How to fix a driveshaft oil leak

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This video is a brief description of how I diagnosed and replaced the rear output seal of a 246 transfer case in a 2000 Chev GM Suburban four wheel drive. The seal was leaking transfer case oil.
This is amateur effort posted for entertainment, it is not meant to be a comprehensive or complete instructional video. Always seek out information from several sources, and rely heavily on the official dealers repair manual for specific information regarding your vehicle. The information contained here is offered in good faith, for free, but is not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. Auto repair is inherently dangerous, especially with inadequate equipment and training. Any misadventure you encounter if you decide to accept the risk of DIY auto repair is on you.

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27 ноя 2020

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Комментарии : 75

@EmmAyeVee Год назад

To install the seal, you can use an empty can and a rubber mallet. It fits perfectly over the seal. The type of can im referring to is one from used for canned vegetables.

@billmessner8052 Год назад

Saw that video just before this 1

@paulguerrero972 2 года назад

Thanks for the info!!! I was under my Hummer H2 and saw oil at the seal. Looked it up and after this video I'll order the part and do the repair. Thanks again!!!

@tobedetermined4180 Год назад

Thank you for posting this video, it was very helpful to me. This is just me, but I would have replaced the Front and rear U joints and any other seal if I am going trough the trouble of getting the drive shaft down. Keep doing what you do, many in this community appreciate you.

@jgjays6525 2 года назад

Thanks Dave for ur time and expertise

@d46512 3 года назад

This is just about the easiest repair I've had to do on my Tahoe 4wd. Getting the old seal out is a chore if you're lying on your back but not too bad. The last minute of your video is worth its weight in gold. Always good to think before you pick up a wrench, like the old IBM motto.

@Mikefngarage 3 года назад

do the pump rub upgrade kit you will thank me later. expensive if you wait till it fails.

@billbutler5300 Год назад

AkKOHkk

@shawnmrfixitlee6478 3 года назад

Great fix Dave , ENJOYED !!

@elcheapo5302 3 года назад

Thanks Dave! I would have never thought to use a roll of tape as a seal installer but I will now!

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

Ha ha, whatever works.

@TheSteelBlinds 3 года назад

Another excellent video! Keep em coming 👍

@stuzman52 3 года назад

Great work Dave!

@bertbaca7863 3 года назад

Early detection and skill, nice job. Thank you for posting.

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

Thank you!

@leobardorocha3081 2 года назад

Great video Sr...

@ThePracticalMechanic 3 года назад

Nice work Dave. I don’t envy the rust you deal with.

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

Funny, when we lived in Alberta there was more snow but not a lot of salt. Here on the west coast we rarely see snow, but living near the ocean I think salt is in the air, ha ha.

@bradstanley1493 2 года назад

Thanks buddy I have a leak on my 1990 Blazer at that exact point and unfortunately it happened after I installed new u-joints .. Thanks for the info much appreciated 👍

@bradstanley1493 2 года назад

It’s very disappointing when you busted your butt putting in the u-joints and reassemble everything and just like that, it leaks 👎🏻 Oh well, I’d much rather own a vehicle that’s 30 years old than a newer one that makes you scratch your head as soon as you open the damn hood!!🤣

@MrRoy-rb1je 3 года назад

Exceptional! Thank you!

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

What a kind remark, thank you.

@soundspoon Год назад

Thanks for another great video. Still had a leak after I changed the seal. The issue ended up being the yoke. It had some light pitting which was failing to provide the correct mechanical seal

@spelunkerd Год назад

That's bad luck. Aside from buying a junkyard yoke or a new yoke, there is the option for a sleeve to move the point of contact. I have no experience with those options. Perhaps even an aftermarket seal would move the point of contact a little to an area less abraded. What did you eventually end up doing to fix the problem?

@soundspoon Год назад

@@spelunkerd I ended up buying a new slip yoke and replacing that. So far no problems. Just glad it wasn't something bigger than that

@zx8401ztv 3 года назад

I would be supprised if that needle bearing cap could escape. Hopefully you were able to polish the shaft so the seal will be ok. I liked the B F H comment, Big Flat Hammer :)

@edgarestrada1146 2 месяца назад

Thank you for the video I replaced mine and installed a new yet it continues to leak. I guess I have to take the whole case out :)......

