Buy a D-44 that leaks oil?

I may have an opportunity to buy a D44. It's under a XJ now but the owner wants to swap it out for a different D44. The present D44 leaks oil, apparently from the top of the joint between the axle tube and the case gear housing. It drips only a very little. He says it can be welded closed. Any thoughts? Could something be badly wrong?
Thanks!

mhead said:

Could something be badly wrong?

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Well, yeah.

Normally, they don't leak at this juncture. Ergo, something must have happened to cause this one to leak. What might that be? Could be that the tube has been tweaked so that it's no longer parallel to the opposite tube. I would certainly consider this to be a problem. It could even be slightly bent where it enters the diff housing. I would also consider that to be a problem.

Sure, it can be welded.

If it was that easy to fix, doncha think the other guy would do that rather than buy a whole 'nother axle and swap it in?

I'm not saying you shouldn't buy it, but do a lot of investigating first, and negotiate the price based on what you find to be wrong with the axle.

It leaks from the TOP where the tube goes into the pumpkin? there shouldn't even be oil up there. If so it's AWFULLY full. there should be oil out in the tubes but it shouldn't be so much that it would come out of the top.

It leaks from the TOP where the tube goes into the pumpkin? there shouldn't even be oil up there. If so it's AWFULLY full. there should be oil out in the tubes but it shouldn't be so much that it would come out of the top.

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the oil does splash around inside though,

small amounts of oil leak out of my valve cover, but i know it isnt filled all the way to the top