hinglemccringleberry

2013 2wd. How concerned should I be about this? Truck has 38k miles and has otherwise been great. How big a concern are the damp spots where the axle meets the pumpkin? I showed my dealer back when it was still under the 36k warranty and they said they couldn't do anything because "Its a normal seep and no oil is dripping". Any thoughts? Would cranking on the diff bolts stop the diff cover seep? Anyone know the correct torque spec for the bolts? Thanks in advance

Wesley416

I would be concerned but I'm odd about those things. The torque spec is 33 ft lbs Depending on your mileage and use it may be worth a change of fluid. Its cheap insurance fluid and rtv I like to use "The Right Stuff" rtv gasket maker others have their preference but for under $50 it'd be worth it to me.

You could also clean the area with a rag and a lil degreaser and see how long it takes to return at the very least I'd pop out fill plug and check level. Good luck take care.

Daniejw

Under warranty? Dealer should fix that. There’s nothing normal about a leak/seep...

K9-Ex

Mine did the same thing with only 5000 miles on it. I brought it in they fixed it no questions asked.

montanaman

Mine got a new pinion seal at 50k miles.

jhanna

That is a leak, no one should dispute that. My experience is leaks either stay the same or get worse. Never seen one "fix itself".

If it bothers you, fix or have it fixed, under warranty even more better. But, understand somebody is going to be working on your vehicle, and sometimes that's worse than the problem itself.

In the meantime, keep an eye on it, and keep a check on the fluid level, if it looks worse. The amount of "staining" that you currently have could have been made with less than a teaspoon of fluid, too little to even show a low fluid level.

I currently have similar leaks on both front/rear diff of my Jeep Wrangler, been the same for 7+ years now, no better/no worse.

Pyroman_28

Seeing as the diff cover has to come off anyway to fix the leak, I'd use this as an opportunity to replace the cover with a unit that has a drain/fill so it makes changing the diff fluid significantly easier!

hinglemccringleberry

The fluid level is normal. The diff bolts are completely tight. So this is just a slight defect in the gasket I guess. Do you know if overtightening the bolts could actually overcompress the gasket and cause a seep? It seems like the bolts are cranked past 33ft lbs though I could be wrong. (I dont have a torque wrench, i went by feel - I cant crank on them any more than they already are).
2jhanna, it sounds like you're right, I've lost an undetectable amount of gear oil. The diff cover has looked like this for the last few years at least. I will degrease those spots and see how long it takes to return. At this rate, a few years.
I guess I can forget about it for now and just change the gear oil at the regular maintenance interval. And yes, I will get a cover with a drain plug.

How about the damp spots where the axle meets the diff?

jhanna

Axle tube leaks aren't uncommon, you can google "axle tube leaking at housing" and have much info to read.

If you pull the cover, google " lube locker gasket", it's a reusable cover gasket that many like instead of silicon.

One thing to check, make sure your diff vent is open and not plugged or clogged. When the fluid gets hot, pressures build, and if the vent is clogged, it could force fluid out.

The diff isn't normally under any pressure.

jeffinthebag

On my 2013. In the first 1,000 my pinion seal started to seep and drip. Dealer replaced it immediately. That was in the first few months of ownership. 5 years later, it's still perfect.