DIFFERENTIAL LEAKING

2007 SR5, TRD Off Road, Texas Edition. New England truck. So lots of snow/ice & SALT

Diff is all rust/corroded. I can pick/scrap off chunks of metal.

I was planning of selling it, look'n to downsize to a new Tacoma, and listed it on Craigslist.

Young couple came to check it out. Truck still looks Stunning! But the kid crawled underneath and said the rear end was leaking.

I was shocked, it's been fully serviced by the dealership since day one. Everything done according to the maintenance schedule. Last time in, May this year, had them checkout everything and let me know of any problems.

Ended up needing new rear brakes. Was told everything looked good. But my rims may need to be refinished due to all the pitting.

NOT A WORD WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE REAR DIFF.

So needless to say I took it off Craigslist. Not going to sell it to someone and they have throw big money to fix the diff. Was asking 16K

So I'm gong to trade it in instead. I know I'll lose a couple grand in the process, but I won't have the responsibility or headache of someone getting it and shortly after it seizes up.

So my question is: Has there been a recall because of rust issues or leaking?

I crawled under to see if I could remove the fill plug. No Frigg'n way. Rusted shut Forever!

I dented the area around the plug just by applying a bit of force. I think if I used an extension for more leverage I woulda broke the plug right out of the diff. Still frozen in its threads, and I mean the metal surrounding the plug woulda gave way. That's how soft and rusty the metal has become.

At a glance the bottom quarter of the diff looks wet.

Only solution if no recall would be to get one from a junk yard and swap out. That would probably cost around 2K.

So I'm still better off trading it in and hoping it has enough oil to last another 6 weeks since I'm ordering the new Tacoma.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated
Norma

 

I'd get it off a wrecked tundra if you can find one.

For your Tacoma, get some fluid film for the undercarriage.

 

Ya I'd do that if I was gonna keep it. But it's just gotta last 6 weeks or so. The only problem is I have no way to check the level.

So right now I plan on driving it as little as possible. If I could get the fill plug out, well then I could easily add more oil. But that's not possible. Thought about putting a blow torch to it, get the plug hot enough and it should shirk enough to break it loose. Problem is I still don't think the surrounding metal is strong enough to hold. The torque/tension on the plug I think the surroundings metal wouldn't hold up.

Then I'd have a huge hole. LOL

It's pretty obvious the service department NEVER CHECKED THE DIFF LEVEL. EVER.

Must be others out there with this very same issue. I know Tacomas (gen 2) had this same problem, I just wasn't aware of it in Tundras.

Here's a pic I just took. Hard to see the line where it's wet, but you can definitely see how rusty/corroded it is, and the indent around the plug from when I tried to break it loose.

Not the best pic, poor lighting

 

Hoo. Yes sir, that's a problem.

Wish I could help out more brother!
Good luck!

 

The whole diff or jus cover?!? Maybe find one off Craig's or pick a part place good luck

 

so glad I don't live on the East coast ...man that rust..

 

Holy cow. What does the rest of your frame look like?

 

I'm with law on future vehicle. Some fluid film application is a must.

Where is it leaking? Brake line? If I missed that I apologize.
Me personally I would degrease and pressure wash back there. If you have an air impact get it ready...heat the bolt up for about 10 seconds, put the impact on it only about 1/3 trigger. If nothing gives heat again for 10 to 20 seconds and try impact about 1/3 trigger to half.
The quick hit of an impact with the heat may jar it loose.
Fair warning it could also snap head of bolt off.
I hope you get it squared away!

 

Tundras have no cover. The diff housing is all one welded piece.

 

The back cover is shot. Rusted out, you wouldn't be able to unbolt it. The bolts are frozen for sure and too much tension trying to get it loose the whole thing would fall apart.

 

Looks like I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it doesn't seize up. It's going to be a long wait.

Still got 6 weeks or so before my taco arrives.

 

And the truck has under 100,000 miles

 

If you try to trade that in the dealer is going to notice all of the rust. What's the frame like? When the dealer notices it they might take a hammer and chisel to the axle and frame to see if it holds up. This truck of yours might be headed to the junkyard.

 

It's already a done deal. Dealership looked it over, gave me a number, we argued back and forth, finally settled at $14,800

KBB in "Good Condition" to "Very Good Condition" for trade is more or less around $15,500 - $16,500 if I recall.

So I'm very happy with what we agreed on, my worry now is Will it Last and Not Seize Up prior to my new taco arriving.

Can't add any gear oil, plug is frozen shut, and with that drip drip drip 24/7 eventually it's going to run out of oil.

