The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support ExtremePSI
Please Support Fuel Injector Clinic

Automatic trans - Center Diff Removal

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Pulled the center diff out of my trans last night. I took some pictures with my phone since I couldn't find a thread with any pictures for pulling the auto center diff. It's REALLY easy ;)

Remove the six bolts holding the center diff cover on. Also scrape off the sealant on the upper right part of the cover (yellow mark):
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Be very patient getting the cover/bearing race off of the trans, it fits very precisely into the case. You will need to slowly work each side and the top & bottom. Once you have it out enough you should be able to grab it and start twisting it in it's bore to slide it out.

Here's the cover removed. Get an oil pan under the trans because it's going to leak some fluid:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Next you need to remove the outer gear and tapered roller bearing. You can grab the roller bearing and work it out by hand, take note of the gear above (circled in red) when you're getting this out. You'll likely need to twist the outer bearing and work it through the teeth.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Now you'll see the center diff housing in there. To pull it out I used some channel locks with a rag to protect the splines and kind of popped it out. There is a retainer clip inside the center diff gear that holds the output shaft in. The clip is much like the one that holds in the passenger front axle so you just need to give it enough force to overcome it.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Here's the groove in the output shaft where that retainer clip fits. Often times the clip is long gone and the center diff will come right out, again remember to rotate the center diff so you clear the gear protruding from above:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


That's it, all done, now take it and have it welded! 8)
 
This is an update to my original post, thanks to imageshack for not hosing pictures free anymore :/

1. Remove the 6 bolts holding the center diff cover. Be very patient getting the cover/bearing race off of the trans, it fits very precisely into the case. You will need to slowly work each side and the top & bottom. Once you have it out enough you should be able to grab it and start twisting it in it's bore to slide it out.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Here's the cover removed. Get an oil pan under the trans because it's going to leak some fluid:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


I left some parts out the first time I posted this how-to. I failed to include that you will need to pull the transfer gear in order to pull the inner bearing race for the center diff, so you can remove the viscous coupler. It's pretty straight forward, you will see what I mean once you get the center diff out, but at this point, you might as well pull the transfer gear and end clutch covers. After the covers are removed, you will see the transfer gear bolt is "locked" in place with a retaining device that has tabs bent over the hex of the bolt to keep it from backing out. You need to gently pry back on the retaining lock tabs in order to remove the bolt. Once you pull the bolt you can slide the transfer gear with it's bearings out of the transmission, there is a shim on the bellhousing side of the transfer gear, don't lose it. I recommend sliding the bolt back through the gear, keeping the bearings in the correct place and just kind of set the whole thing aside as one assembly - I personally use cheapo tupperware type containers from the 99 cents store.

These next pics show the transfer gears and center diff removed.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

At this point, your center diff will still be in the transmission. What you'll want to do is use a slide hammer to "pop" the center diff off the output shaft, as the output shaft has a retaining groove which locks into a retaining clip inside the center diff housing. Sometimes that clip is missing or broken, and in that scenario, the center diff should just slide right out.

So in this next picture I wrapped the spines on the center diff with a rag and tugged on it with channel locks until it came loose. Don't do it this way.. This was a few years ago and the first time I pulled a center diff out of one of these transmissions. Instead, use a slide hammer and thread a bolt into the threaded hole in the end of the center diff (circled in yellow), it makes it much easier.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.

Getting the viscous coupler out can be a bit challenging as the inner bearing race for the center diff can be a pain the ass to slide out of the transmission "center diff tunnel". Pull the output shaft out from the transmission (from the in the bellhousing) once you get the center diff out. Then when you look at in the center diff "tunnel" you'll see the inner bearing race has two threaded holes on the left and right side. This is what I do: I use two 10mm head bolts to thread into those holes and sort of use my thumb and middle finger, while reaching inside the tunnel to slowly shimmy & slide the bearing race housing out. The thing fits in there super precisely and you need to be patient when sliding it out, because if it doesn't come out straight it gets jammed very easily. Try to pull it out smoothly and gently, if you feel it starting to bind up just tap it very lightly (with the handle of a screwdriver or hammer) on opposing sides until if moves freely again, eventually you'll get the feel for it and you'll be able to slide it out. Also, take note of the housing's orientation because it must go back in the same way it came out, you'll see the gold pin that protrudes into the "diff tunnel" and the recessed area of the bearing race housing. There is also a spacer behind the race housing, note the orientation of the beveled edge and make sure it goes back in the same way. Once you have those two components out of the way, you'll hopefully be able to pull the viscous coupler out of there by hand.

You can see the bearing race housing in the background of this picture here, sorry it's the only pic of it I have at the moment. I'm getting started on rebuilding a 2g auto pretty soon so I'll have more pictures to add.. I'm horrible at documenting shit as I go, which is why I don't have any pics of the past few transmissions I've done.
You must be logged in to view this image or video.


Center diff opened up and viscous coupler out:
You must be logged in to view this image or video.
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top