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2G Blown Rear Diff?

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spyderdrifter

10+ Year Contributor
5,267
711
Jul 11, 2009
Somewhere in, Colorado
Was driving alone today and my car started acting odd. Then it started not moving after I stopped at a stop sign. I thought my brakes had locked up, but I pulled all the wheels and the brakes were fine. I couldn't do more than get the car to rock back and forth. Based on the video, did my rear diff lock up? Car is a 96 TSi awd with manual trans and BFB rear diff.

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You will have to jack the car and if you don't see any visible damage on the transfer case or the rear diff, you will have to start disconnecting parts .First you can take out the 4 bolts on the rear diff (the 4 bolts which are connecting the rear diff with the drive shaft) this way you will separate the rear diff and the transfer case and it will be more easy to locate from where is the problem coming. If your rear tires start moving after you disconnect the drive shaft your problem its going to be the transfer case or the transmission
 
Actually this happened to me a few weeks ago. What I did is drain the rear diff and BOOM all metal shavings out the rear diff. Drain the diff and transfer case and see what the fluids look like.
 
I'll be checking it out tomorrow. Was a bit of a pain getting the car off the tow truck. Front wheels turned normal, and the rear ones "skipped" as we tried rocking and pushing the car down the ramp. Even at the trucks full ramp tilt, it wouldn't roll on its own.
 
I drained some of the rear diff today, and got good looking fluid after some dark sludge poured out. There were some metal pieces in it. T-case looked fine. I have a replacement rear diff but it's an LSD (bfh) and my Talon currently has an open diff (bfb). Are the axle spline cups the only difference between lsd and open diff axles? I got one lsd axle with the lsd and can't ind the other one I know I had. If I get an lsd spline cup, can I just swap the cup onto the non-lsd axle and make it work with the lsd?
 
I drained some of the rear diff today, and got good looking fluid after some dark sludge poured out. There were some metal pieces in it. T-case looked fine. I have a replacement rear diff but it's an LSD (bfh) and my Talon currently has an open diff (bfb). Are the axle spline cups the only difference between lsd and open diff axles? I got one lsd axle with the lsd and can't ind the other one I know I had. If I get an lsd spline cup, can I just swap the cup onto the non-lsd axle and make it work with the lsd?
Doesn't appear you've found the problem. So before asking about the axles drain the trans. When you say metal pieces do you mean flakes? Or big chunks?
 
Have you disconnected the driveshaft and attempted to turn the rear wheels yet? As Nikolay said, if the rear wheels turn freely without the driveshaft, it could be the transfer case or your center differential. It'd suck to go through the effort of dropping the rear to find the problem is actually up front.
 
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Unfortunately, I forgot to unbolt the driveshaft for checking. I got the car up off the ground (all 4 wheels) and turned the front wheels, rears didn't turn. Then I drained out the gear oil from the diff. Just forgot about disconnecting the driveshaft.
 
Unfortunately, I forgot to unbolt the driveshaft for checking. I got the car up off the ground (all 4 wheels) and turned the front wheels, rears didn't turn. Then I drained out the gear oil from the diff. Just forgot about disconnecting the driveshaft.
Did you turn both front wheels? If you turn one the oppposite one will spin since we have an open front diff. Basically I'm saying this won't tell you anything unless you grabbed both front wheels.
 
I could be wrong, but I feel the trans itself is fine. When I was trying to move the car out of the street when it broke, the trans was engaging, and would rock the car on its own, but the wheels wouldn't let it move much. I hope I'm not wrong. I'd rather have one of the others break instead.
 
I could be wrong, but I feel the trans itself is fine. When I was trying to move the car out of the street when it broke, the trans was engaging, and would rock the car on its own, but the wheels wouldn't let it move much. I hope I'm not wrong. I'd rather have one of the others break instead.
Still, could be the differentials in the trans...

I don't know man, nothing you've posted absolutely convinces me that it's the rear, but since you've begun work on that end, you'll know one way or the other soon enough. I hope you're right, but somethings nagging at me because your symptoms are different than when I popped my rear on the highway. You should have had ample warning that something was wrong with the rear before it locked up completely in my experience.
 
Got under the car today and found oily residue everywhere on the chassis, exhaust, and driveshaft. I noticed it a little last weekend, but didn't think much of it. Noticed the t-case drain plug is missing, so there's the problem. Plug dropped, oil dumped, t-case seized. Now I'm looking for a replacement.
 
While your at it and if you haven’t done it yet. You should check your mounts. As mine failed on me a month ago and caused me a rear diff and axles.
 
Don't wanna steal the thread but anyone recommend replacing rear subframe bushings also while it's off? Or would it be okay. I'm in the same situation some what with the diff mount bushing worn out. Seems the seller is away and can't purchase those diff bushing mounts till they are back does anyone know another place to order?
 
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