Board logo

XR4x4 LSD problem
Meeerrrk - 20/9/08 at 10:05 AM

My Locoblade, which unfortunately i bought, not built, seems to have developed an oil leak from the rear diff. It is fitted with a Sierra XR4x4 LSD.
I only noticed yesterday (there are some stains on the brick drive) but I’ve put the car in the storage unit so i cant "pop" outside and have a look.
Before i get the car and start looking, i wonder if anyone knows if there are any common issues with the sierra diffs which could cause an oil leak?

thanks in advance

Mark

[Edited on 20/9/08 by Meeerrrk]

ReMan - 20/9/08 at 10:16 AM

Most liekly is that the driveshaft oil seals have gone hard

Meeerrrk - 20/9/08 at 10:25 AM

big job to replace them?

PAUL FISHER - 20/9/08 at 11:01 AM

Its not a big job just to replace the seals,but I would just check that the diff has not been overfilled with oil 1st,and also that the breather at the top of the diff is clear and not blocked,this will also cause the diff to leak oil through the seals.

NS Dev - 21/9/08 at 10:37 AM

I would say almost certainly breather just blowing oil out.

Mine blows it out even when not overfilled, and so do all the race caterhams that I have seen and worked on.

I have extended the breather pipe to make it about 6" long and vertical up, which has stopped most of the leaking, but it still blows some out.

Usually most obvious after a VERY hard drive, thats when they seem to throw it out.

Meeerrrk - 21/9/08 at 11:20 AM

thanks very much for the replies and useful info guys. I will check the breather when i get the car next (i keep it in a dry, warmed storage unit)

To be fair, every time i drive it i do "blow the cobwebs out" so it may just be the breather, but obviously i need to be sure.

My concern is these things only take about 1ltr of oil don’t they? i don’t know how much it has lost & even if it was brimmed when i got it. Is an oil change easy to do on these diffs?...really need a Haynes for the XR4x4 sierra...

thanks again gents,

Mark

Meeerrrk - 22/9/08 at 05:00 PM

do you need any special tools to do just a seal change?

Meeerrrk - 25/9/08 at 05:44 PM

for anyone's info who may do a search in the future, this issue is the breather blowing oil out, not a seal leak. I did get a set of seals though, so if anyone wants them,£10 delivered.
thanks for everyones input,
Mark