# Leaky Rear Diff



## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

Noticed my under 10k 2005 frontier has a small leak in the rear diff. Anyone else noticed this with theirs?

My neighbor has a titan and it's been in the shop a few times for rear diff leaks...


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## Gerald (May 23, 2005)

Avenger,

No leaks here so far after 6000 miles and 14 months. you are sure having your share of problems. What does the dealer say about all of this?

OkieScot


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

Gerald said:


> Avenger,
> 
> No leaks here so far after 6000 miles and 14 months. you are sure having your share of problems. What does the dealer say about all of this?
> 
> OkieScot


Truck, as i have named my frontier (i know, imaginative!), is a good truck the majority of the time... I am going to probably take it in next week (and get the king cab jumpseat TSB fixed too), but I have to get some quarts of redline just in case they want to drain the whole thing... I did a full synthetic swap to redline a while back but there is no way that should have anything to do with a leaky diff, and if my dealer tries to tell me otherwise he is going to be in for a fight 

I might just use some cleaner and clean the whole diff, and then watch it closely each day to see where the leak restarts from... And check the diff oil level while I am at it. 

I'll keep the site updated.


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## scuba91ta (Aug 19, 2005)

thanks for the update - no issues here yet... since i'm going to be doing some towing, i'm probably going to put the titan cover on...


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## abmobil (Nov 22, 2004)

My 04 appeared to be leaking when it had 2000 miles on it.
So I decided to climb under and pop the plug and it was at the full mark.
So I wiped it down real good and looked at it it probably 10 times a day for at least a week and it never leaked again.

So im guessing it was slighlty overfilled at the factory and was coming out of the vent somehere.
Truck now has 31k with no diff leaks.


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## inyourface1650 (Oct 6, 2005)

scuba91ta said:


> thanks for the update - no issues here yet... since i'm going to be doing some towing, i'm probably going to put the titan cover on...



The Titan cover will fit our D44s? Might get that nice aluminum high capacity heatsinked one....Hmmmmmmm...


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## mitchell35758 (Oct 21, 2005)

abmobil said:


> My 04 appeared to be leaking when it had 2000 miles on it.
> So I decided to climb under and pop the plug and it was at the full mark.
> So I wiped it down real good and looked at it it probably 10 times a day for at least a week and it never leaked again.
> 
> ...


They had to replace my 04 rear diff gasket twice and retorqued the drain plug on another seperarte visit.


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

i cleaned it last night and watched it yesterday and today, still clean so far... im hoping with the temperature change the pressure may have risen and it needed to vent...


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## scuba91ta (Aug 19, 2005)

inyourface1650 said:


> The Titan cover will fit our D44s? Might get that nice aluminum high capacity heatsinked one....Hmmmmmmm...


from what i have found, it's the same rear axel?


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## Q-Tip (Sep 10, 2005)

avenger said:


> Truck, as i have named my frontier (i know, imaginative!), is a good truck the majority of the time... I am going to probably take it in next week (and get the king cab jumpseat TSB fixed too), but I have to get some quarts of redline just in case they want to drain the whole thing... I did a full synthetic swap to redline a while back but there is no way that should have anything to do with a leaky diff, and if my dealer tries to tell me otherwise he is going to be in for a fight
> 
> I might just use some cleaner and clean the whole diff, and then watch it closely each day to see where the leak restarts from... And check the diff oil level while I am at it.
> 
> I'll keep the site updated.


Forgive my ignorance, didn't you have to pull the diff cover off to change out the fluid?? Or is there a drain plug/filler hole arrangement?? (Sorry, too lazy to go out to the driveway and look under mine!) Could you have messed up the cover gasket when you put it back together??


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## inyourface1650 (Oct 6, 2005)

No, its got a drain and fill plugs.....The only reason for one to take off the diff cover is to A. Switch it out with a Titan one....or B. Switch gears


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## Q-Tip (Sep 10, 2005)

inyourface1650 said:


> No, its got a drain and fill plugs.....The only reason for one to take off the diff cover is to A. Switch it out with a Titan one....or B. Switch gears


Thanks for setting me straight. What is the purpose of switching to a Titan cover??


