Leaking Differential Gasket
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 111
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From: Warren Ohio
Leaking Differential Gasket
Last year I pulled the differential pumpkin out of my '79 for a rebuild. I then installed it using some "o" ring grease on a factory type gasket and using the cut off bolt head method shown in the shop manual. I checked it carefully for leaks and ran it until this fall. Now I have a pretty bad leak at the differential flanges. When I pull it apart again to fix the leak, I'm thinking of using a better type of gasket. I've heard that "Viton" or a similar modern material is far superior to the older gasket. I can use the
stock gasket as a pattern and make my own gasket. Has anyone out there had a similar problem? If so, how did you fix it?
When I undertake this project, I was thinking of supporting the differential then removing the spring assembly (which I've already had off), then taking down
the rear cross member in order to access the four bolts that hold the differential cover on. Since I need to seal the differential parts anyway, I thought this
might be easier to do than pulling the pumpkin again. There's very little rust under the car so frozen bolts shouldn't be an issue. Has anyone else tried this?
stock gasket as a pattern and make my own gasket. Has anyone out there had a similar problem? If so, how did you fix it?
When I undertake this project, I was thinking of supporting the differential then removing the spring assembly (which I've already had off), then taking down
the rear cross member in order to access the four bolts that hold the differential cover on. Since I need to seal the differential parts anyway, I thought this
might be easier to do than pulling the pumpkin again. There's very little rust under the car so frozen bolts shouldn't be an issue. Has anyone else tried this?
Last edited by Psychovette; Jan 6, 2012 at 09:26 AM. Reason: more questions
