Hello, my name is Roy. For many years, I drove a 1976 Ford estate car around Sydney. The car had belonged to my grandpa. It was passed down to me when I had just passed my driving test at the age of 18. That was in 1986 and the car was already in a pretty bad condition then. Fast forward to 2006 and I was now aged 38 and still driving the same car around. Sometimes the car wouldn't start, white smoke came out of the exhaust and the gearbox made a terrible sound. I did my best to patch it up, but eventually, I had to scrap the car and buy a new one. I decided to start a blog to encourage others to service their cars.
The differential is a very important part of your car because roads are not straight. When your car turns a corner, the differential allows the wheel on the outside of the curve to go faster than the one on the inside of the curve without skidding. If it gets faulty, you have no choice but to have it repaired if you want to keep driving your car.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing what is wrong with your differential is something a mechanic can do; however, if you notice any of the following, there could be a problem with your differential.
Oil leaks
You will notice puddles forming if the oil leak is pronounced, but if the leak is small, you will only notice smears and traces of oil if you look at the differential body. As soon as you notice it, look for a mechanic to attend to it.
Grinding or howling sound
You might notice a howl, whine or grinding sound that commonly occurs when you are negotiating a bend, changing lanes or when you accelerate. It can be a sign of a serious leak that has emptied oil out of the differential. It could also be a problem with the differential seal which caused the leak. If your car is an all-wheel drive, it has two differentials, but if it is a front-wheel drive, it has one differential on the front, and a rear-wheel drive has a differential at the rear. In each case, you will hear the noise from where the differential is located.
Drag
While you are driving at low speeds or in neutral gear, you might feel like your car tyres are low on pressure. This can indicate a problem with the differential.
Maintenance
You can avoid the need for regular and expensive differential repairs if you take your car in for regular service. During the service, the mechanic will examine and perform maintenance on the differential axle, gears, and cover.
Another part of the deferential that will be examined during the maintenance is the gasket. Also, a regular oil change should be done because the oil inside the differential usually breaks down as the car moves, and with time it needs to be drained out and new oil put in its place.
If you take your car for regular servicing without fail, you are more likely to avoid the need for serious repairs on your differential. Conversely, if you neglect the differential, you face the risk of being involved in an accident or having your car's axle and transmission damaged. Contact a mechanic who specialises in differential repair for additional information.
Share16 May 2017
