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1961 - 1966 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Slick Sixties Ford Truck

differential question

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Old May 5, 2010 | 08:54 AM
  #1  
Old_Crow's Avatar
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Laughing Gas
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From: Bishop, CA
differential question

OK, in the process of my engine swap I ended up with a rear axle with two fill points...one in the housing and one in the 3rd member.
There is almost a pint and a half difference in the levels, with the one on the original housing being the lower of the two.
I filled it to the higher of the two(in the 3rd member)and now it's starting to kick fluid out of one of the axle seals(which were also replaced along with the outer bearings).
I'm just wondering if it'd be ok to run the newer third member with the lower level of fluid? Which filler hole would you use?

Oh, and I already pulled the vent bolt and blew it out, it wasn't blocked.
 
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Old May 5, 2010 | 11:29 AM
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You should be ok to use the one in the housing, because it connects to the tubes. IMHO

Someone else may differ.



John
 
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Old May 5, 2010 | 01:07 PM
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BarnieTrk
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From: Stanton, Michigan, USA
Originally Posted by Old_Crow
....I already pulled the vent bolt and blew it out, it wasn't blocked.
I agree with your logic, as it seems to me that using the upper hole should still work.

Does the vent bolt also have a piece of tubing on it?

I have found that the tubing attached to the vent bolt can be plugged. If you didn't check it earlier, I'd suggest you may want to blow air through the tubing or even push a piece of stiff wire through it to ensure it is clear. When I lived in TX, mud-dobber wasps would pack mud in the tubing end, plugging the vent tube. I wound up adding a 'vent check' to my bi-annual tuneup list.

It might also be that the new/clean gear lube is a bit thinner than the old gear lube and now the seals leak due to the crud being drained away from the sealing edge.

Sounds like it's time for new seals before they ruin your brake shoes.....

BarnieTrk
 
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Old May 5, 2010 | 10:47 PM
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Laughing Gas
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From: Bishop, CA
This is the old style vent bolt with just a cap and no hose...it's clear. Seals were new a month ago when I put the rear end together, bearings are also new and theres no groove in the axle where the seal rides. I'm thinking I should use the lower filler hole like John said. Of course I won't be so lucky as to have the lowering of the level stop my leak, I'll end up having to replace the brand new seal again.
It's always something.
 
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Old May 6, 2010 | 08:04 AM
  #5  
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Wow 2 fill holes.That must be nice.My Mustang with a 57 tbird housing and ? center section wound up with NO fill hole! The center did have a boss where the fill plug "could"have been so just drilled it.

I would use the fil hole on the housing as the correct one. How much fluid did you put in when you assembled it?
 
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Old May 6, 2010 | 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by fordman67
Wow 2 fill holes.That must be nice.My Mustang with a 57 tbird housing and ? center section wound up with NO fill hole! The center did have a boss where the fill plug "could"have been so just drilled it.

I would use the fil hole on the housing as the correct one. How much fluid did you put in when you assembled it?
Your's is zackly opposite from Crows.




John
 
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Old May 10, 2010 | 06:17 AM
  #7  
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From: Bishop, CA
yeah, my donor trucks got no fill point now. I used the higher of the two, but I'm gonna drain it out. I didn't want to have the level too low and screw up the new gears.
Seals are cheaper.
 
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