Front differential seal leaking
Is the pinion seal on the rear differential leaking or do you have a four wheel drive Camaro?
1 Like
Rear differential onlyā¦
Replace the pinion seal, while doing so inspect the yoke for damage in the seal area and check for metal particles in the seal. Metal particles from a failing pinion bear can get into the pinion seal and cause it to leak.
my 79 has 1:2.41 gears. oof. bonneville gears. i bet yours are close. pulling the pinion is no fun.
You must mean the FRONT SEAL on the differential. All Camaros were rear wheel drive only!
I believe that every GM 10 & 12 bolt axle pinion seal that I replaced was the result of pinion bearing failure.
2 Likes
Replacing the pinion seal is a matter of dropping the shaft and loosening the big nut on the pinion. Its not like you need to tear apart the diff to do the jobā¦ however if I recall correctly, there is a modern problem with this seal replacement and it has to do with the availability of the correct seal. Mr. @Rod_Knox also mentions a great source of seal failure that you need to look intoā¦as any new seal will be destroyed by a failed or failing pinion bearingā¦so you need to be sure about its health.
This video will tell you what you need to know. If it werenāt for this seal availability issueā¦you could simply swap the seal and be done with itā¦ This seal availability (and bearing health or lack thereof) might actually be why you need to address a leak in your diff to begin with. Watch the videoā¦bout all you need to know.
Heh heh. Just like a wax ring for a toilet flange. Buy two of them because sometime one is not enough. Reminded me. Prolly 20 years ago I was in the Walmart hardware aisle about 8:00 at night and a kid maybe 16 came by and asked if I knew where the toilet seals were. His dad, obviously busy with the project, sent him down for the part. They are only a dollar apiece so I told him to buy two in case they had to be doubled up and save another trip.
1 Like
The seal is easy. If the bearing preload is set by a crush sleeve, and I believe it may be on this car, you should replace it to be sure you get the preload set right. Thatās tough to do on your back under the carā¦
2 Likes
Point was the seal has been discontinued and how to jimmy a part to fit. Seal was easy, getting the part was not.
Yeahā¦ Mr. @TwinTurbo makes an excellent point yet again and as usual (ā¦yawn, itād be more interesting to see him post something incorrect sometimes just so I could wave my hand and go Oooh ooohā¦like in elementary school, but alas, the man knows his stuff and is nearly infallable with good advice).
Sometimes I have to remember that i need to tell people about the things that I just take for granted that they already know, especially when it comes to machines etc. Brings up some funny stories in the past that had a āwhy didnāt you tell me that in the first place sort of themeāā¦ Iām a work in progress I suppose.
Assuming this car has the original 10-bolt with 8.5" ring gear, the pinion seal and crush sleeve are still readily available.
How does one check pinion preload with the ring gear in situ? No way to freely spin the pinion.
Good point about the preload @Bugmenot ā¦ Iād just replace the seal and put her back together as it sits more than likely be just fine.
Reading your post reminded me that I have a strip of wire with 5 or 6 various crush rings in my tool box. Iām clueless where they came from but feel sure that some time long ago I had a rear end pinion out but needed a new crush sleeve and likely it was on a Saturday and the job was promised to be ready Monday at 7:00a.m. Itās unlikely that I ever came up short on that 2 bit part again.
1 Like
Haha @Rod_Knoxā¦ yeah Plasti-Gaugeā¦ I still encounter pieces of it here and there between my home, garage and other illogical or strange places. Tool box drawers, coffee tables, in corners etcā¦
To be perfectly honest, I cannot recall one single time I actually threw a piece in the trash canā¦ they get āreadā or āmeasuredā via the chart and then somehow mysteriously leave the sceneā¦or so it seems. LOL Apparently they have plans of their own and wind up haunting you somehowā¦
Yeah, I donāt get the āhard to findā comments. Rock auto lists 5 for the 5.0 engine.
But where is it the minute you need it @texases and @Bugmenot ? For 20+ years there were no parts stores open after noon on Saturday here where I worked on cars. And I wonder if any of the McParts stores stock that piece today? Of it the person on the counter even knows what it is. There is only one old local parts store here now and it still closes at noon on Saturday.