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-   -   My Differential FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING!! W126 (http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/285958-my-differential-fell-out-while-driving-w126.html)

tinypanzer 10-05-2010 05:15 PM

1 Attachment(s)
I just got my car back from the mechanic. Wow, I am amazed. Everything is in working order (except I now have an ABS light on), and the total cost was.... Drum roll.... $64.50. That's from a mechanic who charges $95 an hour!!

The only thing that is amiss (other than some metal) is now I have my ABS light stuck on, so I am assuming that perhaps a wheel speed sensor got broken, or the wire pulled out.

Can anyone suggest a place to look? I didn't see any sensors near the rear wheels. Where are they?


Thanks!

Rob Pruijt 10-05-2010 05:25 PM

The sensor is on the passenger side of the differential, behind the drive shaft flange.

Rob

tinypanzer 10-05-2010 05:26 PM

Thanks!! I'll go check it out. Probably just yanked the wire off, or broke it.

tinypanzer 10-05-2010 05:45 PM

2 Attachment(s)
Well, I was right. Busted the thing right off. Mechanics didn't notice it because the wire end managed to tuck itself away inside the control arm!

From the looks of it, my pinion seal didn't survive. Somehow I knew $64.50 wasn't the end of it...

Can you tell from that picture of the wire if I lost my plug end, or busted the sensor? I can't get up under there enough without ramps or a lift.

tinypanzer 10-05-2010 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldwolf (Post 2558654)
Sorry for being such a noob, but is the W126 rear end similar to my W124?

All differentials bolt to the frame somehow...

DeliveryValve 10-05-2010 08:51 PM

Looks like the cover and bottom bolts got a good shave.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...6&d=1286313112

Next time the cover is opened up. You most likely not be able to reuse it. Be sure to check for leaks in the future in that area.


Quote:

Originally Posted by tinypanzer (Post 2558872)
....
Can you tell from that picture of the wire if I lost my plug end, or busted the sensor? I can't get up under there enough without ramps or a lift.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...8&d=1286314995

The sensor is busted. You'll need to replace it.


.

tinypanzer 10-06-2010 12:05 PM

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Wow, that sensor is $200. I am going to have to see if I can scrounge one at a junkyard before I plunk down. Hate to be cheap, but that's a pricey sensor.

Ferdman 10-06-2010 02:28 PM

panzer, why don't you discuss the situation with the indy who worked on your car. Either the sensor was damaged when the differential broke loose, or the indy damaged it when he was working on your car. Regardless, a knowledgeable and thorough indy would have seen the sensor was damaged, and definitely seen that the ABS light was illuminated. Why would he return your car to you with an obvious problem?

tinypanzer 10-07-2010 10:16 AM

I see your point, but these guys are definitely knowledgeable. They've been working on Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Rolls, and Bentley for well over 25 years. The sensor was certainly busted when the differential fell; the plug doesn't have enough slack to have survived the differential falling to the ground. Plus, I got under the car after it was towed back, and I didn't see the wire there at all. When I started searching for it, I discovered that the wire had tucked itself completely out of sight inside the lower control arm.

As to them not noticing the ABS light, all I can say is who knows. For one thing, the light doesn't come on until you've driven a short distance, and also the warning lights on a W126 cluster are not the easiest to see. If you aren't either quite tall, or have the wheel all the way in, the bottom row of lights likes to hide behind the wheel. Anyone who has a W126 can tell you that they've driven with the brights on for some time because the indicator is nearly invisible.

At any rate, I can't fault them for the sensor. It was toast before they looked at the car. Besides, how many mechanics do you know that would only charge $64.50 for putting your whole rear end back on? Most mechanics would have told me that I needed new axles, flex discs, or some other way to bilk me. Anyhow, the sensor is not that big a deal. I can scrounge one at a boneyard. It's the leaky pinion seal that really sucks, and is likely to be expensive. I could do it myself if I had a lift, but I ain't screwing around with the driveshaft lying on my back with the car on ramps.

tinypanzer 10-11-2010 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawnh (Post 2558331)
Did someone take the "cover" to the driveshaft off at some point in time? It seems to me that the driveshaft being held up would have kept the differential from falling very far. I just removed a differential today at a wrecking yard(to get at the axles, since i did not have the 12 point star bit to remove the flanges on the "upgrade" axles). It took a lot of work to get that differential to the ground. They added a "hanger" on the differential cover on the later 126s, that gives it a redundant support. Maybe those will fit on the older differential as well.

Glad to hear fate/God intervened in your situation.

To answer your question, no the cover was there all along. It wasn't strong enough to keep the diff from hitting the ground though, it bent.

Got a new sensor Saturday and PnP. Bought about $85 worth of stuff, didn't even get charged for the sensor. What a PAIN to put it in though, you have to remove the back seat! I pulled it off a '91 300SE that had 354,000 miles on the clock! Oddly, the wood trim on the center console was PERFECT and a really nice piece of zebrano. I scored that and all the switches for $10, and I am a really happy camper at the moment.


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