Help with Diff input seal

[edhorne]

Dear all

I have noticed a leak which I am fairly certain is coming from the input seal on my diff . I think it has probably been caused by an out of balance propshaft (but that is another story).

Could anyone provide a step-by-step guide as to its replacement and can it be done in situ (I have access to a ramp)?

Is it just a case of undoing the nut and putting in a new seal? I have searched the archives but with limited success.

Thanks in advance.

Ed

[WIL35]

I changed my diff input oil seal a year or so back, when I had my 4.2. It was pretty straightforward. The only extra thing I did was to get a length of 25mm angle iron, drill a couple of holes the same space apart as those that hold the propshaft to the diff flange. This was used to stop the thing turning when undoing the large nut in the middle of the flange, it wedged against the lower chassis rail with a piece of wood to protect the chassis.

Process was:
Remove frame from under exhaust
Remove exhaust from cat back
Remove heatshield (might be possible to leave in place, can't remember!)
Mark the propshaft to diff joint to enable refitting the same way
Drain Diff
Undo 4 nuts and bolts connecting prop to diff (my car could be rolled along to enable each of the bolts to be accessed from below one at a time)
Cable tie the propshaft out of the way in the tunnel
Attach angle iron to one side of the diff flange using nuts and bolts
Undo centre bolt. I used a breaker bar with a short extension, but I don't remember it being ridiculously tight.
Pull out flange to expose the seal. I didn't drain the oil first as the drain plug felt very tight, I was just ready to catch the oil at this point
Lever out the old seal
Clean up the housing and fit new seal
Then reassemble and refill!

I was pleased to not have the smell of burning diff oil on the exhaust after this was done!

[edhorne]

That's great thanks for that.

From reading other threads you have to set the backlash between crownwheel and pinion and replacing crush washers? I could have got the wrong end of the stick of course!

Perhaps I'll mark it all up and make sure it goes back on to the same place.

Cheers

Ed

[Brummmie]

You might get away with just tightening it up to where it was before, however if you tighten it so that the washer collapses further, then you will reduce backlash. It does take alot of effort to collapse the washer so just dont over do it and use threadlock.