What is this oil leak and broke a half shaft on my SSV

[jkssv08tahoe]

Sorry, it has been a busy stressful week with work and winter storms. Trying to get to work in a little Vovle car now. I was just able to get my Tahoe in my garage after using 75 lbs of salt to de-ice my driveway so I could move my other car out and work on my truck. After getting it in and putting it on jack stands I was able to work on it and get the front diff out. I can say this unit is junk now. Not only did I break the housing on the passenger side. I broke the ear off the driver's side. What is odd is it one of the other mounting spots was missing the bolt or maybe the bolt head broke off when it all broke I don't know.

I also took some degreaser and cleaned off this area and found my oil leak. I am glad it was not the oil pan. Is this the oil cooler block off plate? Like mentioned above? My truck is a 2008 5.3 motor

 

[OR VietVet]

I used one of these for the block off plate on my 2002

https://www.amazon.com/Whip-Billet-Plate-Engines-Proudly/dp/B08S326YYY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=WCI7GDJQ470B&dchild=1&keywords=oil+cooler+block+off+plate+5.3&qid=1613248224&sprefix=oil+cooler+block+,aps,228&sr=8-4

You have some work ahead of you.

 

[jkssv08tahoe]

I used one of these for the block off plate on my 2002

https://www.amazon.com/Whip-Billet-Plate-Engines-Proudly/dp/B08S326YYY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=WCI7GDJQ470B&dchild=1&keywords=oil+cooler+block+off+plate+5.3&qid=1613248224&sprefix=oil+cooler+block+,aps,228&sr=8-4

You have some work ahead of you.

Thanks, I think the hard part is done and the unit is out. Now I am just trying to find a good one locally in a junkyard. I already ordered a new bracket for the driver's side, I ordered this part you put in the link. I'll just dump the oil and do an oil change and just need to find a new to me unit and a bolt and I should be good to go again.

 

[wjburken]

Thanks, I think the hard part is done and the unit is out. Now I am just trying to find a good one locally in a junkyard. I already ordered a new bracket for the driver's side, I ordered this part you put in the link. I'll just dump the oil and do an oil change and just need to find a new to me unit and a bolt and I should be good to go again.

You know.... You have a lot of things out of the way to drop your oil pan. Might be a good time to drop the pan and refresh things in there as well like the pan gasket, etc.

 

[jkssv08tahoe]

You know.... You have a lot of things out of the way to drop your oil pan. Might be a good time to drop the pan and refresh things in there as well like the pan gasket, etc.

I had thought about this. But we have just been getting hit with one snowstorm after another here in NY. I just needed to get this hoe back together. Honestly, I would love to just pull the motor out and do some sort of performance build on it. I just got the truck back together today. Was having a hard time getting the front Diff back in while using a jack. Had a friend come over and we just both lifted it up and on an angle and slid it up and in. I also did something else that I have not seen done in videos or pictures. When I tried to do it by myself. I noticed the half shafts were getting in the way even with the wheels turned all the way left or right. I noticed you can pull them in a couple of inches. So I took some ratchet straps and squeezed them in to clear both sides.

PNW Thank you again for the link This is a nice piece and was a cheap and easy to fix. When it comes to LS motor stuff I do not know much. If it was an Old school Ford 5.0 or Modular motor I would know better.

So I noticed that the head of the bolt broke off and from the looks of it. It was that way for some time with the amount of rust on the bolt. So I replaced this mount

GOt a front diff from a junkyard and now front diff back in and Ratchet strapped the half shafts in to get extra clearance.

Tahoe wasn't even back together for 5 minutes before hitting the snow in my backyard and testing the 4x4 system. Went through both ways to test it.

 

[jkssv08tahoe]

Does anyone know how to get this shaft out. I am trying to take apart the old diff and can not get this shaft out. I seen in videos that they just move it side to side and it slides out. Another video I saw used a crowbar and popped it out. No matter what I do it will not come out. I don't know if the splines have twisted and will not let it come out now. I tried a big crowbar today and even a 5 lb lump hammer beating on the end of it. It will not budge.

 

[OR VietVet]

If it has a circlip on it and should collapse enough to pull out if pulled evenly, if it is not frozen and will not collapse. Try two pry bars 180 degrees across and even pressure and see if pops out. May have to pop each pry bar at the same time to force it. Did you remove the cover to make sure it is not a C clip? If it is then you have to remove the cross shaft and then push in to allow the C clip to fall out and then pulls out.

 

[Fless]

This is the driver's side stub axle, right? You may have to use a slide hammer to pop it out.

 

[89Suburban]

Ugly pics but good job fixing it!!’

 

[Rocket Man]

I replaced my front diff myself, it’s not easy. I had removed both CV axles, it was easier that way but it’s still hard. I tried my trans jack but you have to rotate it after it’s up there so I just bench pressed it. Not sure on pulling that stub- I never tore mine down that far. You should get a subscription to alldatadiy, it has disassembly instructions so you don’t f it up. Mines an 02 and different or I’d look it up.