With the age of the vehicle, a worn / failed pinion seal is the most likely cause. Inspect the pumpkin and cover for any damage. If it is apparent that the pinion seal is leaking, make sure the pinion bearing is inspected for excessive play. A worn bearing can eat through a new seal quickly. Have a certified technician inspect the axle and if found to be the cause, replace the pinion seal. Have it done as soon as possible. At the same time, have the axle seals inspected as well. Low gear oil level in the axle will damage gears and bearings in no time.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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Oil leaks from the hub oil seals of a live rear axle (See Replacing transmission oil seals ), may also leave traces on the inner surfaces of the wheels, or even get into the brakes . Leaks on to the wheels or brakes may also be caused by defective wheel bearings (See Removing wheel bearings ).
The pinion seal is located near the pinion shaft and is designed so that fluid does not leak out of the differential. Some vehicles have a rear pinion seal, where others have both a front and rear pinion seal, it just depends on the make and model of your vehicle and if the vehicle has rear or four wheel drive.
When the axle shaft seal fails, oil or transmission fluid can leak from the transmission or differential. If you notice these fluids are pooling under your car, especially after being parked, you should have your car serviced as soon as possible.
An axle seal leaks more during highway driving, so the oil drops on the driveway may not always be present. As more fluid is leaked out, the transmission fluid level drops and the transmission will start slipping. If not caught in time, the transmission may even get permanently damaged.
If there is significant fluid loss, so much that it affects the transmission, the vehicle should not be driven. If the leak is small and you can`t make it to an appointment for a few days, it is okay to drive your vehicle as long as you keep the transmission fluid full.
Depending on the amount of oil seeping through the gasket, this may leave noticeable traces of oil on the undersides of the differential housing. A seeping differential will usually be okay to drive for a while, however, it will eventually progress into a full on leak as time goes on.
A rear-wheel-drive vehicle`s differential is located between the rear wheels and is connected to the transmission by a driveshaft. both the front and rear wheels. Modern cars may have an electronic all-wheel drive that uses electric motors to power the rear wheels and adjust their speed as needed for turns.
U-Joints. The U-joint, responsible for connecting the drive shaft to the differential.
If your car is leaking a clear, water-like liquid it`s probably just that: water. A clear liquid could also be coolant, although this will likely have a coloured tinge to it (green, blue or yellow) and will have an odour, unlike water.
Broken Seals Your vehicle`s transmission has a series of seals that maintain the hydraulic pressure the transmission needs to function. These seals wear down over time and fluid will leak from the driveshaft, input shaft, output shaft, or from other transmission parts depending on where the worn seal is located.
A Leaking Rear Axle Seal
Can Damage Brake Parts If axle fluid is leaking onto the brake shoes, it it could also loosen the adhesive keeping the shoes together. The friction material could break off from the brake shoe and bind up inside the rotor. That could create a dangerous situation where the wheel has seized.
A rear main seal leak can be a major problem for your vehicle. It can result in serious damage to your car`s engine, which is why it`s important to have it repaired as soon as possible. If you think the oil level is too low, you should stop driving the vehicle.
A rear differential leak is an issue where differential oil seeps out of the rear differential`s housing. This happens when one of the mechanical seals in the differential has worn out or failed. The differential gasket, pinion seals, and side seals are some of the seals that can leak differential fluid if they go bad.
When your vehicle is leaking differential fluid, you may notice traces of oil on the underside of the differential or even puddles of fluid on the ground directly beneath your differential. You may also notice a whining sounds as the gears mesh since there may not be enough fluid for the gears to operate smoothly.
Never, under any circumstances, put engine oil in your differential. This will result in devastating damages to your engine. Engine oil is much different than gear oil, mostly it cannot withstand high pressure. Therefore, engine oil should never be used in place of gear oil.
All the components of the drive train — transmission, differential, and drive shafts — are in the front of the car. To fit all these components in the front, cars with a front-wheel drivetrain arrangement place the engine sideways in the car.
The driveshaft goes by many different names, such as propeller shaft, prop shaft, or driveline, and is a component of the drive train. It is a tube with connectors called yokes on the ends that connect to universal joints. These joints then connect the driveshaft to the engine or other stationary part.
The rear axle is located between the differential and the driving wheels and transmits power between the two, according to The Engineers Post. The rear axle is actually two halves — connected by the differential — with each part known as the half shaft.
The driveshaft is a cylinder, usually made of steel or sometimes aluminum, which connects the rear differential and your transmission. It works together with an axle and CV joint to allow torque from the transmission to reach the wheels and drive your vehicle at a steady speed.
The propeller shaft is a driving shaft which connects the transmission main shaft to the differential of the real axle. It transmits the power from gear box to rear axle with the help of universal joints. The propeller shaft is also known as drive shaft.
Since the axles going into the transmission, and the transmission itself, are made of metal, the axle seal houses a flexible seal that rides on the axle and keeps gear oil in, and crud out. The flexible seal uses a small amount of the gear oil in conjunction with the seal itself to achieve this task.
Leaks around the end of a rear axle are caused by one of two things. Either the outer axle seal (sometimes called a wheel seal) is leaking gear oil, or the brake wheel cylinder is leaking brake fluid.
If you see oil dripping on the back of your oil pan or on the front of your transmission bell housing it`s possible you have a rear main seal leak.
In the vast majority of cases, your car leaking water is usually condensation from the air conditioning system, or from the exhaust. If you see water dripping from under your car when ac is on around the rear of the engine compartment, it`s likely going to be just AC condensation.