Pinto Car Club of America

I'm going to be replacing the pinion seal on the differential of my 78 Sedan tomorrow. I can't seem to find the other half of my shop manual that covers diffential work though...

What all is involved to removing the pinion so I can pop the old seal off? Do I need to use any type of lubricant on the new seal? How much torque is needed to tighten down the pinion retaining bolt?

problem is you will lose the preload on the crush sleeve between the outer and inner pinion bearings.  you need to put in a new crush sleeve when doing this

Quote from: srt on April 30, 2007, 02:57:30 AM
problem is you will lose the preload on the crush sleeve between the outer and inner pinion bearings.  you need to put in a new crush sleeve when doing this

That is the proper and correct way. I have, however,  changed about 3 seals in different rears without changing the crush sleeve and hadn't had any problems "yet"..knock on wood. Usually there is a "used" bearing preload tension in the manual which is more then when you originally started before removing the nut, so there is a little more crush to be had when reinstalling the nut.

I think that made sense.

well, yeah , your right. that will work. (i've done it myself always with fingers crossed too) i know it's a real pain to do it by the book. ESPECIALLY if it's not a rear assembly that cannot be removed intact (think ford 9")

And to add one more thing, use a ratchet or breaker bar NOT an impact.

Well, I got it changed out real easilly yesterday. It doesn't leak one bit at that seal anymore! YAY!

So I went to my parents to use my dad's shop after work this morning. I'm getting an odd shudder in the brake pedal that reverberates throughout the car when I slow to a stop. I was thinking it might be the rear brakes dragging. Well, that doesn't seem to be it, how ever I noticed yet ANOTHER leak around the differential pinion! :wow:

Turns out it was leaking around the flange bolt this time! ARGH! So I pulled that nut off again and put some high temp silicon gasket maker stuff that I purchased from NAPA around the bolt where it tightens between the flange and the bolt (the bolt is flared at one end with a washer like base). Hopefully that will keep any more oil from leaking and spraying all over the underside of the car again.

This car just seems to be problem after problem.....  :'(  :'(

It's still leaking around that bolt. Any ideas guys?