Amazon: - Diff woes

druid · Mar 14th, 2008, 13:40

Ok here we go, went for a longish run last night - 40 miles motorway - crusing at 70 in top and a bit of a judder started combined with a drop in performance ( thought she was gonna die!) dropped back to 60, still felt tight, clutch in and she revved fine. Dropped out of O/D still juddery and slowed to around 50 flat out? fueling (S/U's) fine and engine tickover and performance tells me the motor is A ok.

After running at 50 for around 3 miles it had settled back to 'normal' and would run back upto 70 without fuss

My concern is the diff, it wines like a 2 year old! and i'm wondering if the symptoms are that of a diff' going bad (well worse than it is now). Theres a lot of play, nearly 45' rotation if you jack one wheel and turn it!

It's an ENV frontloader 4.1:1 Apparently an early car? 1964 built '65 model how hard will it be to get a diff or axle?, and if i have to get a later diff - how much work to alter it or the car to fit?

mike gilbert · Mar 14th, 2008, 17:49

The first symptoms you describe are not that of a diff on the way out. Diff's dont cause the performance to drop, they just make everything shake to bits and then seize up - but this is extremely rare. Plus I think the diff would not play up at cruising speed, it is slow/fast/slow driving that puts most strain on it.
That said if your diff is uncomfortably loud then a replacement is worth getting - though if your as lucky as i've been with these things then the replacment will be just as bad. Recon diffs are very expensive.
Have you checked the propshaft, particularly the centre bearing and its carrier bush? They also play up but again not at a steady 70 mph - usually.
BTW a 65 diff is no harder to find than a later one so you should be ok

druid · Mar 15th, 2008, 22:51

Quote:

Have you checked the propshaft, particularly the centre bearing and its carrier bush

I haven't had a chance to look her over yet but the thing that worries me is this is the first long run since the axle refit, it wasn't the engine 'cos she felt like i was towing rather than flat a engine?

could the diff/driveshafts be locking/draging somehow?

I'll update this when i've looked at the car and gone Doh! 'cos it gonna be something stupid.............or expensive!

mike gilbert · Mar 16th, 2008, 09:08

If all you've done is take it off and put it back on then I can't see what you could get worng. But if you've replaced wheel bearings or done something to the diff then you could have overtightened something or left insufficient tolerance so when the metals get hot and expand it tightens up. But i still suspect its something other than the diff itself

Derek UK · Mar 16th, 2008, 10:46

To add to Mike's comments. Did all the correct shims get put back on with the spacer and backing plate, and are they in the correct position?
It might be something as simple as sticking brakes, maybe overtightened handbrake cable?

Mike B · Mar 16th, 2008, 11:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by druid

I haven't had a chance to look her over yet but the thing that worries me is this is the first long run since the axle refit, it wasn't the engine 'cos she felt like i was towing rather than flat a engine?

could the diff/driveshafts be locking/draging somehow?

I'll update this when i've looked at the car and gone Doh! 'cos it gonna be something stupid.............or expensive!

Hi when your axle was refitted was the prop shaft replaced in the same orientation if not this can cause vibration .?
hope this helps.
Regards
Mike B

amazondean · Mar 17th, 2008, 06:34

I would have thought that if the brakes where sticking for some reason or the shims on the back axle where not correct (too tight) enough to feel the car holding back, when you stopped there would be clouds of smoke or at least very hot wheels.

I had a knackered morris mariner estate once. I was driving to work just a few miles and noticed the car was holding back. as i was thinking what the problem was I could see clouds of smoke out the back, I thought the car was on fire and stopped. When I investigated, I had left the hand brake on. LOL

druid · Mar 17th, 2008, 15:19

Not brakes, they were cool.
Shims might be it though...pushing out through expantion but can't move at the wheel end means the pressure has to be at the diff???

Mar 14th, 2008, 13:40	#1
druid V40 Owner Last Online: Dec 13th, 2020 01:28 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tonyrefail, Souh Wales. View Photos By: druid	Diff woes Ok here we go, went for a longish run last night - 40 miles motorway - crusing at 70 in top and a bit of a judder started combined with a drop in performance ( thought she was gonna die!) dropped back to 60, still felt tight, clutch in and she revved fine. Dropped out of O/D still juddery and slowed to around 50 flat out? fueling (S/U's) fine and engine tickover and performance tells me the motor is A ok. After running at 50 for around 3 miles it had settled back to 'normal' and would run back upto 70 without fuss My concern is the diff, it wines like a 2 year old! and i'm wondering if the symptoms are that of a diff' going bad (well worse than it is now). Theres a lot of play, nearly 45' rotation if you jack one wheel and turn it! It's an ENV frontloader 4.1:1 Apparently an early car? 1964 built '65 model how hard will it be to get a diff or axle?, and if i have to get a later diff - how much work to alter it or the car to fit?

Mar 14th, 2008, 17:49	#2
mike gilbert Master Member Last Online: Apr 27th, 2024 18:57 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Peterborough View Photos By: mike gilbert	The first symptoms you describe are not that of a diff on the way out. Diff's dont cause the performance to drop, they just make everything shake to bits and then seize up - but this is extremely rare. Plus I think the diff would not play up at cruising speed, it is slow/fast/slow driving that puts most strain on it. That said if your diff is uncomfortably loud then a replacement is worth getting - though if your as lucky as i've been with these things then the replacment will be just as bad. Recon diffs are very expensive. Have you checked the propshaft, particularly the centre bearing and its carrier bush? They also play up but again not at a steady 70 mph - usually. BTW a 65 diff is no harder to find than a later one so you should be ok Last edited by mike gilbert; Mar 14th, 2008 at 17:52. Reason: addition

Mar 17th, 2008, 06:34	#7
amazondean amazondean Last Online: Apr 25th, 2024 19:27 Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nettleton Market Rasen	I would have thought that if the brakes where sticking for some reason or the shims on the back axle where not correct (too tight) enough to feel the car holding back, when you stopped there would be clouds of smoke or at least very hot wheels. I had a knackered morris mariner estate once. I was driving to work just a few miles and noticed the car was holding back. as i was thinking what the problem was I could see clouds of smoke out the back, I thought the car was on fire and stopped. When I investigated, I had left the hand brake on. LOL __________________ There are only two things in life that is easy. One's lying down and the other is handing your credit card over. everything else has a degree of skill. Volvo 850 TDI, 850 TDI, 850 TDI Volvo V70 TDI, V70 TDI, Volvo V70 XC, (99)

Mar 16th, 2008, 09:08	#4
mike gilbert Master Member Last Online: Apr 27th, 2024 18:57 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Peterborough View Photos By: mike gilbert	If all you've done is take it off and put it back on then I can't see what you could get worng. But if you've replaced wheel bearings or done something to the diff then you could have overtightened something or left insufficient tolerance so when the metals get hot and expand it tightens up. But i still suspect its something other than the diff itself

Mar 16th, 2008, 10:46	#5
Derek UK VOC Member Last Online: Yesterday 15:13 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chatham	To add to Mike's comments. Did all the correct shims get put back on with the spacer and backing plate, and are they in the correct position? It might be something as simple as sticking brakes, maybe overtightened handbrake cable?

Mar 17th, 2008, 15:19	#8
druid V40 Owner Last Online: Dec 13th, 2020 01:28 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Tonyrefail, Souh Wales. View Photos By: druid	Not brakes, they were cool. Shims might be it though...pushing out through expantion but can't move at the wheel end means the pressure has to be at the diff???

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