S2000 differential busted

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 11:36 am

Karl Shultz wrote:

Bring them whatever fluid you choose to use. If you want to use the LE stuff, Auto Sport Gallery actually has it in stock in Raleigh. Tom's not the cheapest guy in the world, but he's local.

I'm thinking of just using some OEM fluid that I already have, and changing it after this weekend (Triad autox) to just sort of flush out the system, especially considering it was sitting in a warehouse for 3 years. Is there any reason not to autocross the car a few days after the diff was replaced?

FYI, I also have all 3 seals (drive shaft & two axle) on order from HPD and will have the shop use them when they do the swap.

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:29 pm

Zach Hill wrote:

I'm thinking of just using some OEM fluid that I already have, and changing it after this weekend (Triad autox) to just sort of flush out the system, especially considering it was sitting in a warehouse for 3 years. Is there any reason not to autocross the car a few days after the diff was replaced?

FYI, I also have all 3 seals (drive shaft & two axle) on order from HPD and will have the shop use them when they do the swap.

I don't know of a reason not to go ahead and autocross the car, but I'm a little out of my realm on this one. I would think that any issue with the diff would also show up driving around town; anything that happens to it during an autocross run could probably happen to it in an autocross run six months from now, too. But like I said, that's just a guess.

Make sure the shop knows you want them to replace those seals. I don't know much about replacing the diffs on these cars, but if it requires tearing the thing apart, that might cost you more.

I'm glad it sounds like it'll work out.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:12 pm

The axle seals are very simple to remove and install....can't imagine the shop charging you more for that since the new diff will be outside of the car in the first place making it even easier. The input oil seal might be different. I'd have to look at the diff, but some diffs require that the pinion shaft be removed to do that oil seal which means new crush seals and setting gear backlash, loading bearings.....yes that one could increase the cost of the job.

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:14 pm

JamesShort wrote:

The axle seals are very simple to remove and install....can't imagine the shop charging you more for that since the new diff will be outside of the car in the first place making it even easier. The input oil seal might be different. I'd have to look at the diff, but some diffs require that the pinion shaft be removed to do that oil seal which means new crush seals and setting gear backlash, loading bearings.....yes that one could increase the cost of the job.

I was advised by another mechanic that the input drive shaft seal probably didn't need to be replaced if it wasn't leaking. If it's substantially more labor cost, I'll probably just have them put in the new axle seals.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:17 pm

Zach Hill wrote:

JamesShort wrote:

The axle seals are very simple to remove and install....can't imagine the shop charging you more for that since the new diff will be outside of the car in the first place making it even easier. The input oil seal might be different. I'd have to look at the diff, but some diffs require that the pinion shaft be removed to do that oil seal which means new crush seals and setting gear backlash, loading bearings.....yes that one could increase the cost of the job.

I was advised by another mechanic that the input drive shaft seal probably didn't need to be replaced if it wasn't leaking. If it's substantially more labor cost, I'll probably just have them put in the new axle seals.

That's how I'd handle if it were me.

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 6:59 pm

I bought the diff today that Jeremy acquired for me from Winston-Salem, and was able to pick it up (conveniently) in Durham! Thanks man! I also ran the Carfax on the VIN, and looks like it actually had around 12K miles in 2006 just before it was wrecked. Still, that's not many miles and it should be in great shape. :thumbsup:

Here's a pic of it: http://xak.us/newdiff.jpg

While dropping it off at the shop this afternoon, the mechanic said it would be quite involved to replace ANY of the seals, including axle ones. He said even though it has been sitting in a warehouse for 3 years, there shouldn't be any issues with the seals being dried out or damaged.

*shrugs* I guess I'll find out...

Anyone want to buy some brand new OEM diff seals, fresh off the line from HPD? :lol:

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 8:16 pm

Zach, that's a nice pickup. It's got the mounts and the front bushings along with. Nice one! I don't know much of anything about the seals and how they age. My instinct tells me it's probably nothing to worry about - after all, we're not talking about some 20 year old thing. I'd put it in, keep an eye on it, and that would be that.

How many miles are on your car, BTW?

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:03 pm

Personally, considering the cost of that diff, I'd replace the seals.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:05 pm

Regarding "seal age": Unless S2000 seals are a known weakness, I don't see why 5 year old 12K seals should be a concern.

We have a 1984 Nissan with over 200K, a 1988 Dodge Van with 110K, and a race car with 18 years of "miles and time" on the axle or diff seals.

The axle seals on our 97 and 01 Mustangs are original also.

Dick

JamesShort · **Posted:** Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:08 pm

While I feel Zach's seal failure is a freak incident and that a diff with 12k miles should absolutely not need the seals replaced, I think the shop is full of it about the axle seals. In that picture, you pry those stubs out, you take a dental pick and pull the old ones out, you lube the circumference of the new on up and you use the old one to tap the new one into the diff to the same depth that the old one was.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:54 am

My "shade tree mechanic" understanding of axle or transmission seal failure is that it is generally the result of the rotating shaft having movement it should not have and/or the seal being misaligned. In other words it may be that the seal failed as a result of a problem inside the diff rather than seal failure causing the diff to fail. The problem is commonly a worn output bushing in a transmission tailshaft, loose bearings, or in the case of solid axles, wear grooves on the axle shaft itself.

In the case of this used replacement diff, my first concern would be whether there are any signs of corrosion on the axle going through the seal . . . without damaging the seal in the process :lol:

Dick

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:19 am

the general rule of thumb that we use with selling used parts is that because it has been sitting for a while, the seals not being used they sometimes get hard and brittle and therefore crack when starting to be used again. With that said I have put engine and transmission in when i worked at Japan Direct that were sitting for a lot longer than this differential has been and have not had any issues. so.......

glad I could help Zach, sorry I was busy and didnt get much time to talk with you.

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:49 am

Karl Shultz wrote:

How many miles are on your car, BTW?

I bought it January 2008 with 78K, now it has 118K.

Zach Hill · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:11 pm

Crap. The shop called and are telling me the yolk(?) does not line up and therefore won't work. They didn't want to hear anything about the fact that the AP2 diff part number is listed as the replacement indicated by Honda. They said that to adapt the yolk to my driveshaft would require taking the diff apart and would therefore cost as much in labor as it would to rebuild my original diff.

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Wed Jun 09, 2010 12:15 pm

would getting the matching drive shaft from that car or another ap2 work????

most driveshaft flanges are bolted on, you do not have to take the rear end apart to get to it.

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