Hello, everyone.

Firstly, I want to warn everyone who is reading this post, because I'm a total newcomer in 3gen society, so don't take a hard on me

I'm driving 5,7, 1990 Camaro, usually only on weekends, because the gas in Europe is freaking expensive

Yesterday the diff started to kick out crazy noises I'm guessing that some sort of an axle has broken. The previous owner already warned me of it. So the day has come, and I'm looking for a new one.

Could anyone please help me to identify this differential I'm having? (all I know is that the cover has 10bolts and that it's automatic locking) :









Is there any chance to order Eaton or Torsen parts somewhere, with shipping to Europe.
Maybe I should get a used one?

The situation with spare parts in Western Europe is beyond critical, so any help/advice will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Samuel

 

You should have posted this in the drivetrain section of this forum, but hopefully the mods will move it. It looks like a typical GM 10 bolt 7.5/7.6 differential, if it is stock then there's nothing unusual about it. If you have the skill or know someone with it, the cheapest way is probably buying a rebuild kit...depending on what is wrong with it. Whether it's bearings, spider gears etc.

This will help you know what you have to help you find the parts that will be correct for your axle. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...-10-bolts.html

Based on how far you are from where the parts are typically sourced and repaired, this will probably be and expensive repair. Hope this helped and made sense.

 

Thank You very much!

I think that repairing is not an option because the previous owner said that he had already welded something - and it did not sound reliable.
Do You know any European user on this forum, who could help me with ordering parts to Europe? I'm currently between two options - Eaton or Powertrax lockers. Or finding a stock GM locker.

 

That sure looks like a Gov-lock. Probably had an Auburn to begin with, not that the stock Auburn is anything fantastic, but the Gov-lock is about as durable as two gerbils holding hands. Any carrier that's not another Gov-lock would be an upgrade.

 

http://www.quickperformance.com/GM-7...Bolt_c_78.html
This is one of the best places to get rear end parts. I don't know if they ship to you or not, but it's worth checking. They also have a ebay store.

The differential that you have is an Eaton Governor Lock. It's probably the 2nd worst limited slip differential that you could have. The Auburn would be the worst. I recommend replacing it with a Eaton Posi, Eaton Truetrac or a Yukon Dura Grip.

I don't see anything in your pictures that is damaged and I don't see any signs of welding. I think you need to look some more and find out what the problem really is.

 

IS that ground down section stock? Maybe a casting grind or was it something welded and ground down

 

That's an Eaton Gov-Lock. Also known as Gov-Bomb, Grenade-Lock, etc. There is no differential that could possibly be a worse choice for our cars.

It probably came out of a S-10 truck (the little "mini" pickup that GM makes). It was originally designed to be put in light military trucks that were intended to be used exclusively off-road, at low speeds, and had very small under-powered engines. It works somewhat OK in a situation like that.

The way it works is, it functions as a completely open rear (no locking between the axles of any kind), as long as the difference in the RPMs of the 2 axles is below about 150. The axles are then free to turn independently of each other. Then once that threshold is exceeded, those little springs and weights (a "governor" of sorts, which is where its name came from) operate, which locks it up solid. The problem in a powerful car on pavement is, that if one-wheel-spin ever starts, then when it locks up, if the tires have any traction at all, it does so with such violence and so suddenly, that the whole thing literally EXPLODES. The entire carrier disintegrates into shrapnel. It can do this with enough force to send pieces through the cover. In fact there's a photo running around somewhere of one that shot pieces into the gas tank (which is right in its line of fire).

I included a typical photo of what happens.

The grinding looks to me like someone wanted to hide something about it for some reason, or, somebody had to do something hideous to remove the little bolt that holds the cross shaft in after they broke it trying to take it out.

Getting a new Eaton NOT a Gov-Lock, Yukon, Truetrac, or Torsen would be the way to go. Avoid Auburn... the stock posi for your car would have been an Auburn, and it's pitiful, so don't bother with a stock one. And of course, don't fool around with "repairing" that steaming bucket of excrement that you have now.

