Rear drive

[Delk]

Went to the shop tonight and the car was not right.

When I gave it power it pulled to the left until the traction light came on reducing power. Did it a few times with the same results. So I put it in the garage and took the truck.

When I got home I jacked up the left side and had a quick look. Everything seems fine, no odd noises or broken drive shafts.

I think but am not sure all 2.8s have a torsen rear diff. What happens when these go wrong, can you get one wheel drive?

I was not pushing the car hard and it was very evident when accelerating. Otherwise drives fine as it should.

 

[t-tony]

That sounds like a diiff. issue to me. You used to get the same effect on the old Daf belt driven cars back in the day when one of the drive belts broke.

Tony.

 

[Stevo7682]

Delk have you ever changed the rear diff oil and if so did it get refilled with the correct lsd oil.
Stephen .

 

[Delk]

Did that a little over a year ago. Used lsd oil but not sure its required for a torsen. Doesn't hurt as an extra as far as I am aware.

 

[Sean d]

Delk have you ever changed the rear diff oil and if so did it get refilled with the correct lsd oil.
Stephen .

It became apparent a few weeks ago that lsd oil is not required in a torsen diff as it doesn't have clutches. Most of us have been recommended lsd oil by opie

 

[DrWong]

I don’t think we bottomed out whether putting LSD oil in a Torsen was bad for it or not

Bought two new bottles of LSD oil a while back, but in two minds now whether to use them

 

[Delk]

I got my lsd oil from opie.

Only two options in can see. Rear diff or left rear wheel flange. Changed to Z4 ones narrowing the rear end when I did all the camber correction. Bought a cheap one off of online autos or whatever to make sure it all worked out. Just wonder if the splines were not hardened or something so the drive shaft spins.

Will look when I get a chance but may have to wait until after christmas.

 

[Stevo7682]

If the shaft was spinning in the hub you would hear it would sound like a drill on hammer action

 

[Delk]

If the shaft was spinning in the hub you would hear it would sound like a drill on hammer action

I thought I would hear something. Since its the left side it would also tighten the nut and not just come loose. May break but I would expect a good amount of noise. I am not hearing anything that's why I am fearing the diff. Would hope for the drive flange just because it's far cheaper.

 

[Lee]

I also doubt it to be the diff, if it was you would hear it making hell of a racket.

Personally If you've been playing with the Geo I would get it checked to see if anything's out.

There so many things it can be.

 

[Sean d]

What about a bound up caliper on one side

 

[t-tony]

Worth checking.

Tony.

 

[Sean d]

Worth checking.

Tony.

Makes sense, if the car is not pulling well and pulling to one side

 

[Delk]

Calipers are free. Jacked it up to wiggle things and it moved fine.

It's only under power and feels like all the drive is going to the right rear. To the point the right starts to spin and the traction light comes on cutting power. It was damp so didn't take a lot of throttle to spin one wheel.

Did the rear suspension this summer and it's been fine. Car drives, steers and corners like it should. But when pulling away from intersections in the village it pushed to the left. Didn't get far and came home.

 

[Delk]

Generally confused.

Entire car off the ground. Suspension tight and acts like it should. Brakes free. Drive shaft joints good and no noise or vibration. Diff is quiet with nice clean oil inside. Even pulled the nut off the left side drive flange to check splines. If it was the splines in the flange, drive shafts or diff I would expect a massive amount of noise but it all looks ok.

Will go for a drive again tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[Delk]

Took the car for a drive today and all was fine. Even hard launches with traction control off were straight.

Maybe it was something on the road that affected the left side the other day.

 

[Dennisthemenace]

Could have been Diesel on the road, I found som on a roundabout the other day!

 

[Dino D]

I’ve had this when running different sizes wheels on the rear (ie 16’s on the rear and 18’s on the front. To a lesser extent when changing tyre profiles).
But it was consistently there. Tyre pressure could cause it but would have been noticeably different from side to side that you’d have likely picked that up?

 

[Sean d]

Took the car for a drive today and all was fine. Even hard launches with traction control off were straight.

Maybe it was something on the road that affected the left side the other day.

That's a bit odd, maybe a diesel

 

[Delk]

18s all around with very little side wall. A flat wasn't the problem but it felt like it.