rear differential - I know they shed metal but......

[redbeard]

99 Tahoe
300 000 km
I pulled the cover off my 10 bolt rear to clean it out and refresh the gear oil because it's been weeping.

I'm not afraid of a little metal muck on my magnet but I'll post a picture of what I found.....

Last gear oil refresh and cover renewal was 40k ago when I replaced the rear pinion seal.

Is this part of the old seal? It's not leaking from the pinion....only the cover....
Where was this hiding??
Is it a axle bearing race? I know a few things about a few things but no clue here.
Fluid was darkish but translucent still and not metal mud.
Thanks for any ideas.
I just cleaned her all up and run her hard with fresh oil.
It's either good or time for a swap. ;-)

 

[redbeard]

What I'm asking is should I lose any sleep over this or just get the miles I can out of it? Nothing lasts forever....but this 99 Tahoe 4x4 is the closest I've been to something that seems like it might.

 

[lesterl]

Is it metallic? If it is, I suspect it isnt gasket.....

 

[redbeard]

It certainly is metallic

Yes.....thin steel jagged metal.
If not a pinion seal lip.....Any guess on what internal on this style rear differential would release something like this??

 

[lesterl]

Wow, that sucks, I would definitley scope that out, could be a shim or something, but I would look at it a little more in depth.....

 

[redbeard]

well it lasted....until now.
pulled the cover off to have a look.
broken Ring gear tooth,

 

[Ice98]

well it lasted....until now.
pulled the cover off to have a look.
broken Ring gear tooth,

Ouch, at least it lasted an extra year

my pinion gear went out and I had to have the rear end replaced, cost me nearly $1300