Took my car to dealer for routine oil change. Car has 101k miles on it. They reported a rear differential seal leak and something about a bearing "in play". They recommend replacing rear differential to stop leak at a cost of $5,800.


Someone please tell me this is BS and there is a plan b for $1,000 or less.


Ive read online about secondary certified shops replacing seals, unclogging breathers etc and fixing these kinds of leaks for a fraction of the money.


Any help? Can anyone recommend a good shop in Connecticut, Southern Mass, Eastern NY like white plains?

 

bfv01, I've moved your post from the General Tech section to the XJ (X350/358) section where members with the same model will be able to advise.


regards,
steve

 

If it's just a seal, then yes, much cheaper to get a shop to replace it. If the bearing is failing, its a lot more work, but $5800 sounds a lot of money to me. Any noise from the diff at all ?

 

Your diff can be rebuilt for a fraction of the price!

The seals are available to buy (from Jaguar) and the bearings are readily available in the aftermarket.

I have just had my diff rebuilt (again, long story) and we bought the seals from Jaguar, and bearings from Timkin...

Have a look here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...96/#post983905

Don't forget the collapsable spacer and a new pinion nut, and have it torqued correctly (which is why mine failed)

 

Oops, I just realized you have a 2008 model, they run a different diff to the early cars. I have no idea if the bearings & seals are the same as the earlier cars. Maybe?

 

No noise. Drives like a dream. Just diagnosed yesterday. I drove it around for about an hour to get the oil hot and put a piece of cardboard underneath to see if there is any leak. Anyone know a price for a rebuilt deff just in case its worst case for this? Hopefully like you said its just a seal. taking it to some certified shops in CT this week. Hope they can fix it. Dealership specifically mentioned leak from a seal. but then they went straight for a diff upgrade kit needed for $5,800.

 

Quote from Dealer " rear diff right seal leaking, rear axle bearing has play. Will need a new diff upgrade to fix leak"

 

The parts catalog doesn't list individual spare parts for the diff. From the dealers point of view they take the complete unit out & put in a new one, no rebuilding...

But we know you can buy seals individually... for or the older X350's at least.

I would get away from the dealer, find a gearbox/differential specialist shop because a 2nd opinion from someone independent can't hurt.

 

Thank you. I put a piece of cardboard under the rear axkle and checked it ever 5-10 mins or so and 45 mins later I have a single drop about the size of a dime. If all the pricing I get is silly would all I have to do is ensure there is oil in the rear axkle pumpkin to avoid any issues?

 

Any good YouTube vids or pic instructions on how to change the seals or bearing ?

 

The real issue is the report of play in the bearing. If true, this is the main issue, so get a second opinion.

 

I just had my MY 2008 X358 NA with 63,000 miles in for service last week. The Jag dealer advised that they saw a small leak at the differential and said that to replace the seal would be in the $400 range. They said it did not have to be done right now but I am planning on doing it within the next six months. By not having it done, I can't tell you if it will actually be more involved than just the seal. Just an FYI.

 

Ok, I have some experience with the right side half axle differential leak on the 2008 XJ8 VDP. I had a small leak at the seal so I replaced it myself in about 1.5 hours time. The repair manual was straight forward showing the steps. Only cost me $14.00 for the seal from the Jaguar Dealer. After removing the seal I noticed three scratches in the rubber ring maybe caused by a small rock or something that got hung up in there so my leak made sense. I did talk to the Jaguar Mechanic at the Dealer when buying a oil filter and he told me that 60% of the time replacing the seal will fix the leak on the left or right half axel's, but 40% of the time there is actually a bearing problem causing vibtation thus making the round rubber seal slighly oblong causing the leak. Therefore best to replace the seal and then see what happens.

Here is a thread on the half axle seal leak to also read on another issue a member had to consider:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...iameter-68206/


Jaguar part number XR821244 Transmission Out Put Shaft Oil Seal - $14.00 part (see picture)
Jaguar part number XR811133 half axle retaining clip can reuse old one per dealer - otherwise is a $5.00 part


FOMOCO original Jaguar part I replaced as printed on the seal:
F315P
2R8W-4B416AA
D-1


New replacement part now has a glue seal on the outer edge to seal to the differential housing, as printed on the seal:
F264H
2R8W-4B416AA
CD-7

Here you can see the seal, and a picture of a differential with a seal in it.

When you pull the seal almost no differential oil comes out as the oil line is just at the edge of that seal opening. I used a screw driver (very very carfully) not to scratch the differential hole and poped it out. You will end up slightly dissfiguring the old one as they bend kinda easy but that is ok. the new one will be pressured back in. I used a large socket the size of the out rim of the seal to then hit the socket so the seal would seat in straight. Be careful, some people like to simply use a hammer and tap around but that often will cause the seal to go in on an agle yand ou may may damage the seal tyring to pull it out to try to put it in straight again. The seal has a wire spring around it (see picture) the pushes the rubber against the half axle. Be carful to slide the half axle nice and careful into the seal as to avoid the spring from popping off and into your differential which would not be good for your differential gears.

Once the seal was in and axle assembled back, I took some wheel bearing greese and push some into the crack of the seal and the axle with my finger all the way around and wiped away any excess and never had a leak since with now almost two years that have passed. The new seal has some greese on it but very little and not enough.