These are light repair jobs that will cost between $200 to $400, depending on the make and model of your vehicle. But if you have more extensive damage to your differential that requires it to be dismantled or overhauled, then you are looking at about
$400 to $800
in repair costs.
Can you drive with a broken differential?
The damages can increase more so at the point of stopping abruptly. But if you want to know if you can drive with a broken differential, the answer is no.
If you drive with a broken differential, then it will cause damage to the whole drivetrain system
.
How long does it take to fix a rear differential?
A complete rear differential replacement includes replacing the housing, gears, bearings, and seals. The average time it takes a certified mechanic to perform a differential rebuild at a shop is usually
three to five hours
. A rebuild on a commercial vehicle by someone without prior experience could take much longer.
What causes rear differential damage?
The leading cause of a differential failing is due to
using the wrong lubricant type and specialty lubricants
. Water can also be a culprit to a differential failing as it can enter through the vent or seals. This often happens when driving in high water.
What does a broken rear differential sound like?
The most common sound of a failed differential is
a whining noise
. This is often due to poor lubrication within the differential, meaning there is a good chance that the differential fluid is leaking. If you spot a reddish fluid under the differential, there is certainly a leak.
How long should a differential last?
A rear differential service consists of removing the rear differential cover, cleaning any old fluid from inside the differential case, resealing the cover, and adding clean fluid. After a rear differential fluid change, most vehicles will go
20,000 to 40,000 miles
before it's due again.
How do you know if your diff is broken?
Here are the most common bad differential symptoms to look out for:
Your vehicle is quickly going through oil. Difficulty steering. A loud front differential noise, such as the grinding of gears, clunking, or a “howling” sound
.
Is the differential part of the transmission?
The differential is a set of gears that transmits engine power to the wheels, while allowing them to turn at different speeds on turns. With front-wheel-drive (FWD),
the differential is alongside the transmission inside a housing
, and the unit is called a transaxle.
Does changing differential fluid make a difference?
In most cases, you will need to change differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. It's important to stay on top of changing differential fluid because
metal-on-metal contact creates heat from friction
. It also weakens gears and wears down surfaces. That can lead to differential failure, which is a costly problem.
How is differential noise diagnosed?
Regular “clunking” or loud “clicking” every few feet may indicate a broken ring or pinion gear tooth
. “Clunking or clicking” when starting to move or getting on and off the gas might be loose yokes, bad u-joints or worn transfer case or transmission parts.
How do you fix a noisy differential?
- Prep the area.
- Replace Differential Fluid.
- Replace the seal.
- Test the Vehicle.
- Inspect rear differential gasket, pinion seal, and side seal.
- Clean the housing.
- Replace broken parts.
- Lubricate and re-install axle into differential.
How do you check rear differential?
Can rear differential cause transmission problems?
When the differential doesn't perform well, it creates metal-on-metal friction that wears down surfaces. The resulting heat weakens gears and can cause component failure and transmission problems
.
Is a rear differential leak serious?
When the gasket fails, it can cause the differential to leak, which
may put it at risk of running low on fluid and suffering serious damage
. Usually a bad or failing differential gasket will produce a few symptoms that can alert the driver of a potential problem that should be serviced.
What does a differential look like?
What are the symptoms of low differential fluid?
- Burning Smell from the Differential. When you notice a bad smell coming from your gearbox, you should take it as a sign of bad differential oil which can be contaminated hence not operating as it should be. …
- Weird Noises. …
- Vibrations.
What does differential fluid smell like?
A
burning smell
from your differential or gearbox is another sign you need near differential oil. The smell may be coming from oil leaking out of an old seal — you may even notice a reddish stain under your car's parking spot. The burning smell might also be a result of an overheating gearbox from poor lubrication.
