mike13
09-05-2004, 07:09 PM
pay attention when swapping in a 900 dollar differential.
As of right now i have no idea what went wrong, besides the side shims or axels could have been mixed up. Everything installed perfectly and besides a bit of backlash, I thought everything was fine and ready to go.
We reinstall the diff and when we went to break in the diff it made some LOUD and disturbing noise. From all of the research i've done, i believed this was the noise that everyone describes as an unbroken-in kaaz 2 way. Well we were wrong. After a couple of first gear starts, the car wouldnt move. It was grinding like all hell, and we had to push it back onto the lift. We took the axels out and swapped them around, thinking we must have installed them on the wrong sides.
After everything was back together, we tested it by spinning the wheels, backlash was gone, and so was all of the clunking and vibration. Sweet. We put everything back together and go to break in the diff again. When i get it on the road, the diff is whining super loud. I am really worried, but figure i'll see if it quiets down after doing some figure 8's. after all, EVERYONE described crazy noises from their new diffs. After a couple minutes of figure 8's some very loud clunks and bangs occur every time the clutch engages. whenever I let off the accelerator, huge grinding noises start. We stop the car and inspect everything, there is oil dripping out of one of the axel stubs.
We try to get the car back to the garage, but putting it in gear, something is grinding really hard in the diff and the car wont move. My mechanic is laying on the ground pounding the axels into the diff and the car finally starts moving. I pull out into traffic and the diff fails, i jump out of the car and start pushing as gear oil drops all over the intersection and road.
We stop the car again, and finally get it moving, i drive straight to the garage about 100 yeards down the road, every time i let off the accelerator the grinding starts. We tear apart the diff and when we open the diff cover, there are 5-6 broken teeth from the pinion laying in the case. Every tooth on the ring gear is damaged. The diff appears to be ok.
This job was done by a professional with my supervision. The install went flawlessly and before we drove the car, i thought all was going perfect. I have no idea what went wrong, but right now i'm distressed and my car is broken. Its sitting in the parking lot with the axels and drive shaft ziptied up while i search fantically on the for sale forums looking for a new diff with ring gear and pinion.
Just let this be a reminder, and learn from my mistake. Always mark down which pieces came from where when you tear apart a diff. Even for pro mechanics this is not a simple job. Mess up one small detail and you end up with a disabled car.
Pics coming in next post.
As of right now i have no idea what went wrong, besides the side shims or axels could have been mixed up. Everything installed perfectly and besides a bit of backlash, I thought everything was fine and ready to go.
We reinstall the diff and when we went to break in the diff it made some LOUD and disturbing noise. From all of the research i've done, i believed this was the noise that everyone describes as an unbroken-in kaaz 2 way. Well we were wrong. After a couple of first gear starts, the car wouldnt move. It was grinding like all hell, and we had to push it back onto the lift. We took the axels out and swapped them around, thinking we must have installed them on the wrong sides.
After everything was back together, we tested it by spinning the wheels, backlash was gone, and so was all of the clunking and vibration. Sweet. We put everything back together and go to break in the diff again. When i get it on the road, the diff is whining super loud. I am really worried, but figure i'll see if it quiets down after doing some figure 8's. after all, EVERYONE described crazy noises from their new diffs. After a couple minutes of figure 8's some very loud clunks and bangs occur every time the clutch engages. whenever I let off the accelerator, huge grinding noises start. We stop the car and inspect everything, there is oil dripping out of one of the axel stubs.
We try to get the car back to the garage, but putting it in gear, something is grinding really hard in the diff and the car wont move. My mechanic is laying on the ground pounding the axels into the diff and the car finally starts moving. I pull out into traffic and the diff fails, i jump out of the car and start pushing as gear oil drops all over the intersection and road.
We stop the car again, and finally get it moving, i drive straight to the garage about 100 yeards down the road, every time i let off the accelerator the grinding starts. We tear apart the diff and when we open the diff cover, there are 5-6 broken teeth from the pinion laying in the case. Every tooth on the ring gear is damaged. The diff appears to be ok.
This job was done by a professional with my supervision. The install went flawlessly and before we drove the car, i thought all was going perfect. I have no idea what went wrong, but right now i'm distressed and my car is broken. Its sitting in the parking lot with the axels and drive shaft ziptied up while i search fantically on the for sale forums looking for a new diff with ring gear and pinion.
Just let this be a reminder, and learn from my mistake. Always mark down which pieces came from where when you tear apart a diff. Even for pro mechanics this is not a simple job. Mess up one small detail and you end up with a disabled car.
Pics coming in next post.