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[oletrucks] Leaking pinion - Update

To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: [oletrucks] Leaking pinion - Update
From: MKlepp4335@cs.com
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 1999 19:59:44 EDT
  Well, I guess we are supposed to learn something everyday, and today I did 
just that.  My question last week was about my pinion leak under the pinion 
nut through the splines, not at the seal.  Here's the story.  
  Saturday I had her up on jack stands running at moderate RPM in 3rd gear 
for about 20 minutes.  Of course, it was a 104 degrees too.  Over night the 
leak seemed to get worse and I was fearing the worst, but the new seals 
seemed tight.  
  Tonight I took out the bottom bolt on the rear cover to drain out the 
grease and was surprised when it squirted out about 3 feet under pressure!  
Very soon it slowed to a trickle.  I was confused since I had just filled it 
a few days before and new there were almost 3 quarts in there.  When I opened 
the large fill plug, it started to drain normally.  When I put the fill plug 
back in and it all but stopped.  The light came on, it was a plugged vent.  
Sure enough, when I took off the vent cap, the vent was plugged tight with 
dried gear oil, dirt, etc.  
Diagnosis: As the  gears and oil heated up, it created pressure and was 
forcing oil out the easiest place it could find, past the splines.  I used 
some sealer under the washer and pinion nut and will refill the rearend and 
test tomorrow night.  I will keep you all posted on the progress.  
  I guess I proved that my new wheel and pinion seals work well though.  
Mike Klepp
'48 3100
Wichita Falls, TX
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959

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