As far as used ones, the only one I can recommend is the Torsen that came in 98-2000 Camaro/Firebird V8 cars. (LS1) Don't get a stock one out of a 3rd gen like ours, or a 93-97, since those are all Auburn.

 

Wow! I completely missed that! Someone has welded the cross shaft in this thing!

How did you get the axles out of it? Does it still have c clips on the axles? Yes, you need to replace that!

 

Is the aftermarket Auburn no good also?
http://www.moserengineering.com/diff...26-spline.html
I installed one about 20 years ago, before they had a choice between HP series and Pro series. I'm assuming that the Pro series is set up with stiffer springs?

 

Yup, AFAIK that's the only difference. There's more of them too.

Still the same crappy unserviceable clutch design though.

 

My experience with several customers and the Auburn differential is that they don't last long when abused, they fill the rear end with powdered metal that ruins the bearings and they can't be rebuilt. I also had a customer who exploded one and actually punched 3 holes in the cast iron rear end housing.

 

I agree. I put in a rebuilt cone type on my 9 bolt and I guess I "abused" it with the stock LB9 cause it turned to metal paste quickly..... garbage.

GD

 

Thank you ! I definitely will replace that.

What would you suggest ?

Should I go for used 4th gen Torsen or a new Eaton

Thanks in advance.

I'll tell you about axel surgery, when I'll open the cover

 

If this is a street strip car then the Eaton Posi or Yukon Dura Grip would be good. If you want to auto cross or road race then the Eaton Truetrac or Torsen would be good. You will have to use 28 spline axles with the Torsen. I recommend the 28 spline upgrade anyway if you don't already have them. Your '90 probably does.

 

I believe someone mentioned this:

We're all thinking the stuff in your photos is what came out of your car's rear end. Judging by your last comment

it's not. Telling us what you REALLY have will help us point you in the right direction.

If you don't already have that crap in the pictures up there, DO NOT buy it!!!!

 

The pictures were taken by previous owner before he inserted it. So I do have the same old crap in the rear end, which now is giving out nasty clicks when wheels are turning.

Now I'll know that nor repairing nor geting a new gov-lock is terrible idea.

I'll post some pictures of what's left of it when I'll open the cover.

 

I'd still like to know what is holding the axles in. I've never seen a c clip rear end with the cross shaft welded in.

 

Exactly... there's something going on here that you haven't told / been told. There's some of the story left out there somewhere.

Let us know what you find behind the cover and we can help you from there. Post photos of it. Until then, it's all just guessing.

 

Hello everyone.

Yesterday was the day I unscrewed the cover, took out the diff and this is what I saw:

-The cross shaft was not welded so the c clips came out easily




As You can see the pinion gear teeth are totally f***ed (It's more obvious in this video:



Consequently, the ring gears are equally f***ed.


Video of diff rotation:
As far as I can see the spider gears look fully functioning.


This is the awful sound that I was talking about. (Going 10 mph straight to the garage) This video was taken the day before I posted this thread.

Unfortunately, I did not make a video that would explain the sound, but it was due to the fact that the pinion gear was lapping the ring. (it was somehow not in rigorous contact with ring gear)

My only guess is that it had been caused due to the inaccurate placement of the washers? nevertheless, all bearings seemed to be working perfectly.

Does anybody have any idea of what could be the cause of all this mess?

Regards
Sam

 

Yeah, someone completely screwed up the installation. That's pretty messed up. I'd trash everything and start over. If you use this housing again it's going to need to be completely stripped and cleaned very well before any new parts are installed. I'm sure that there is plenty of metal hiding in every spot possible. Your '90 will have 28 spline axles. If they are still good then use them. If they are worn where the axle bearings run on them then replace them too, or find another '90-'92 rear end and start all over.

 

I definitely will, now it's the choice between a new housing, gears, bearings basically everything vs new 4thgen rear. The odds are that it's easier/cheaper to get a decent 4th gen rear. Rather than risking to give newly bought parts to some idiot mechanic, who will screw everything up once again.

I've found some guys that have been importing v8's into the Baltics, they are around 400km far away from me. Luckily for me, they have 3 3d gens and 9 4th gens going down in parts