Slightly leaky differential

[MikesJo]

How bad is it to have a slowly leaking differential. I took the car in today to get the fluids in the tranny and diff change to find out that the diff is leaking slowly. It's coming from the driver side (axle?). The passenger side of it is fine.

What do you think are the labour hours involved by a shop? Parts cost?

Thanks. Damn car!

[PeaveyBassist]

2hrs maybe? It shouldnt be much. Rubber seals on the side of the diff are easy to change. Driver's side might be a little harder. You MIGHT need to drop the exhaust on that side a little bit, but I dunno if you even have to take it all the way off.

Unbolt the axle, pry off the axle stubs from the diff with a screwdriver on either side of it. Then there should be a circlip/snap ring on the inside of there. Get that ring out and the rubber seal should "come right out". Put a new one in and installation is reverse of removal. Not hard :)

Will

[ZinRot325i]

Meh it's easy and simple.
I DOUBT that you have to take the exhaust down to change the seals, but its possible. I can't imagine it even taking two hours. Seals are cheap, around 7.50 for both the seal and the snap ring that the output flange locks into.

That said, you can run it for a few years with a leak, just top it off every time the car is in the air.

I'd say more than 50% of people have leaky diffs by now.

[MikesJo]

Ok good to hear. I was getting a bit scared by this new guy at the shop I usually go to. He was saying I should replace it asap but about 5 months ago when I was in the same shop, the owner said it wasn't that bad.

I didn't put in the diff oil because they said it was leaking. Guess I'll go ahead and put it in for now then. Can't hurt putting in new diff. oil, don't know when the last time it was changed.

[MikesJo]

Which parts would I need?
I'm assuming this is the right diagram from realoem.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=AF93&mospid=47305&btnr=33_0144&hg=33&fg=10