Oil leak between propeller shaft and differential housing

[JohnMc]

Knew there was oil leak there. Took off the propeller shaft to change out the drive shaft center support.
So is the replacing of the oil seal by removing the bevel pinion nut as hard/terrible as it looks?
I was hoping was easy to just remove the bevel pinion nut, and the oil seal and retighten the nut - but looks like a lot more.
Thoughts please.
Thanks as always.
John Mc.//

[lglade]

I haven't personally done it, but there's a technique where you count the number of rotations to remove the pinion nut, replace the seal, and then put the pinion nut back to the same place by counting the number of rotations to re-install it. It looks pretty straightforward and you've already done the hard part by removing the shaft.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha2Uhl9BTtM

[JohnMc]

Thanks.
The above YouTube is interesting- but I am not certain as to me there were some problems with the video. He appeared to reuse a nylon locking nut (I never do). Also no idea why he would use threadlocker on the threads to try to keep oil out? Oil should not be going that far, unless I am completely wrong.

If anyone has done this procedure and can give the video credibility I would appreciate it. My car is a 1970 124 - which has a slightly different oil seal.

Thanks as always.

[Texafornian]

I also have this repair on my list, have watched that video, and would love to hear whether that approach is indeed viable.

[DieselSpider]

At the age of these cars the seal leaking is many times a symptom of wear on the bearing on the input shaft. Appeasing it by just applying some goop on the nut after installing a new seal could end up a temporary solution that a few thousand miles down the road could lead to a more costly repair. Its a roll of the dice that may or may not work out for you in the long run doing it the way its shown in the video. I would at least get the new nut and crush sleave for the pinion shaft along with the replacement seal.

[JohnMc]

Thanks.
i am going to have my son go over the replacement instructions in the original manual also - looked difficult to get the torque just right - but maybe how I read it. I am just afraid to do like the video showed.

[vandor]

I would at least get the new nut and crush sleave for the pinion shaft along with the replacement seal.

Getting a new crush sleeve would be useless, as setting the rolling torque even close to specs would be impossible with the ring gear in place. One either has to do it by the book, take the ring gear out and use a new crush sleeve and set the proper rolling torque, or take a chance of doing it the 'easy' way, by just replacing the seal and putting the nut back where it was (compared to the shaft, not the flange).
I've done it both ways, both have worked, but it may have been luck for the 'easy' way. I definitely recommend the use of locktite if one is reusing the old nut.