2G Blown Differential? Or something else?

[spyderdrifter]

Tonight I was heading to work, and as I was on the last street of the trip, I accelerated a bit more to pass another car. After passing, I made the final turn and broke something. I heard something break, but I'm not sure what it was. My engine was still running, but there was no longer any power going to the wheels. I could put my car in gear and pull out of gear without using the clutch. I can still start my car just fine, but it no longer moves. I've looked at the axles to see if one of them broke, but those are just fine. So now I'm assuming it's the front or center diff. I won't know until I tow it home and rip it all apart again. Any suggestions on what to check first? Also, if this turns out to be a blown diff, where can I get a new oem diff? I've looked at the usual vendors I get parts from, but none that I've seen carry oem units, only aftermarket.

 

[ThunderChild]

Sounds like a blown Center diff. Idk where to find a new Center diff, you'll have to check around for a used one.
Hopefully your didn't break the front output drive like I did when my CD did.

 

[spyderdrifter]

So I'm a little new to the awd side of DSMs, is the center diff still in the transmission, or is it in the t-case?

 

[ThunderChild]

It is inside the trans, you will have to pull it and disassemble the trans most of the way to get to it. Not difficult really, just take your time.

Here is the vfaq teardown link for awd manual transmissions. @twicks69 could prolly help you with any advanced questions.

 

[spyderdrifter]

I've pulled apart/fixed transmissions before, but they were all automatics. The last manual I pulled apart was 3 years ago, so thanks for the info and the link, I forgot about vfaq.

 

[gsxitement]

Usually with center diffs breaking, the car will still move, it will just be stuck in FWD or RWD(what happened to mine). If it DOES turn out to be the center diff, I have a couple in my garage. If you intend on making more power, and want to retain some decent daily drivability, you can get it made into a 4 spider. I went to one after years of a welded center, and it's amazing how free the car rolls now.

 

[donniekak]

If the car won't move at all in any gear, and doesn't make any noises while trying to do so, you probably just have a bad clutch.

 

[gsxitement]

Also, if you can get the car in and out of gear, with the car running, without using the clutch, that's not a diff problem. Sounds like a broken clutch or broken input shaft. There's no power flow through the trans.

 

[boostdawd]

Jack up the car from the front left. Spin the wheel while in gear. U should feel some resistance. Do the same for the other and rears. If u move the front two with ease then somethings broken. Probably a front diff or center diff or both axles (highly unlikely). The center diff is inside the transmission.

 

[spyderdrifter]

I appreciate all the replies, and will try each suggestion once I get it towed. @gsxitement, I actually started considering the clutch disc maybe broke/exploded. The current disc is a replacement to one that did explode a couple months ago. But when that one happened, I had a lot of bad noises and was unable to fully depress the clutch pedal, and was locked out of every gear. I'm hoping this is a clutch disc problem again since it'll be cheaper and easier to fix.

 

[ThunderChild]

It is possible it is just the clutch, but for a different point of view, when my CD went I could put the car in all gears w/o the clutch, no grinds etc. Car was running still after it died so I tried all that and no car movement whatsoever, clutch was completely fine.

I realized later that the diff had been broken for a while, as during my first shakedown drive I heard a horrible noise, stopped and couldn't find any issues, and it drove fine after that. The side gears had locked up the diff, making it similar to a welded (car would slow in turns etc). The first time i tried to launch the car, the busted side and spider gears spiral fractured the front-output side and no more go.

Anyway, once you pull it apart, post back what you find. id be interested to know if it is the clutch and what kind you're running.

 

[spyderdrifter]

That sounds like what I went througb, also didn'tthink of it until now, but my car seemed a lot harder to push than usual. Almost like it had gained a couple hundred pounds. I will certainly post back once I get things out and opened up. Thanks again to all of you.

 

[Chrispy0530]

Keep in mind you did add quite a few extra pounds with the AWD swap, not to mention the spyder is pretty heavy already

This is your second clutch, and sounds like this is the issue. Gonna be time to move away from part store clutches and upgrade to a nice south bend or at least ACT.

Anticipation is real. Get that pulled off!

 

[spyderdrifter]

True, the awd swap did add a bit of weight, but I've pushed it since the swap and it didn't feel as bad as last night, but it could just be in my head. But with the added weight it would make some sense that a weaker disc couldn't handle it.

 

[Chrispy0530]

If it is the disc, I'm leaning more towards a defective unit batch, as I've run a Advanced Auto Parts brand one for 4 years now, 1 1/2 years the car was AWD and didn't have any issues.

 

[spyderdrifter]

So I left my car at work since I obviously couldn't move it, then had two days off. I'm back at work tonight and decided to start it up and check things out. When it broke, there was absolutely no unusual noises. Now, when I push in the clutch pedal, it makes a similar sound as it did when my last clutch disc exploded.

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So needless to say, I'm now thinking it may be a bad clutch and not a blown diff, thank God! It's still a little odd that I have normal clutch pressure though, as last time I couldn't even press the pedal halfway in.

 

[spyderdrifter]

I got lucky again, just another broken clutch disc.

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