Plastic square from differential?

mgarrett · **Joined:** Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:15 pm **Posts:** 3

Changing my differential oil today on my CRD (the second change) I had a sqare piece of plastic fall out of the differential while the old oil was draining. The square measures one inch square and is one sixteenth of an inch thick, slightly flexible also. Does anyone have any idea what it might be? When I popped the differential cover loose to let the oil drain it came out with the oil. I've checked one online parts fiche for the rear axle assembly and find nothing remotely like it.

Any help appreciated!

mgarrett · **Joined:** Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:15 pm **Posts:** 3

It's a magnet, very faint, but a magnet. Any idea WHERE it mounts and how? I've looked and looked and can't find any sort of fastener or way to fix it in place?

On another note, I think this is the next to last time I'm removing the differential cover. It is just too aggrevating to get back in place with all the goop to seal it. Anyone know of a reasonably priced replacement that has a DRAIN HOLE?

Goglio704 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:47 pm

That magnet is mounted with RTV in the bottom of the differential.

chadhargis · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:57 pm

You could always drill a hole in it, then cut threads with a tap.

wolcott · **Joined:** Thu Nov 10, 2005 4:16 pm **Posts:** 108

I agree that putting on the differential cover with RTV is a mess. What I have used is a gasket from Lube Locker for this differential. These work very well if used as recommended. I don't have the Lube Locker part number immediately available, but you can probably get it from their web site. The gasket is a fairly hard gasket with sealing material added. The gasket is moderately expensive, but saves a lot of fussing.

Drilling and tapping a hole in the bottom can be done, but it can be messy and you have to be sure to get all the chips out. And, after encountering a machine chip on a Chevrolet truck differential that was about 1" long and .030" thick, which fortunately stayed stuck to the magnet, I prefer to take off the cover and check out the interior carefully.

dgeist · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:14 pm

If you are having issues keeping the diff cover aligned during re-assembly, try this trick:
- get a couple threaded rods of the same diameter and pitch as the bolts and thread them in loosely one on either side of the top of the diff.
- when aligning the holes, use those rods as a guide a few inches away from the pumpkin and once aligned, slide it on.
- finger-tight a couple of the other bolts and then back-out the rods. You might need to goop a little RTV in there with the bolt, but it shouldn't leak as long as you used them on the top side.

Dan

Plastic square from differential?

Who is online