Possible to reseal diff cover in car?

[JJP SVT]

Hi All,

I searched and haven't found anyone who was able to reseal diff cover in an IRS Cobra. Mine has a drop or two from time to time. I took off the cat back, checked the rear fluid and it's still full. I was simply be proactive and may have a reseal done during the winter months as I won't be driving the car then.

While I have the cat-back off, I will replace the fuel filter. So, is it easy to reseal the cover or should I make it a winter project?

Great Day!
John

 

[99COBRA2881]

For lack of a better phrase, Ill just go ahead and say "it's a bitch" when I had my gears done the shop didnt tighten the bolt that holds the center pin in place, on a solid axle its there to keep the C clips inplace. IRS cars dont have that so the shop never messed with it, I dunno what kind of dumb luck made me think about it but I called and asked if they had tightened this bolt or not the answer was "no" I had to remove the back diff bushing and remove all the bolts so I could get a flexible wire extension in there and tighten the bolt on the center pin. It was a bitch and I was lucky that the gasket hadnt taken seat yet and I was able to reuse it as there's no way to remove the rear cover or gasket with the pumpkin in the car. There's also no room to clean off the old gasket material to ensure a good seal. Best bet is to just drop the entire diff and do it right.

 

[JJP SVT]

Can the diff be dropped from the car w/o the removal of the entire IRS?

 

[99COBRA2881]

Yes, but the halfshafts have to be pulled.

Here's a post I wrote back on the 9 of Jan '05 explaining the whole process.

99 is right you might as well swap gears while you are at it, 'cause it's a bitch.
Heres what you have to do.

Support the frame on jackstands, use the body not the IRS.
1. Remove driveshaft and rear wheels/tires.
2. Remove parking brake cable
3. Remove tierod end (disconnect inward bolt by differential)
4. Remove Brake caliper and rotor
5. Remove traction control sensors from diff hub
6. Support lower control arms up with jackstands
7. Remove upper* and lower spindle to control arm bolts
8. Place a screw driver between the halfshaft and diff gently pry outwards to unseat the halfshaft.** To install shaft align splines and slide inwards itll take some effort
9. Support the halfshaft and spindle and pull it outwards from the differential
10. Support the diff with a jack
11. Unbolt the rear diff attach bolts from the diff cover
12. Remove the front attach bolts and bushings, !!Warning!! Diff is no longer attached to the IRS and could fall and cause damage to the diff or injury to you. Support the diff on the jackstand to help balance it.
13. With the diff supported, lower the jack and diff to the floor.
14. Once the diff is out the fluid swap is like any other rear end fluid swap, remove cover, drain fluid, clean gasket surface, install new gasket, torque cover bolts.
Reinstall following the reverse removal steps. Refill diff once its in back in the car. Be sure to add one bottle of FMS friction modifier.


*Index the upper eccentric alignment washer to the spindle to ensure correct alignment when the spindle is reinstalled failure to do this will result in an unaligned rear end.
**Before removal it's important to index the halfshafts to the splindle to ensure correct reinstallation failure to do this my result in a driveline vibration.

Like I said its a bitch I did mine when I had 4.30s put in or else Id never recommend it, until its due. 2881

 

[JJP SVT]

Thanks for this write up. Looks like a winter project to me.