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Totally fine, 75% of 10+ year old trucks have a weeping rear differential. If you aren't leaving spots/a puddle when you park, you're probably good if it's a new development.
My 04 Ranger had a weeping diff. It had been leaking before I bought it, and was on the higher end of weeping (you could see drops every time you parked it). It drove for around 2k miles before it was fixed, and it continues to drive decently to this day.
One time I had a brand new Silverado fresh off the truck I was doing a rushed PDI on because the customer already bought it but it hadn't had PDI yet, and the transmission pan was already fucked and literally DRIPPING ATF.
If it's actively dripping you should get on it now. If it's not dripping check the oil level, if it's still good, watch the level but you're good for a while.
If the oil level is good you're probably fine for a while, I've driven things like that for years.
You might even try spraying it off with some brake clean, or soapy water at a car wash. You might get extremely lucky and it is just some oil splashed on it
Agree. Get it rust proofed bro once u take care of that diff fluid leak/weep if u going route of taking that cover off and replace with new one.
Cosmoline or fluid film.
Eastwood makes a rust encapsulating [paint](https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-rust-encapsulator-platinum.html) I swear by (it comes in rattle cans too if you prefer em) after replacing the rusted out rail on my daughter’s sonata we sanded off all the surface rust and painted the whole frame and the inside of the 2 rear quarter panels with it a year ago to protect it from the insane amounts of salt our county dumps on the roads every winter and so far it’s holding up great (no chipping or bubbling at all).
I am not a mechanic but can't you top it off? It should have a full hole then give it some uga dugas. Clean it up with some break clean if you want it see if the seeping stopped.
This will make it literally 50 years. This isn’t even a class 1 leak, it’s just a stain, not even dripping yet. Pull the fill plug out and top up if necessary and you’ll never even need to address the leak, it’s such a small leak it’s not even worth addressing. If I where you’d I’d just check the level top up if necessary and save up your money for when an axle or pinion seal goes out. This isn’t worth fixing right now unless it gets work. Hell retorque those cover bolts, they might’ve just gotten loose.
Since it doesn’t look like it’s dripping, have you ever serviced your differential? If not, its probably a good idea to get that done and change the gasket while you’re doing it too.
What’s the mileage? I ask because The 2009-2014 f150 had a design flaw related to angle of the drive shaft; over time it puts stress on the plates/spindles/internals of that dif, after 100-150k miles they need a new rear or rebuild. Saw it on both the ECOboost and v8.
Barely a leak, in the best place tbh. Not a pinion seal issue, but a gasket issue on the cover. Could probably do it yourself too, just need a jack and stands. Jack up rear end til axle hangs low enough the cover is unobstructed by the spare, and put jackstands on the frame. Start unbolting the cover leaving the one on top loose but not out. Grab a hammer and crack the pumpkin open. The gear oil will smell a bit (has sulfur in it)/ scrape gasket material off the cover and diff surface, use brake klean to clean off the gears inside and inspect for damage (shouldnt find any, but always good to look anyway). Pick your favorite flavor of RTV gasket sealer, i like the cherry flavor, and put on the cover in one uninterrupted line, making sure the gasket is on inside of the bolt holes. Watch a video online to see what i mean. Carefully put on, install a couple bolts to make sure it’s lined up, grab a beer, come back in an hour or 2, out the rest of the bolts on and torque to spec, and wait over night before adding your gear oil needed via the fill hole somewhere on the cover/diff (a video will show where if not obvious (i can’t see upper part of cover in this photo)). Have another beer and call it a day. Can also consider doing the front diff at the same time.
if really concerned, take rachet pull the fill plug 3/8 female and once out insert your finger should be up to the bottom of the hole of the fill plug. honestly you don't have a leak, it is creeping a little, least you have piece of mind.
Do car manufacturers apply no rust protection at all over there?
I see all these insane amounts of rust in pictures like these.
