it I had it done in a matter of hours. I'm a friggin pro at that front axle now.
Point being, I drove around for quite some time with leaky seals in both situations. One was over a month and I took a 4 hour trip before the last tear-down. You're going to gum up the bottom of your Jeep a little bit, and your fender-wells and inner tire sidewall are going to get pretty oily. I didn't replace my pads or rotors, partly because the pads were new. I just took some Purple Power and scrubbed the components to get the oil off, seems to have done the trick. I did the same for my fender-wells, that was a little more of a pain. As mentioned, keep checking the levels and be prepared to clean up when you get in there and actually replace the seals.
Good luck.
04-13-2015, 02:24 PM
#4
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
OK now this is just odd to me
I went and bought a quart of gear oil. I check for leakage in the parking lot at the store and there was none. I drove home, parked it for about 30 minutes to let it cool down a touch then went out to pull the fill plug. Still no leakage, so I figured the level was too low for it to get to the seal any more. I pulled the plug and gear oil started to come out the hole, so the level was still good. The oil was reasonably clean too.
Is it possible that my vent hose is blocked and me little excursion yesterday heated thing up and cause enough pressure to cause seal blow by? Or maybe this is something that is only going to show up when I use four wheel drive? I still intend to do the seals when I get my locker so the quart of gear oil wont be a waste of money and I will have it on hand if I start getting leaks again.
I did check everything else that could have leaked and had a somewhat gear oil look to it. PS and engine oil are at the same level as my last check. Brake fluid is good and not changed since I replaced the brakes last fall, and transmission fluid it at the right level. Not that I thought it could be trany fluid, it is red
The oil that leaked out even smelt the same as the oil that is in the diff and I could see it drip off the end of the axle tube.
The final thing I can think of that may have caused it is the diff was over filled and when I pulled the axle a little spilled into the tube and finally managed to come out the end yesterday while I was leaned over to the left on a hill.
I went and bought a quart of gear oil. I check for leakage in the parking lot at the store and there was none. I drove home, parked it for about 30 minutes to let it cool down a touch then went out to pull the fill plug. Still no leakage, so I figured the level was too low for it to get to the seal any more. I pulled the plug and gear oil started to come out the hole, so the level was still good. The oil was reasonably clean too.Is it possible that my vent hose is blocked and me little excursion yesterday heated thing up and cause enough pressure to cause seal blow by? Or maybe this is something that is only going to show up when I use four wheel drive? I still intend to do the seals when I get my locker so the quart of gear oil wont be a waste of money and I will have it on hand if I start getting leaks again.
I did check everything else that could have leaked and had a somewhat gear oil look to it. PS and engine oil are at the same level as my last check. Brake fluid is good and not changed since I replaced the brakes last fall, and transmission fluid it at the right level. Not that I thought it could be trany fluid, it is red
The oil that leaked out even smelt the same as the oil that is in the diff and I could see it drip off the end of the axle tube.The final thing I can think of that may have caused it is the diff was over filled and when I pulled the axle a little spilled into the tube and finally managed to come out the end yesterday while I was leaned over to the left on a hill.
04-13-2015, 04:41 PM
#5
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 w/ tupy head
Same thing happened to me. I swapped in a D30 High Pinion I got from a junk yard. Replaced all the bearings, seals, etc. Put it in and the passenger side axle seal started leaking. Tore it all apart again, replaced the seal... then the drivers side started leaking.
Tore it apart. Again.
Replaced the seal. Again.
Knock on wood, I've been good ever since. The 3rd, or was it the 4th... time I did it I had it done in a matter of hours. I'm a friggin pro at that front axle now.
Point being, I drove around for quite some time with leaky seals in both situations. One was over a month and I took a 4 hour trip before the last tear-down. You're going to gum up the bottom of your Jeep a little bit, and your fender-wells and inner tire sidewall are going to get pretty oily. I didn't replace my pads or rotors, partly because the pads were new. I just took some Purple Power and scrubbed the components to get the oil off, seems to have done the trick. I did the same for my fender-wells, that was a little more of a pain. As mentioned, keep checking the levels and be prepared to clean up when you get in there and actually replace the seals.
Good luck.
Tore it apart. Again.
Replaced the seal. Again.
Knock on wood, I've been good ever since. The 3rd, or was it the 4th... time I did it I had it done in a matter of hours. I'm a friggin pro at that front axle now.
Point being, I drove around for quite some time with leaky seals in both situations. One was over a month and I took a 4 hour trip before the last tear-down. You're going to gum up the bottom of your Jeep a little bit, and your fender-wells and inner tire sidewall are going to get pretty oily. I didn't replace my pads or rotors, partly because the pads were new. I just took some Purple Power and scrubbed the components to get the oil off, seems to have done the trick. I did the same for my fender-wells, that was a little more of a pain. As mentioned, keep checking the levels and be prepared to clean up when you get in there and actually replace the seals.
Good luck.
04-13-2015, 04:47 PM
#6
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Join Date: Apr 2012
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Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 w/ tupy head
OK now this is just odd to me I went and bought a quart of gear oil. I check for leakage in the parking lot at the store and there was none. I drove home, parked it for about 30 minutes to let it cool down a touch then went out to pull the fill plug. Still no leakage, so I figured the level was too low for it to get to the seal any more. I pulled the plug and gear oil started to come out the hole, so the level was still good. The oil was reasonably clean too.
Is it possible that my vent hose is blocked and me little excursion yesterday heated thing up and cause enough pressure to cause seal blow by? Or maybe this is something that is only going to show up when I use four wheel drive? I still intend to do the seals when I get my locker so the quart of gear oil wont be a waste of money and I will have it on hand if I start getting leaks again.
I did check everything else that could have leaked and had a somewhat gear oil look to it. PS and engine oil are at the same level as my last check. Brake fluid is good and not changed since I replaced the brakes last fall, and transmission fluid it at the right level. Not that I thought it could be trany fluid, it is red The oil that leaked out even smelt the same as the oil that is in the diff and I could see it drip off the end of the axle tube.
The final thing I can think of that may have caused it is the diff was over filled and when I pulled the axle a little spilled into the tube and finally managed to come out the end yesterday while I was leaned over to the left on a hill.
I went and bought a quart of gear oil. I check for leakage in the parking lot at the store and there was none. I drove home, parked it for about 30 minutes to let it cool down a touch then went out to pull the fill plug. Still no leakage, so I figured the level was too low for it to get to the seal any more. I pulled the plug and gear oil started to come out the hole, so the level was still good. The oil was reasonably clean too.Is it possible that my vent hose is blocked and me little excursion yesterday heated thing up and cause enough pressure to cause seal blow by? Or maybe this is something that is only going to show up when I use four wheel drive? I still intend to do the seals when I get my locker so the quart of gear oil wont be a waste of money and I will have it on hand if I start getting leaks again.
I did check everything else that could have leaked and had a somewhat gear oil look to it. PS and engine oil are at the same level as my last check. Brake fluid is good and not changed since I replaced the brakes last fall, and transmission fluid it at the right level. Not that I thought it could be trany fluid, it is red
The oil that leaked out even smelt the same as the oil that is in the diff and I could see it drip off the end of the axle tube.The final thing I can think of that may have caused it is the diff was over filled and when I pulled the axle a little spilled into the tube and finally managed to come out the end yesterday while I was leaned over to the left on a hill.
04-13-2015, 06:50 PM
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Year: 1989 xj sport 2dr
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Engine: 12 hole bosch Injectors
A little fluid alway gets past seal when axles are removed . Just keep eye on it next couple of days .
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