Front Axle Leakage

[Oldsmoke]

Anyone ever had trouble with gear oil pumping out the breather tube whenever the front axle is engaged? Everything is fine otherwise. No whinning,clunking, or heating and the 4X seems to be working normally. No problem in 2wheel drive.

Would there be a baffle or deflector on the inside of the breather plug that has broken or turned the wrong way? Seems like the centrifugal force of the oil flying off the gear is pressurizing the oil right up and out the breather tube?

[grancito]

Do you mean that the oil comes out the tube end near the top of the radiator? Over full, full of water?

[Oldsmoke]

Yah, right up and out the end of the tube up where it fastens on the back of the radiator. Hadn't used the 4x much since I had the front axle rebuilt. First snowfall uncovered the problem.

[JD_countryboy]

Did the breather plug come outta the tube? I know mine has a breather plug, but no signs of oil comming out it.

[Oldsmoke]

I'm pretty sure a new breather plug will fix the problem. I did heat the old axle up pretty good before I had it rebuilt and it must have deformed the plastic breather plug on the inside.

[MAGNUM SERVICES]

When you replace the filter, replace the whole hose too as it could be very brittle if you "heated up" the axle before.

[Oldsmoke]

Just for fun I tried extending the breather tube up higher by adding a short length of tube. No more leakage.

They want $55. for a new breather plug at the dealer so I can now wait till I can acquire one somewhere somehow.

[MAGNUM SERVICES]

$ 55.00 for the breather vent is highway robbery as the local Chev. dealer sold me two for under $10.00 . I also replaced the hose with fuel line from the local parts store and extended the front and rear hoses about two inches longer than original to keep them out of water and mud when four wheelin'.