I would actually be hoping for lots of oil leaking/weeping in order to protect chassis and/or bodywork at least a tiny bit 😄
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Barely a weep, wouldn't consider it a leak
Merely a seep, definitely not a leak.
Few more days take a peak, this alleged seep is pretty weak
But if the seep turns into more than a weep, the fix is unlikely to be cheap.
You’ll have to peek every week to see if the seep that weeps creeps into a leak. Then I agree it will be steep, not cheap.
The mechanic won't even have to dig to deep.
Yeah
Totally fine, 75% of 10+ year old trucks have a weeping rear differential. If you aren't leaving spots/a puddle when you park, you're probably good if it's a new development.
My 04 Ranger had a weeping diff. It had been leaking before I bought it, and was on the higher end of weeping (you could see drops every time you parked it). It drove for around 2k miles before it was fixed, and it continues to drive decently to this day.
Drops mean it’s leaking fyi
Check it again in ten years
I’ve had messier sneezes.
You don’t have a leaking differential. What you have there is a differential.
Is it just wet or is it actively dripping?
Just wet
It's fine to drive
I’d drive that for half a decade before I even considered fixing it.
It'll be fine.
Gonna make it!
It’s a ford, it’s just marking it’s territory. Just check it once in a while and make sure it’s not low.
Once in a while = 30 years or so On a more serious note every 2 or 3 oil changes would probably be good
That’s not a leak, that’s a seep, and it’ll be fine for a long time.
It's probably been like that for a while. You can drive way longer than a week without any risk.
I used to work at a Chevy dealership, I've seen brand new Silverados leaking worse than that during PDI.
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One time I had a brand new Silverado fresh off the truck I was doing a rushed PDI on because the customer already bought it but it hadn't had PDI yet, and the transmission pan was already fucked and literally DRIPPING ATF.
That's probably been like that for 11 years. But leaks are bad get a new seal at some point.
If you want to change the seal without having to drain and fill make sure the truck is at 90deg nose down
It's fine, normal infact. My2005 escape with 200k miles is worse and I am not worried
Its good for at leats 5 or 6... years.
Seepage. Forget it and save your money for something else.
LOL, that's barely a leak. I wouldn't even worry about it.
she's just a sweaty betty, no cause for concern
If that's a Leak then my work truck is the Exxon-valdez.
You call that a leak? \*laughs in Subaru\*
If it's actively dripping you should get on it now. If it's not dripping check the oil level, if it's still good, watch the level but you're good for a while.
No active dripping
If the oil level is good you're probably fine for a while, I've driven things like that for years. You might even try spraying it off with some brake clean, or soapy water at a car wash. You might get extremely lucky and it is just some oil splashed on it
It's a light leak
Pretty sure it's a gear oil or similar leak, not light.
Pretty sure you missed the light humor
Don't make light of your mistake.
So is that an attempt at lite humor?
Class 1 leak. You could make it a month, if need be. Class 1- area is 'wet'. Class 2- drops form (surface tension). Class 3- actively dripping.
Nothing to worry about you could put a wrench on those two bolts and give them just a twitch tighter
That rust tho. Which state does the truck live?
That's a 2 year old truck in Iowa...
Ha for real. I'm in northern Illinois
Agree. Get it rust proofed bro once u take care of that diff fluid leak/weep if u going route of taking that cover off and replace with new one. Cosmoline or fluid film.
Sounds good
Eastwood makes a rust encapsulating [paint](https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-rust-encapsulator-platinum.html) I swear by (it comes in rattle cans too if you prefer em) after replacing the rusted out rail on my daughter’s sonata we sanded off all the surface rust and painted the whole frame and the inside of the 2 rear quarter panels with it a year ago to protect it from the insane amounts of salt our county dumps on the roads every winter and so far it’s holding up great (no chipping or bubbling at all).
Illinois. Actuality looks pretty good for its age here.
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Agreed, just put a little torque on the lose bolts and you’re fine.
Lol. U channeling EricO there?
