Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) rearend is leaking fluid at where driveshaft meets

[VHolloway]

ok the only thing i can find is a rubber hose that runs from axle to under the bed where the rear shock

on the driver side

is this the vent tube

I tryed to clean it out with brake cleaner and it shot back out

the only thing I can say is HELP

I want to check this vent deal out

before taking it to a shop and turning it over god only knows who

and making dam shure they don't test drive it without me in it

if it's the vint that would save me a lot of BS

 

[gtwitch]

vent tube

Yes that is the vent tube that I was refering to . I did drain and refill my rearend at the same time and it had a very small amount of moisture in it that was causing the water vapor that was freezing in the vent tube. Your problem could be water or mud that has plugged the vent tube. When I had the cover off of the rearend I took the air hose and blew the obstruction back into a rag on top of the Ring gear and that seemed to open up the vent line. RTV the cover as there is no gasket that I could find and then l filled with synthetic gear lube (I used AMZOIL) and no more seal leaking for at least two winters and this only happened in the winter. I still have a new seal that I bought under the seat in case.



gtwitch in wyoming

 

[VHolloway]

DOES THE COVER NEED TO BE OFF BEFORE I CAN CLEAN THE TUBE

it seems blocked up

i tryed to blow in it and you can't

brake cleaner did not open it up

what's next

 

[gtwitch]

If you blow back thru the tube and there is mud in the rubber tube plugging it, the mud or whatever is plugging it will go into the oil and bearings in the differential, I don't think this will be good, besides , it sounds like you may have water in the oil in the rearend

 

[VHolloway]

if the seal was bad it would let me blow air in.

i can't

so does that mean the seal is still good

the cover needs to come off no matter what

 

[DCreed]

3/4 ton? Dana 80.



RTV will work fine



Godspeed,

Trent

in 1999,

3/4 = dana 70

1 ton dually = dana 80

 

[JGoss]

A buddy of mine bought a used 02' 3500 4x4. The previous owner said he had trouble with the rear pinion seal leaking, I think he replaced it 4 or 5 times. He finally found that dirt got in the seal and wore a groove in the pinion. He replaced both pinion and seal which fixed the problem. My buddy had to put yet another seal in it when he got it, and guess what, another leak. What could be causing this. The pinion and housing look good. Are the seals junk? Just seeing if others are acting up as well??

 

[Bob4x4]

in 1999,

3/4 = dana 70

1 ton dually = dana 80

Except with manual trans,than Dana 80

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

JGoss,

He may be overfilling it. Have him check owners manual for proper level. I filled mine to the bottom of the fill hole and it would leak out. Finally discovered the proper fill level, quit overfilling and it quit leaking. Imagine that!

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[VHolloway]

hold the H*** on does my truck have a dana 80 or 70

and what about the front is that a 80 or 70 the truck has limited slip and 410

if the seal is bad how will I know

can we drive it

I'm going crazy over this:-{}

 

[VHolloway]

something not clicking the books are telling me fill to the edge of the fill hole on flat ground

and that's full

now the front is filled to the edge some even comes out when you take out the plug out but the seal never leaks

we take it out and drive it in 4x4 every once in a wile and it never leaks a drop

so that tells me that the back seal must be bad

am I on the rite track with this

we are going to take it to a shop that does tranmission re pair just around the corner from us

this job is to big for me

there is a guy on ebay that has clear covers for this rear end

cool looking

 

[gtwitch]

Still sounds like the vent line is plugged if you can't get air to go thru it!!

Check it again, if there is no where for expanding air to go when things warm up, the seal will releive itself.



gtwitch in wyoming

 

[VHolloway]

how do you get the hose off

cut it

I did spray break cleaner down thru it and it shot back out

the tip of the hose was clean

 

[JGoss]

JGoss,



He may be overfilling it. Have him check owners manual for proper level. I filled mine to the bottom of the fill hole and it would leak out. Finally discovered the proper fill level, quit overfilling and it quit leaking. Imagine that!



Godspeed,

Trent

I know it leaked a small amount before new seal, and now it is leaking a lot. I'll mention to him that 1/4" below plug is enough. Thanks

 

[gtwitch]

The hose just goes up inside the frame and is held there with an adel clamp so you can get that end loose and the other end on top of the diff is screwed in I think but I did not take that end loose because I had the cover off.



gtwitch in Wyoming

 

[VHolloway]

When I Get Around To Taking The Cover Off I Think Im'm Going To Try Some Hoppe's #9 Gun Solvent To Clean It Out

Then Spray It Out With Brake Cleaner

Then Fill Her Up With Some Synthetic Gear Oil

Drive It Over To The transmission Shop And Say Fix That Seal

I Don't Have The Tools To Get It Rite I Thank A transmission Shop Would

The Guy Told Me On The Phone It Would Not Be A Big Deal He Could Do It

I Told The Guy I Never Drop Off My Cars We Stay With Them

He Was Cool With That

 

[VHolloway]

I learned a big lesson if i can help it we will never take this truck muding

ever. my wife is rite WHAT WAS I THINKING

WE HAVE ALLWAYS DROVE THAT TRUCK NICE AND EASY

IT HAS 178K ON IT

I COULD KICK MY SELF IN THE

WELL YOU KNOW

 

[VHolloway]

Ok the gray 1999 service manual

ram truck 1500-3500 2 wheel drive-4 wheel drive manual

page 3-97

defferential service

lubricant change

it tell's you to fill to bottom of the fill plug hole

CAUTION OVERFILLING THE DIFFERENTIAL CAN RESULT IN LUBRICANT FOAMING AND OVERHEATING



SO I'M NOT OVER FILLING IT

 

[gtwitch]

I still think that If you get the vent line cleaned the pressure inside the diff will be able to not build up and then the seal will quit leaking. The seal will not stop very much pressure from the inside. On the other hand the mudding probably did not do the seals much good. Listen to your wife, they may not understand much mechanical stuff but sometimes my wife surprises me.



gtwitch in wyoming

 

[VHolloway]

I'm Going To Get Up In The Morning And Take Off The Cover Off

I May Try Some Gun Cleaner Like Hoppe's#9 Love The Smell Of That Stuff

And Brake Cleaner

I Bet With The Cover Off

That Will Let Me Blow Out The Vent Line

I Don't Think You Can Blow Thru The Vent Line With The Cover On

So We Will Clean It Out And Fill It Up And See What Happends