Centre diff woes - stuffed centre diff

[el_freddo]

The patient: 1999/2000 RX Liberty wagon (EJ251) 5spd manual. 

Issue: swapped in second hand gearbox (pick a part special!) only to find the vehicle now has a wobble like feeling from the front left when under acceleration, becomes worse with heavier acceleration. All other times the vehicle generally feels unsettled. Both of these issues were not present with the last gearbox.

The other issue is that I have that totally awesome “catch-let go-catch-let” go feeling or experience when turning tight such as when performing a U turn - classic symptoms of a dead centre diff.

Questions: 
1) can a stuffed centre diff create the issue with the front end that I’m experiencing?

2) can the viscous gel stuff leak from the viscous LSD housing, and if so, what does it look like? 

Question 2 was asked because after stripping down the old box that was replaced, I’ve found a ball of what looks like silicone near the front diff area, and in between the drive and output of the centre diff is the same sort of material. It does seem like silicone but it’s just odd. 

This gearbox has presumably done over 400k km now - if it hasnt been changed at some point. It was swapped because of a bearing noise and it was slipping out of gear (possibly due to shot pitch stopper rod and gearboxs mount).

Upon rotating the centre diff it seems the noise is in the rear bearing. This centre diff is good so itll end up in the wagon either way - unless that grey material is the viscous gel stuff. 

The plan is to build one good box from the two. I’ll be replacing the front diff bearings, all seals and most likely use the centre diff bearings from the replacement box as there’s zero noise from this box, other than the noise when performing a U turn. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[idosubaru]

Make sure the diff stubs are fully seated.

[el_freddo]

Diff stubs, as in the diff stub axles? They’re held in with clips internally so there’s no chance they’ll move. This liberty/legacy has the gearbox with the diff stub axles, it’s one of the last models before they went to the male driveshaft setup. 

Cheers 

Bennie

 

[idosubaru]

37 minutes ago, el_freddo said:

Diff stubs, as in the diff stub axles? They’re held in with clips internally so there’s no chance they’ll move. This liberty/legacy has the gearbox with the diff stub axles, it’s one of the last models before they went to the male driveshaft setup. 

Cheers 

Bennie

 

Doh!  I was thinking automatic trans, I see yours is MT.

[el_freddo]

It’s been suggested that the wobble feeling from the front left is a driveshaft. While the box is out I’ll swap the driveshafts over and see if the issue moves with it. 

Gearbox looks really good. The old one had a dead bearing in the upper shaft between 4th and 5th. 

I’ll throw some new front diff bearings in while the box is apart. I can’t see any damage to the diff bearings or anything abnormal. They do look well worn though, no noises at all in the <30km I’ve driven with this gearbox in the car. 

Cheers 

Bennie