Yep, you read right, i just poked my head under my car to see it dripping some oil from the diff, went and got some rags, crawled under and wiped the diff clean, there's a bloody hole in it! It's about the size of a pencil and it looks like something has let go on the inside and tried to push it's way out, as the area around the hole has bulged slightly and has some stress fractures in it. it's a good thing i got home when i did too, as it only dripped a small puddle of oil out before being completely dry. I noticed a howling noise from the diff just as i was pulling up at home, that's what prompted me to have a look.

I had the back wheel off this morning to plug a flat, and the diff was fine then, so it's happened somewhere in the 100ks i've done today.

I'll try to weld the hole up so it can hold some oil and get over to a mates house so i can use his garage, then i'll pull the back off the diff to wee what went bang.

Well I just had a look inside the diff, funny funny stuff, i wonder how much a new diff is worth, or if can find someone crazy enough to weld this one shut before it gives up the ghost altogether.

Some amusing pics:


Tiny tiny hole.


The top oval shaped outline shows the crownwheel, i don't think the grooves are meant to be there! a chunck of steel that is jammed between the diff housing and the crownwheel, I think it came from ontop of the cog that is outlined further down in the pic, speaking of which, if you look at that cog and the shaft it is on, i beleive there should be a bearing or a bush in there, neither of which is present, and both top and bottom cogs are the same! they also have a fair few teeth missing, but i couldn't get a decent picture of the damage to them.


I did get a decent picture of the teeth that have broken off, at least whats left of them, notice the oil is no longer oil, but a pretty looking grinding paste.


and a crappy pic again showing the amount of freeplay between the cog and the shaft, it moves back and forth aout 20mm.

Do you guys reckon a diff this far gone, (still works thought, if i can pulg the hole in the case up) could still be welded up to make a locked diff?

is there anywhere on here that shows how to get the diff out of a 360?

as the U.S marines used to say it looks FUBAR'ed to me
( definition of fubar available on request )

That certainly looks like you noticed it at the right time, and very very interesting and strange indeed. Keep us informed as to what else you find, personally I'd not trust that diff anylonger in any form, as if bit have started breaking off, the rest must be weakend and ready to break.
Pete

i've done something like this before too on a tarmac rally. a tooth from crown wheel came off and wedged between the casing causing it to crack. i took the cover plate off and dried all the oil up ,whacked some silicone inside and out, refitted cover plate . topped back up with oil it lasted another 20-30 miles before it totally gave up. it broke my heart because it was a rare 4.7:1 diff

redline wrote:as the U.S marines used to say it looks FUBAR'ed to me
( definition of fubar available on request )

It's german!

*just watched saving private Ryan!*

It's not German, i've read this on Urban dictionary:

3. fubar

short form of "F*cked up beyond all recognition", but also a misunderstandment of the german word "furchtbar", which means horrible or frightening.

"This situation ist Fubar!"

"Das ist furchtbar!"

RandomHero wrote:i've read this on Urban dictionary

Classic!

Lol, that website is indeed very cool! I use it a lot...