Random Oil Leak!

[maggoo]

Hey guys

I looked under my car the other day and to my surprise there was oil everywhere!

So i traced it back and it looked like it was coming out my rear diff breather.
Cleaned it all up and there has been no more leak.

I was wondering what could have caused this?

I just put a new teraflex diff cover on and changed the oil a few weeks ago.
I filled up the specified amount. (4 pints / 1.9L)
Did I overfill it?
Does it require less oil now that it has an ARB Air locker? ( first oil change since getting it put it)

Now that it has stopped leaking can i assume it has the correct amount of oil in there and not have to worry?


Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Paul

P.S I have a 97 TJ Wrangler. Rear diff - d44, ARB, 4.56 ratios

[sht50]

engage the rear locker and see if it comes back out the breather again, the orings in the arb locker might be shot and pressurising the diff and forcing it out the breather.

[Rosie]

^^^ What he said, chances are the Air Locker is pressurising the diff and pumping oil out the breather. I would assume that if you've lost a heap of oil your level is now probably lower.

Also make sure the Teraflex cover does still take the same amount of oil.

[skwake]

Did you just put the locker in?? And did you do it or a shop? It might not be this but just to check.
There is a whole page in the ARB install instructions about early model TJ axle castings requiring a new oil return notch to be grinded into the axle housing to allow oil to drain back into the diff center. The Arb bearings are a different setup with the shims on the outside and they block off the factory oil return port on the early model D44 castings so oil pressurises in the axle shafts and either blows out your breather hose or blows your axle seals at the wheels.
I found this out when I installed my locker (97 TJ) I ground out a little notch the same as the instructions said but turns out it needed to be bigger so I made a bigger one. Easy to do at home if you can swing a spanner and have a dremel.
Pull the wheels off, shafts out, diff cover off, bearing retainers off (dont mix them up) carrier out (dont mix up the shims) then get some rags and plug the axle shaft holes and wrap pinion etc just so no metal goes anywhere it shouldnt then grind the notch (mines about 20mm wide) clean and put back together.

[maggoo]

I am pretty sure i just over filled it.

Ill test the locker tomorrow. But since I put the covers on I havent used it so i dont think it is the O-ring.

I got the locker installed at a shop. Took it back the next day after receiving it because he forgot to drill out the extra drain hole. So i know thats all good.

[skwake]

Hmm yeah might just be overfilled then