GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

First time long time.

Have an ‘04 AWD Matrix base with 150k on it. Purchased last year with minimal maintenance history available but I’ve got an ‘05 AWD base with 325k that I’ve done a lot too, but not this.

Anyhoo, started getting the noise from the rear (bearings on the viscous coupler) but it was accompanied by a significant puddle of oil under the car. Got all the parts (bearings, washers, dust seal, and diaphragm seal) and set off to fix it.

Got it apart and the first thing I noticed was neither of the washers were present, but I continued on. Once apart it continued to drip oil, which stopped once I replaced the diaphragm seal. Put the bearings on, placed the washers in the diff and put it all back together but there is still a drip coming from where the rear diff meets the housing for the viscous coupler. This is just when it’s sitting up on jacks, haven’t run it yet.

Thoughts?
(Gonna get pics up hopefully)

One thought is that it may need to seat under load (vibration).

Another is that perhaps it's not supposed to have the washers, and that's why they weren't present on disassembly?

A third is that maybe there WAS still a washer present, and now you have a doubled up washer.

Thanks for your reply. All good thoughts. Upon closer inspection the housing that covers the coupler seemed off. Didn’t sit on the top bearing like I thought it should which didn’t allow the dust seal to sit flush on the end. Ordered a new one and low and behold there is a lip that is not present on the old one. Guessing the old bearing was so bad it wore through it somehow. As for the washers, I’m stumped. May have had something to do with the bearings wearing out. Nonetheless, they’re in the manufacturers diagram of the system so I’m gonna leave them in.

I’d post pictures but can’t seem to get the file small enough on my phone