Hi all. My rear end was leaking oil about 1 week ago and I got it fixed the day after the minor oil leak. Probably 50 miles or so with leaking oil and I'd say not even a 1/2 cup leaked out.
Anyway, I took it to a shop to get it fixed and it was the pinion seal that was busted (hole where the driveshaft goes into the rear end, small one. I think its the pinion seal??). They had it fixed in a few hours. Ever since then, the rear end WHINES like crazy, especially when I let off the gas and coast. It also does it when I'm crusing at a steady speed. It doesn't whine much under medium to heavy acceleration.

Is this normal with a gear oil and seals change? Or did they screw my gears up and I need to take it down there immediately? I've driven it about 200 miles with it like this. No other problems. Thanks!

 

my guess is they didn't reinstall the pinion nut in the same location it was before they removed it. i'd not drive it untill i had it checked out.

 

If I had to guess, I'd say the shop that did the seal screwed it up. I won't say they did, because I wasn't there watching, but that would be my guess. As easy of a job it looks to be, very few people know how to properly replace the pinion seal. Usually people overtighten the pinion nut causing the bearings to Brinell and become Fatigued. This usually causes a "growling" type or similar noise. If there is now a "whine", it sounds like perhaps they didn't give it enough pre-load causing the pinion to move for and aft changing the gear tooth contact pattern.


Edit: Ede, you snuck in while I was typing... It wouldn't hurt to have it checked, but since he already put 200 miles on it, it may not be fixable without a new ring and pinion

 

bliss i have fast fingers i guess. just glad you said the same thing i did so i didn't look like the dumbass i really am.

 

LOL @ Ede!!!!

 

Not enough preload on the pinion bearings when it was re-assembled would be my guess.

Miles
Diff Solutions
www.9bolt.com

 

Looks like the "guesses" are unanimous. I would go back and raise hell and insist that they pay to have it fixed by somebody else who knows what they are doing. Don't let them tell you it was because of low fluid either. If that was the case, it would have been noisy before the repair. If they didn't document on the Repair Order that it was noisey before repair, then they have no case.

 

Unless the shop is full of retards theres no way thier going to go for the "it wasent like that before". The low oil from the pinion seal could have caused damage, we dont know how much it really leaked or the condition of the oil to begin with. Usually pinion seals dont just start leaking unless there is good cause, age doesent seem to be much of a factor with pinion seals. The low/worn oil could have been a factor that I would not dismiss.

Now thats said, I would check the pinion nut, If the nut came loose that could cause noise, you should always replace the pinion nut when its removed, locktite and smack the tab in.

 

I ended up taking it down to the same shop immediately this morning. 230 bucks of damage, most was labor. Took them a long time to fix it. The front pinion bearing went bad.

Heres what they replaced
Front Pinion Bearing
Bearing Race (typo for brace maybe?)
Pinion seal (which I had replaced 7 days ago g'damnit!)
Pin bolt

Well it rides like a dream now.. My step dad said "look at it this way 230 is a lot, but its not even close to your friends 03 Mustang pony edition payment and yours is faster."

 

No, you had it right, its bearing race. The race is pressed into the axle housing and it needs to be knocked out and a new one tapped in. You always replace the race w/ the bearing.

$230 and no mention of a new crush sleeve????? With workmanship like that, its no wonder the bearing got toasted after the repair

 

bliss i thought the same thing when i read his parts list no crush sleeve and nut, i always replace the pinion nut when i take one off.

 

lol I was just thinking the same thing, that crush collar is responsible for more rear end grenades than just about anything else, and they used the same one????????? I don't know if the haynes has anything about rear ends in it, but I am sure even that would say DO NOT USE A USED CRUSH COLLAR!!! lol I am not sure I would trust that rear end yet....