Chasing ATF leak

[Michael Siple]

Front u-joint drippy , new bushing & seal - seal is dry , seems it's leaking thru the center of the slip joint & slinging the drips off the u joint. Slip joint is solid - no thru-hole in the center. Shouldn't leak thru the center like that.

 

[Bewy]

Some slip joints have a freeze plug...which can leak.

 

[RustyRatRod]

It could be. That's not terribly uncommon. I've removed the drive shaft and gotten a small brush and brushed RTV sealant around where the plug presses into the back of the slip yoke. If you're good with a brush, you MIGHT can even do it with the drive shaft still in, but you would need to clean the CRAP out of it to assure there was absolutely NO fluid present, or the RTV will not stick. I would at least remove the drive shaft and you MIGHT have to remove the slip yoke from the drive shaft as well. I would say at that point, put another slip yoke in it, but who's to say a new one won't leak?

 

[Michael Siple]

Thanks for the replies

 

[408 swinger]

Look at the pic real close. You can see the spline from the BACK/U-joint side of the yoke. That plug Bewy mentioned is MIA.... Change the yoke.

 

[408 swinger]

I have used the dome type core plugs with a shot of rtv to do a down and dirty repair.

 

[Michael Siple]

A little update - out with the new driveshaft & in with the old one - No leaks & felt just as smooth on a quick ride . Little hiccup swapping them out . Count on Murphy's Law.

 

[Michael Siple]

About this plug that is not there - my thought was to re-install plug , but the maker of shaft says box it , ship it , new yoke & joint , rebalance - all my cost. Unhappy with that kind of service after the sale. Local D/S company says new yoke too. These plugs have to be available .

 

[A body]

Ram pickups and some jeeps in the 90s were notorious for this. We’d pull the shaft, clean out the inside of the slip yoke with brake clean and air, and drizzle a little sealer inside the yoke. Let it set up overnight.

 

[JDMopar]

If I remember correctly, the plug you need to replace in the end of the yoke looks more like a cam plug than a freeze plug. It's pretty much flat, with no cup to it.

 

[Bewy]

They are both freeze plugs. A lot of the earlier engines used the dome shaped plug, then came the plugs with a lip or 'sides'.