OK, start at the beginning.

12/95 XJ6 3.2ltr Base spec car.

Had a diff oil odour after a run for ages, and always put it down to the breather, as there has NEVER been any oil on the ground, EVER.

The difff oil was change d3 years ago when I got teh car, and it was near enough to full prior to draining to be OK.

This PM, up on ramps to grease the u/joints, and check the diff oil and so on. Filler plug out (easy), finger in the hole, not feeling any oil here???, mmmmm, other mutterings.

Brighter light, and looking for an oil track, nothing, mmm again.

OK, what the heck, top it off. Syringe (250ml) filled with oil in the hole, sweet. Next one, and a dripping noise near teh ear, DAMN, must have missed the hole, NO, the tube is in the hole, OK, must be full, NO, what the hell is going on here.

Tried some more, same result, and I dont mean a slow dripping, it basically comes out as fast as I push it in, and it is running off the RH suspension mount pin that I THINK threads into the alloy finned cover, and by feeling around it feels like it also. Now that area is quite wet with oil on the finger, as you can see SQUAT, so feeling around is all I have done to date.

Soooo, my question. Is there an issue with this mounting pin/stud breaking the finned cover mounting boss (this area is basically just below the filler hole), or do I have a casting issue.

The only work as such I have done in this area this week is to replace the rear shockers, and I really dont see that causing this. I did not remove the lower pan to do this job, so all in there is as made to the best of my knowledge.

I have looked at my parts listing, and they dont show the rear diff cover at all, so no help there. They only show the pins (diff assembly drawing) and what looks like a casting "bump" on the cover that the pins thread into, so maybe.

Anyone got any solid ideas before I rip it apart blindly.

As always, thanks heaps in advance.

 

Speaking only to the matter of the frequency of casting failures:

-- it hasn't been mentioned in recent memory on JF

-- there is a site dedicated to the rebuilding and modification of Jaguar differentials for use in Cobra replicas. that particular failure mode is not mentioned on the site with regard to inspection of the donor differential

You would probably need to clean off the area, let it dry, then pump more gear oil in to see where it is actually leaking.

Bear in mind that when the vehicle is raised only at the rear, the fill hole is higher than normal.

Pictures of the level of the bottom of the fill hole suggest that the side bearings are lubricated by splash rather than partial immersion. So ... the seals might be weak but not display any symptoms as long as the car is on the flat.

 

FIXED.

Old age is a wonderful thing.

Apparently it was about 200ml down, so be it after 50k kms in 3 years.

This mornings little investigation, fresh eyes, clean glasses, numerous coffee consumed, and it is FULL, so obviously the run out was in fact FULL, and being as I use Synthetic oil, fairly clear to the eye, then add my tired eyes and, and the angle of dangle to see almost zero, it all adds up.

Anyhow, the thoughts of "upping the insurance" and doing the unthinkable have subsided, so a wash and polish, leather treatment, and all is forgiven. Raining now so NO driving at the moment.

 

A little paranoia goes a long way

 

It sure beats the alternative!

Graham

 

Yep.

I've lost count of the rear cradles I have had out of the earlier 4 shocker cars to redo the diff mount bolts that ALWAYS come loose, among other things.

This newer set up is MUCH better, I think, but this really had me worried for a small moment. All the rubber bushes all over the place that simply do not survive when oil gets out of where it should be held.

 

Now I don't feel too bad about forgetting to plug in the electrical connector at the bottom of the throttle body after cleaning it. And getting all you guys to help me find a find a way to do a reset without having to drive in to down town Dallas with an idle at 1500 rpm. Amazing what plugging in the connector did.

Welcome to the club, Grant

EZDriver