Art Azevedo <aazevedo3@earthlink.com> wrote:
> Hello John,
> I am a TR6 list participant.
> If there was a response to your question on how to drain the
> differential on the list, somehow, it didn't come through to me.
>
> I am dealing with the same dilemma now. Oil looked old and brown.
> Looked like it was overfilled. In fact, some bubbling at the
connection of the axle to the diff on the left.
>
> I had intended to put synthetic in. Did so to the transmission, but not
> the diff due to the drain puzzle.
>
> Did you siphon, or crack the halves?
>
> Art Azevedo
Hi Art:
I did indeed get a number of very helpful replies but they were all
directly to me so we corresponded directly. I'm copying this to the
list in case there are others interested. Here's what I ended up doing:
First there were three choices to drain the diff:
1.) crack the halves a bit (VERY slow drain according to those who
suggested it)
2.) Siphon it with a pump of some kind (a pain)
3.) Drill into the bottom of that sucker.
I um... I chose #3. There's an obvious spot immediately in front of the
joint and dead centre that cries out for a drain plug. Respondents
talked about an 1/8" plug but I went with a 1/4" (bigger ALWAYS being
better of course...). I went to my local Bolt Supply House and bought a
tap about the size I wanted, a drill bit that exactly matched the
required specs of the tap and a bolt that would fit exactly. I was
assured there is nothing directly above this position on the diff for
at least a 1/2". With some trepidation and care (go slowly (as I was
advised) as it's cast iron and so fairly soft) I drilled starting out
with smaller bits (all of this thanks to advice from listers). There's
a "skin" that's tougher than the other cast iron and then an (I
suppose) internal "skin" as well as the drill hesitated just before I
hit payslime. It worked. I drained the fluid which came out like dark
olive slime and refilled with 90 gear oil. THEN I determined that I was
not going to go through the agony again of working with that 7/16"
square knob %$#@&%!! thingy on the filler plug (having taken off the
exhaust first to get at it). The top of the plug was toast anyway from
my drilling into it and using vice grips, heating it, bashing it with a
hammer etc... I ground off the top and cut the top off a bolt that had
a 9/16" hex head on it. I took the plug and bolt head to a welder this
morning and I'm having them welded together. Now I'll be able to check
any time with a 9/16" box wrench: MUCH better than fooling with the
original plug that defies most tools known in the western world
(especially when jammed). I put Anti-Seize on the drain plug as I will
on the filler. I love Anti-Seize.
Thanks to all who responded.
John '73 TR6
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