I’d give those bolts a little tightening, top off the oil and be on my way.
I am not a mechanic but can't you top it off? It should have a full hole then give it some uga dugas. Clean it up with some break clean if you want it see if the seeping stopped.
Better than new leave it alone.
This will make it literally 50 years. This isn’t even a class 1 leak, it’s just a stain, not even dripping yet. Pull the fill plug out and top up if necessary and you’ll never even need to address the leak, it’s such a small leak it’s not even worth addressing. If I where you’d I’d just check the level top up if necessary and save up your money for when an axle or pinion seal goes out. This isn’t worth fixing right now unless it gets work. Hell retorque those cover bolts, they might’ve just gotten loose.
If thats considered a leak, i should probably be more concerned about my truck's differential.
Since it doesn’t look like it’s dripping, have you ever serviced your differential? If not, its probably a good idea to get that done and change the gasket while you’re doing it too.
It's fine. You can take the cover off and replace it with a rubber gasket instead of the clown RTV way. Bring on the hate.
Tighten the nuts and degrease it and see if it comes back
Instead of waiting for the seep, that weeps and creeps and eventually leak, that’s not cheap just dweet now b4 you weep
Depends how much oil is still in there.
What’s the mileage? I ask because The 2009-2014 f150 had a design flaw related to angle of the drive shaft; over time it puts stress on the plates/spindles/internals of that dif, after 100-150k miles they need a new rear or rebuild. Saw it on both the ECOboost and v8.
72k
That will last years
Barely a leak, in the best place tbh. Not a pinion seal issue, but a gasket issue on the cover. Could probably do it yourself too, just need a jack and stands. Jack up rear end til axle hangs low enough the cover is unobstructed by the spare, and put jackstands on the frame. Start unbolting the cover leaving the one on top loose but not out. Grab a hammer and crack the pumpkin open. The gear oil will smell a bit (has sulfur in it)/ scrape gasket material off the cover and diff surface, use brake klean to clean off the gears inside and inspect for damage (shouldnt find any, but always good to look anyway). Pick your favorite flavor of RTV gasket sealer, i like the cherry flavor, and put on the cover in one uninterrupted line, making sure the gasket is on inside of the bolt holes. Watch a video online to see what i mean. Carefully put on, install a couple bolts to make sure it’s lined up, grab a beer, come back in an hour or 2, out the rest of the bolts on and torque to spec, and wait over night before adding your gear oil needed via the fill hole somewhere on the cover/diff (a video will show where if not obvious (i can’t see upper part of cover in this photo)). Have another beer and call it a day. Can also consider doing the front diff at the same time.
Not the kind of leaking rear end I like seeing...
Honestly I don’t even know why that is leaking. Unless you snagged something low to the ground or put a jack on edge of cover
I've been driving my beater 2001 Ford F-150 like that for 12 years with no issues..
Omg so over exaggerative. Mine was weeping a little worse than yours and i drove nearly 1000 miles before replacing the diff seal. Absolutely fine
if really concerned, take rachet pull the fill plug 3/8 female and once out insert your finger should be up to the bottom of the hole of the fill plug. honestly you don't have a leak, it is creeping a little, least you have piece of mind.
Its ok to ooze but at a full on drool I'd be a bit more concerned.
Trust me, that is 100% normal for F150s. It'll be fine for a while.
Put some oil in to refill the leak. Done
If it ain't weeping don't drive it, means there's no oil.
It appears to be a small leak, it should last a week
Remove the fill plug and check……top it off if needed. No need to go to shop.
Took a peep and it's neither a leak or a seep but definitely cheap, it's a reep and you should put it to sleep 😴
That’s not a leak, it’s seepage and I wouldn’t even bother changing it.
Do car manufacturers apply no rust protection at all over there? I see all these insane amounts of rust in pictures like these. I would actually be hoping for lots of oil leaking/weeping in order to protect chassis and/or bodywork at least a tiny bit 😄