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## inyourface1650 (Oct 6, 2005)

I believe the titan had a similar cover to what we have for the 2004 model year, however it was changed for 2005. If you notice, the Titan diff is positively tiny when compared to the F150/1500/RAM. So in certain conditions, say.....hauling 9500lbs up a 6% grade for 20 miles in 120 degree heat......it was over heating. 
The new cover is larger, so it will fit another quart of liquid, and is finned. It is also aluminum. 
Its got some nice heat sinking action going in the rear..... 
Nissan was reporting a 10C drop in rear diff oil temperature, resulting in a over 40C drop in gear temperature.

Speaking of towing, I have to go get the boat....more on this later.


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## MrFancypants (Nov 18, 2005)

IIRC the Titan cover does not fit the Frontier's D44.


- Greg -


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## Q-Tip (Sep 10, 2005)

Stillen has a rear diff cover that increases the fluid capacity by almost a quart:

STILLEN BLK POWDER COATED DIFFERENTIAL COVER, 05-06 FRONTIER

but it's only for 2wd. Sorry.

And of course it's Stillen so it's NOT cheap.


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

$210 wow...wtf outrageous! But I find it hard to believe that the 2WD rear diff is different than 4WD rear diff but I guess they know what they are doing.


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

mine is still leaking  going to call the service people in a while...

It's barely leaking, but i can see exactly where its coming from (bolt around the "8:30" position looking at the cover from the back)


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## dcp673 (Oct 14, 2005)

05 nismo and I've notice oil on my diff. cover, just enough to make it dirty/oily but not leaking/dripping on the ground. 8k miles and I've noticed it after the first couple weeks. Mine seem to be dirty from 6-8:00.


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

dcp673 said:


> 05 nismo and I've notice oil on my diff. cover, just enough to make it dirty/oily but not leaking/dripping on the ground. 8k miles and I've noticed it after the first couple weeks. Mine seem to be dirty from 6-8:00.


sounds like we're in the same boat... when i take it in i'll update you


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## shayner (Mar 14, 2006)

Avenger, any updates???


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## Markcuda (Apr 24, 2006)

> But I find it hard to believe that the 2WD rear diff is different than 4WD rear diff but I guess they know what they are doing.


I called my Nissan parts peep and she said the the part numbers for a 2 wheel drive and a 4 wheel drive rear diff. cover are differant 
But she did not say what was differant about the two.


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## scuba91ta (Aug 19, 2005)

Some of you with leaky rear diff's may want to check this out.... 

if the plug is still installed, it may cause the leak 

http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2006/NTB06-027.htm


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## shayner (Mar 14, 2006)

scuba91ta said:


> Some of you with leaky rear diff's may want to check this out....
> 
> if the plug is still installed, it may cause the leak
> 
> http://www.nissanhelp.com/Ownership/Bulletins/Nissan/2006/NTB06-027.htm


very interesting. Will be interested to see if that is the fix/issue!!


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

i haven't talked to nissan yet, the local shop was out of my redline diff oil (not going to let nissan fill it with their stuff) and then I just got busy at work...

that link is VERY INTERESTING scuba91ta, I'll be checking on that asap!


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

okay... appointment made for tomorrow morning.

I checked the axle, the breather is there in the proper place

I'm also going to get the jump seat problem fixed


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## msubullyfan (Jul 24, 2005)

I think that was a notice that if the rear differential assembly is replaced, the plug needs to be removed and the breather installed. I don't think it was a problem for Frontiers that have the original differential installed.


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

truck is back, they removed the rear diff cover and resealed it

there is no gasket, they just use rtv to make a gasket

we'll see if i stay leak free


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## shayner (Mar 14, 2006)

avenger said:


> truck is back, they removed the rear diff cover and resealed it
> 
> there is no gasket, they just use rtv to make a gasket
> 
> we'll see if i stay leak free


you would think they would use a gasket...


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

shayner said:


> you would think they would use a gasket...


tell me about it, i'm tempted to use one of those kits to create my own if it leaks again


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## scuba91ta (Aug 19, 2005)

meh - i've never used any more than rtv to seal the rear on my car...


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

im swapping redline 80w140 back in asap, it seems they decided to fill it with 80w90


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