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Date:         Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:30:57 -0700
Reply-To:     Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Fisher <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Seals on automatic differential
Comments: To: Daryl Christensen <daryl@aatransaxle.com>
In-Reply-To:  <000c01cb2219$0cec7160$26c55420$@com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. In the past when I have done something like this I have used an appropriately sized socket to distribute the tapping force around the whatever- come to think of it I don't know if I any in the right sizes, I'll have to check. I like the tip about the grease; I've boogered up one of those spring/seals (on another vehicle) before. Er... what kind of grease? Just reg'lar 'ol bearing grease?

I rebuilt my auto section out of the van and left the diff in there, thinking "ain't broke; don't fix". Maybe 5k miles later I stopped the thing one evening and it wouldn't roll when I started it up again. Checked the fluid and it was way up... it was another one of those "list awareness" moments; I thought I knew exactly what had happened. When I got it home I checked the gear oil and it was low, and I could smell it in the tranny fluid.

I had replaced the gear oil when I rebuilt the tranny, and not having a new gasket I used "The Right Stuff". I think maybe I boogered it up when I put the pan back on, because it developed a slight leak later. I decided to top it off before a road trip and went with the conventional wisdom of "fill it up to the hole"- except that's not right for the auto diff. I forgot to measure it when I filled it by volume, but I found in the archives where someone had and it should be about 7/16" below the hole, says he. I will check it myself when I do it again, but I think that's probably right. This differential came from my '86 with the nuked engine (the one that got so hot that stuff melted on it). I don't know yet if it was the overfilling, or some effect of the heat, or both, but the seals between the sections gave out at about 128k miles on the piece, which seems "early" to me. The breather on the top was clean/unobstructed (Dennis seems to be on sabbatical again, but he would mention that). I haven't been able to find any solid theory about why those seals give out. It doesn't seem like it could build any substantial pressure even being overfilled. Anybody have any theories?

So I have another diff that's been sitting about six years. I'm going to open it up, check it out, replace all those seals and clean/re-lube the drive flanges and CVs. Then I'm going to break down the auto section, clean it out thoroughly again (oh joy) and replace the friction plates and the brake band. Hopefully nothing else got messed up but I guess I'll find out when I get into it.

Is there a "better" time to call you Daryl, or just sometime during business hours? BTW, congratulations on your recovery thus far, and thanks again.

Cya, Robert

-----Original Message----- From: Daryl Christensen [mailto:daryl@aatransaxle.com] Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 4:22 PM To: 'Robert Fisher'; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: RE: Seals on automatic differential

The torque convertor and final drive seals are easy to pop out and tap in gently with a hammer..sounds caveman, but that's what I have done for years. Governor seal is a bugger as it sits way down inside and I made a shaft on the lathe to press them in. On all seal that you tap in, it is wise to fill the inside lip where the little spring sits with grease so when the seal is tapped in the spring wont get dislodged. If your going to split the diff/trans sections to do the 2 back to back seals, then you better call me first. Not hard, but there are some things to be careful with.

Daryl of AA Transaxle 425-788-4070 "On the cutting edge of Old technology" 86 Syncro Westy with a Zetec in the trunk

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Robert Fisher Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 10:31 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Seals on automatic differential

Now that we've established what seals there are, does anyone have any experience installing them? I'm trying to decide if I can do this with an improvised press or if I'd be better off having a shop do it.

Cya, Robert

On Jul 11, 2010 1:06 PM, "Zolly" <zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote:

TC seal, Drive flanges seals, Gear changer shaft seal, Diff. to gearbox seals. Two seals back to back inside the transm.

Zoltan

----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Fisher" <garciasghostvw@GMAIL.COM > To: <vanago... Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2010 12:25 PM Subject: Re: Seals on automatic differential

> Torque converter seal, pinion seals; I should probably do the drive flange > seals while I'm at...


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