Drivetrain Rear Pinion Seal Leaking Nut Was Loose

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

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Fort Worth Texas

Apr 27, 2014

#1

• Apr 27, 2014

• #1

Guys I got my drive shaft off after finding a leaking rear pinion seal(so i thought). When I went to take the nut off it just turned.... No force needed. Could have turned it with my hand most likely.

I took it to dyno shop 1.5 years ago. He noticed it was leaking then. But since I had the car I never saw a leak in the driveway. I put a ton of miles on the car in a year. Highway driving. So I never worried about it. Well I had that car up on ramps working on the front end for about 2 straight weeks. I noticed a tiny puddle starting to appear from the rear end. Jacked it up on stands and here I am.

My question. It only looked like it was leaking from the threads. Everything else was bone dry. Do you think the seal is bad or should I just tighted the nut down and call it a day?

 

7991LXnSHO

wanna catch the space herp

10 Year Member

Sep 1, 2010

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Kearney, NE

Apr 28, 2014

#2

• Apr 28, 2014

• #2

This is from my experience with older cars. While it is that far apart, check where the seal rides for a wear groove, bearing play and replace the seal because it is cheaper now. Use some RTV on the nut going back together.

 

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

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Nov 29, 1999

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Apr 28, 2014

#3

• Apr 28, 2014

• #3

if its leaking from the threads, theres fluid getting by the seal, just replace it while your in there. cheap insurance to aoid having to tear it apart again in the near future

 

84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

5 Year Member

Jul 2, 2009

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Apr 28, 2014

#4

• Apr 28, 2014

• #4

I'm lazy... Tighten that sucker up and rock and roll!

 

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

727

144

74

Fort Worth Texas

Apr 28, 2014

#5

• Apr 28, 2014

• #5

Yeah I went ahead and pulled the seal. I almost tightened her back up(locked cocked and ready to rock)!

Buuuuuuuttt. I went for a new seal. I just hope I can judge the correct tension on the nut so that I don't go over or under on the crush bearing!

 

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

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Apr 28, 2014

#6

• Apr 28, 2014

• #6

You should be able to.

 

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

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Nov 29, 1999

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Apr 28, 2014

#7

• Apr 28, 2014

• #7

If its a parts store piece, make sure its got the thread locker coating on it or use some to keep it from backing off

 

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

727

144

74

Fort Worth Texas

Apr 28, 2014

#8

• Apr 28, 2014

• #8

Is there a feel to the crush bearing and putting the nut back on? Something I should listen for, feel for, or etc?

As I backed it off I marked the wrong thing.... But I did count how many turns I made. But without marking the nut properly I actually counted cranks with the socket wrench. So I counted 50 cranks. I think I got 3 cranks per full rotation. So about 16-17 turns. I hope this logic works...

 

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

727

144

74

Fort Worth Texas

Apr 28, 2014

#9

• Apr 28, 2014

• #9

I watched this video too late...
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pCy0Xdz6SNI

 

Reactions: Black GT

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

727

144

74

Fort Worth Texas

Apr 30, 2014

#10

• Apr 30, 2014

• #10

So I put my new seal in. Got the nut on and started to tighten. The amount of revolutions was wrong. The flange was still loose and rocked. So I started to tight further till is stopped rocking. Well. I had to tight the nut all the way until it stopped(as in it was a pretty easy loose turning with the wrench and then all of a sudden it stopped turning). At that point the flange was tight enough it stopped rocking and seemed to be solid again.

Did I go too far with the nut or did I get it right? I didn't tug on it real hard. Just snugged it with the socket wrench a little.

 

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

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Nov 29, 1999

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Apr 30, 2014

#11

• Apr 30, 2014

• #11

should be safe. You have to REALLY crank on them to crush that sleeve, sounds like you're right up against it.

 

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

727

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74

Fort Worth Texas

Apr 30, 2014

#12

• Apr 30, 2014

• #12

Saaweet! Hearing you say that makes me feel better bout it. I sprung for the Mobile 1 with FM built in so I didn't want to lose that $40 worth of fluid because I tightened a nut down too far... One of the reasons I love stangnet!

 

stang89bidges

Advanced Member

Mar 14, 2014

727

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74

Fort Worth Texas

Jun 17, 2014

#13

• Jun 17, 2014

• #13

Update. I drove the car about 100 miles so far after the rear end went back on and no problems so far!