Differential Leak? About to change diff oil for the first time

[Mr_Dobalina]

I dropped the spare tire this afternoon in prep to change the rear differential oil tomorrow for which I believe to be the first time on my wife's 074Runner with 160,000 miles.

The oil stain was there before I took the picture, but before I took the pic I hit the fill bolt with some PB Blaster - like a few drops. So the oil stain has been there fr a while.

Where/how is the bigger oil stain/leak coming from?

Edit for morning update - I was prepared to go to battle with the fill and drain bolt with my biggest breaker bar.

Not needed - both bolts were finger tight.it still had a fair amount of oil.

Pic:

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

 

[zguy1]

I dropped the spare tire this afternoon in prep to change the rear differential oil tomorrow for which I believe to be the first time on my wife's 074Runner with 160,000 miles.

The oil stain was there before I took the picture, but before I took the pic I hit the fill bolt with some PB Blaster - like a few drops. So the oil stain has been there fr a while.

Where/how is the bigger oil stain/leak coming from?

Pic:

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

It's weird but it looks like it is coming from the filler plug. Maybe the o-ring is bad or was not changed previously. Go ahead and clean the area up with some brake cleaner.

 

[bob3dsf]

It's weird but it looks like it is coming from the filler plug. Maybe the o-ring is bad or was not changed previously. Go ahead and clean the area up with some brake cleaner.

Yea, that's the only place it could be. Change the fluid, replace the crush washers and it ought to be good to go. Any leaking after that would then be easier to figure out, but I doubt you'd see anything. There's just nothing else to leak in that area.

 

[AuSeeker]

I dropped the spare tire this afternoon in prep to change the rear differential oil tomorrow for which I believe to be the first time on my wife's 074Runner with 160,000 miles.

The oil stain was there before I took the picture, but before I took the pic I hit the fill bolt with some PB Blaster - like a few drops. So the oil stain has been there fr a while.

Where/how is the bigger oil stain/leak coming from?

Edit for morning update - I was prepared to go to battle with the fill and drain bolt with my biggest breaker bar.

Not needed - both bolts were finger tight.it still had a fair amount of oil.

Pic:

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

I agree that it's leaking from the fill plug and now I'm sure of it since you updated your post to say the plugs were only hand tight.