Replacing Diff cover in situ ?

44DHR · Post by **44DHR** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 11:02 am

I have been asked if it was possible to replace an E type Differential rear cover in situation in the car as they have a poor gasket seal resulting in some annoying drips.

My response was "no" as apart from difficulty in undoing the mounting bolts, the cover is formed around the Crown wheel which could prevent the cover being manoeuvred to clear it out of the mounting cage. I thought that the only solution was to drop the rear axle completely and drive out the inner fulcrum shafts to remove the mounting cage to access the Diff cover.

However, as I never attempted removal of the cover in situ, I thought I would just check in case others had achieved it.

regards,

Dave

Simonpfhc · Post by **Simonpfhc** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 11:55 am

You definitely CAN remove the cover whilst the diff is still in the cage. I know as I have just done this myself. However, the whole IRS unit was out of the car, so when on the car, there may not be enough room. I will check tonight....

Cheers.

44DHR · Post by **44DHR** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 5:28 pm

Simon,

I have now got home and had a scramble under my FHC and with your confirmation that the cover will clear the cage, I may be answering my own question, but I can see most side and the top fixing bolts.

I guess if the car is jacked up to give access, although the lower bolts would be accessible by feel as the tie plate is blocking them, I now think this potentially possible. It would be even easier with the tie plate removed - and certainly easier than dropping the whole cage as I originally thought.

Just wanted any confirmation that this has been done.

Many thanks,

Dave

christopher storey · Post by **christopher storey** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 8:10 pm

The tie plate comes off in about 5 minutes, and then all the bolts are easily accessible. I have had the backplates off on both of mine as a matter of necessity, because over the years the filler plugs can become seized, and as far as i remember, it only took perhaps 20 mins altogether

abowie · Post by **abowie** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 2:41 am

Christopher was this with the IRS on the car?

christopher storey · Post by **christopher storey** » Wed Nov 04, 2015 10:47 am

Yes : I just put the car up on the ramp , and I don't remember any difficulty - once the tie ( base ) plate is off all the bolts are fairly easily reachable

44DHR · Post by **44DHR** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:07 am

Just to close out this post, I can confirm - that as I expected - the Differential cover cannot be removed from the car while the rear suspension cage is mounted in the car.

I did not want someone to start this job to cure an annoying drip in the belief that they could just take off the cover and renew the sealing gasket in situ, as they will be taking on a bigger job.

I am working on my car on winter tasks and tried this last night. I removed the rear silencers under the diff and removed the tie plate to give clearer access to all the diff cover bolts. All these can be removed fairly easily, but the very top bolt is difficult as the car bodywork forms a horizontal seam joint which restricts access of too deep a tool. However once the cover is free from the diff casing it becomes apparent that however it is turned and positioned around the protruding crownwheel, it is wider than the two inner fulcrum mounting castings bolted to the diff casing and the inner joints of the lower wishbones.

I can see that the cover can pass out through the large central opening in the cage, but the bodywork is too tight to allow this is situ. The simplest way is just to drop the rear cage and lift the cover out through the cage opening. This also ensures when the new gasket and cover are re-attached with the cage off the car, it can be sealed correctly and all the mounting bolts replaced without damaging any paint on the cover or the bolts.

regards,

Dave

christopher storey · Post by **christopher storey** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 1:40 pm

There is something strange either about the position of your cage, or about the position of the cages on both of mine,( Edit: but see PS below ) because as I said above, I have had both mine off without trouble ( and I'm almost certain I'm not going funny in my old age, because I remember having to do it because of the inability to shift the seized plugs when doing a simple job like checking the fluid level )

PS It is all now a long time ago i.e. about 20 years , but I have a feeling that I removed the covers vertically downwards, and it may have been necessary to rotate the crown wheel backwards in order to do this and vice versa to replace

44DHR · Post by **44DHR** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:43 pm

Hi Chris,

I don't believe there is anything strange about the position of my cage, but I am talking about the accessibility of the cover regarding my Series 1 Fixed Head Coupe. Whether the Open cars or later Series cars have more clearance behind the cage I don't know, but I work on a lot of Salisbury 4HA differentials and in all cases the Diff cover is a standard pressing and is wider than the inner fulcrum castings bolted to the side of the diff below the cover which would preclude just lowering the cover vertically down as there is not enough width to get the cover through.

I'm not sure what difference it makes by rotating the crownwheel as this is obviously circular, but I still believe the only way out for the cover is through the central opening in the cage once the bodywork can be cleared.

In my Series 1 Coupe instance, it's definitely easier to just drop the cage to gain the necessary access.

No worries, I'm sorted now anyway and thanks for your replies.

regards,

Dave

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