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Oil in witches Hat on the rear end.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 3:27 pm
by Sonarman
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When checking why the was leaking I remove the switch cover and chocolate milk started coming out. I never imagined it would be two quarts of milk . I recently changed all the fluids, the trans, transfer case and rear end all were clean. I have not been in any water and vehicle is parked inside. Do you think it that chocolate milk has been there for along time? Could it be coming from behind the switch? I picked up copper washer for behind switch and new gasket from Scott at EI.

I will check rear diff again to make sure level has not changed.
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Re: Oil in witches Hat on the rear end.

Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 9:07 pm
by rmel
Gads, that's mighty weird, looks like yellow paint :roll: Wonder if that's what you
get with a blend of Diff Oil and Hydraulic fluid? What's the fluid level look like for
the lockers?

Re: Oil in witches Hat on the rear end.

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 9:23 am
by ExpeditionImports
Witches hat shares oil with the differentials and t-case. If you look at the number of sealing surfaces on the witches hat I am amazed they keep as much gear oil in them as they do. If your driveline gear oil does not look like fluid you drained then you dodged a bullet. That coloration is strange could be water or brake fluid contamination.

Here is a differential semi-cut-away. There are seals all over the place. Witches hat to the differential housing, locker/4x4 switch, locker/4x4 switch housing, shaft seal, two O-rings on the locker spring piston/assembly and an O-ring at the top of the shaft for the locker/4x4 fork. On top of that there is a vent hole on the top of the witches hat. I think that is most of it.
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This is a picture with the locker/4x4 slave cylinder removed looking into the differential. That black stuff is gear oil which made its way out of the differential/witches hat assembly over a period of time. On this truck is was so bad it eventually contaminated the parking brake. If you have a weepy driveline slave cylinder or switch cover you more than likely have gear oil leaking from a differential/witches hat assembly. Could be minor and just accumulated over time and needs to be drained or more serious.
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Have had trucks in the past with enough gear oil in the central tube the driveshaft was actually rotating in it causing driveablity power issues. Very rare.

A trend (very small) if can say that with such a small population of trucks but a couple customers who regularly park/store their trucks on an incline had more of a problem with this kind of issue. Those differentials are open to the witches hats which if on an incline/decline allows the gear oil level to rise in the witches hat. Different axles are effect if stored with the truck pointed up hill or down hill. More of an issue with some of the terrain in the Bay Area.

Cheers,

Scott

Re: Oil in witches Hat on the rear end.

Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:37 am
by ExpeditionImports
Here is a picture which does a pretty good job of illustrating the level of oil in the witches hat.
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Cheers,

Scott

Re: Oil in witches Hat on the rear end.

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 10:10 am
by Pinzcat
I have had the same problem, despite new gaskets...

I decided to install a little drain valve to check easily the amount of oil leaking from the witches hat: so I know when to add oil in the rear differential.

Cheers, Jacques