Rear wheels no rotating at all
#21
General & DIY Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
iTrader: (64)
I use royal purple synchromax in all my cars. Both the transmission and differential. I use it in my track cars (all BMWs). Never have I had or heard of this fluid ruining a diff if <5 miles under minimal load. Then again, if this truly is a result of the wrong fluid, I am going to feel like an idiot.
What is the proper weighting for a nismo diff? The car is going to be making around stock power. Maybe 15-20hp more to the wheels after I get it re-tuned.
What is the proper weighting for a nismo diff? The car is going to be making around stock power. Maybe 15-20hp more to the wheels after I get it re-tuned.
So if you've been using it in both the gearbox AND diff of your beemers, I'd say your diffs are living on borrowed time, unless BMW has come up a way to use GL-4 specs in a GL-5 application.
I use Motul GL-5 75W-140 fluid in my clutch-type NISMO LSD.
#22
New Member
#23
New Member
By the way, I currently use the following fluids:
Transmission - Redline MT-85
Diff (Quaife) - Motul 75w140
0 complaints about either. I used Redline diff fluid in my VLSD before I made the swap to Quaife and I thought it was great also.
Transmission - Redline MT-85
Diff (Quaife) - Motul 75w140
0 complaints about either. I used Redline diff fluid in my VLSD before I made the swap to Quaife and I thought it was great also.
#24
New Member
Thread Starter
Cool, thanks! I have my hands on a stock VLSD that I plan to put in this weekend. I will take your recommendation on fluid.
#26
#27
New Member
Agreed. The VLSD was a big upgrade from my base open diff but it is a very unpredictable LSD, especially for the track. I learned that during AutoX and decided to bite the bullet and get the Quaife. Couldn't be happier with my decision.
#28
New Member
Thread Starter
After dropping the diff and removing the cover i found no fluid and two silicone plugs the filler nipple and drain nipple both plugged with silicone. in the short time of driving the car all the fluids drained causing it to lock up. there’s a little bit of metal shavings, it doesn’t look like it overheated to much, my opinion it can be brought back to life .
#31
New Member
Thread Starter
When we filled it, we removed the whole plug and not just the silicon in the plug. The wholes in the fill and drain plug were plugged with silicone that must have became brittle over time. The silicon in the drain plug came out as soon as I started driving, causing the fluid to leak out and diff to lock up.
In hindsight, I would have replaced the silicon or changed the plug type. But I had never encountered a fill/drain plug like this before so didn't really know to check that.
In hindsight, I would have replaced the silicon or changed the plug type. But I had never encountered a fill/drain plug like this before so didn't really know to check that.
#32
General & DIY Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
iTrader: (64)
When we filled it, we removed the whole plug and not just the silicon in the plug. The wholes in the fill and drain plug were plugged with silicone that must have became brittle over time. The silicon in the drain plug came out as soon as I started driving, causing the fluid to leak out and diff to lock up.
In hindsight, I would have replaced the silicon or changed the plug type. But I had never encountered a fill/drain plug like this before so didn't really know to check that.
In hindsight, I would have replaced the silicon or changed the plug type. But I had never encountered a fill/drain plug like this before so didn't really know to check that.
#33
New Member
Thread Starter
Sorry to hear this, but any drain plug on the tranny, engine or diff with silicone sealing it should be cause for alarm. Did you torque the drain plug to OEM specs after installation? If the unit is totally locked up, I suggest you have it checked by a diff specialist before you reinstall it. Damage to the internal clutches and/or the ring and pinion lash may only be another way to shoot yourself in the foot again.
After inspecting the diff, everything looks okay with the exception of the pinion bearing which is ruined. That being said, I will be taking it to a differential specialist to press the bearing and give the diff a once over.
Full disclosure, before this incident, a differential was just a magic box that made the wheels turn. I have learned more about differentials in the last 2 days than I have in the last year I have been "a car guy." Just trying to find the silver lining here.
Plus I am happy it puked oil out at 20mph and not 120mph like I had planned for it at Big Willow this Saturday.
#35
General & DIY Moderator
MY350Z.COM
MY350Z.COM
iTrader: (64)
The drain plug is not what backed out, it was the silicon inside the fill whole inside the plug (if that makes sense)
After inspecting the diff, everything looks okay with the exception of the pinion bearing which is ruined. That being said, I will be taking it to a differential specialist to press the bearing and give the diff a once over.
Full disclosure, before this incident, a differential was just a magic box that made the wheels turn. I have learned more about differentials in the last 2 days than I have in the last year I have been "a car guy." Just trying to find the silver lining here.
Plus I am happy it puked oil out at 20mph and not 120mph like I had planned for it at Big Willow this Saturday.
After inspecting the diff, everything looks okay with the exception of the pinion bearing which is ruined. That being said, I will be taking it to a differential specialist to press the bearing and give the diff a once over.
Full disclosure, before this incident, a differential was just a magic box that made the wheels turn. I have learned more about differentials in the last 2 days than I have in the last year I have been "a car guy." Just trying to find the silver lining here.
Plus I am happy it puked oil out at 20mph and not 120mph like I had planned for it at Big Willow this Saturday.
Good call on having a diff specialist check over the unit, but whatever he says needs replacing, I'd replace it! These LSD units were never, ever designed to be run dry and can be badly damaged in seconds even at low speeds.
Last edited by dkmura; 01-11-2018 at 06:26 AM.
#36
New Member
iTrader: (6)
That's not a fill plug. It's an AN adapter fitting that someone filled with silicone. Bite the bullet and pay the dealer for the correct drain and fill plugs.
I'm guessing the previous owner had a diff cooler with AN lines and when they sold the car, they just removed the cooler and filled the fittings with silicone.
As previously stated, use 75W-140W gear oil. Synchromax is close to 30W.
I'm guessing the previous owner had a diff cooler with AN lines and when they sold the car, they just removed the cooler and filled the fittings with silicone.
As previously stated, use 75W-140W gear oil. Synchromax is close to 30W.
#37
New Member
That's not a fill plug. It's an AN adapter fitting that someone filled with silicone. Bite the bullet and pay the dealer for the correct drain and fill plugs.
I'm guessing the previous owner had a diff cooler with AN lines and when they sold the car, they just removed the cooler and filled the fittings with silicone.
As previously stated, use 75W-140W gear oil. Synchromax is close to 30W.
I'm guessing the previous owner had a diff cooler with AN lines and when they sold the car, they just removed the cooler and filled the fittings with silicone.
As previously stated, use 75W-140W gear oil. Synchromax is close to 30W.
#39
New Member
Thread Starter
That's not a fill plug. It's an AN adapter fitting that someone filled with silicone. Bite the bullet and pay the dealer for the correct drain and fill plugs.
I'm guessing the previous owner had a diff cooler with AN lines and when they sold the car, they just removed the cooler and filled the fittings with silicone.
As previously stated, use 75W-140W gear oil. Synchromax is close to 30W.
I'm guessing the previous owner had a diff cooler with AN lines and when they sold the car, they just removed the cooler and filled the fittings with silicone.
As previously stated, use 75W-140W gear oil. Synchromax is close to 30W.
#40
New Member
Just chalk it up as one of those unfortunate events and fix it so you can enjoy the car.