Pinion seal leak after installing new seal

[shelbygt]

I replaced the pinion seal on my rear axle when I replaced the bearings last week. The pinion seal was leaking when I got the car 4 months back and now after putting in the new one, it is leaking worse that before. It is leaking between the differential housing and the seal. There was no oil slinger in front of the bearing when I took it apart, but all the info I read says it should be there. Is it supposed to be there on a 98 Cobra? Could this be why it is leaking so much? I now read I should have put some silicone around the seal where it meets the housing and I did not do that. Any help or ideas?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Hockeyman48]

Try it again w/ some black silicone on perimeter of seal. Check housing surface where it meets seal could have indentation on machined area at seal causing leak. Sure its leaking between seal and housing??

 

[98 svt]

Are you torquing correctly?

 

[Tabres]

You did torque the pinion nut to spec, right?

Mine pinion seal was leaking a while ago so I decided to replace the seal. I took it apart only to find that the pinion nut had loosed off a ton from the last time someone handled it (shop that put in my gears) and that is what was causing the oil leak. From what I've read it seems to be relatively common. I replaced the seal and torqued the nut to spec and haven't had an issue since.

 

[redonegt]

you shouldn't have to put silicon around the outside edge of the seal that can cause issues but a slinger should be there and lock tight the pinion nut on. When i do them i also put silicon on the splines of the pinion flange so it doesn't leak up there. but definetaly check your housing for any nicks or rough spots

 

[shelbygt]

I cranked down the nut to crush the sleeve, until I reached the 20-25 or so ft lbs of preload when I reassembled with the new bearings. I also used loc-tite on the nut.

 

[RED 97 COBRA]

I cranked down the nut to crush the sleeve, until I reached the 20-25 or so ft lbs of preload when I reassembled with the new bearings. I also used loc-tite on the nut.

I hope that is a typo. Supose to be 20-25 inch pounds of rotational drag for new bearings, not ft lbs.

David

 

[shelbygt]

eeek yes inch lbs.... sorry typo... lol