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Re: [Spits] Spitfire Differentials

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Spits] Spitfire Differentials
From: "Jim Muller" <jimmuller@rcn.com>
Date: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:56:57 -0500
On 5 Dec 2009 at 16:32, Matthew Milkevitch wrote:

> This afternoon I removed the differential from my '77 Spitfire,
> for it was getting very noisy under load.

Sure it wasn't just a U-joint?

> I noticed that one of them is different than the rest.  It has a
> drain plug on the bottom and it has 6 holes for the mounting studs.
> I'm assuming that this differential is from an early Spitfire.

I've never seen an early Spitfire diff so perhaps that's what it is.  
But most likely it is from a GT6.  The six studs is the clue.  The 
drain plug would have been added by a PO, not a bad thing.

> are all Spitfire differentials interchangeable?

As far as I know they are but, as you say, their ratios will be 
different.  You can measure various key dimensions to be sure.  Check 
the distance between the ears at the rear and their thickness.  Check 
the distance between the front mounts and how far forward they are 
from the rear ears.  Check the distance between the halfshaft u-joint 
flanges.  Finally, check the position of the driveshaft flange, how 
far forward it is from the front mounts.  I'm betting the diff with 
six stud holes is positioned differently.  And if their cases are 
different you should see the differences easily.

One final test.  When you've chosen your preference fill it with oil 
to the bottom of the filler plug hole, put the plug in, and tilt it 
forward.  The front oil seal can leak, and you don't want to use one 
that starts dripping as soon as you fill it.

-- 
Jim Muller
jimmuller@rcn.com
'80 Spitfire, '70 GT6+
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