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Defender08



Member Since: 16 Nov 2013
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 20

Australia 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Alpine White
Oil leak back axle
I have had persistent oil leak past the rubber cover (dust cap) over the end of the passenger side rear axle drive shaft.

It developed after a 3 day trip over very rocky ground in desert to the north,

The differential ventilation pipe (breather) has been checked to ensure no blockage (pipe removed, air blasted and rodded with flexible steel cable; the breather insert into the axle housing was also checked to make sure that nothing was blocking air pathway between axle and breather.

A local very experienced independent land rover expert has replaced the passenger side wheel bearings and inner and outer hub seals.

The leak has persisted and increased. The increase coincided with the loss of the dust cover. I'm presume that it has been blown off and worked its way from inside the cavity of the boost alloy rim to the highway.

I'd welcome suggestions about the likely cause of this leak.
Post #676254 6th Jan 2018 2:24am
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pannawonica



Member Since: 21 Nov 2010
Location: Clackline Western Australia
Posts: 568

Australia 
Sounds like the inner seal behind the stub axle that retains the axle oil. Thumbs Up
Post #676255 6th Jan 2018 3:59am
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agentmulder



Member Since: 16 Apr 2016
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 1324

Kuwait 
Part FTC3650 - which is #8 below.

Cheap parts but time consuming to get to - you'll need new gaskets and stake nut/tab-over washer also. If you think you need to change your discs, pads, bearings, nuts, stub axle etc. now is the time.

Some people actually opt to leave the seal out, but if your cap is leaking it's no good.


Click image to enlarge
 Solved the bowel problem, working on the consonants...
Post #676291 6th Jan 2018 9:46am
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Alien



Member Since: 18 Jan 2015
Location: Bacchus Marsh
Posts: 230

Australia 
x2 for the outer axle seal, I had one go on ours contaminating the wheel bearing grease with oil.
The stub axle will need to be removed to access the seal. Cheers,
Kyle.
Post #676295 6th Jan 2018 10:03am
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Vitesse



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Sussex
Posts: 381

United Kingdom 2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Santorini Black
I hope all goes well for your repair. I Just had exactly the same issue occur today on my 2015 Puma. 42000 miles. Luckily sorting out via Landrover assist under warranty etc. Going to be collected by the dealer on Monday. I had wondered also about the breather but haven’t been able to check it. Let’s se what the dealer makes of it Rolling Eyes 2015 90 XS Santorini Black
Post #676389 6th Jan 2018 4:31pm
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554


Click image to enlarge
Post #676398 6th Jan 2018 5:03pm
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Defender08



Member Since: 16 Nov 2013
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 20

Australia 2008 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Alpine White
Thank you all for your replies.

I probably didn't make myself clear in the original message.

The seal stub axle inner (FTC3650) was replaced at the same time as the outer seal and bearings. After replacement of the inner seal, the oil leak stopped for a few hundred km, but within 1500 km oil was leaking at the same rate as before seal replacement.

At about 2000 km since the repair, the leak rate must have allowed pressure to build up within the dust cap because it has blown off and been lost on the highway.

Look forward to any other suggestions.
Post #676481 6th Jan 2018 9:43pm
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Alien



Member Since: 18 Jan 2015
Location: Bacchus Marsh
Posts: 230

Australia 
My next check would be to see if the diff breather is clear.
If it's blocked it may me pushing oil past the seal.

It's also possible the replacement outer axle seal is damaged Cheers,
Kyle.
Post #676485 6th Jan 2018 9:55pm
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agentmulder



Member Since: 16 Apr 2016
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 1324

Kuwait 
Although you'd have to be pretty rough, it's possible to dislodge the seal when inserting the half shaft. How is the half shaft around the area where the seal sits?

Also possible for it to be installed the wrong way round twice, the second following the lead of the first ..

But yeah, for the outer cap to pop off if think you're looking at a clogged breather. They're easy to find once you're under, take off the fill plug and blow through the breather (lungs or compressor), see what happens... Solved the bowel problem, working on the consonants...
Post #676491 6th Jan 2018 10:17pm
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UtilityTruck



Member Since: 09 Jan 2014
Location: Oxford
Posts: 463

United Kingdom 
The only reason for oil to be coming out of the drive member area is if the inner oil seal has failed. As to why it’s failed, as others have said it could be a breather problem or fitted incorrectly (good enough for 1500km?)

Potentially it’s possible the sealing face was damaged so the new seal isn’t working correctly?

I had the same problem at about the same mileage on my 2014, LR rebuilt it along with new rear driveshafts. Fortunately they fitted the later type one piece shafts, which on a 2015 you should already have. 2014 Keswick Utility 2.2
Post #676752 7th Jan 2018 9:20pm
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agentmulder



Member Since: 16 Apr 2016
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 1324

Kuwait 
Just thinking now about the blocked breather...

Firstly, on level ground if you pull a half shaft out the axle oil doesn't leak out, and with warm axle oil and the accumulating pressure you'd expect air to leak out more readily than oil (right?). i.e. not leading to oil in the hub.

Next, the seal aint going anywhere in the 'out' direction - but then the vehicle cools down maybe suction is at play? But is it really that strong enough to pull the seal out of its seat in the stub axle?

If it were me, I'd get myself a flange gasket, remove flange and half shaft, and have a look with a flashlight. Maybe a dentist's mirror on a stick Laughing

In my case I had a partially blocked breather. I remember now, you don't actually need to remove the fill plug, with a bit of grunt you can remove it from the top of the axle itself. Blew some compressed air through it and a bunch of dust came out. I'm pretty sure the rear outlet doesn't achieve anywhere near the heights of the front one, and is therefore more susceptible to blockage. Solved the bowel problem, working on the consonants...
Post #676764 7th Jan 2018 9:46pm
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pannawonica



Member Since: 21 Nov 2010
Location: Clackline Western Australia
Posts: 568

Australia 
I diagnosed a blocked breather the first home service after warranty! Took the car for a run too get the oils hot , put it straight on the hoist and removed the rear axle bung! My defender kind of took a huge wet fart covering me with diff oil. Land Rover had bolted the diff breather down between body and chassis! Rolling with laughter Thumbs Up
Post #676794 8th Jan 2018 3:02am
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agentmulder



Member Since: 16 Apr 2016
Location: Outer Space
Posts: 1324

Kuwait 
Laughing

Gotta wonder how old the kids are putting them together right?

The discussions in middle management:

"Well, let's put little Jimmy and Sally on paint, they're showing real talent in the sandpit. Tommy is on electrics, what a champ! He ate allllll his greens" Solved the bowel problem, working on the consonants...
Post #676796 8th Jan 2018 3:17am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17373

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
agentmulder wrote:
.... I'm pretty sure the rear outlet doesn't achieve anywhere near the heights of the front one, and is therefore more susceptible to blockage.


The rear axle breather usually terminates somewhere between the chassis rail and the underneath of the rear tub adjacent to the rear nearside wheel. it is such a daft place that it almost negates the value of having the extended breather in the first place. It is the same level of automotive incompetence that put the original fuel tank breather terminating directly behind the rear nearside wheel. Shocking.
Post #676811 8th Jan 2018 8:44am
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pannawonica



Member Since: 21 Nov 2010
Location: Clackline Western Australia
Posts: 568

Australia 
My rear diff breather tube ran all the way too the engine bay and up at the heater. Thumbs Up Thumbs Up
Post #676856 8th Jan 2018 12:24pm
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