@as7736 9 месяцев назад

Awesome thanks

@darryldoesit966 Год назад

THANKS !!!

@servandomesa1989 2 года назад

I used a 2" pvc coupling to tap into the seal

@Mikefngarage 3 года назад

auto trac 2 fluid in that sucker. Pump rub happens all the time. I just informed my buddy who had it happen on the road. I did my pump rub upgrade already on my GM...4x4

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

Yup. This one had the new redesigned clips put in 9 years ago, and it was not low on fluid. No leakage since the seal was replaced, so pump rub is not an issue here. Even so, good for you to emphasize that point. It may save somebody else's diff before it grenades, as I mention at the end.

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

This repair was done with the rear wheels on jack stands, but if yours is free standing, remember to chock wheels and set emergency brake! When the driveshaft is removed, expect the vehicle to dangerously lurch if you're underneath and not on jack stands. One thing I forgot to mention is that in some models there is a seal in the hollow stub shaft that can leak through the adjacent universal joint. So, have a look at the joint to be sure it isn't leaking there. If it is, a little RTV should work fine. If your oil level in the case is too high, seals can leak more than usual. Note that if the seal between the transfer case and the transmission were to fail, you could get transmission fluid leaking back into the transfer case, diluting transfer case fluid and causing the fluid level to rise.

@patriotwarrior_556 7 месяцев назад

Did this fix your issue and if not what did it end up being. Please an update. I just replaced mine where the pump ate through the soft housing and then smoked my t case... A lot of people would benifit knowing the outcome of this... Thanks for the video

@spelunkerd 7 месяцев назад

I'm sorry to tell you that this repair did indeed fix my driveshaft leak, and I drove this exact vehicle yesterday. Putting technical issues of correct seal and good technique aside, there are a couple of specific problems in this seal worth looking at. Many of these transfer cases have a brass bushing inside the seal which can be worn out to the point that more oil contacts the seal, causing it to continue leaking. And some joints at that spot have a small hole in the center that connects the joint with the inside of the case. If you don't plug off that hole you'll continue to get oil moving from case to joint. Finally, this 246D transfer case had a known defect that causes the pump to wear a pinhole in the case, which could be misdiagnosed as a bad driveshaft seal. Mine had a different pump clipset installed 15 years ago to reduce the chance of that happening.

@dougie-thugie 3 года назад

Hey I noticed leaking between my driveshaft and rear axle, car would vibrate and make rubbing noise when stopping. Is the seal for that pretty much the same?

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

No, the Pinion seal is much more complicated, and you should not get any noise from the seal itself. Setting the preload on the pinion bearing is easy to mess up, so I wouldn't tackle it unless you are brave and prepared to accept a mistake. You want to diagnose that rubbing sound, and it is much easier and safer to do that on a lift. While considering your options you could check the fluid levels in the transfer case, the differential, and the transmission. Rubbing coming from the rear is often from brakes, emergency brake, transfer case, or sometimes the diff itself. Good luck!

@edgarmigueljaramillotorres6715 2 года назад

If the noise is whinning like it might be the ujoint, easy fix .

@tinhtran1309 2 года назад

Hi.please tell me my truck have a thumping noise when i drive 4 wheels?Thanks

@spelunkerd 2 года назад

If it is a rhythmic thump in time with rotation, increasing with vehicle speed, I'd be thinking a universal joint is going bad, somewhere. I did a video on diagnosis and replacement of a Dodge Ram front axle U-joint, demonstrating the sound and its cause. There are many universal joints in the drivetrain, both in the driveshaft, front driveshaft, and both front universal joints. If it only happens in 4WD, have a close look at the front drivetrain and the front drive propshaft. Axle universal joint failure may be exposed in 4WD because of the way the front axle locks up. Make sure your fluid levels are up in the transfer case and that the case is not leaking. I wouldn't leave it too long. When some of these fail the result can be catastrophic.

