How bad is it?

Sport · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:33 pm

ok, I need you guys.

I was under the jeep this morning bolting up the front skid and I noticed a good bit of oil on the driver side front differential and the CV where it connects to the diff.

no noises and 4x4 works fine. What could be the cause of this, do I need a new CV or worse a front diff or is it just a seal that can be fixed? HELP

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:14 pm

was it diff fluid? smell like it? The grease in the CV is thick, kinda like grease :wink:

. So it would be easy to tell the 2 apart. Can you see where the oil is coming from. Does it look like its coming from where the CV shaft goes into the diff? If so, probably a seal.

Do yourself a favor and check the fluid in the front diff too. Undo the fill plug, stick a finger or pinkie in there. If its full, the oil isn't from the diff. If it isn't full, fill'er up to make sure no damage occurs untill you find the leak.

Sport · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:38 pm

Jeep4me99 wrote:

was it diff fluid? smell like it? The grease in the CV is thick, kinda like grease :wink:

. So it would be easy to tell the 2 apart. Can you see where the oil is coming from. Does it look like its coming from where the CV shaft goes into the diff? If so, probably a seal.

Do yourself a favor and check the fluid in the front diff too. Undo the fill plug, stick a finger or pinkie in there. If its full, the oil isn't from the diff. If it isn't full, fill'er up to make sure no damage occurs untill you find the leak.

It is not thick and it is light in color, I didn't smell it though. what would diff fluid smell like? it is coming from where the cv shaft goes into the diff.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:47 pm

Sport wrote:

Jeep4me99 wrote:

was it diff fluid? smell like it? The grease in the CV is thick, kinda like grease :wink:

. So it would be easy to tell the 2 apart. Can you see where the oil is coming from. Does it look like its coming from where the CV shaft goes into the diff? If so, probably a seal.

Do yourself a favor and check the fluid in the front diff too. Undo the fill plug, stick a finger or pinkie in there. If its full, the oil isn't from the diff. If it isn't full, fill'er up to make sure no damage occurs untill you find the leak.

It is not thick and it is light in color, I didn't smell it though. what would diff fluid smell like? it is coming from where the cv shaft goes into the diff.

how long ago did you change the engine oil?
did you spill any?
Clean it up real good and see if it comes back
also remember that if it is just wet and not dripping then it is probably normal
most diff's get "wet spots" on them

Sport · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:54 pm

jason thompson wrote:

Sport wrote:

Jeep4me99 wrote:

was it diff fluid? smell like it? The grease in the CV is thick, kinda like grease :wink:

. So it would be easy to tell the 2 apart. Can you see where the oil is coming from. Does it look like its coming from where the CV shaft goes into the diff? If so, probably a seal.

Do yourself a favor and check the fluid in the front diff too. Undo the fill plug, stick a finger or pinkie in there. If its full, the oil isn't from the diff. If it isn't full, fill'er up to make sure no damage occurs untill you find the leak.

It is not thick and it is light in color, I didn't smell it though. what would diff fluid smell like? it is coming from where the cv shaft goes into the diff.

how long ago did you change the engine oil?
did you spill any?
Clean it up real good and see if it comes back
also remember that if it is just wet and not dripping then it is probably normal
most diff's get "wet spots" on them

I changed the motor oil over a month ago, I don't think it is that. it is definitely comin from where the axle shaft is going into the diff. THere is no puddling to it isn't too bad I guess.

ROWA · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:44 pm

Check the steering rack, I have a small leak on the left side. I am monitoring the power steering fluid, but so far I only had to add a little.

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:19 pm

Sport wrote:

Jeep4me99 wrote:

was it diff fluid? smell like it? The grease in the CV is thick, kinda like grease :wink:

. So it would be easy to tell the 2 apart. Can you see where the oil is coming from. Does it look like its coming from where the CV shaft goes into the diff? If so, probably a seal.

Do yourself a favor and check the fluid in the front diff too. Undo the fill plug, stick a finger or pinkie in there. If its full, the oil isn't from the diff. If it isn't full, fill'er up to make sure no damage occurs untill you find the leak.

It is not thick and it is light in color, I didn't smell it though. what would diff fluid smell like? it is coming from where the cv shaft goes into the diff.

diff fluid is about one of the nastiest oils you can smell. its sticks in your clothes/nose after you do a change and get any on you. get some, sniff it, and you'll know. It smells way different that engine oil.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:23 pm

If the leak is coming from where you are saying it is it would be the outer axle seal that is leaking.You will need a new outer seal and plastic bushing,that's right no real bearings,just a plastic bushing that will melt causing the seal to leak(along with not cleaning your KJ good enough and getting any mud and junk out of that area).It less then $30 for parts and about 60-90mins to replace since the CV will need to be pulled.

