I snapped something...
I snapped something... haha... damn it...I dont even have enough power to be breaking things...seriously...
Last run last night at the track for me...I get to the end, go to turn off and I hear a CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK...pull it off to the side...can't visually see anything wrong...put the car up on jacks and put the car in drive with the wheels off...car makes the clunking sound as the axle spins...So we put one tire on, put that tire on the ground, and put the car in drive holding the break...the other side spins, and clunks...do the same thing but opposite sides...same thing...other side spins but clunks...looks like the rear is binding sideways...
get both wheels on...drive it straight...no sound...make a slight turn, no sound...make a full turn....clunk clunk clunk clunk...I have no breaks in the back...I blew out one of my brake lines...
what could be broken? Im trying to go through it in my head...but I can't seem to think of anything...if it was the gears, I would think it would make the sound even when going straight...if it was the zexel unit I would think I would have power to only the one unit...(if I chipped a tooth on the worm gear, I should still hear the noise all the time?) If it was an axle, I should hear the noise all the time....I've run out of ideas...I need things to be looking for when I pull the diff cover apart this weekend...
One thing to note...the axle looked a tad wobbly with the tires off...someone suggested maybe a warped axle? Is that possible?
I guess I probably broke the brake line doing the burnout...
Last run last night at the track for me...I get to the end, go to turn off and I hear a CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK...pull it off to the side...can't visually see anything wrong...put the car up on jacks and put the car in drive with the wheels off...car makes the clunking sound as the axle spins...So we put one tire on, put that tire on the ground, and put the car in drive holding the break...the other side spins, and clunks...do the same thing but opposite sides...same thing...other side spins but clunks...looks like the rear is binding sideways...
get both wheels on...drive it straight...no sound...make a slight turn, no sound...make a full turn....clunk clunk clunk clunk...I have no breaks in the back...I blew out one of my brake lines...
what could be broken? Im trying to go through it in my head...but I can't seem to think of anything...if it was the gears, I would think it would make the sound even when going straight...if it was the zexel unit I would think I would have power to only the one unit...(if I chipped a tooth on the worm gear, I should still hear the noise all the time?) If it was an axle, I should hear the noise all the time....I've run out of ideas...I need things to be looking for when I pull the diff cover apart this weekend...
One thing to note...the axle looked a tad wobbly with the tires off...someone suggested maybe a warped axle? Is that possible?
I guess I probably broke the brake line doing the burnout...
TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
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I broke 3 10 bolts with an 88 TBI car... they are toothpicks at times.
If its happening during tight turns, you probably damaged something in the carrier, especially if it is posi. While going straight, both axles are moving at the same speed, while in a turn the inner tire spins less than the outer tire forcing the differential to work at this point. Twisted axles could explain some wobble, but more than likely your carrier is now shot. Any main gear breakage would result in sound going straight or in turns.
If its happening during tight turns, you probably damaged something in the carrier, especially if it is posi. While going straight, both axles are moving at the same speed, while in a turn the inner tire spins less than the outer tire forcing the differential to work at this point. Twisted axles could explain some wobble, but more than likely your carrier is now shot. Any main gear breakage would result in sound going straight or in turns.
if I chipped a tooth on the worm gear, I should still hear the noise all the time?
Nope. It is intermittent until it stops working but I can pretty much assure you that the Torsen has grenaded. You cant see anything typically until you break the carrier down and then you'll find the problems. I have three ten bolt Torsens sitting in my shop all grenaded all with the exact same symptoms you describe above.
Lets say it is the torsen unit...whats worse case scenario if I continue to drive on it until I can get a new one? can it damage anything else?
Was a brand new flippin unit I put in less then 1 year ago...
I wouldnt drive far... Theres little pieces of metal flaoting around in your diff now getting ground up into little bits. This will wreak havoc on your bearings mainly. The gears should be okay but the bearing races are sensitive once they are galled it doesn't take long to destroy them and then all hell will really start to happen. Torsens are not a good choice at all for any kind of drag strip use. I ponied up huge coin for a Torsen T2R brand new a few years ago and grenaded that thing to pieces at TMP. They are "suposed" to be much stronger but even then they are weak in comparison. I put a factory Ford T-Loc back in and haven't had a spec of issues since but those things are bullet proof.
