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Hello, looking for some help on my 84 Z. I found the axle code that is stamped on but it says “6EB” for part of the code. That is not listed in my Haynes manual at all in the chart. Trying to google search it just confused me more. As far as I can tell it’s 3.73 but is that posi or standard? Any help appreciated
[QUOTE=Tuned Performance;6504682]Just pull the diff cover and look at ring gear
Could you please explain when I do that what I would be looking for? Not scared to admit it I have never worked on a rear differential. Appreciate any guidance on it.
It just wouldn’t be a bad idea to service since you might not know last time it was.
pull the rear diff cover ,look at the ring gear stamped numbers. Divide the pinion gear into the ring to find out ratio.
It just wouldn’t be a bad idea to service since you might not know last time it was.
pull the rear diff cover ,look at the ring gear stamped numbers. Divide the pinion gear into the ring to find out ratio.
sorry I might not have been asking the right question…I know it has 3.73 because it has an RPO code GT4. As far as I can remember back in the 90s it was a one wheel wonder. Guess I am asking is it a posi (GM term) , limited slip, normal or what else these cars have. Thanks
is it a posi (GM term) , limited slip, normal or what else
The advice remains the same.
Pull the cover and look.
For the ratio, do as Tuned said. Find the numbers stamped into the edge of the ring gear, and do the arithmetic. It's quite simple and obvious since after all it's just a car. They'll look something like "42:13" which would be 3.23 (41 ÷ 13 = 3.230769230769230769...), "41:11" which would be 3.73 (41 ÷ 11 = 3.727272727272727272...), and so on. If you can't find numbers, just count the teeth on the ring (the larger #, will be somewhere near 40) and the pinion, which will be around 12. Almost always, one or both will be prime numbers like 41, 37, 11, 13, 43, etc.
"Posi" and "limited slip" are the same thing. "Posi" is just a slang abbreviation of GM's trademark name in the 60s for limited slip, which was "Positraction". An axle without that will have nothing inside its carrier but 4 little gears, and if you leave the car in park (or in gear if it's a stick shift) and jack both wheels up off the ground and turn one, the other will turn freely in the opposite direction because the "slip" is "unlimited". Limited slip involves ... limiting ... how much the 2 axles can ... slip ... with respect to each other, and generally involves the addition of clutches, springs, and various other parts, along with the 4 little gears. If you perform the above test to such a rear, the wheel you are trying to turn will require SUBSTANTIAL torque to turn; expect at least 65 ft-lbs, and probably more, in a properly working one, to make the axles turn in opposite directions like that.
If you don't know what you're looking at, take a pic and post it, we'll be able to instantly identify it.
And of course, since one of the obvious things to do when working on an old car is to catch up on all the accumulated deferred maintenance, which involves CHANGING THE FLUIDS among other things, you'll be changing the rear axle fluid ANYWAY this very weekend; so do this optional curiosity-satisfying inspection at the same time as the actual maintenance you'll finally be taking care of.
For the ratio, do as Tuned said. Find the numbers stamped into the edge of the ring gear, and do the arithmetic. It's quite simple and obvious since after all it's just a car. They'll look something like "42:13" which would be 3.23 (41 ÷ 13 = 3.230769230769230769...), "41:11" which would be 3.73 (41 ÷ 11 = 3.727272727272727272...), and so on. If you can't find numbers, just count the teeth on the ring (the larger #, will be somewhere near 40) and the pinion, which will be around 12. Almost always, one or both will be prime numbers like 41, 37, 11, 13, 43, etc.
"Posi" and "limited slip" are the same thing. "Posi" is just a slang abbreviation of GM's trademark name in the 60s for limited slip, which was "Positraction". An axle without that will have nothing inside its carrier but 4 little gears, and if you leave the car in park (or in gear if it's a stick shift) and jack both wheels up off the ground and turn one, the other will turn freely in the opposite direction because the "slip" is "unlimited". Limited slip involves ... limiting ... how much the 2 axles can ... slip ... with respect to each other, and generally involves the addition of clutches, springs, and various other parts, along with the 4 little gears. If you perform the above test to such a rear, the wheel you are trying to turn will require SUBSTANTIAL torque to turn; expect at least 65 ft-lbs, and probably more, in a properly working one, to make the axles turn in opposite directions like that.