@mikegray1655 2 года назад

i have a 2 wheel drive 2005 suburban do i need to check for the bearing issue

@spelunkerd 2 года назад

If you're referring to the pump rub complication of the 246D transfer case, no that's only with 4WD vehicles. You can get wear on the output bushing of the transmission, but you might save some money by just doing the seal and waiting to see if it works rather than spending the extra dough to remove the output housing. In my case the new seal is working fine without swapping the bushing.

@bigman4175 9 месяцев назад

Did your car have to be completely off the ground to spring the axle? Also did you completely disconnect the shaft or just the one end?

@spelunkerd 9 месяцев назад

In this vehicle, all four wheels were on the ground. Fortunately the truck has enough clearance to do this easily, although it wouldn't be difficult to use jack stands. Most axles are designed so that you unbolt one end, and when that end is loose you can pull the other end out a slip yoke without having to unbolt anything at the opposite end. The reason for the slip yoke is the way the springs and shocks need to be able to move, so the shaft length changes when the truck goes over a bump. The slip yoke has splines that fit together, allowing total shaft length to easily change. This allows integration of the sprung components and the unsprung components of the chassis with ease.

@bigman4175 9 месяцев назад

@@spelunkerd okay thanks, I really appreciate it. You marked the axle so you could put it back in the way it was?

@spelunkerd 9 месяцев назад

@@bigman4175 Yeah, it's a standard thing to do, even though it probably makes no difference. People who worked for auto manufacturers are quick to point out that shafts and mating stub shafts are not a matched set, they are both balanced independently. So, it shouldn't matter. However if a dent was put into the shaft from a rock, and the driver didn't notice anything, it's possible it might be a problem if you clock it differently when the shaft and stub shaft come together. So, to avoid causing a new problem, I tend to put things back the way I found them. Can't hurt. Same goes for replacing spider gears and end gears of a differential. Leave it alone if you can.

@bravobullz7475 Год назад

Standard soup can works great as opposed to tape roll Whatever works seem it in a video

@el_chalino509 Год назад

Hello I have a 2006 Ford 150. The drive shaft looks like it's leaking a little bit everytime I move my truck ? Does anyone know why it's dripping small amounts of oil the truck moves ? Also my back pumpkin look like it's stained with oil from there what do you think is causing this please and thanks ?

@spelunkerd Год назад

There are seals and gaskets at every connection. Fixing them is usually not urgent as long as you keep fluid levels topped up and check the level regularly. If you don't know how to measure rear diff fluid level, it is probably wise to get that checked out at your next oil change. Most seal replacements are inexpensive, and you improve the resale value of your truck by fixing it. Fixing a pinion seal can be tricky, so if you're a beginner I wouldn't try that without extensive research.

@CADILLACZAY27 Год назад

is that considered front or rear seal?

@spelunkerd Год назад

On the transfer case, the one I replaced is the rear output seal. The front output shaft goes to the front wheels, and the input shaft comes from the transmission. Each have their own seals, and in fact the transmission has its own rear output seal.

@kwanelephetha9772 Год назад

How long does it take to fix it?

@spelunkerd Год назад

On this vehicle a pro would take about 20 minutes, but there is a minimum charge for labor at most shops. If you're overdue for fluid changes in the diff or transfer case it will take longer. We're all one broken or cross threaded bolt away from major disaster, so especially in the rust belt you have to account for complications.

@mrmaxstorey 3 года назад

cool

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

Hey, Max, nice to hear from you. What's up?

@mrmaxstorey 3 года назад

@@spelunkerd Not much, just moved to Belize to open a boat shop. You?

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

@@mrmaxstorey We're livin' the dream in paradise, but with a mask these days. I hope you do more boat videos once the shop gets moving, you have a talent for practical explanation.

