Rear Diff oil and seals

[JasonF]

First off, I learned some very dissapointing news this week that the company offering the extended warranty on my 2004 Explorer has gone bankrupt. This warranty, offered to me by the dealer in Massachusetts where I bought the truck, was offered by Automotive Professionals, Inc. This warranty, while expensive, had the "Guaranteed Price Refund" where if you don't submit any claims, gives you a full refund of the warranty amount at the end of the term. Now not only can I not get the amount back at the end, but I can't even submit any claims for repair. Result- a lot of money out the window.

When I get back in town I will be paying a visit to this dealer to see if they will stand behind their products. Since they made money on the sale of this warranty to me, I believe they should be accountable for the repairs needed to my truck, which only has 60k miles on it.

Now for my current problem: I have been dealing with a worsening rear end diff whine over the past year or so. Recently I noticed that one of my rear axle seals is leaking. Because I have a long road trip coming up, I wanted to check the fluid and top it off if necessary. So today I opened the fill plug to add oil and to my surprise it came flowing OUT at a decent rate. I would estimate about 6 oz leaked out before I reinstalled the plug.

My question is, was my diff overfilled from the factory, possibly contributing to the blown seal? Or is the diff supposed to be filled past the fill hole? What good is a fill hole if you are supposed to fill past it?

Thanks

Jason

 

[GregV8]

...and it's supposed to be lifetime oil ie. never need change... my a$$!

I took mine last week and had them change the oil to the prescribed 140 type plus the friction modifier to see if that helps the whine (before I begin the warranty procedure). I also have a leaking seal. It was never dripping, just always wet.

1. It didn't help the whine but moved it to a different speed range
2. I never saw the oil but according to the guy it looked like sh*t, very used.
3. But he said the level was fine anyway.

I can imagine the diff was factory overfilled but I don't think it's bad.

ps. Re your warranty: I'm not surprised they went bust.... how did they plan to make money in the first place?!
-If you don't have claims they pay you back --> no gain
-If you do have claims it probably costs them more than what you paid for the insurance --> loss
...I'm just scratching my head.

 

[nascar_intimid]

...I'm just scratching my head....( me too)

 

[daprez1963]

I guess if you are going to thrown money into that type of warranty, which I feel is a waste, you should at least make sure it is with one that is very reputable and been around for years. Just because a company offers a great deal shouldnt be the reason to select them. You are right. The place who sold it to you made money offf of it, otherwise they wouldn't even bother offering it, You can always get these warranties on your own and shop around for the best choice.

As for the diff. I am not sure about the whining deal. I would have gone to a place that services fluids and had them just change it out and fill it to the proper level before it ends up costing you more in repairs.

 

[pb3]

in the midst

i'm currently doing some work to my rear axle. have it completely out. all started with the axle shaft seals leaking too. driver's side was the culprit.

anyway, the roar noise i had too, and considered it to be my new yoko tires. and just to clarify, back in 3/03, 4 months after owning the truck, we had the entire rear axle replaced due to the TSB about the roar/ whine noise. did your's get that treatment too?

but while removing the rear hubs, the bearings are toast, so my noise was most likely that. but i still plan on having the differential checked, maybe the pinion bearing replaced, etc. since it's out already.

good luck with the warranty company!

 

[JasonF]

The warranty was offered to me by the dealer, which led me to believe it was a reputable company. My thoughts on the warranty company making money is that they figure people will pay the somewhat large amount for the policy, and then a couple years later use it for some medium-cost repairs that don't amount to the whole cost of the warranty. It was about $2k which is a lot. I planned to not use it unless I blew a tranny or engine or something very expensive to fix. Then I could just get the amount back at the end. www.apiprotection.com a$$holes. So much for that idea.

No, my diff has not seen any work since new. When I got it at 30k miles it didn't have the whine issue. It started just after the factory 36k warranty was up.

I also saw that the diff oil change recommendation from Ford was like 100k miles. The oil that came out of it today looked like coffee with creamer...pretty nasty. I plan on getting the seals replaced to the newer version in the next few weeks, at which time I'll have them change it to the newer oil recommendation.

I have heard others say it was their rear bearings, too. But I don't understand how anyone can be riding around on bad bearings for a while. If bearings are truly bad, they will self destruct in very little time.




Jason

 

[pb3]

i've heard some service writers say that removal of the 80w-90 and putting in the 140 stuff could silence the noise. maybe you won't need further service after that.

 

[satyr64]

the axle is refilled higher then the fill plug. same thing happen to me when i went to replace it my fluid for the first time. So I asked a ford tech and they say they fill it up and then put the plug back in and then add more via the vent on top. I can not remember how much more he said to add.

 

[Yamvip]

Does anyone has pics, and or a DIY on replacing the diff. fluid????

 

[JasonF]

So I gained a little experience with this yesterday.

Because I had let some fluid out, I wanted to replace the amount lost. To do this I went to NAPA and got a fluid suction tool (basically a large syringe), and then to Home Depot for some 7/16" tubing.

Once you drop the spare tire you can stick your head up there and spot the rubber vent hose coming out of the top of the diff. Pull this hose off and install your 7/16" tube (it will be a little loose but I didnt have any fluid leak out). Now go ahead and pump in your gear oil with the NAPA pump.

This of course requires that you measure how much oil you want to add. I think the quantity is listed in the owners manual.

I only did this to get me through my upcoming move, then I'll have the seals fixed and the oil changed to the new spec.


Jason

 

[rizzjc]

I also saw that the diff oil change recommendation from Ford was like 100k miles. The oil that came out of it today looked like coffee with creamer...pretty nasty. I plan on getting the seals replaced to the newer version in the next few weeks, at which time I'll have them change it to the newer oil recommendation.

Sounds like water got in there. Was the vent tube in place up under the body? Ever go through deep water? Mine looked mily after I sank it, but I removed the rear cover cleaned it out and refilled it right way.

I've never heard of anyone filling through the vent hole. I've had my front leak out like that when removing the plug. Must expand somehow when warm. The fill is really supposed to be slightly below the fill hole, but most people fill until it just comes out the fill hole. I think you'll find that this is pretty much the factory spec. Putting more than that in and you'll be more likely to have it blowing out the vent hose.

 

[Yamvip]

Any pics of this vent hose????

 

[rizzjc]

It just runs from the axle up under the body to a clip that holds it there.

 

[E.B. Cornburner]

I'm guessing the overfill was done to aid in lubrication. Generally, when a diff is filled to the level of the plug, the front pinion bearing doesn't see a whole lot of oil. By overfilling it thru the vent tube, it's possible to completely submerge the bearing in oil. More oil may aid in quieting the ring and pinion too. Oil is a very good sound deadener.

Sounds like this was a bit of a "Band-Aid" fix from the start.

Sorry to hear about your warranty issues. It's sad but true, there's about 1 good warranty company for every 50 "fly-by-night" companies out there. At a different dealership that I worked for, we sold Wynn's Extended Care warranties, and they were excellent. Never once had a problem with them. It's just such a shame that good warranties get a black eye by all the junk out there such as you mentioned.