rare front differential oil leak
This one has me stumped - I have an 03 H2 with 66k miles - never been offroad. I replaced the front diff. oil seals about 6k miles ago when I noticed they were leaking (oil running down the case and output shaft flanges). I also replaced both half shafts at the same time as the boots were torn /and/ or they were noisy.
Everything was fine until a couple weeks ago. I am now seeing what looks, feels and smells like the front diff. oil appearing on the seam where the drivers side output flange meets the half shaft flange. As I drive, that oil is then flung onto the undercarriage in that area. I repeatedly checked the front diff. oil level and it is full.
I pulled the flanges apart the other day and found a small amout of oil in the space between, with no obvious sign where it came from. The output shaft flange (inboard side that faces differential is perfectly clean, i.e. no evidence of oil leaking from the seal and leaving an oil stain as it runs down the flange.
Only the outside perimiter of the flange shows oil (see pics). The end cap of the half shaft (concealed when flanges bolted together) is intact and seems fine and I wouldn't expect the grease inside it to resemble diff. oil anyway. How is oil getting in between these flanges? I have looked and looked and can't see oil anywhere else from above that would be dripping down onto the flange. Could there be a pinhole in output shaft and oil is traveling through it? I thought the shaft was solid.
I am open for any help or suggestions.
I will post a couple pics once I figure out how to insert them.
|