@philfredericks5198 2 года назад

How much oil is inside the driveshaft

@spelunkerd 2 года назад

The transfer case oil is generally filled to the bottom of the fill plug in most vehicles, which in this vehicle is about the same level as the bottom of the driveshaft yoke. So, normally you don't lose much fluid if you don't drain before, especially if you raise the rear wheels to get underneath. There is never oil in the driveshaft itself, but in some vehicles there is a passage inside the center of the yoke that can spill back to the universal joint, especially if the case is overfilled. If that happens, when wet oil hits a spinning joint, you can get a confusing spray of oil everywhere. All structures in a vehicle have some kind of vent to allow equalization of air pressures, so if you've got leaking seals it is wise to check those vent tubes to be sure they aren't kinked or plugged.

@halflife103 Год назад

id imagine this should probably be pretty similar to an f150 right?

@spelunkerd Год назад

There are a few variants but most are pretty simple. Crawl under and have a look.

@dalemihocik4732 Год назад

I know this is after the fact and doesn't apply to spelunkerd but that u joint is past it's service life and should have been replaced. It's not a costly part and the drive shaft is out making it a no brainer as to go ahead and replace it for safety's sake. Dropping a driveshaft as you head down the road isn't a pleasant experience at all.

@zerostalkertolerance 2 года назад

Nice accent 😊

@MrBNARick Год назад

I don't quite get it... you have the drive shaft dropped...why not go ahead and replace the U-joint anyway and save the trouble of having to drop it again?

@spelunkerd Год назад

That's a good question. I guess it comes from experience of stupid misadventures, coupled with the old philosophy of not fixing something that isn't broken. Replacing the driveshaft U joint is easy enough, although the quality of anything that would replace it will never live up to the OEM original part. I chose not to, 2 years ago, and the truck is fine today. Surviving two years for anything of this vintage is not guaranteed, and one day all of my effort will follow it to the crusher. It doesn't take more than 10 minutes to drop the driveshaft, so fixing it now doesn't save a lot of time, though if a tow were required I'd regret the decision not to fix it sooner.

@Texas28Redrum 2 года назад

Wait, that seal is inside out. The seal going inside right.

@spelunkerd 2 года назад

If you look closely at the inside of this seal, shown after 2:43, the spring was on the inside, both on the old factory seal and on the new one. That spring holds the lip of the seal down, so inside pressure tends to close the flap down onto the shaft, like a door being swept closed by a puff of wind. The sagittal cross section of this seal has a dramatic male profile, so if it were put in backwards it would never fit into place. Furthermore the water drain is designed to leak onto the ground, not back into the transmission which it would if put in backwards. Some seals can be confusing, especially those with double profiles and double springs. This one is in place correctly.

@Texas28Redrum 2 года назад

@@spelunkerd my fault I missed that apology for that excellent video, though I just had to split my transmission. I'm replacing that rear extension completely.

@DJDevon3 3 года назад

Sheesh that would be a serious condition if it was owned by someone not mechanically inclined.

@spelunkerd 3 года назад

So nice to hear from you, Devon. You may be surprised to hear I woke up thinking about your channel last week. We need to get you going with another turbo project car, ha ha. What's up?

@tjl8884 4 месяца назад

I have an 07 wrangler which had the dana 35 rear axle. The thing failed and apparently they couldn't find replacement parts to fix it so they put a used dana 44 rear end in with 100k on it. The guy said they rebuilt the guts etc and the whole repair cost me 4200 bucks CDN. Right away I noticed the axle was leaking so I brought it back and the guy tells me they tightened up the diff pot cover and it wasn't leaking. It was cold as fk outside so I didn't get under it to take a good look until today, this all happened in december.. Today I just noticed it's actually leaking on the spindle side that connects to the drive shaft.. These mother fuckers won't fix it either.. I was only poking around under it because the thing put off a code for the EGR valve so I was sizing up how to do it and just happened to notice the rear axle still leaking.. It was noticeable before right away because the fluid on the garage floor.. After they said they fixed it, the puddle never came back so I figured they actually fixed it. I can't believe its just pissing out that spindle seal.. Like 4 grand wasn't a big enough hit now I gotta find someone to fix this damn thing again.. and the EGR looks like a nightmare..