Tight_wad

This is the second time that I am going to be dealing with this issue.

First little history. I had sleeves, gussets, ARB locker, 4.88 gears, and ARB cover installed. Paid to have this all installed last spring summer. Installer didn't follow directions, so they never drilled the axle tube for the missing (poorly placed) axle oil tube drain. Reading the instructions, I saw the bold warning that this needed to be done. So, I had to drill it myself (a few months later from a 4500 mile trip) after experiencing oil all over my left side engine compartment.

I haven't had any issues since then, until now. Almost a year after drilling out the axle tube, I am experiencing oil from my ARB compressor solenoid exhaust port again. I have been in contact with ARB tech's about this, but have not gotten anywhere as of yet. They don't think that my preload was wrong, or that my seals are an issue. They thought that maybe I had a plugged breather tube.

Here is what I have found.

I have no air leaks. No air can be heard when the dipstick is removed from my ARB cover. No air can be heard from my NOT plugged vent tube. And the compressor doesn't cycle when I have my lockers engaged (20 plus minutes without cycling).

Fluid level is what it should be, going by the directions of the ARB cover install for how to mark the dipstick. But I am wondering if maybe that might be still a little much for it. Factory fluid level is 2.1 pints. ARB said 2.0 pints depending on gears.

Anyone have similar issue with there ARB locker, that might be able to shed some light on this for me? Also, what amount of fluid are you using? I am thinking that I would pull the cover off tomorrow and see if it might be possible that the drain hole is plugged in someway causing the same issue as the first time. Anythings possible.

Tight_wad

Drained my fluid today and removed my diff cover.

My axle drain holes are clear and flowing. Vent tube is clear and working. Actuated the locker while I had it opened up, and there are no air leaks. Not sure where to go from here.

One thing I did find is that I had lost a total of 3 oz of diff fluid. Doesn't seem like a lot. But it doesn't take much on the exhaust manifold to give that oil burning smell.

I re-compared my original diff cover and the ARB cover to try and better determine the proper amount of fluid to use. I decided that it looks closer to about 1.75 pts, so I measured and put exactly 1.75 pints in this time.

Can anyone confirm for me, a real life fluid amount that works? Does anyone have any other ideas outside of total tear down and rebuild it this winter?

jkerr

Hey gang, I thought I'd revise this tread. I am having the exact same issue. My front PR44 is pushing oil out of my ARB Air Compressor. I've never seen this before. I have an ARB locker and it seems to be working properly. I can leave it locked for hours without the compressor kicking on. The oil is pushing up the air-line to the ARB. It seems to have been pushing so hard that it has stripped the screw on the solenoid. I can't tighten it. The rear is fine.

Any idea what can be causing this?