Diferential empty?!?

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Joseph_S37

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Hello all!

Well, today I decided to do my summer fluid changes, before I started all my usual long drives; camping traveling, visiting friends etc!

Oil change, easy, transmission pan drain and fill, cake.

Now I get to the differential, pull the plug, and NOTHING comes out!! Nothing!!

It's a 93 Camry and I know that the V6 model has a connected diff and trans, but I have the 4 cyl, and the diff needs to be filled separately. The trans fluid was last changed at local shop when it was owned by the precious owner.

I'm guessing the shop assumed this trans and diff was connected too.

It has been about 10k km since the car was in that shop, And has had an empty diff.

How much damage was caused during this time without fluid?? It's filled now with valvoline maxlife ATF .

Just any opinions you guys have on this issue would be appreciated!

I'm planning on changing the fluid again in 10k just to clean off the magnetinc plug and see what comes off it.

Thanks for your time

Cheers
-Joseph
 
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Well, if this is the case I have to say I'm extremely surprised that it drives at all anymore, and the diff wasn't destroyed. though I guess in a FWD car where there is no ring and pinion to worry about, the damage would be much less than it would in a RWD car.
 
If it's the fill plug then your alright....but if it's a drain plug you better fill it up and cross your fingers.
 
I can guarantee you guys it was dead empty, it took the full specified amount to fill it up, right after nothing came out. And it was 10k km. Something around 6k miles I think??

And yeah it's filled now, took it for a test drive and it 100% drives smoother.
 
A 17 years old Toyota with empty differential for 6k miles and still run, they don't make the new cars/trucks today as reliable it was in the old days.
 
I had a 1978 Omni with separate diff / tranny fills. The diff ran dry for a few thousand miles and filled it up. The noise was reduced considerably. I used Lucas transmission fix in there to quiet it up some more. Best part about Lucas is if the seal leaked from the diff to the tranny, the Lucas stuff wouldn't cause the tranny to slip.
 
I'm just glad I caught it early enough to hopefully keep it going as long as I need it!

Will drain maybe at end of summer, I'll let you know what the magnetic plug looks like
 
Originally Posted By: Camry_Frenzy37
...I caught it early enough...


crazy2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
About 6,000 miles with an empty differential had to cause severe wear and problems.

If not, this is a genuine miracle.


maybe it had prolong or slick50 in it
lol.gif
 
The GF's VW developed a final drive leak, ran dry, and I don't know when it did. Sometime in a 3 month period with a lot of highway driving.

I cheated and put ATF stop leak in at about 1 part to 4 parts 75w90, and surprisingly enough the leak has stopped, as I wait on the parts, the tools and the free time.
 
Woah, you put ATF, which is a GL4 oil, into a hypoid differential?

Hypoids want GL5 usually.

MY Outback shares the same lube between the front differential and the manual tranny. We have to run GL5 oils in the thing to keep the hypoid happy.
 
Diff bearings are shot by now.
You'll have a failure.
As long as you're not abusive, maybe you can keep it a long time.

And yes, the Toyota diff, with the automatic, takes dex/merc or an equivalent ATF.

This is why when you buy a new vehicle to go thru ALL fluids and filters ASAP. You never know what was forgotten.
 
Originally Posted By: Tremo
Woah, you put ATF, which is a GL4 oil, into a hypoid differential?

Hypoids want GL5 usually.

MY Outback shares the same lube between the front differential and the manual tranny. We have to run GL5 oils in the thing to keep the hypoid happy.


Well the dipstick and service manual both state dex II so I'm sure this is an improvement over the fluid of the day! And yes that's for the diff as well as trans

:)
 
Originally Posted By: Tremo


MY Outback shares the same lube between the front differential and the manual tranny. We have to run GL5 oils in the thing to keep the hypoid happy.



But the Outbacks with the automatic have a separate differential and trans fluid.

It would surprise people how many mechanics don't realize there are two different gearboxes on a FWD, and how many times they are either overlooked or filled with the wrong fluid.

I even had a Subaru shop fill (and I mean FILL, as in almost running out) my XT6 front differential with ATF before...so...
 
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Something does not add up. There is no way that you could drive 6000 miles with no lube in a diff. The entire guts gears and bearings would be completly destroyed in just a few miles w/o lube.
 
Even with a completely "drained" case, there is still some residual...it doesn't take much lubricant to keep bearings/gears alive. And I suspect a leak, and that it hasn't been completely dry the entire 6k miles.

He's states he only knows about ii since it had the trans service done...doesn't mean they even looked at, or touched, his differential. I think the assumption is the shop is somehow at fault for draining the fluid...but if they didn't know it was there, why would they drain it?
 
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