At 12:55 -0400 990423, Gary Thaxter wrote: | As far as the life of the VC, I do not see that the fluid could loose it's | properties with age, but contamination from seal failure will definitely | affect it. It certainly does lose its properties with age. I don't have a synchro, but the Miata used VCs in the rear (only) differential. They last about 30k miles before they start to work like an open diff. My impression (confirmed by a card-carrying SAE member on the Miata list) is that the long polymer chains that give the fluid its thixotrophic properties break down with continuous shearing. Excess heat may also be a factor. A "center diff" in a 4x4 will probably last far longer, since it's in shear mode far less than a rear diff. Mazda switched to Torsens after a few years, and even Mazda comp doesn't sell a VC diff...they sell clutch-type limited-slip diffs for racers. Just my $0.02 -Zandr '85 (2WD) Westy --------------------------------------------------------------------- Aleksandr Milewski N6MOD n6mod@amt.org http://www.amt.org/n6mod/ |
Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of
Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection
will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!
Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com
The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.
Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.