Metal powder in diff - wondering how bad?

Darkspeed · July 26, 2015, 09:54:39 AM

So after some fighting to get the rear end plugs out, oil was very black, a little low, and the magnetic drain plug was coated with metal powder, no pieces, no chunks, just a very very fine powder.

Drained oil, just under 2gal in diff. Strained oil but no chunks or bits.

How bad is this on a 4106? On a car I would be freaking out but im new to the bus diff.

luvrbus · July 26, 2015, 09:58:28 AM

Don't worry about that is normal just flush it good and run a good synthetic oil it could last forever chunks are a serious problem

Darkspeed · July 26, 2015, 09:59:51 AM

Quote from: luvrbus on July 26, 2015, 09:58:28 AM
Don't worry about that is normal just flush it good and run a good synthetic oil it could last forever

Thanks luvrbus, what do you recommend as a flush and as a synthetic oil to replace with?

luvrbus · July 26, 2015, 10:06:05 AM

Todd,I use diesel fuel to flush and Lucas 75/140 but all synthetics are good it is kinda like ice cream what ever flavor you choose

Darkspeed · July 26, 2015, 10:07:37 AM

Thanks luvrbus, I was just walking around with my garden sprayer full of diesel wondering if it was ok to use.

luvrbus · July 26, 2015, 10:12:27 AM

Never thought about a garden sprayer I use the air power siphon type cleaner like you buy from HF

Darkspeed · July 26, 2015, 10:27:42 AM

Garden sprayer works great. I actually set it up to pressure prime my 6v92 when it had set for a long time. Just unscrewed the wand and screwed the trigger into the fpt port on the fuel filter and gave it a few pumps untill i heard the fuel tank return gurgel.

bevans6 · July 26, 2015, 10:56:01 AM

Garden sprayers are great, I primed and painted the roof of my bus barn with one. Tough to keep it from clogging with the paint (lots of aluminium solids) but I drilled out the spray tip and it worked great.

Brian

HB of CJ · July 26, 2015, 12:27:45 PM

A non fair comparison would be that of a main reduction portion of a helo tranny? What if such was found in a helicopter? I suppose it is a different level of involvement. In a Bus Conversion if your rear end locks up, you get off the road and call triple AAA or a big tow truck. In an aircraft if it happens you will, unless very skilled or lucky, ruin your shorts, bleed profusely then burn totally, all within a short time period. Can you rear end still be rebuilt? Respectfully. HB

Darkspeed · July 26, 2015, 12:59:46 PM

Yes it could, at some point someone put a floor jack under the drain plug and pressed it into the housing deforming the socket recess so i imagine it has been a while since the oil was changed. it was low and black so it may not have been working at its best for a while.

luvrbus · July 26, 2015, 01:50:40 PM

Partials are found in helicopters transmission that is why they are a pressure system with a filter,plenty of gears inside one of those suckers to make partials

eagle19952 · July 26, 2015, 03:46:16 PM

I would still spread that out on paper towels and search for chrome... not that I'd worry about it, I'd just want to know if any was there.. along with any "grit" vs powder. JMW

Oonrahnjay · July 26, 2015, 07:34:01 PM

Quote from: luvrbus on July 26, 2015, 01:50:40 PMPartials are found in helicopters transmission that is why they are a pressure system with a filter,plenty of gears inside one of those suckers to make partials

And they have "chip lights".

luvrbus · July 26, 2015, 07:46:08 PM

Quote from: Oonrahnjay on July 26, 2015, 07:34:01 PM
And they have "chip lights".

We called those may day lights Bruce or as one crazy pilot I knew called those prayer lights,you put your head between your legs say a prayer and kiss your a** goodbye when it flashes

Boomer · July 27, 2015, 09:10:18 AM

A Coast Guard crewman told me they got a chip light 30 miles off the east coast in an H3, the aircraft commander landed and they water taxied all the way in. Everything was still spinning when they got there. Most mechanical emergencies in a helo are survivable except when the main rotor transmission fails, then you can not do an autorotation if it grenades.