Oil leak

[Duncan Grimmond]

This is a later-type diff and is combined with hydraulic brakes... Know nothing about the original construction as I bought it as a rolling chassis with engine and gearbox. It is still leaking an gear-type oil which is coming forward from the rear to the mid-point at the torque-rube

[Steve Jones]

Is the oil leaking through a hole in the bottom of the torque tube at the mid point, Duncan (there shouldn't be any hole but maybe someone's drilled one as a drain point) or is it leaking from the joint of the torque tube and the axle casing and running down the outside/underside of the torque tube until it drips off at the mid point? Also, what is the angle of the torque tube?

Steve

[Terrytuned]

There are only half shims between the torque tube and axle case on the later axles so if not sealed it will leak at this point. Terry.

[Duncan Grimmond]

The tube slopes slightly downwards to the front. Am I right to assume that the lowered suspension I inherited will add to this and that with standard the tube would tend to slope down towards the rear?

[Steve Jones]

Yes, certainly, Duncan. It needs to slope slightly down to the rear. It's not the torque tube that dictates that but the torque tube anchor. You need a longer one!

As Terry says, there are only half shims between the torque tube and the axle casing and the joint does tend to weep slightly if not sealed. However, the situation is made worse if the shims are fitted at the wrong side of the bearing housing as sometimes happens.

Steve

[Duncan Grimmond]

I have it up on axle stands on the chassis member to drain the tube for'ard as much as I can. I'll then check the oil level at that slope and fill to the orifice and hope...

[Hedd_Jones]

the torque tubes on the d type axles I have seen have a breather mid way along. At the top. It wouldn't be much of a stretch that some numpty has put it on upsidedown.

The RP used to loose oil from the front seal on the torque tube when the rear springs lost their pep. So I can easily see how oil gets to the torque tube on a car with lowered suspension unless it has a modified (longer) front mount

[AustinWood]

Might be best not to put too much oil in the axle. They don't need a lot as the crown wheel circulates it.