Anyways thats not helping you much and unfortunately with the stock ten bolt your going to keep having problems. I've broken plenty theres just no way to make them tough so dont go spending a ton of money on it your going to keep breaking it. If you tear the Torsen down and find its only one side gear thats trashed I have some other blown ones here you can have if you want to try and patch it up it might work. Not sure if any of the ones I have will have good parts though so no promises just a friendly offer.
Regardless your going to have to break it down to see whats what first. Pay special attention to the side gears and the case and go from there.
Anyways thats not helping you much and unfortunately with the stock ten bolt your going to keep having problems. I've broken plenty theres just no way to make them tough so dont go spending a ton of money on it your going to keep breaking it. If you tear the Torsen down and find its only one side gear thats trashed I have some other blown ones here you can have if you want to try and patch it up it might work. Not sure if any of the ones I have will have good parts though so no promises just a friendly offer.
Regardless your going to have to break it down to see whats what first. Pay special attention to the side gears and the case and go from there.
ok...hopefully saturday it gets torn down...Im a bit slow at doing this...havent touched the rear end myself really...took me 3 hours to get the brake line out yesterday...gunna be the rest of tonight getting the new one in and bled...
What type of posi (assuming this is the problem) should I be looking at getting? The reason I bought the torsen was so that I wouldnt have to replace any clutch packs...I drive this thing all through the winter and put maybe 25-30k on it year...I read clutch packs have to be replaced every 15,000 miles...I kind of wanted to avoid the maintenance...in all honesty, I really didnt think the v6 had it in it to break the damn thing...I may take you up on your offer as well just get the thing back on the road until the next unit can come in...
What type of posi (assuming this is the problem) should I be looking at getting? The reason I bought the torsen was so that I wouldnt have to replace any clutch packs...I drive this thing all through the winter and put maybe 25-30k on it year...I read clutch packs have to be replaced every 15,000 miles...I kind of wanted to avoid the maintenance...in all honesty, I really didnt think the v6 had it in it to break the damn thing...I may take you up on your offer as well just get the thing back on the road until the next unit can come in...
well this is my progress so far...I worked from 6pm last night until 530am the smorning...replaced the brake lines...bled the lines...got in the car to test it out and while I do have brakes again...the pedal is mushy...you still have to put it to the floor in order to stop...but it does grab alot better now... What could cause this? we looked for leaks and didnt see any ... is there something I need to readjust now? We bled the resovoir dry before swapping the lines out...
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TECH Addict
Joined: Nov 2005
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air in the lines will make it feel mushy, leaks in the system will lead to no brakes after a few presses. A one man brake bleeder kit ($4 at princess auto) will really help out with the bleed. If you did empty out the system first, you will have a hell of a time getting the air out. Try a mityvac on it.
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Who on earth told you that?? Honestly, the clutch packs rarely need to be replaced. I couldn't imagine someone replacing them every 15,000 miles unless you're driving around a circle track the whole time.
BTW: check your thread on the other board.
BTW: check your thread on the other board.
I remember seeing something about the more you drag race or need to use it, the faster it wears out...because with a clutch pack posi unit it grabs right away...they're actually Ideal for drag racing... the torsen differentials are a worm type of gear, so the tire has to slip a certain amount so that the gears will begin to climb on each other and lock up the second wheel...the unit is unrebuilable, but will last forever if you don't break it...I also read you would need a fair bit of power to the wheels to break it...I hardly thought a v6 with maybe 230- 250 rwhp would be capable...
Last edited by LETZRIDE; Aug 8, 2009 at 01:44 PM.
got the cover off...chipped a tooth on the torsen unit...so thats garbage...pulled out all the shavings, changed the oil...will get a new unit and replace it next weekend..
If the Eaton is "worn out" in a 7.5 ten bolt application its probably broken. They do wear out but it takes a while and breakages are far more common than wear with a 7.5 so be careful. Not a bad carrier though it would be stronger than the torsen
