Where'd the oil go?

peter e mark · Post by **peter e mark** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:15 pm

Hello long tooth tire changers, and today's question is about the oil in the front axle case. While topping off my M37 gear boxes I noticed how easy it was to add just a few ounces , first, to the transmiossion, then the transfer case; why, I didn't even have to refill my piston type oil charger more than once! Ah, here's the front axle case. I remembered to add a short extension to my ratchet so the tool end fits deep into the sqaure head jam nut. Out it comes, next, insert the charger hose, and squeeze...swish, swish and the tube all empties . Well, I'll just recharge my tube. Can't take much more to "top" it off, right? Swiiish. The hole tube empties ! And another tube ! DRAT, I wound up filling the case from empty ! But i don't see any oil stains on my driveway, something a particular family member would certainly have brought to my attention. And I don't see any oil at my drive shaft seal, either.So where did all that oil go?

SOTVEN · Post by **SOTVEN** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:51 am

HELLO FRIEND. I AM AFRAID IT IS NO MYSTERY BEHIND THE DISAPEARING OF THE OIL. FIRST OF ALL, HOW MUCH OIL DID YOU EXPECT TO FIND IN THERE TO BEGIN WITH? IF YOU EXPECTED IT TO BE FULL SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU TOPPED IT OFF, THEN I WOULD BELIEVE YOUR LEAK IS AT YOUR STEEIRING KNUKLES. AND CHANCES ARE THAT IT LEAKS A LITTLE AT A TIME WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING, NOT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STILL, HENSE NO OIL STAINS ON YOUR DRIVEWAY. JUST MY TWO CENTS. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT

knattrass · Post by **knattrass** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:15 pm

mine filled my entire axle with the seal gone... found it the minute i pulled the axle cap off the end to check the bearings.

peter e mark · Post by **peter e mark** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 11:15 am

Well, I looked in my two diferent M37 manulas for a description of how to in stall these axle seals, only to be advised: "INFORM OPERATIONAL MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR" DRAT ! Where do I get the tech article for this job?

powerwagontim · Post by **powerwagontim** » Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:03 pm

Peter,
The axle seals go behind the bronze axle bushings. Pull the bronze bushings, and the old seals, then install the new seals and then the bronze bushings. Be a renegade and do it without informing the Operational Maintainance Supervisor!
Tim

peter e mark · Post by **peter e mark** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:33 pm

You said the right word ! And I certainly feel like a renegade driving my truck around ( Oops, I may have revealed too much there )....