Can someone tell me the proper way to do this? I have a front axle seal leak and i need to check the fluid and top it off incase its all gone. The haynes manuel says i have to take the cover off, but there is a bolt in the front of the differental cover. I dont have a tool that can screw it off, but it looks like i can just put my ratchet wrench in it and it will open. Only problem is RUST. If i get this off can i just top the oil off?

heres the pic of what im talkin about...


[IMG]local://upfiles/66844/BE9DC3FBEEA74A6E80C551E2F4A06D9D.jpg[/IMG]

 

anyone anyone?[8D]

 

you got it , just stick the 3/8 ratchet on it , mite be easy ifyou used a 3/8 extension.. just use you finger tip in the hole either you can feel it or you tip gets wet then its full....while you at it check the rear..

 

Yeah what he said. If you can stick your pinky in and feel fluid it is fine. Or nearly a half inch lower than the hole. If not add some fluid.

 

But why not pull the plate and fix the leak? Loosen the bolts, dain the gear oil, take the whole plate off,scrape off the RTV, and put some new on there (make a circle around each bolt hole.) Get the permatex oil resistant RTV and let it set an hour or so before you put the oil back in. There's a DIY in one of the stickies at the top of this forum. Takes like 2.1 quarts or so (go full synthetic).Get somewith a friction modifier in it if you have an LSD inthere.

 

Thats great advice, but his cover doesn't leak, he said he has an axle seal leak.

You can continue to keep topping off your differential, but I would definetely get your axle seal leak fixed soon.

 

thanks guys. I got someone that will tear the whole front end apart and rebuild it for 200 bucks, so im gonnajump on that next week. that ujoint is goin bad too, i put it in 4hi last night and when i went to turn left that wheel was lockin up and hoppin. its gotta get to the shop SOON

 

HA!

I totally forgot what the leak was and just saw the oil on the diff case!

I really need to drink more er, less.

 

They pretty much covered it. Just take that plug out and add fluid through there. If it comes up to the first bend in your finger it should be fine. If not I'd add it until a little runs out then stick the plug back in. The plug on mine was a square plug I just stuck vise grips on it but that doesn't look like how yours is. Yours looks almost like it's made flat with the cover and indents in to put a wrench in. Maybe it's just the picture.

 

you can stick a ratchet right in it. only problem is its rusted completely. i cant get it out to save my life. any ideas? wd 40 dont work.