A request from the Missus.

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: A request from the Missus.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 08:23 am:

What causes the stench in the rear diffy?

The Missus and I have had decades of peaceful harmony sharing an attached garage...I get to hide 3, she gets room for 1 plus 12" all around hers :-) What better 'balance' could a guy ask for?

Starting last year, one of the T's has taken to having a "Pierre Le Pew" aroma of punked diffy oil for a day or two after being out for a run and parked back in the garage. I changed it out for fresh here a while back and it STILL does it.

Needless to say, with the hot humid weather, enjoying taking that T out, and having the usual marital bliss are on the verge of being mutually exclusive... :-):-)

Any hints, advice, or comments? No...tossing banana peels in is not a solution :-) Do I just get to drain it, fill it to the brim with kero and let it soak for a day or two before a change?

Thanks


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 09:36 am:

I use synoil in the diffy, becuz it don't stink.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Christopher Lang ~ Brentwood Bay, BC on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 09:59 am:

I find the 600wt to smell good. The regular gear oil smells sulphury to me.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Doug Money - Braidwood, IL on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 10:23 am:

The EP fluid uses sulpher and that is likely the smell you are using.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By michael grady on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 11:08 am:

One option would be to keep up the stink. Then, you might wind up with room for four....just sayin.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve McClelland on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 11:20 am:

That's one of the Great things with old cars nothing else smells like them. You gott'a love'em even your garage takes on that same aroma . Just part of the antique car experience ....


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Norman T. Kling on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 11:37 am:

You must have a very keen nose! How do you smell oil which is inside the differential? And how do you know that is what you smell?
Norm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Dysart - SoCal on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 11:48 am:

I just read this thread to my wife, and she said "His wife is so lucky, she gets a space for her car. She shouldn't mind a bit of aroma.". We've got a 2.5 car garage that has a bit of woodworking machinery and regular storage. The T moved into it's box trailer when a jointer and a bigger lathe showed up. So no cars in the garage for us. (BTW, she's not exactly happy about this).


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 12:56 pm:

George are you sweating at the pumpkin or perhaps it's getting past the wheel seals? (and not yet showing) It's a closed system pretty much so unless it's leaking out somewhere I don't know where the smell is coming from.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 01:37 pm:

How does the diffy breathe?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Jablonski on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 01:39 pm:

Could flush with solvent & fill with Lubriplate 140W synthetic gear oil. The 140W has the same consistency as the old 600W steam oil used for the differential


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 01:42 pm:

George,

1. If two of three of your Ts do not make that smell – and the T that is now making the smell did not make it for the previous 70-80 years then I think something is possibly wrong/changed with the T. Please clarify that I am understanding that situation correctly. Also does it smell like an open can of 600 wt oil or a burnt smell?
2. Easy/quick solution – drive one of the other two T’s that do not make the smell.
3. If my understanding in the first paragraph is correct – then answers to the following questions might help.
a. How do you know it is the rear axle that is producing the smell?
i. Is it hot?
ii. Is there visible smoke?
iii. Is it from the center section or near the wheels?
iv. Was there any work on the rear axle or anything that changed from before when it did not produce the smell to when it started producing the smell?
1. I would check for brake drag if the smell is from the ends of the axle
2. I would check for bearing drag if the smell is from the pumpkin
b. If you park the car outside for a couple of hours before you put it back into the garage does it still smell up the garage?
4. With a wife who it that understanding – this could be a chance to get a Ruckstell rear axle to replace the offending axle or even a new T to replace the one that smells [what a chance to purchase a two-lever two-pedal or any other T that you have always wanted. And you can store the offending T at a friends house or have a new garage built or use a storage shed etc. Ok this paragraph wasn’t as meaningful – but then again…
5. Please let us know some additional details.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 08:46 pm:

Thanks guys,

No...it's not the smell of motor oil...lol...the Missus was weaned on that. Her family company (and where she served as prez for 12 years) IS a petroleum construction company that had Texaco, Amoco, and Ryder as their main clients and her nickname in roustabout terms and used openly in the industry was "Tim" which stood for 'the iron maiden' (lol) but enough on that...let's just say the normal smell of gas and oil would not bother her one bit.

This smell I'm talking about is pungent, and to answer Norm of 'how do I know' question...the smell is what gets up your nose when you tear a rear apart and find a glob of 'gunk' and slice it with a scraper....been there, done that! This rear is tight, no leaking out the end seal, no weep at the rivit/tubes, no weep at the clamshell gasket...that's what has me 'lost'...no leaks, but smell?

When done driving I've felt for hotspots and there are none to the touch...but I now think based on the above maybe there might be a hot bearing that is cooking the rear oil? I just looked in the hole, finger dip, no separation....so if someone doesn't have a further idea for why this one smells 'poke' for a day or two...oh well, guess it's time to take it apart.

Hap, excellent question....I don't know the smell is from the diffy! The association was that the 'poke' is the exact same whiff of going into a rear that is a bit slimey on a teardown. No chance on a new T...lol...I came across a nice one a while back and as understanding as she has always been, I did get the eyebrow lift that said...for who, for what? :-):-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 09:25 pm:

George

When was the last time you were driving in the barn yard, you can pick up some great smells out there. Grin

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Kopsky, Lytle TX on Sunday, July 08, 2012 - 10:18 pm:

Maybe someone left a sandwich under the rear seat. Don't rule out a critter either. There's no mistaking the smell of a dead rat. It "ranks" right up there with the pungency of fresh skunk spray.


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