3rd member gasket question

[BostonJon]

Hey everyone-
I have a slow but persistent leak at the rear differential where the carrier bolts to the differential housing. I’ve been reading about replacement and am planning to do this when I rebuild my e-brake mechanisms since I need to disconnect the brake hard lines to pull the axles.

So I ordered the OEM Toyota gasket from eBay and was surprised to see that it seems like nothing more than a piece of paper. Is this right or did I receive a knock off? I was expecting some sort of rubberized metal gasket but not a simple piece of paper. How would this even work to seal the diff?

Any input would be appreciated!

 

[mtbtim]

That is right. It's a paper gasket. You could forego the gasket and use Toyota FIPG. You would want to use the pink/red FIPG because that's the correct one to use for the transmission, transfer case and differentials. The FIPG is handy to have around if ever need it for other jobs.
Here's a part #00295-01281 and a link: https://amzn.to/2WPsxKw

 

[MaineRunna]

The factory gasket is just a thin paper gasket. It is perfectly fine to use, Toyota thought so. The Right Stuff is also an awesome adhesive sealant that is super oil resistant and set up wicked fast.

 

[VernySanders]

I just pulled an elocker from the junkyard with the axel housing and I live in the rust belt it took me a couple hours of pounding, using chisels etc to break the diff from the housing. that paper can create a pretttttty tough bond. However most people report just pulling the stinking thing off of course for me that wasn't the case lol. If it's just a slow leak at the gasket have you tried to torque the bolts back down there? Sometimes after so many miles and years things loosen up. My valve covers did and it took me a while to narrow down that issue. Just a thought. Might stop the leak if it gets tightened up.

 

[thegipper]

The factory gasket is just a thin paper gasket. It is perfectly fine to use, Toyota thought so. The Right Stuff is also an awesome adhesive sealant that is super oil resistant and set up wicked fast.

I used Permatex "The Right Stuff" and it hasn't leaked a drop in over a year. It does set up quick so don't take too long before you mount the 3rd member.

Make sure you have a helper or use a jack to get the 3rd member in place, it's quite heavy.

 

[kolelt]

I use Permatex rtv specifically for gear oil/differentials. I had the factory RED Toyota rtv. And I didn’t like it. It just never cured. Personal preference.

 

[BostonJon]

Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the input on which gasket to use. I have the black Toyota FIPG for an upcoming valve cover job so maybe I’ll order the red for the this job.

I’ve never seen a paper gasket this thin and I still struggle to see how it would form a dependable seal.

First I will try to retorque the bolts and see if they have come loose over the years. My VC bolts were alarmingly loose when I checked them recently so I know it’s a possibility. The leak is somewhat slow (a drop or two a day when parked) but I know it might be leaking worse while driving and when the gear oil viscosity thins. Anyone have the 3rd member bolt torque specs handy?