Where is the vent hole on my 44?

Hi guys. I am in the middle of a frame up build on my 75 cj5. After years of rear pinion seal leaks I finally found out that the rear D 44 has no vent hole drilled on the top of the pumpkin like the front 30 has. I figured it just never got drilled from the factory. While cleaning the axle I found one hole just outboard of one of the brake line mounting holes on the axle that was clogged up and covered up. It is threaded and I have a plug in it for now. The hole is inboard of the axle seal so I suspect it should vent the diff. Is this the factory vent line spot? Or should i drill the flat sopot on the pumpkin.

 

Yes

 

This pic shows the vent line. http://s853.photobucket.com/albums/ab92/dave74_photo/Katemcy0409/?action=view&current=img_0265.jpg

 

Thank you for the answer and the pic. I was not relishing having to drill and tap the the pumpkin. I would have been really ****ed if I did it and then found the axle hole! Thanks again guys.

 

Have you looked inside your diff cover? If the vent was missing "stuff" could have gotten into the axle housing. My factory vent was a little ball check valve looking thing screwed directly to the axle tube. I replaced with a barb fitting, about 3' of fuel line, and connected the valve up high and out of the muck.