Differential Fluid on Underside of Blazer

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Dougnsalem

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Riiiight. Please tell your mom to stop calling me, Doug.
I've been hoping you two hook up. Then I can stay in YOUR basement. It looks a lot nicer....
 

Big Chip

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Lol.......

Where's my key???
Why don’t you just ride over with her sometime? You can grab the menfolk some drinks while we’re trying to make her airtight.
 

dvdswan

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Man you can learn a lot on this site. Soooo much of "too much information" added. LOL
 

trukman1

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Well, pulled the cover. At times like this I wish I had a smart phone (flip) and knew how to post pics! The differential was obviously underwater at some point. And yes, the vent is mounted to the underside of the bed.

Inside the pumpkin there is rust from the left side to about an inch past plus rust on the carrier where it had been sitting in the "muck." Fluid looked like brown watery mud! There is also a "nick" in the carrier. I sure wasn't planning on pulling the axles but I'm afraid not to now. Also need to rotate the R/P to see if there is damage to it!

Someone has had it apart since it had a blue FEL-PRO gasket installed. Inside of cover has rust too!

Blazer only has 72,000 miles. Hard to say what else I'll find but now after getting this done it's on to the front differential, engine oil and transmission fluid. Probably need to check axle tubes and bearing while I'm at it.

Just wanted to let you all know what I found. (Nothing near the rusty picture posted though!)

Any ideas on what to do about the rust inside carrier without pulling the entire carrier? Not sure I can do that without a spreader.

ETA: Removed opinion of PO. Could have just been a young guy who didn't know any better! Trying not to be judgmental since I've done my share of dumb things too!
 
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trukman1

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No pinion seal leak?? What about your axle seals?

No leaks at all on rear. Front diff leaks at the plug on the cover is all. I'll be tearing it open soon though 'cuz it's probably a given that it's gotten water i it too!

PROJECTS!!!

ETA: Dougnsalem...Heinlein was right!!
 

Snoots

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Man you can learn a lot on this site. Soooo much of "too much information" added. LOL

This ain't even scratched the surface.

At least he's found the problem. Now we can help him fix it.
 

trukman1

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Thanks Snoots!
 

dvdswan

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Now we can help him fix it.

Is he really broken though? One man's Porsche is another man's VW... and is it really a problem, he may be a great wingman.
 

Snoots

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You can get magnetic fill plugs for the diffs. I don't remember if I got mine from GM or not but they go a long way to protecting any gearbox.
 

Snoots

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Is he really broken though? One man's Porsche is another man's VW... and is it really a problem, he may be a great wingman.

A Porsche is just a glorified VW anyway.
 

trukman1

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Next question...

Spider gears are "chipped." Top edges are missing small pieces but someone already removed the broken pieces. Gears on the side are okay. Can the spider gears be replaced without replacing everything else and is there something I need to know about the shims for them? I didn't know if I could buy new spiders and if I would need to use the shims that came with the new ones or use the old ones to get the right clearance.

Not very knowledgeable about differentials...obviously.
 

Blue Ox

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No special tricks to the spiders. Just change them.
 

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