Leaking fluid in front of pumpkin rear axle where drive shaft connects to get. Not sure if i have a bad rear pinion seal

Leaking fluid by rear pumkin casing where rear drive shaft connects. Not sure if i have a bad rear pinion seal or some thing else going on

My car has 120000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
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 ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

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.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Leaking fluid in front of pumpkin rear axle where drive shaft connects to get. Not sure if i have a bad rear pinion seal
ANSWER : 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.

Can front wheel drive car engine power rear wheel drive
ANSWER : Anything is possible with enough engineering. The changes you are looking at would take major structural changes and would definitely not be an easy job. You could possibly consult a manufacturing engineer to get more details on how this could actually be carried out and whether it would be feasible.

1985 mercury marquis v6 3.8 the seal on the rear end is leaking were the drive shaft connects to axle and it needs repaired.
ANSWER : Hi there. Remove the wheels from the vehicle with the vehicle on jack stands and remove all of the brakes. Then behind the brake spider plate, there is 4 bolts that is holding the axle shaft in place. Remove the bolts and remove the axle shaft. Use a seal remover and remove the seal. Put the new seal in and put the axle shaft back in. Install the bolts and torque them to spec. Then put the brakes back together and put the wheel back on and torque the lug nuts to spec. If you need further assistance with replacing the axle shaft seal, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.

I changed the axles in my car now I am having some transmission fluid leaking out.
ANSWER : There are spring loaded rubber seals that are pressed into a recess on each side of the aluminum differential case and through which the axle shaft rides. These seals must be replaced whenever the axles are replaced, otherwise transmission fluid leaks are likely. To access the seals and replace them the axles will have to be removed. Please note that the seals have to be placed squarely within the bore and that requires a seal installer. If the new seal is not installed such that the seal lip is perfectly perpendicular to the axle (i.e., not cocked in the bore), the new seal will leak as well. A special tool is required to pull the seals out. If you desire that new seals be placed by a certified Mechanic, dispatched by YourMechanic right to your location, please request axle shaft seal installation and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

Dana35 rear differential pinion bearing is shot and not sure if it can be pulled through the hole for the drive shaft
ANSWER : You have two pinion shaft bearings. The one that can be replaced by removing the driveshaft and flange on the rear end. You remove the seal and the bearing can be removed. The bearing race cannot be replaced this way if it is damaged. You have to disassemble the rear end and remove pinion shaft to knock out the race, and then you might as well replace the inner pinion bearing and race. The carrier would need to be removed for access and then you have access to the carrier bearings. The two outer axle bearings and seals should then be replaced, or you could replace the complete rear end. If you would like to have this looked at, an expert technician from YourMechanic can come from your location to give your car a comprehensive inspection and advise you on the correct repair.

aloha! i was told it would cost me $1870 to get a rear axle replacement. i have a 2006 toyota sequoia with mileage of 80,000. it
ANSWER : Aloha. Ah – the infamous "it’s all gone" excuse. To be quite blunt, you’re being ripped off. If a professional mechanic can’t explain what exactly is damaged with any mechanical component, they are taking advantage of you. I would get your car back and contact a different mechanic. Or, feel free to send us some information about the symptoms your car is experiencing that led you to take the car to the mechanic in the first place. Maybe we can help diagnose your issue and allow you to bring that info to a different mechanic. Mahalo.

Transmission axle sea
ANSWER : You didn’t mention that you had the axle replaced but if you did the new axle may be the wrong one for your car, or you may have to get the replacement axle and seal from the dealer.

This vehicle in particular may have had a certain year of seal and axle, which then changed during the following year or mid year. The only way to get it correct may require the specific dealer parts by using your VIN number, it’s the only way to get the correct ones if you keep having issues with aftermarket parts. I’d recommend having a certified mechanic diagnose it to help you find the right replacement for your axle shaft seal.

Rear seal leaking and the axle shaft bending on a 2002 Jeep Liberty
ANSWER : A lot of things can go wrong. You want to pray that it’s not the actual part of the engine worn and wobbling and eating the seal out, because if the shaft is bent (and this often happens) –you’d want to check the motor and transmission mounts, too. Because, if the motor or transmission mounts are worn, then the engine and transmission bounces around a lot and the shaft bounces too much and starts to leak.

A lot of times, that’s it. Now, when it comes to the seal, my advice is to go to the dealer. Go to a Jeep dealer and buy the seals from them. You don’t want to mess with the aftermarket because you want something that is perfectly made. I myself sometimes have gotten aftermarket seals for those and I put them on and they leaked a month or two later because the seals were bad. Now, when I work on those, the only things I use are the dealer’s Jeep seals. I won’t buy them anywhere else.