Im changing the rear diff fluid and it has the rubber caulking on it. How important is it that I remove that thin layer or rubber? Its really tough to get off. Can I just leave it and put on the new gasket?

Also the old oil smells like popcorn, is that normal?

 

Gear oil stings, real bad.

You need to clean the diff mounting flang and the cover mounting flange completely off.

 

An y suggestions on how to get that crap off? Ive been using a razor blade to scrape and thats not doing much at all.

 

gasket remover????

 

its not really a gasket its a rubber caulking that they put on at the factory.

 

razor blade and scrape it off. You can soak the cover in gas, but the diff can't.

 

Theres nothing on the diff it all came off with the cover. Ill try the gas trick.

 

Electric sander?

 

Heat it up a little bit???

 

um theres oil all over everything. I dont think that would very good.

 

try a rubber chisel. That way you won't gouge anything.

 

read step 9 and 10.

http://www.truckinweb.com/tech/engin...ars/index.html

 

So is it normal for the oil to smell like popcorn?

 

more like baked a$$ is what it smells like....i wish it smelled like popcorn when i did diff services at work

 

gear oil has a sulfur smell, its nasty and i hate it.

 

so is it bad if it smells like popcorn?

 

Gear oil smells bad even when it is new.

To get the RTV off I would just use a wire wheel and then clean everything up with some brake clean.

 

yea....gasket scraper is what I use. sometimes i soak a rag in gas and rub it on the silocone to get the rest looser, then go at it somemore with the razer blade/gasket remover.

Don't forget, rub both surfaces down with Laquer Thinner and let it air dry, then apply your thin layer of silocone on the axle and the cover, that way your gasket has something to cling to while you're putting on the cover and threading the bolts.

Good rule of thumb that somebody told me....tighten from top to bottom.

 

Its all back together. I didnt notice any smell to the new oil. I got most of the RTV off. What was left was a very very thin layer that I couldnt scrap off, and it was smooth so I just left it. I wiped every thing down good with a rag and put the gasket on and tightened it with the star pattern (same way you do with wheels). I didnt use any silicone either. If it leaks, ill but one of them fansy chrome covers from wayne and re do it.