This is a crazy scenario. I don't usually post up too much, but for this I had too... I grabbed the camera and this is what happened...


So, tonight I was changing the gear oil in both diffs. I started with the rear because there was a leak with the old seal.

I drained the diff and removed the cover for the first time. I cleaned it up, sanded it and gave it a new coat of paint. While cleaning the inside I noticed several scratches and wondered if it got handled rough during assembly. Oh well.

While the cover was drying I let the rear diff drain and cleaned it up as well. Then I moved to the front finished that.

Then I seal up the rear with some new RTV. I got the blue, so you have to apply the bead then hand tighten the cover and wait an hour, then come back and tighten it down. Well, an hour later my 5 year old son says, "Daddy, look at that big drip!!!"



Great. It wasn't done draining before I removed the pan. No biggy.



I grab a flashlight and light up the diff to make sure I clean it good enough and behold... A bolt is sitting inside the drain hole!!!



"Son, did you put that bolt in there?!?"

"No Daddy."

So I count the bolts... as if I lost my mind and did something wrong. Everything is right, except for the extra bolt in the drain hole!!!

So I get it out.



It's clean. It has never had RTV on it.



The only thing I can see is a little bit of damage on the end of the bolt.




Wow. I guess that explains the scratches inside the cover!!! That bolt had to have been in there since the axle was assembled!!!


BTW, the rear oil was pretty dark... the front was like new. I can't believe what would have happened if that bolt bounced up into the gears... it would have chewed it up bad. I think it was stuck to the magnet and when I pulled out the plug it lodged into the hole. Probably why it drained so slow. I don't have my jack stands right now. If I did I would have rotated the axle and thoroughly inspected the gears...

 

wow nice job finding that! thats why they put that magnetic plug in there! not only does it catch small pieces of metal but also jeep tech's mistakes. your lookin at a new ring and pinion and maybe shafts if that thing would have been flung into the gears!

 

That is so messed up in so many ways.

 

At least the mechanic who assebled the diff didn't have any left over parts when he was done.

 

That could have been tragic. I would take it to the dealer and have them inspect the internals. If there is a problem later, it would be nice to have that in place.

 

I my self have had this problem but it was with a nissan gu patrol ( dont think you get them in the US ) but thay have a very strong diff.

The problem was all the bolts holding the lsd togther had fallen out or had been bent at right angels.

Get it checked.

 

Wouldn't it be a good idea to remove the cover and inspect for a missing bolt?! Guess that is what the others are implying - I'd rather document like you have first, and then pull the cover to check myself.

 

I assumed (I know...I shouldn't assume) that there were/are no bolts inside that can come loose... that they are all external.

If there are bolts inside the diff that can come loose then I will drain it and check immediately. I thought it was a bolt that may have been dropped in there during assembly unknowningly (or blown off) since it's identical to the cover bolts. There are also no traces of RTV or locktite on the bolt what-so-ever.

I need to find a picture of the Dana 44 "exploded" so I know the location of any bolts that might be inside...

 

There are alot of bolts in there. The gear ring is held to the carrier with many bolts and then the carrier is held in place with bolts...I'd look. Expecially if you didn't refill the diff yet. It would be easy to reseal, just time consuming. Oops, edit - I see you filled the diff already...

 

I am going out to crack it back open tonight. I need to find an exploded diagram first...

Edit: I found a bunch, and now I know what you mean about more bolts... http://classicbroncos.com/img/dana44...rebuild005.jpg

It's a Bronco, but I get the idea. Learning, learnng, learning...