Do i attempt to fix this weep?

[Boomy]

I have that oil leak at the end of the prop where it connects into the diff as you may remember.Now this isn't so much a "what do i do?" post, but it is more a "should i have a go?" affair.

From searches, all i remember reading about was just how awkward it can be due to the crush washer etc etc.

I'm no expert in the field of mechanics yet so despite getting what i think is the correct oil seal (round thing which has a spring on one side?) do you suggest i have a go myself or simply chuck it into a local garage?

Adding further to my confusion was the suggestion from a friend of mine who has worked on Fords most of his life that he always just "tightened things back up until they felt about right".He never marked any bolts or used a torque wrench etc and said he never had a problem.

I did jack the car up on that lifting device i have and took a quick picture but it came out pants.As i can't be bothered to go and get another, i spent a few hours in paintshop to show you which bit i mean so there is no confusion.

So, just how annoying/tricky a job is this for a first timer?

I love tinkering and am keen to learn, but if it involves me having to ring the doorbell of the neighbour 5 houses away to get back all my spanners that i chucked in annoyance, i would rather pay someone else i think.

[Blatman]

Crush washer depth is the key here. IMHO, it's one for the pro's, and by the sounds of it I wouldn't let your ex Ford mechanic mate within 100 miles of your car.

Getting the crush washer wrong will wreck the diff in fairly short order. So yes, it may be slightly more costly than you imagined, but it'll be cheaper than having to do the job twice.

If you want to get yer hands dirty, you can remove the diff yourself and take it along to your favourite transmission place. Taking them just the diff will cut down on labour cost dramatically...

[Mark B]

It's a bit of a pain of a job apparently, greenstreak (Andy Dowler) from our group has the same problem to sort & has been looking for a place to rebuild the diff, replace the seal & set it up.

You can remove & refit the diff yourself, but unless you're used to setting up the crush washers etc it's probably best to trust that job to someone who's done a few....

HTH

Mark.  

p.s. like the bit about retrieving the spanners  

Edit; must type faster!

[Boomy]

Ok thanks once again.

I was a bit confused by my old workmates suggestions too after reading stuff on here.

He wasn't a mechanic, he just had a passion for Granadas/Cortinas and Sierras so replaced many parts on all of them over the years.His Dad has a pit dug out in his garage so he was always fiddling in their with something.Maybe it was a simple case of changing cars so often he never ran into problems and the potential damage was passed on to the next owner or simply never occured due to the cars ending up in a breakers yard

So, at the risk of sounding silly yet again, does the diff have to come off to do this job?

You can't just drop the prop and gain access? (i know i should search again really)

[scruffythefirst]

I'm sure you can change the pinion oil seal without having to set up the backlash or crush washer.

[Steve R]

It's a professional job IMO.  The crush washer is disturbed if you change the seal as it's the same nut holding it all together.  

I took mine to Tran-X in Coventry when it needed doing on my Pre-lit.  I removed the diff myself first to save money and hassle with getting the car to them.  

Getting the diff out of the axle is a bit of a pain.  It *almost* comes out with the axle in place, but I found there isn't quite enough room.  Be prepared to have to unbolt the trailing links and panhard rod to allow the axle case to move enough to pop the diff out.

To be honest, if it's not that bad I'd live with it.

Steve.

[Boomy]

Right, sounds like a job i would probably end up screwing up then!.

Any ballpark figures if a garage were to do the work?

Possibly with the diff still in place if i drive it over

[Peter M]

If you are useing sierra/granada diff then replaceing pinion oil seal you dont need to worry about crush washer/backlash because undoing pinion nut will not affect these.

Take a look at this.

clicky

[Mike H]

Correct

In a sierra diff there is another nut under a shake proof washer thingy that holds the pinion in.  You just need to be able to stop the output shafts rotating while you yank like mad on a breaker bar to undo the nut.

Can't tell from your technical drawing if it's a live axle or IRS.

But then I think you've got a prelit haven't you? So disregard anything I've said.

Mike  

[gordonandmaureen]

if this is the seirra 7inch diff then you can fit a new pinion oil seal without disturbing the crush washer or nut if any Westie owner lives near wiltshire & is prepared  to bring the diff here i have all the tools & can carry out any repair from a oil seal to a complete o/h this service is for Westfield owners only as i am retired & dont need the hassle of a buisiness. Regards Gordon

[markcoopers]

Take it to a pro, as if it get damagd, you will have some comeback, but make sure before that the garage can actually do the job. I took a diff to my local Ford garage to change into an axle ,who when they all had it in bits phoned me for the Tourque setting for the pinion/input flange bolt. Imagine my surprise at beng asked to tell the experts what to do, not least as it does not have a tourque setting as such.

Taking the diff out, yep, remove halfshafts, then take the axle out, then take the diff out. However be warned this is heavy, and when your laying under it and the axle slips and the diff flange hits you in the face, it does hurt.

[Boomy]

Live axle on my car, but looking at those diagrams, i don't have the tools to do the job anyway  

When they say mark the position of the driveshaft and the bolts, do they just mean make sure the same bolts go back in the same holes, nothing more than that?

Gordon, why don't you live closer?

[Arm]

If its a small weep as you described then dont bother.

Dont let the mechanic touch it as he doesn't have a clue  (or the correct tools or the knowledge of when or how they should be used)

On the english axle the pinion nut and pinion flange are setting the crushable washer and hence bearing pre load.

[Rob Navin]

Trev at Tranzpower seems to be doing quite a few diff builds at the moment for guys oin here.

More than professional !

Let me know if you need more details.

[pistonbroke]

Why not get a scrap yard challenge replacement diff , swop it for yours , then flog yer old diff ont e'bay or WSCC for sale "leaky diff" dept .

Job done, no pissin about with washers and w.h.y.