409CISecondGen

iTrader: (2)

Is it me, or is this not right?

-Motive 3.91s installed by Shop A.

-Shop A did not replace any bearings or seals.

-Drive home 20 miles and it is extremely noisy.

-The next day I walk out to my car and see this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8211349259/http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8211349259/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/74632166@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212428282/http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212428282/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/74632166@N04/, on Flickr

-I call Shop A and tell them "Something's not right, my diff is leaking fluid."

-Shop A tells me "that's normal, it's just the extra fluid from when we topped it off, but go ahead and bring it by and we will check it out."

-I bring it by, they see that isn't right, and Shop A replaces pinion bearing and seal.

-There is still some noise around 60 and around 40 with both accel and decel.

-Shop A tells me "That's perfectly normal, Motives just make noise." (would have been nice if Shop A had told me before I made the decision to buy gears that they would make noise)

-I ask Shop A if I take it to Shop B and the pattern is wrong will they pay to have the pattern fixed?

-They say "uuuhhh, the pattern's good." without actually answering my question.

-I forget about it because the diff works, and I decide to suck it up and deal with the noise. My girlfriend was not happy.


Fast forward 6 months and 5k miles

-Diff is becoming LOUD. Towards the end there it sounded like a jet engine behind your head. It starts the moment you drive away and gets worse with speed, no change in accel or decel.

-Purchase new rebuilt pumpkin with Aussie 3.91s, get them installed by Shop B.

-Shop B says "your old pattern on the Motives is seriously wrong."

-Pattern from Motives installed by shop A it looks like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212434488/http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212434488/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/74632166@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212433452/http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212433452/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/74632166@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212432162/http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212432162/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/74632166@N04/, on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212430332/http://www.flickr.com/photos/74632166@N04/8212430332/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/74632166@N04/, on Flickr


IS this pattern horribly wrong? Because either Shop A or Shop B is lying and Shop A gave me a noisy diff and headaches while Shop B gave me a silent diff (granted, it was built by someone else with a better gear set.)

The parts and Labor to replace Shop A's mistakes cost 420$(Labor)+700$(New pumpkin)=$1120. That is about the same as I paid to have the Motives installed in the first place. Does it seem fair to ask for that in compensation?

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

It's hard to say because a gear pattern is somewhat up for interpretation. How one person sees it may differ from how another person sees it.

Schitzo

iTrader: (6)

The pattern is not horribly wrong. It is appropriately centered but deep on both the drive and coast. Motive gears are know to be noisy so your noise issue could be from the deep pattern as well as the type of gear used.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

I agree, it doesn't look that bad from those pics. And, I've seen other pattern diagrams that disagree with what OP posted above and heard experienced advice that disagrees with some of it also. Like I said, didn't views and different experience.

409CISecondGen

iTrader: (2)

To me, the pinion looks like it needs to backed out a hair to me. A slightly thinner shim might have perfected this, and the guy from Shop B told me that "The pinion is eating into the ring gear." But I suppose the major 'jet engine' noise that developed was probably from the bearings. I've heard noisy gears before but this was insane.

Anyways, if this pattern was in your shop would you be satisfied with it to give it to a customer? Would you run this pattern on your own car?

Another question here is, is it salvageable?
Would it be worth it to rebuild the diff with new bearings myself for around 175$ (cost of major rebuild kit), keeping the Motive ring and pinion, and then attempt to sell it?

therabidweasel

iTrader: (5)

I don't know much, but here are my thoughts. The pattern doesn't seem to jive with your complaints, it certainly doesn't seem horribly wrong from my very limited experience. From your description it sounds like bad bearing possibly resulting from bad preload. I suspect the most you will get from the shop is an expensive reminder to complain consistently and immediately until a problem is fixed...or write it off to experience. Happens to us all.

I think you could sell it with full disclosure to the buyer that it had issues and an appropriate markdown, that is fair and I think folks would bite. I would not rebuild it and take on the liability if it shots the bed immediately. Fire sale it and be done is what I would do

Spartan7

iTrader: (7)

Not replacing the bearings jumps out at me. Why would they not do that? That alone could be the source of your issues. FWIW, my Motives make no noise.

joecar

Did it leak enough that the bearings got damaged...?

409CISecondGen

iTrader: (2)

Not sure, All I know is that the noise was fairly small when I left the shop, and increased as I drove home to the point where I was very worried. I'm not sure how much fluid actually leaked out during that period.

2QWK4RU 06 GOAT

iTrader: (1)

Do you still have these gears?