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#1
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How to clean out a Differential?
Hey guys, I've got a two nice looking differentials in a box in my garage, I recently pulled them out of the pick your part, and I want to install one soon.
I know that when I pulled this 2.88 from an 85 in the Anaheim hell-hole, i got a couple small bits of dirt in it through the open axle hole. (impossible to avoid in that particular yard-car combo.) I want to clean these things out good before they see any use in a running vehicle, I was wondering if someone could recommend an effective way to clean them? I'm skeptical to use water because of the bearings, & I know one of the senior members recommends ProForce degreaser, so that might work, but I have also thought about using gasoline or maybe just a really light oil and an air compressor. I want to keep the pinion seal undamaged, cause I know its a pain to change out, so I think ill skip on the brake cleaner. What do ya'll recommend, anyone have experience cleaning out complex parts like this? Also is there any easy way to tell if a diff is bad? besides missing teeth? I can rotate the flex disc coupling a lil on each before they engage, but I figured that was backlash or something. As always, my Mercedes and I thank you.
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#3
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Paint thinner/ mineral spirits, NOT lacquer thinner, and a couple of cheap soft bristled brushes. The paint thinner will not harm the seal.
If you're, ahem, "frugal" like me (cheap) then you can save the dirty solvent in a glass container, cap it and let the sediment settle to the bottom (takes a couple of days). You can then pour off the relatively clean top layer and store it for re-use as a cleaner.
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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.” ― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now |
#4
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I took it to a shop with a cleaning tank and they cleaned the ship out of it and its brilliant! Cost me $25 and saved me the labor and exposure to nasty chemi-kills! Did you know the insides of these diff housings are white?
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#5
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Quote:
A diff may be cleaned out with a multitude of methods, dishwahpsher, pressurewasher, sink, hot tank, parts washer bath... whatever you do, after water exposure, flush well with alcohol to remove any water hiding inside, then follow up with a light oil to prevent rust from the exposed to air metal. Filling it asap with gear oil and stuffing axles in, or putting the entire thing in a turkey basting bag would help to preserve it on a shelf.
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread "as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do! My drivers: 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5Turbo 1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!! 1987 300TD 1987 300TD 1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere! |
#6
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Quote:
NNnnnOOOoo. You now have lots of grit from the washing process stuck in the bearings and other hard to reach places like the front pinion bearing. If you slosh mineral spirits through you may be able to get the grit out. |
#7
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The guy washed it with alcohol and oiled it already. I was gonna fill it with fresh gear oil, drive to get my alignment done and then come back and change the diff oil again. The guy who cleaned it for me only works on axles and diffs btw. 45 years rebuilding diffs on the daily. although if this 2.88 starts howling 3k miles in I'll letch ya'll know.
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#8
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I used gasoline, dangerous I know but old habits die hard .
As Leathermang mentioned is important to tip it towards you so any old dirt/crud/swarf will wash down and out . use lots of lint free towels here and don't do this until you're ready to install and fill it up . I always add a rare earth magnet from Harbor Freight ~ $6 buys you a tube of five and once you see the collected swarf you'll be a believer in drain and fill plug magnets .
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-Nate 1982 240D 408,XXX miles Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better |
#9
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I should have mentioned that the leaking pinion seal was replaced too, and the diff was washed with the pinion assembly vaycay. The crush sleeve was nothing foreign to him.
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