Differential Breather

[dan240]

I recently dropped the rear subframe out of my 89 coupe and the entire pumpkin is coated with oil. The oil is coming from a hole in the top of the pumpkin on the passenger side. I assume that this is the breather for the diff.

Is the breather hole suppose to have a fitting in it? Mine does not and I am wondering if it is suppose to. Also the car is 17 years old and has 170,000 miles on it, I assume the sludge build up on the diff is fairly normal for its age. Everyone else have a similar build up?

Thanks,

[projectRDM]

All diffs look pretty nasty at that age. The breather is just a vent like the transmission has, if it's been spitting then it's possible it was overfilled.

[g6civcx]

The buildup is normal. All the turning mixed with dirt and metal shavings will come out like that.

Even new diffs come out like that after seveal thousand miles as they break in.