How To Fix Leak At Bell Housing

Hi All, So it seams as though the leak is coming from the lower bolts at the front of the bell housing - see photo. Is this something I can fix or am I better off taking to shop? I don't think its the main seal but did read that it could leak and spill over into the bell housing then out at lowest point. I did the pan (by myself haha) but not sure I have the chops to drop the transfer case. I checked for videos on line but could not find any. Also did a search here but no resolution to this type of problem was actually stated. Any photos or videos how to tackle this would be
a huge help. Thank you!

 

Rear main or transmission leaking out the bearing retainer.

 

Gear oil smells different from engine oil - very distinctive. Get a bit of it on your fingers and sniff. You can pull the dipstick and see if the drips smell the same or different.

My first thought was engine rear main seal, if it's not dripping down the back of the engine.

 

I fixed the first manual trans front leak this summer that i have ever seen in my 40+ years of mechanicing saying that i have replaced 100s of rear main seals. My M38a1 has a rear main leak that i have tryed to fix 2 times good luck.

 

thanks guys! not sure if i am ready to this apart ... might not get it back together ! I think this will be out of my league on this and should probably bite the bullet and have the shop open her up. thanks again!

 

Yup, definately hard to find an old jeep that doesn't leak. I just rebuilt my t90 2 weeks ago to fix a 7 inch puddle every time I stopped. After full rebuild and new seals I have tranny down to just literally 2 drips if that and done. I can live with just 2 drips. Everything else on my jeep is bone dry no leaks elsewhere

 

That's something not many of us can say. My JEEP has the same drip from the inspection cover area. Mine is gear oil though from the T14 that is pretty spent.

 

I put a new rear seal in my engine -- I've done a bunch of them on different engines -- and it still leaks, but very, very little. But like timgr said, the smell of gear oil is very different from engine oil. Maybe if you have a bottle of each around, you can smell it and tell the difference. THen you will know if it is the front seal on your tranny or the rear seal on your engine. (That sounds weird in a way. Maybe I have been in California too long). Maybe you already know, and I am just insulting your intelligence. Don't mean to do that.

This is the only place on my jeep that leaks, but it is making me mad. I have to pull the engine or tranny anyway. Seems that the Chinese square bearing T.O. bearing only lasted about 6 months before it took a on me. So I think I will pull the engine as it seems a helluva lot easier to pull than the tranny and xfer case.

Good luck...

 

2X on what Focker said...

 

well the drip is turning into a golf ball size puddle over night. AND after putting craft paper under the vehicle starting to get a good size spot under the front pinion seal.
ug... the main leak doesn't really have much of a smell and is pretty darn black (I suspect motor oil). Feel like I am hearing the drips in my sleep! Gonna need more cardboard too!
So - maybe the easy one. Front pinion. Is it the same as the rear? My chassis is a 66 and I am almost positive I have the Dana 44 in back.

 

Awesome will do! Thanks. Well whatever seal that is needed at the yoke at the back of the front differential - stamped 27A... haha whatever that's called... thats a pinion too right? Yes always plenty of cussing!

 

NO!!!! Probably way less than half the time to pull the transmission and transfercase. Sometimes the most difficult part of pulling the transmission and transfercase is just getting the rusted-up floor plate off. On my 3B with the sideshift tranny, I can have those pieces completely out in a little over half an hour.

 

Yes. But make sure to look at the yoke seal surface closely. If it isn't near perfect, either get a new yoke or put a speedy sleeve on it or it will be leaking again soon.

 

IF your talking about the front axle pinion seal. If memory serves you should have a drain plug and shouldn't have to pull the diff cover unless it's leaking or you just want to use a new gasket there too

 

Actually had the front Diff cover off last year - was dented plowing and had it inspected inside and cover pounded back out. The actual leak (this one anyway - too many to count) is the front axle pinion seal. All of them underneath are wet but the very front and very rear are dripping.
duffer: do you have any photos or can you point to a good you tube video regarding pulling the trans and transfer? Not sure if it matters but mine does have a PTO, but not connected to anything. Thanks guys, learning a lot

 

This winter i want to pull the engine in my M38a1 and try to fix the rear main leak. I dont under stand it. The last 2 times i didnt spend alot of time with it i thought it was going to work. I may try and run it out of the Jeep to see if i have it fixed.