Sport · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:27 am

tjkj2002 wrote:

If the leak is coming from where you are saying it is it would be the outer axle seal that is leaking.You will need a new outer seal and plastic bushing,that's right no real bearings,just a plastic bushing that will melt causing the seal to leak(along with not cleaning your KJ good enough and getting any mud and junk out of that area).It less then $30 for parts and about 60-90mins to replace since the CV will need to be pulled.

Thanks TJKJ, so if it the seal then the fluid would be coming from the diff and not the axle correct? Is there a better product to buy so I can prevent this in the future? oh yes, can I run with only 1 half shaft in? I am assuming the oil from the diff would leak out but I am not sure.

thanks

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:00 am

Sport wrote:

tjkj2002 wrote:

If the leak is coming from where you are saying it is it would be the outer axle seal that is leaking.You will need a new outer seal and plastic bushing,that's right no real bearings,just a plastic bushing that will melt causing the seal to leak(along with not cleaning your KJ good enough and getting any mud and junk out of that area).It less then $30 for parts and about 60-90mins to replace since the CV will need to be pulled.

Thanks TJKJ, so if it the seal then the fluid would be coming from the diff and not the axle correct? Is there a better product to buy so I can prevent this in the future? oh yes, can I run with only 1 half shaft in? I am assuming the oil from the diff would leak out but I am not sure.

thanks

If it's a fluid then yes it would be from the diff,the CV's use grease.No better stuff for the D30A,and it would not be very good to run with one CV in.

meh_kick · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 12:21 pm

I had the same problem you're describing and replaced the axle seal and bearing. From my dealer, it was closer to $50 in parts. Was nice to have a three-jaw puller getting the old seal out.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... c&start=15

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:04 pm

It may not be a bushing like Troy says it is. I recently replaced my axle seal, and found that I did indeed have a bearing in there.

I ordered it from the dealer as a bearing, and a bushing arrived. I just sent it back because the seal was enough to fix the leak.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:35 pm

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

It may not be a bushing like Troy says it is. I recently replaced my axle seal, and found that I did indeed have a bearing in there.

I ordered it from the dealer as a bearing, and a bushing arrived. I just sent it back because the seal was enough to fix the leak.

Yes some may have actual bearings,they switched to the bushings over the bearing sometime in '03.My original D30A that came with my KJ had actual bearings,the D30A diff I bought in early '04(april '04) came with plastic bushings instead of bearings.The bearings are no longer available,the bushing is what you will get.

Sport · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:48 am

Thanks guys fo the help. The leak isn't as bad as I thought in fact I don't even think it is leaking anymore. There is a little bit of old fluid on the diff but nothing new and I put some card board under the jeep and nothing has dripped on it.

I am going to order the parts that I need and soon I am planning on upgrading my front suspension so I will take care of all at once.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:50 am

Sport wrote:

Thanks guys fo the help. The leak isn't as bad as I thought in fact I don't even think it is leaking anymore. There is a little bit of old fluid on the diff but nothing new and I put some card board under the jeep and nothing has dripped on it.

I am going to order the parts that I need and soon I am planning on upgrading my front suspension so I will take care of all at once.

Better check your fluid level,if it just stopped leaking you may be out/low of fluid.

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:06 am

Sport wrote:

Thanks guys fo the help. The leak isn't as bad as I thought in fact I don't even think it is leaking anymore. There is a little bit of old fluid on the diff but nothing new and I put some card board under the jeep and nothing has dripped on it.

I am going to order the parts that I need and soon I am planning on upgrading my front suspension so I will take care of all at once.

There were only two places I noticed the leak.

1.) On the CV
2.) On my mudfilled skid plate. The mud was soaking up the oil so nothing wound up on the ground.

Sport · **Posted:** Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:49 pm

meh_kick wrote:

I had the same problem you're describing and replaced the axle seal and bearing. From my dealer, it was closer to $50 in parts. Was nice to have a three-jaw puller getting the old seal out.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... c&start=15

I will have to look into what a three-jaw puller is, any other special tools I might need to get this job done?

Sport · **Posted:** Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:32 pm

Well I checked the fluid level in the diff and as soon as I took the plug out oil started coming out, plenty of fluid in there. I have decided that it is a very slow moving leak from the failed seal. I have a pretty good idea of how to replace it after reading plenty of threads about the subject. I'll get to is shortly. thanks again.

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