If you don't know what you're looking at, take a pic and post it, we'll be able to instantly identify it.
And of course, since one of the obvious things to do when working on an old car is to catch up on all the accumulated deferred maintenance, which involves CHANGING THE FLUIDS among other things, you'll be changing the rear axle fluid ANYWAY this very weekend; so do this optional curiosity-satisfying inspection at the same time as the actual maintenance you'll finally be taking care of.
thanks Sofa. I just got the rear sway bar, shocks and fuel lines disconnected, and various other things removed to assist in removing the fuel tank. Why one asks, cause gas from 1999 probably isn’t worth a ****. If I get hung up I will post pics to help. Thanks again
Alright here is the diff with the cover pulled. From the picture what are we looking at? Looks in good shape to me but how would I know. Why I am here. fire away gents
It says 11:41…3.73. Maybe a stupid question so forgive me but it seems like now is probably a good time to pull the axles and inspect/clean? However the Haynes manual cautions against a borg Warner. Is this one of those?
No. Just sounds like an axle turning. Probably needs lube cause it’s a little rough sounding. One reason I ask is cause I have new backing plates for the drums. The old ones are nasty. I don’t wanna bite off more than I can chew as well though. If it means anything this car hasn’t drove since 1999.
That's a 2 series carrier with the "thick" 3 series gears. Started out its life with 2.73, 2.92, or 3.08 gears in it. Non-posi aka "open". Looks like 26-spline axles (early, weeeek), by the size of the ends of the carrier, maybe original to the car, maybe not. Hard to tell about "shape" just looking; the usual problems involve the bearings not being preloaded right, or the gears shimmed wrong. Neither of those things is visible to the naked eye unless they've led to major devastation.
Did it run quiet? Vibration free? Leeeek free? I can see some fluid has been coming out at the pinion seal, not a good sign although it doesn't look to be at a tragic level.
Might want to pop the axles out. To do that, take out the little tiny bolt holding that center pin in. It has a 5/16" / 8mm head. Use a 6-point box end wrench (go BUY ONE if you don't have just exactly that); get it on the bolt securely, and tap it gently with a hammer to break it loose. Remember, 6-point box end wrench: NOT a 12-point, NOT a socket, NOT an open-end, NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT. 6-point box-end wrench ONLY, either 5/16" or 8mm. Once you take that out, the pin will fall out. Once it's out, the 2 little spur gears will fall out. Once the pin is out, if you push in an axle, the C-clip will fall out, and then the axle will fall out, and the side gear and its thrust washer will fall out. It's REAL COOL in a way: there's nothing holding it together really, just, as long as that itty bitty bolt is in there, it can't fall apart. The deal about axles is, the axle itself IS the inner bearing race, and if the bearings are farkled, then the axles are fornicated too, since they're part of the total bearing package. You'll see. If the place on the axle that the bearings run is damaged, then they're toast, and you're basically in a world of s***. Post pics when you get the axles out. If the seals are leeeeeking, then odds are the whole bearing deal has taken a dump, and you've got basically abuncha garbage on your hands.
Drum brakes, I'm gonna guess?
Last edited by sofakingdom; Jun 25, 2023 at 05:01 PM.
Alright here’s the right side axle removed. Haven’t really cleaned it yet but I’d say it appears reusable if properly cleaned/lubed. Went ahead and ordered new seals/bearing just in case. As always, fire away gents…
Clean up the place on it where the bearings run with some lacquer thinner. Hard to tell much for sure with all that gunk there.
To remove the bearings & seal, get about a 5' piece of pipe, stick it through, catch it on the inside of the bearing, and bonk it out from the other side.
Clean up the place on it where the bearings run with some lacquer thinner. Hard to tell much for sure with all that gunk there.
To remove the bearings & seal, get about a 5' piece of pipe, stick it through, catch it on the inside of the bearing, and bonk it out from the other side.
That is the easiest way for sure I have a chunk of black plumbing pipe just for that purpose.
No, they just bonk right back in. Use a flat bar or a punch or something against the outer race.
Don't try to tap the seal in around the edge. It will leeeeeek EVERY TIME if you do that. Instead, lay a short piece of 2x4, or the like, flat against it, and whap it in with a single tender and loving caress from your BFH.
fire away gents
