Good, I look forward to both updates. I know that it's definitely not normal. I can't pull out anymore in either direction without lighting up my right rear tire. It's bad, I'm gonna have to rotate the tires now early before I wear this one out.

 

Yea, I've been killin' my right rear too Lol!!

 

False alarm guys, according to the dealer, fbodies 99 and up have the Torsen Zexel rear end and they are designed to function the way mine does. As for the ticking sound, that too is normal. It has to do with "radial gear float". At any rate, I have the manufacturer warranty, so if this SOB goes out, they better fix it and eat it too.

 

Here's the paperwork.

"Camaros and Firebirds equipped with the Zexel Torsen axle can have a clicking noise related to "radial gear float". WHen the differential is not laoded, the side gear can achieve a neutral bias and float in the planetary gear set. When load is applied either in coast or pull, teh side gear fully contacts the planetary gear set eliminating the float. When gear float occurs, a slight clicking noise can be heard. This is a normal condition and no repairs should be attempted to correct the complaint.

This is where it gets interesting.

Clicking noises when the gear set is loaded can be an indication of components other than the differential set. Things that may cause a clicking noise: look at the face of the ring and pinion and side gears for nicks or look at the bearing faces for sings of scratches or pitting."

I tried it on mine and when I just roll it clicks. when i apply "load" or give gas, it goes away. I have regain somewhat peace of mind. As I posted before both my friends also have the Auburn rear end, the 98 Z and the 02 Hawk. FerariGuy3, you might want to get that checked out asap, yours should most defenitly not make noises.

 

For 50K miles my car would spin BOTH rear tires in a left OR right turn......then one day it starts making repetitive clicking noises while turning and only would spin the right rear while turning. One week later I was reduced to one wheel burnouts in a straight line (right rear) on any surface <wet or dry>.....I'll let you know the diagnosis when the shop calls. Mine started out with the one wheel burnouts in turns and the funky noise....hope the fate of yours isn't the same as mine, but atleast you still have a warranty so I wouldn't sweat it!

 

yea no doubt, I wanna have a second opinion as well. Eventhough I do trust my dealer, it is warranty work, so they really do not care to much. Maybe I should just get an Eaton in the back??

 

I am hopefully going to get mine diagnosed this weekend. The thing is, the noise, and the one wheel spinning thing is "normal" to the way the Zexel is supposed to act. The problem with ours is that it's extremely exaggerated. Zexel diffs are supposed to let the car act as an open diff till a load is applied, and then it locks in. Well, ours isn't locking in anymore. Torsen stands for Torque Sensing, but it's not sensing the torque anymore, and just staying open rear, thus we spin the right rear all the time now. Heck, I've got a V6 and I can't pull out without burning my right rear tire. The locking feature is dead in our units. It's not right, we know how these cars acted properly, he's drove his for the last 50K and I've drove mine for the last 40K without this issue, then here all the sudden, it just starts spinning the one tire. We know it's not functioning the same, and something is actually WRONG, I don't care what the dealer thinks. It ain't right. Update me when you find something out. [/rant]

 

Just got the verdict today....the clutch packs are worn to the point that they just aren't gripping anymore.......they said that the posi is definitely shot. Going to have them put an Eaton in...and also a ring and pinion while they are at it <3.42's>.........extended warranty to pay for posi and labor, I pay for ring and pinion and bearings.

 

BTW swapping out the 2.73's for 3.42's

 

After several tailwhip attempts I managed to get both my tires to spin while going right. I guess if the angle at where I give gas and turn has to do with it but I managed. I also believe I need bigger tires and perhaps a fluid swap. either that or a 12 bolt with an eaton...that would do too.

 

Mine was hit or miss in a straight line..........probably 60% of the time I was one leggin'............around a turn it would only spin after I got around the corner and 20+ feet down the road.

 

I have a 98 T/a and yesterday it was raining really hard. I was taking a right turn into a parking structure really slow and all of the sudden the right tire started to spin while the left tire felt normal. Also when i try to give aggersive accleration turning from a stop somtimes i hear a clicking our clunking noise. It could be my exhaust banging somthing. I hope nothing is damaged also.

 

Dude, they told you that the clutch packs are wore out? We had a Zexel unit apart last night, and couldn't find anything anywhere that resembled a clutch. I took pictures. There was a total of 10 gears inside the unit. 8 "worm" gears, and the 2 larger ones (spider gears?) which the axles slide up into. The 8 gears are set in pairs, 2 running against each other together, and setting against on larger gear. The "worm" gears reach from one side of the diff to the other side, and touching the other "spider" gear. There are 4 pairs of gears around the larger ones. Here's a couple pictures of what I could get the camera to focus on: http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20027.jpg
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20031.jpg
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20033.jpg
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20034.jpg
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20035.jpg
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20036.jpg
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20038.jpg Best Side View
http://www.supermotors.org/getfile/1...ture%20039.jpg Best Upper View

The shop I talked to told me that my clutches were worn out too, but there's nothing inside that looks like a clutch pack to me at all. In all honesty, the only thing inside is gears. That doesn't mean the unit isn't dead, it just means that I still don't know what is messed up inside mine. Sucks. New diff for me I guess.

 

Yea, that's what they told me based on road test....they will be tearing into it tomorrow........guess I'll see what they have to say after they don't see any clutch packs!!!! Lol....hell, either way I don't care...the posi swap is free and I get a break on the labor to swap the ring and pinion!

 

Awesome man, I hope you get yours back to they way it was. I'm about to throw that posi from the pics in mine, but it took a pretty heavy impact and my buddy could hear some noise somewhere in the back, so he replaced the whole assembly. I still may swap his in for mine to see if it helps for a few more thousand miles.

 

Picked my car up today.....asked about the posi, he said that the worm gears in it were fine but the assembly was free spinning <whatever that means> he said he didn't look into it any further because it wasn't working properly anyway. Sorry I couldn't be more help. I'll give an update as to the 2.73's vs. the 3.42's when it's broken in.

 

Thanks man. I appreciate the info. Free spinning eh? Time to break out the welder. Lol, nah, I think I'm gonna get a bearing and put a used diff in it, and see if that helps at all. My buddy replaced the unit cause it took a serious impact, but we'll see if it's still good. Welp, I'm glad to see you got everything worked out for ya. Later

 

Did anyone experience excessive wheel hop with the right tire?

 

Not me, just excessive wheelspin on the right side. Check your air pressure, it might be low, causing better traction for that tire.

 

Hey guys, I found some more interesting pictures and info online, for those of you who are still searching. http://www.torsen.com/products/T-2.htm Check that page for some decent information on the unit.