davedlr Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I have taken the 7 out for a blat this morning - and the diff seems to be whining more than usual. My car has an english live axle, any tips on how I top up the axle/diff oil? I can't see where to put the oil or how to get close enough to do it? cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpy the 7th Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 there's an allen headed filler/level plug on the rearward facing side of the diff above centre. best way yo get to it is to take the boot floor out rog C7 TNT - it's Dynamite!(Honda Irish Green and Peugeot Graphite grey) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedlr Posted June 10, 2010 Author Share Posted June 10, 2010 Thanks rog - I was hoping you weren't going to say take the boot floor out, mine seems to be held in place with sealant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Or fill through the breather hole if you do have access via the boot floor :) Jonathan My Flickr ----------------------------------- 95% there :) 92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I seem to remember being told to fill my English axle right to the top; i.e. with the axle off the car. I've got a Quaiff LSD too so maybe that's the reason? 'Have you any idea what it's like to have the wind rushing through your hair!' (Quote:Sq Cdr the Lord Flashheart) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedlr Posted June 10, 2010 Author Share Posted June 10, 2010 hmmm - just got the car up on the jack, and located the filler level hole on the back plate of the diff, which was a threaded nut with a 1/2" square centre that opened with a 1/2" rachet easy enough. I poked my finger in and down, and it seemed to be bone dry, so I used my oil syringe to push 250ml in - but it seems to want to come straight out again. I too have a Quaife LSD - so I am hoping its not going to be a case of take the whole axle off to fill it up.... cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 If you have the syringe, then take out the breather vent and use a bit of tubing to fill via the syringe (remember to put the plug in 1st though). You should be able to reach it easily enough, the vent looks like a mushroom on the top of the axle tube, to the right of the diff looking from the back.. Jonathan My Flickr ----------------------------------- 95% there :) 92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 I am afraid but there is only one option, get your axle rebuild, overfilling the axle will not help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedlr Posted June 10, 2010 Author Share Posted June 10, 2010 A rebuild - gulp - Really? The whine is only when its under power - but it is pretty loud (defeaning) above 70mph in 5th. I use the car mostly for trackdays - so its difficult to judge the noise on todays road trip vs. having a crash helmet and aeroscsreen on for track use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 The question has to be where is the oil going? Is it leaking from the axle tubes into the brakes or through the pinion housing? When I asked Pete at Raceline about what they do with English axle/Quaiff LSD combos, he told me to overfill it, I'm sure. I'd be concerned about running a LSD with too little oil... let alone a standard CW&P. Does your axle have the webs welded to the rear of the tubes to stop it flexing? If not this might be the time to get it done. Also consider upgrading to a rose jointed A Frame. Best of luck! Oh, and I believe a well rebuilt English axle is a very sturdy thing and should last well for years (assuming you don't abuse it of course). 'Have you any idea what it's like to have the wind rushing through your hair!' (Quote:Sq Cdr the Lord Flashheart) Edited by - Doug on 10 Jun 2010 17:51:57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elie boone Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 A rebuild doesn't mean a new CWP but for sure new bearings, it will not stop whining when you put more oil into it. If they have enough oil they are virtually bullet proof unless u have big bhp Are u sure it's the diff that is whining , as u say its louder in 5th where it should whine more into the corners than on the straight if it's a diff whine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bricol Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Bearings are the likely culprits - not the actual diff. With suitable gear, the half-shaft bearings are dead easy - without a suitable press, it's not . . . Overfilling with oil won't fix it, but may well coat the outside of the diff with an oil film as the vent throws it out. I abuse an English axle in the back of the trials Dutton with a 5:1 diff ratio. It'l climb walls. Lots of negative camber on each wheel means the axle tubes need some warming to persuade the halfsahfts back in - and still the diff is fine - no whine, nothing. Due to it's useage (potentially lots of one wheel spinning at high revs), I use a seriously heavy weight gear oil - Redline super heavy duty shockproof oil. Bri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Bri, I'm not suggesting overfilling the diff will cure the problem. What I am saying is that an English axle in tip top nick should be overfilled with oil to keep it that way. I'm concerned for Dave that there appears to be little or no oil in his! Logically, the remedy will involve finding out where all his oil has gone and sorting that issue out. As you say, the diffs themselves tend to be almost bullet proof so he may find that sorting out the oil leak solves the problem. 'Have you any idea what it's like to have the wind rushing through your hair!' (Quote:Sq Cdr the Lord Flashheart) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaterBram Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 On My live axle Prior to my first track day I overfilled it through the breather then fitted a hose nipple & hose to a catch tank fixed to the bulkhead. But Oil does not cure damage which has already happened but prevents it from happening. Hopefully on this one once the source of the leak has been found it will turn out to have been caught in time before any damage has been done and overfill with oil will prevent issues in future. Q469 WET, 1990 1690 Xflow Long Cockpit in Ali except for the red bits. .CaterBram on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAC Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 If you can't get to the breather, I've found, if you remove the A-frame bush bolt, the whole diff can pivot about the axle, you can then get a bit more oil in. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manxseven Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 I've got a 'spare' axle (which is For Sale) Simon Caterham BEC here Edited by - Manxseven on 11 Jun 2010 14:51:36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonboylaw Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 This axle is the biz! it may need the CWP changing to 3.9:1 but has everything else you could ever want! Alloy Diff nose, disc brakes, modified internals... Jonathan My Flickr ----------------------------------- 95% there :) 92 Supersprint, Ford LSD LA, RK AX Crossflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davedlr Posted June 12, 2010 Author Share Posted June 12, 2010 Thanks for all the input. I have dug around this morning and can see that an inch of the gasket between the diff housing and the axle case is hanging out at the bottom - hence the oil escaping. So what from what I have read above: - The whining wont stop by filling with oil - best case new bearings - worst case rebuild Simon - I can't see a For Sale ad for your axle - PM me details please. cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Gamma Posted June 12, 2010 Share Posted June 12, 2010 here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK FLASH Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 When my Twin Cam had a rebuild in 1987, they put in a custom wooden boot floor to have easy access to the differential. Jack Flash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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