Rear diff diagnosis...please help!

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Mar 23, 2008 | 03:23 AM

PyroFox04

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Rear diff diagnosis...please help!

Fellow F-body addicts,

I'm currently serving a tour in Iraq, and I'm trying to look for answers to a problem with my car so I can order parts and that sort before I get back home, so I can roll right into working on it.

So the thing is, a few weeks before I left stateside, my rear diff started making 'popping' noises whenever under heavy acceleration, taking a sharp corner, or a combination thereof. When I'm driving in a straight line or turning softly, I have no issues.

I've had people telling me a wide array of things, from simply changing the rear diff oil and adding some LSD additive, all the way to changing the whole diff and axle (Let's hope that's not the case!)

Has anyone else had this problem? I was thinking myself that if the issue is with the gears, I may go ahead and just get some 4.10s and a good install kit. If it breaks, why not replace it with something better, right? =D

Anyways, can someone pinpoint the problem more precisely, maybe one of you have had this issue in the past? And if it does come down to buying new gears, anyone know a good retailer of some 4.10s I can order from?

Thanks a lot!

-Pyro

Mar 23, 2008 | 09:03 PM

cam75w/ls1

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From: Texas

Part of it sounds like the oil needs to be changed w/ limited slip additive. The "popping" on hard acceleration is what has me worried. May have to wait till you get home and pull the rear cover. Theres a magnet in there to catch metal. Check it and see whats there. Check the oil for metal flakes. Then check your teeth on the pinion and ring gear closely. Turn the driveshaft by hand and look at all of them. Might have the notorious "gov lock" posi that will pop on acceleration when the posi is going south. Good luck.

Mar 23, 2008 | 09:35 PM

alamantia

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From: NJ

When spider gears in an auburn unit go bad they give off a popping noise

Mar 23, 2008 | 11:51 PM

PyroFox04

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Probably would have helped if I gave details on my car - 1998 Camaro Z28, 120k miles.

I dunno, now that I think about it, I'm kind of leaning towards just throwing in 4.10s anyway. If this isn't an easy fix, I'll probably wind up doing that.

Anyone got a good seller of 4.10s? I saw some on SLP's page, but they look a little pricy - and would I need the paddle kit if I picked up their 4.10s?

...And wtf happened to my post count? I've been here longer than 2 posts >8(

Last edited by PyroFox04; Mar 24, 2008 at 12:37 AM.

Mar 24, 2008 | 09:54 AM

joker_01z28

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From: Co Springs, FT Carson

same thing started happening to me, 2 days later the spider gears blew my lsd in half. sounds like it might be time to look into a new diff. good luck

Mar 25, 2008 | 12:37 AM

PyroFox04

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Eesh...certainly don't want that.

Probably going to rebuild it for now...I don't do a lot of hardcore strip racing. 4.10s it is! Along with a complete install kit to rebuild it all.