Hey guys, while installing my Gibson exhaust last week i noticed oil on my rear diff. Took it to the dealership and they diagnosed the problem as the rear pinion seal, replaced it under warranty. After picking up the truck, i drove it about 40 miles home, when i got home i noticed a loud squeel coming from the rear. Called the dealership and they told me to call a wrecker and bring it back, luckily they covered the wrecker bill. My question is, when they replaced the rear pinion seal would they have to drain the diff fluid. After looking under the truck, the there was oil all over the rear of the housing, looked to be draining from the inspection plug. Any ideas?

 

No. Draining the fluid isn't required to change the seal. However, checking to make sure the proper amount of fluid is STILL in the rear, (since it was leaking) is required, before shoving it out the door again.

Overfilling it is almost impossible.

Overtorqing the pinion nut can cause issues.

Keep us posted.

 

Dodge is still having way too many problems with the 9.25 diff,
and they all seem to be related to
proper pre-load torque of the Pinion Nut
and proper thread locking to hold it.

 

The dealership is giving me the lovely runaround. Keep telling me that there is nothing wrong. Just called and asked if they could keep it over night to keep driving it. They cant repeat the sound it was making. Could this have just been a one time thing?

 

OK.....then ask them where the fluid came from, or did they justdo acrappy job the first time and leave the leaky gear lube on the housing?

The squeeling noise to me, at least, is more suspect of a U-joint, then a diff issue. Ring and pinions groan and grind, not squeel. If it is the ring and pinion, metaic residue will show up in the diff oil soon enough.

I'd suspect the mechanic pinched a U-joint pin bearing in the joint cap, before screwing up your ring and pinion. The driveshaft has to come out to replace the seal, and caps fall off u-joints all the time.

When it all comes down to it: You might as well drive it. If it's under warranty, they're liable if it takes a crap anyway.

 

its times like these im happy to have a 10.5 in the rear...

 

ok thanks for you input, my dad is going to go pick up the truck now and see what he can find out since the dealer proves there is nothing wrong. btw, here are the pictures.

[IMG]local://upfiles/25711/D7E4052CC4CF460E965A8D90EE21AEDF.jpg[/IMG]

 

That just looks like residue from them filling it last time...... Granted, I personally would have wiped it off before giving it back to the customer.

It may also be residue from the rubber cap, if the cap was dropped in the drain pan, and just pushed back in and not wiped very well.

It doesn't look bad at all, truthfully. The noise is another issue..............

 

Main issue with them filling it up, is they told me they did not check the fluid, specifically "we didnt do anything around the plug to cause the residue, all we did was replace the pinion seal". There was also a spot under the truck where i parked it waiting on the wrecker...so it had dripped. To me it looks like the bottom 2 bolts have been messed with.

 

Wow....a leaky (translated: lost fluid) pinion seal, and the dealership didn't check to see if the fluid level was low, AFTER replacing the seal....[:@]

Not surprized.............hacks.