My Differential has gone kaput

[rotoflex]

If it's a matter of economy, I'd say the safer bet is installing a used differential from a source who'll refund or replace it if it goes bad within 30 days or so rather than trying to do a quick & dirty replacement of broken parts in the differential.

Differentials from most Spitfires will fit your car I believe.  If you find a bargain or a freebie, you're back on the road.  It may not be the ratio you'd ideally have, but after you're mobile you can start looking around for the one you'd like best.

Differential replacement is not that hard, except stretching through the hatch to get to the nuts on top of the spring running across the differential.  On reassembly, you may need to weight the back of the car, & the easy way is to put a cooler in the back & fill it with water from a hose until it's heavy as you want.

[Richard B]

As you have a GT6 you need to get a 'large flanged' diff if you are going the SH route. See list below;

O/D GT6 is 3.89
Non-O/D GT6 is 3.27 (these have a reputation of being weak)

2-litre Vitesse is 3.89
1300 Mk IV Spitfire is 3.89
1500 Spitfire is 3.63 (quite a nice upgrade on a O/D GT6 diff)

Heralds and Spitfires MkI-III are small flange and 4.11

[Clive]

If you go for a recon, it is worth asking about the exchange surcharges etc. They may want to keep it if the diff is munched. So it could cost a fair bit more than the headline price.
Clive

[GT6Craig]

Theres one on eBay, but it looks a little crummy for £135 including postage, the cheapest ive found is about £250 inc postage, so for an extra £115 i might aswell get one which is sure to be good and last another 40 years.

[Clive]

crikey, I bought a good (I think/hope) 3.89 at leatherhead for a fiver back in may (this year)
I thought they were under a ton !

[Richard B]

184 wrote:

Theres one on eBay, but it looks a little crummy for £135 including postage, the cheapest ive found is about £250 inc postage, so for an extra £115 i might aswell get one which is sure to be good and last another 40 years.

Don't neccasarily go for cheapest. Ask around for opinions (preferably PM for negative ones)  ;)

[GT6Craig]

Quote:

crikey, I bought a good (I think/hope) 3.89 at leatherhead for a fiver back in may (this year)
I thought they were under a ton !

Crikey to that! Thats unreal! Any shows coming up soon where i might get one for that? Ill be upset if i find one in summer at some show for that after paying a couple of hundred. But i guess ill have piece of mind its a good en....

[Tim Bancroft]

As they are a pain to fit, I'd rather fit one that is known to be good, this to me would rule out a unknown 2nd hand diff.

I know where I'd be spending my omney, he likes to paint them pink (!), but still I'd go to Canleys.

[Clive]

Ah, I have a pet mechanic friend. He will open it up, give it the once over and set it all up for a few quid. If it is mullered at least I/he will have some bits and bobs to repair another.
I have broken a diff he did for me, after 15,000 miles several teeth broke. Guess a 2.5 through a 3.27 needs a bit of respect :B

[Richard B]

cliftyhanger wrote:

Guess a 2.5 through a 3.27 needs a bit of respect :B

Thats how I broke mine  :(

Went to a 3.63 and 14" wheels.

[Alex]

I fitted a used diff to my spit prior to the 06RBRR when I filled it with oil it all leaked out,so
I then had to remove it and I fitted a recon from winns.

[GT6Craig]

Right guys - well this is what i found today when i took the diff apart
4 mangled teeth at the bottom of the diff casing, every gear looks to have eaten each of the said teeth thus suffering severe damage, also looks like a bearing was taken out in the process spewing its contents into the mix.

Its a royal mess, i looked at the crown and the pinion, they look like they have suffered damage in the form of severe teeth wear and chips out of the teeth.
I did try and get some photos but my camera broke - i must be cursed! Ill try again tomorrow - its amazing to see the carnage.

[rotoflex]

Just to collect data for the diff failure profile:   What lube was in the diff, & when was it last checked?

Honest confession:  when I destroyed mine when the car was about 6 years old & I'd had it for 2 years, I had never checked the lube in the diff.

[GT6Craig]

I only purchased the car a few months ago so im not sure what lube was in, although i did check the level last week and it was full.
So now the quest for a replacement has started............

[GT6Craig]

Right! i ordered a new diff from Anglian Triumph Services on Wednesday and it was here on Friday! It was really good value in the end and im really happy with it.
Fitted it yesterday and it went in without issue, looks great having a nice new diff under there. In the end i went with a 3:63 ratio as the 3:27 is impossible to get hold of. filled it up with GL4 on recommendation from Anglian and im really excited about taking it for a spin.
Cheers for your help guys

[GT6Craig]

Photos of the old one





You can see a tooth wedged inbetween the crown and pinion!

[rotoflex]

The breakage is interesting.  I doubt if GT6 was beating the car hard, and I wasn't inclined to tire-smoking burnouts when mine went.  It just seems like there'd be more whining, etc. before such a catastrophic failure.

[GT6Craig]

There was a whining at 50 mph but the previous owner assured me she had it checked out and all seemed well........am i too trusting? saying that it came and went at approx 50mph and it wasnt even loud. Now im thinking it was a bearing which was on its way out, in the end it caused the demise of my diff, oh well - its done now  :-/

The car was never taken above 65mph in my hands! and as its been wet not stop since i bought it, ive never had the traction to boot it off the lights...although i would have liked too  ;)