I now Know why they call it rear end grease, not oil

[sigshooter]

I thought I would change the rear end "grease" in my truck before I head to Clemdaddys next weekend...... I figured it needed changed since it sat for 20 years until I started driving it again this year, but I never expected this!

Luckily I have my 64 BBW truck build in the back yard with all new rear diff components installed. I will use all these components since all the bearings and even the axles are shot on this one. It will be many years before I get to the 64 so it has become an organ donor!

[sigshooter]

oops second pic was not the one I wanted ... try this one

[Indian113]

All of a sudden I have a desire for some Chocolate pudding

[1963c-10]

wow, thanks some pretty thick sludge. that oughta be fun cleaning out.
Posted via Mobile Device

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by Indian113

All of a sudden I have a desire for some Chocolate pudding

my exact thoughts before I read your post!....that sucks though "sig"

[sigshooter]

Well I tore the other rear end down, I put 3:73 gears in that one.... My 65 has 3:40 gears that I put in it. I did both of these 20 some yeàrs ago and I would sworn I did 3:40 in both. Guess I will be buying bearings and just using the axles out of the donor. Bummer
Posted via Mobile Device

[MikeS.]

That does look like chocolate pudding. What caused that age, water or???

[sigshooter]

Originally Posted by MikeS.

That does look like chocolate pudding. What caused that age, water or???

All of the above I do believe

[jbgroby]

Cleaning it will be easy, something with acetone and a match? MAy smoke a little but what the heck.

[tincan1966]

I'd guess that differential was on submarine duty once or twice! Got one here, that is the same way-went thru a flood about 10 years ago, and no ne touched it after that.

[sigshooter]

Originally Posted by tincan1966

I'd guess that differential was on submarine duty once or twice! Got one here, that is the same way-went thru a flood about 10 years ago, and no ne touched it after that.

It did get water in it at some point obviously.... not sure when, it was never under water in a flood or anything. It did sit parked outside with no wood in the bed for about 20 years with the rain and snow coming down on the top of the rear end. I also pressure washed the h$!! out of the frame and suspension with the body removed.

I put 3:40 gears, all new bearings and seals in it about 20 or 25 years ago.... So it had new oil then, but like I said it had a hard 20 years of sitting.

[ChiefRocka]

Gotta love the smell of rear-end service ...

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Now that's nasty! I like the match-and-run idea.

Don't know how you'll get it all out. Maybe I'll send ya a case of Simple green!

[markeb01]

Chocolate pudding or taffy. Either way I don't imagine it makes a very good lubricant.

[jbgroby]

Why not? The viscosity is like nothing e've ever seen.

[sigshooter]

Well I got it all cleaned up, now I just need bearings and seals...

[luvbowties]

[QUOTE=sigshooter;5672328]It did get water in it at some point obviously.... not sure when, it was never under water in a flood or anything. It did sit parked outside with no wood in the bed for about 20 years with the rain and snow coming down on the top of the rear end. I also pressure washed the h$!! out of the frame and suspension with the body removed.

I put 3:40 gears, all new bearings and seals in it about 20 or 25 years ago.... So it had new oil then, but like I said it had a hard 20 years of sitting.[/QUOT

This can serve as a reminder to ALL OF US. You said, "It did sit parked outside with no wood in the bed for about 20 years with the rain and snow coming down on the top of the rear end". My bet is neither rain nor snow entered into diff'l. If a gear merely sits in a place where the sun can shine on it, it will develop moisture inside the housing just from the heat-up/cool-down cycles--and all the moisture will naturally go to the bottom. The longer it sits, the deeper the 'puddle' becomes. And we all know what happens to gears submerged in water.....rust!

Later on, if nothing else is done, when driven, the water will be stirred up into the oil and tend to ruin all else that was not harmed initially by the moisture. Just talk to some of the junkyard owners & they'll tell you why "those old pieces of tin" are placed on top of the differentials out in the yard, otherwise exposed to the sun.

After one has sat, exposed to sun for a year or so, if you immediately remove the cover w/out turning the axles, you will find just the lower gear(s) dipping into the water puddle will be rusty. All above the water line will still be bright and shiny. But, if all the baby's diaper is dry except that part right around his bottom, we gotta change the entire diaper, right?

Would be great if our forum-administrators would enter info and other cautions like this into a GENERAL CAUTION section as a MUST-READ for all of us to benefit from. And, yes I did learn this by 'trial-and-error'; luck was on my side, somewhat, as I only paid $150 for that boat anchor. Many otherwise good differentials have been ruined due to this.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

what did you use to clean it up, Sig? Any heat or just blow it out with a pressure washer?

[sigshooter]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

what did you use to clean it up, Sig? Any heat or just blow it out with a pressure washer?

Scooped most of it out with my hand, tore it down completely... Used gas and diesel, brakekleen and alot of rags tied to the end of a broom handle to clean the axle tubes.

[LowGT]

oooo... that ain't right...

[chevyrestoguy]

Wow.......
I clicked on the first picture, and the nastiest smell I could ever imagine came wafting out of my computer. Man, I feel for you. That's ugly.

Honestly, I'll bet it was actually getting decent lubrication. But, it was being lubricated with the nastiest stuff on earth.

[LowGT]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

lubricated with the nastiest stuff on earth.

Sounds like a rejected Snapple slogan.