Front Diff - Oil Leak?

[jrfranz]

I changed my front diff oil about 3 months ago and noticed the level seemed very low - I hardly go any oil out when I pumped it out. (may be 1 cup - and it was like mud - when I put new oil in I added the qty reccomended by the manual about 1 quart I think - I know there was a huge discrepancy)

I was browsing a website at the NHTSB and it lists all the Ford TSBs for the 96 Explorer - oil leaks from the vent on the front diff are listed three separate times. The website will not let you see the contents of the TSBs, only the titles.

Has anyone else ever heard of this problem? If it quits raining I plan on taking a peek to see if my gear oil has leaked out again. Is there a fix for this - am I just paranoid?

BTW - I have not had any problems with the diff - I bought the truck last year - discovered this forum and have been tinkering ever since.

Thanks -
Jeff

 

[jrfranz]

I opened the fill hole this afternoon and the diff still seems to be full. I have not seen any oil leaking out - my guess is it is a very slow process if it does leak out of the breather - the gear oil in the diffs was probably factory, it probably took 6 years to get to the level it was at when I changed it.

Jeff

 

[emfjsullivan]

I have a 98 Explorer and subscribed to Alldata.com so that I could read the full content of the TSBs for my car. There is a TSB for the problem as you found. Here's some of the text:

LEAK - AXLE - FRONT AXLE LEAKS FLUID FROM
VENT TUBE - VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4X4 OR
AWD

FORD:
1995-2001 EXPLORER
1997-2002 RANGER
2001-2002 EXPLORER SPORT TRAC, EXPLORER SPORT

MERCURY:
1997-2001 MOUNTAINEER

The fix is to to replace the axle cover and install an Axle Cover Kit (your dealer should have this) which has a baffled design so that fluid has to pass the baffle before
leaking out.

 

[eokie1]

as far as I could understand that TSB, it said that oil was thrown out the vent tube in REVERSE, so I am just guessing it would not happen (or not enough to be a problem ????) unless you backed up a long distance and/or at high speed??? There was a kit mentioned that included a axle cover plate with a baffle, but that looks like it would be pretty hard to install with the axle in the truck, at least on my V8 AWD.....
Thanks,
James Jensen '96 EB V8 AWD
n. Texas area

 

[Jason_25]

Yes the axle needs to be pulled from the truck to install the new cover. Not worth it really. Just siphon what's left of the old fluid and put in some new.