im not sure if im really correct....but a lil while back i noticed some drops in the garage and they were really goopy...i took a look at my i-pipe and i noticed a spot were it was pitch black and sticky. I've noticed that my take offs blow...and so i had some rear end fluid add and i noticed taht it made my launches a lot more solid...it really just made my whole care more solid and sturdy it seemed....but after a week or 2, this died off and now it is back to bein sh*tty....anyone have ideas? i think this seal/gasket may be split or somethin cuz it has thrown stuff all over the stock i-pipe before and now im guessin its doin the same to my loudmouth....

if this is the case and that seal needs to be fix...id like to do it myself....ive installed a pro 5.0 shifter...it was pretty easy, did CAGs! that was easy...am i gettin into somethin a lil deeper with the pinion seal...or should i be able to handle it...? is there anything else that could be my problem?

any help will be greatly appreciated...thanks again

 

Sounds like the pinion seal. If it is, it's not easy to get to. You have to pull everything apart to get to it in the rear end.

 

Changing a pinion seal is a LOT more involved than a shifter or CAGS! install. It is a doable job, even for a beginner, if you take your time and are organized.

To replace the pinion you will be disassembling the rear differential. This involves first removing the rear cover to drain the fluid. The rear tirea need to be removed and the rear brakes unbolted and hung aside with clothes hangers to keep tension off the brake lines.

The carrier bolts in the differential are then removed, as is the driveshaft. Both are simple to undo.

The C-clips then are removed from the axles to facilitate removing the ring gear and posi unit. This is fairly straight forward. The important part is keeping the shims holding in the posi organized. If you don't, it will jack up the ring/ pinion alignment when you reassemble the differential.

Once the C-clips and posi unit are out, the pinion gear can be removed.

Then the pinion seal can be removed and a new one pounded in.

Assembly is the reverse.

I'd strongly suggest replacing the bearings in the differential since it's all apart. Just my $0.02. The posi and pinion shaft would need to be taken to a auto or machine shop with a press to replace these.

Total time if you've never done this before would be around 6 hours. It's a lot faster after the first time.
Schantin
1997 Camaro Z28

 

Schantin posted the right way to change your pinion seal, but there is an easier way to do it. I just did mine about a month ago. It does not require taking your rear end apart. You don't even need to take your cover off if your fluid is new.

You need to drop your drive shaft. The next step is most important. You need to measure the depth of the pinion nut. Buy a cheap $20 set of calipers and measure from the end of the threaded pinion shaft to the pinion nut. It is critical that you tighten the pinion nut back down to the exact same depth. I also marked the pinion nut, pinion shaft, yoke, driveshaft, and differential housing with white out so I could put everything back together in the same way it came apart.

Remove the 7/8" pinion nut which I believe uses a 1-1/4 inch socket. You then want to use a puller to remove the yoke from the splined pinion shaft. Fluid will drain out here if you didn't remove your cover. Take a good look at the yoke and make sure there is not a real deep groove worn in it. If it is not real worn, you might want to give the groove area a quick polishing with some steel wool or emory paper. Use a large flat blade screw driver or other suitable device to pry out the old seal.

Clean the entire area and install the new seal. Use a piece of wood and a hammer to drive the new seal in place. Just make sure not to damage or distort the new seal when installing it. I put a little fresh gear oil on the seal lip before reinstalling the yoke. Be sure the seal lip stays 100% clean. Any contamination will quickly destroy the seal lip and you will be doing this all again.

Lightly tap the yoke back on the pinion shaft. Apply a drop or two of loctite to the pinion nut. Tighten the pinion nut back to the exact same depth you measured before you took it off. I had mine within a thousandth or two.

Reinstall your driveshaft and filll your rearend back up with gear oil and limited slip additive and you will be good to go.

A lot of people on this board have replace their pinion seal this way.

 

thanks guy...now ill just have to look into some time to get all this done...