strange Viper diff leak?

[chaparralman]

Hello,

My 1997 GTS has a small diff leak. The oil looks to be leaking from the threads of the nut that holds on the driveshaft yoke and then is flung by the spinning yoke all over. It is not coming from the seal between the diff housing and the sheild.
Anyone else have this problem? Do I need to remove the drive shaft and yoke nut and then silicone the threads or what? Torque specs for that nut? Things to consider?

Thanks!

Casey

 

[AZTVR]

Hello,

My 1997 GTS has a small diff leak. The oil looks to be leaking from the threads of the nut that holds on the driveshaft yoke and then is flung by the spinning yoke all over. It is not coming from the seal between the diff housing and the sheild.
Anyone else have this problem? Do I need to remove the drive shaft and yoke nut and then silicone the threads or what? Torque specs for that nut? Things to consider?

The seal is the only thing preventing oil from coming out of the front of the differential. The leaking oil must be traveling as a film past the seal, then past the splines of the shaft and yoke, to the nut where it gets flung off.

 

[Garron]

Hello,

My 1997 GTS has a small diff leak. The oil looks to be leaking from the threads of the nut that holds on the driveshaft yoke and then is flung by the spinning yoke all over. It is not coming from the seal between the diff housing and the sheild.
Anyone else have this problem? Do I need to remove the drive shaft and yoke nut and then silicone the threads or what? Torque specs for that nut? Things to consider?

Thanks!

Casey

i have seen this before, I normaly replace the seal and add plumbers paste to the splines between the yoke and pinion.

Garrett

 

[AZTVR]

i have seen this before, I normaly replace the seal and add plumbers paste to the splines between the yoke and pinion.

It would seem to me that the only thing the sealing paste would do is stop any leaking oil from running down the shaft splines; but, then it would just run out before the yoke. I just don't want to get the OP's hopes up that he can get away without replacing the seal.

I don't feel comfortable about answering the question about torque. There is an involved procedure in the service manual to measure the torque required to rotate the pinion shaft before removal (with driveshaft and halfshafts removed) and then reproducing that torque upon reinstallation of the pinion nut. I believe that it is all about getting the bearing pre-load correct. It isn't a simple "set the torque wrench to ***" kind of situation if done per the manual.

Someone with more experience than me needs to chime in on this aspect of your question.

 

[chaparralman]

Hmmm. I really need to see and exploded view or a cut away drawing. Anyone? Would not oil leak out between the yoke and the housing if the seal were bad? Mine is not. Also, my car appearantly has a lower rear end ratio installed prior to me owning it. Perhaps the person who modified it didn't use sealing paste?

Thoughts?

THANKS!!!!

 

[chaparralman]

in looking at the exploded view, it appear to me that my problem will be solved by removing the yoke and sealing the splines as mine is not leaking past the seal, but rather through the bolt threads. Also, is the preload set by shims? where torque is not the factor such as with the wheel races on a bicycle. I would expect this is more like setting the bearing play in the rear wheel bearings of a C3 OR C3 corvette. Yes?

 

[Garron]

pinion preload is done with a crush washer. The dirty way to do it is mark the nut to the inner shaft BEFORE you remove it. Remove the nut and yoke. Do what you have to do and retighten until the mark on the nut is pasted it's orginal location.

It would be a good idea to replace the seal while you are there anyway.

 

[1TONY1]

in looking at the exploded view, it appear to me that my problem will be solved by removing the yoke and sealing the splines as mine is not leaking past the seal, but rather through the bolt threads. Also, is the preload set by shims? where torque is not the factor such as with the wheel races on a bicycle. I would expect this is more like setting the bearing play in the rear wheel bearings of a C3 OR C3 corvette. Yes?

I bet if you replace the seal it will stop the leak. Otherwise your yoke is cracked or bad. You should not have to seal any splines. If you have a 3.33 you may be using shims...any other ratio and it will be a crush sleeve.

 

[Viper Wizard]

I bet if you replace the seal it will stop the leak. Otherwise your yoke is cracked or bad. You should not have to seal any splines. If you have a 3.33 you may be using shims...any other ratio and it will be a crush sleeve.

Hey Tony,

We have found many with that leak. The gear oil will work its way up the splines and come out around the pinion nut washer [out of 50 Vipers, maybe 6 of them]. The pinion seal is ONLY sealing the yoke. My fix for this leak: You'll need 4' crescent, 1 3/16" socket 3/4" drive, 6 point 3/8" wrench & a center punch. Remove your drive shaft, with the center punch put a mark on the end of the pinion shaft and then put a mark on the pinion nut aligned with the mark on the shaft. This way when you go back together you can get the nut back to the exact same spot, this way you wont have to worry about the pre-load on the pinion bearings because you'll be back to where you started! To remove the nut you'll need to hold the yoke from moving when loosening the nut, the 4' crescent works great. Once you have the yoke off, clean the splines [yoke & shaft], you could replace the seal while you have it apart. From the diff side of the yoke put a coating of silicone/RTV on the splines about an inch in [plumbers paste would work ]. As you slide the yoke onto the pinion shaft the silicone will coat the splines the lengths of the yoke and if you got enough silicone on the yoke, there should be some that has come out the end. Leave the extra silicone there, this will seal the washer! Put the washer and nut on and tighten back to your marks, DO NOT go any further!! Install the drive shaft and go for a ride. I think you'll find that the leak is gone.

If you want to get a hold of me and talk about it more:
http://forums.viperclub.org/vendor-review-tators-dodge/

 

[1TONY1]

Hey Tony,

We have found many with that leak. The gear oil will work its way up the splines and come out around the pinion nut washer [out of 50 Vipers, maybe 6 of them]. The pinion seal is ONLY sealing the yoke. My fix for this leak: You'll need 4' crescent, 1 3/16" socket 3/4" drive, 6 point 3/8" wrench & a center punch. Remove your drive shaft, with the center punch put a mark on the end of the pinion shaft and then put a mark on the pinion nut aligned with the mark on the shaft. This way when you go back together you can get the nut back to the exact same spot, this way you wont have to worry about the pre-load on the pinion bearings because you'll be back to where you started! To remove the nut you'll need to hold the yoke from moving when loosening the nut, the 4' crescent works great. Once you have the yoke off, clean the splines [yoke & shaft], you could replace the seal while you have it apart. From the diff side of the yoke put a coating of silicone/RTV on the splines about an inch in [plumbers paste would work ]. As you slide the yoke onto the pinion shaft the silicone will coat the splines the lengths of the yoke and if you got enough silicone on the yoke, there should be some that has come out the end. Leave the extra silicone there, this will seal the washer! Put the washer and nut on and tighten back to your marks, DO NOT go any further!! Install the drive shaft and go for a ride. I think you'll find that the leak is gone.

If you want to get a hold of me and talk about it more:
http://forums.viperclub.org/vendor-review-tators-dodge/

I understand now...I'll plead brain fade I knew we were talking differential but kept picturing the transmission yoke. I was like.....there is no where for the oil to come out except the seal...duh.

As to the leak via the splines...sounds like anytime the yoke is off, this would be a good preventative measure ??

 

[chaparralman]

Excellent information! Thanks very much. This is what I thought and I'm gonna fix it tomorrow. I'm going over to a Ferrari Mechanic buddy's place. Should be good help as those guys are always fixing broken stuff.