Not going to drive it anymore. It's last drive will be to drop it off when I pickup my new truck.

I'm pissed off to say the least since this truck was Fully Maintained By the Dealership. It was serviced according to the maintenance schedule.

It was last serviced back in May this year. They told me everything looked fine. Never did they mention that the diff was rusted to sh$t.

If this problem didn't exist I woulda sold it outright instead of trading it in, which means I coulda got more money for it.

In my opinion THIS IS NEGLIGENCE ON THE DEALERSHIP/SERVICE DEPARTMENT.

ALL THIS RUST JUST DIDN'T MAGICALLY APPEAR SINCE ITS LAST SERVICE.

THEY (SERVICE DEPARTMENT) SHOULDA MENTIONED THIS Y E A R S A G O

AND FROM THE LOOKS OF THE FILL PLUG......THEY MOST CERTAINLY NEVER EVER CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL. THAT I GUARANTEE.

 

Just went out and took a few more "HOLLY CRAP PICTURES"

Took a wire brush to it, very gently I may add, so I could try to see where the fill plug threads are, and no luck as you can see.

But boy oh boy did some CHUNKS fall off. I'm afraid if I put too much force on the ratchet trying to,get it loose I may actually break/tear the plug right out of the housing.

So I'll end up with the plug still threaded and a bunch of the housing still attached to it, leaving me with this huge hole. Don't think it's worth risking......

Second pic is a closeup of the plug......oh where oh where are the threads??????

And CHUNKS......You Bet

 

I'd be riding my bicycle around til the new truck gets there. I wouldn't even take any more pictures of it. It looks like the flash on your camera can penetrate that thing.

 

I hear ya, I'm even afraid when I touch the bottom edge with just my fingers. When you feel your finger go a quarter inch deep along the "wet" bottom edge.

Can't see that in the pics. But take my word for it, the oil is seeping right thru.

 

Kinda like a fat scab, huh?? Just want to pick at it. Well, try to resist.

 

Wow. I've never seen anything like that on a rear diff.

 

Better believe it. I'm breaking out the blow torch. Gonna put a little heat to it and see if I can persuade that damn fill plug to budge.

Not going to whack it too hard, but just enough to hopefully feel a slight snap and getter free! Definitely be nervous cause the surrounding housing could give away.

 

Craziest Part......The front side of it, where the bolts are, is in like Perfect Condition.

Minimal rust and no corrosion.

I'll take a pic of the front side later today. Hopefully I don't accidentally burn the whole truck to the ground. LOL

 

dang !

 

Pic of the front side of diff, sorry about the poor lighting, but you can see its in really good shape. You'd think it was a different truck.

 

Houston.....We Have Take-OFF. Yahooooooooooo!

Got that darn fill plug out!

Two minutes of heat with the blowtorch and tap tap tap on the end of the ratchet and awl a!

Loose as a goose!

Stuck my baby finger and reached in as far as I could, which isn't very far, but didn't hit the oil. So it's down more than an inch for sure.

Off to Walmart to pickup some gear oil, 90 weight I think, I'll have to look it up, can't remember.

Now the stress of it seizing up is over. She can drip drip drip all she wants for the next six/seven weeks!

My taco isn't scheduled to build until first week of November, so probably arrive 4 weeks after that, looks like early December. Weather should be much colder then too, so the colder the better. The oil stays much thicker in cold temps and that equals less of the drip drip drip!

Success! Yeah Baby!

Oh, I still plan on driving as little as possible. The more you drive the hotter and thinner that oil gets.

 

Haven't topped it off yet, gotta get some gear oil first, so off to Walmart later today.

But what a good feeling. I was worried it would seize up on my Frigg'n way to the dealership. That would really suck.

And did you look at the pic of the front side, No Rust or Corrosion! Doesn't look like its the same diff. Crazy, ass end is shot, front side looks great.

 

Added a quart of gear oil and it's still not full. So tomorrow I'll Drive it to Walmart and pickup another quart. No longer worried about it seizing up. Plenty of oil in it now. But I do want to fill'r up so another quart should do the trick.

Placed a clean piece of cardboard underneath so I'll see tomorrow, about 18 hrs later, how much has dripped out. It's never a whole lot, usually a spot about two inches wide. But day after day it adds up.

 

LOL

3 may be overkill. My new truck will be here eventually, but I might go with two. It's almost full now, but 4-6 weeks of drip drip drip, ya I think I'll get just one, and I can always get another later if I need it.

Who said girls can't wrench!
Norma