Cracked Front Differential Case???

[pearlm30]

What cause it to crack? My 98 forester with noisy front differential just developed a couple of cracks on the bottom part of the case, diff oil driped down all over the exhaust pipe and made horrible smoke and smell on highway.

Can I use JB weld to temporary repair until I can find a used trany? Has anyone had this problem before?

Thanks

[idosubaru]

haven't heard of it before. if your front diff is noisy and has been for awhile then there's probably some fatigue at work there.

 

i doubt JB weld is going to work, it doesn't do well with vibrations. but you could try. depending how obvious the cracks are a pliable type sealant might hold up better.

 

others might have some ideas.

[WoodsWagon]

It probably cracked because pieces of your gears got caught between the ring gear and the bottom of the case. I'd say you might as well replace the front diff and case now.

[Rooster2]

I had the same thought, that something broke inside the front diff, then got wedged inside the case against the housing. Something had to give, so the pressure against the case cracked it. A few years back my daughter's Jeep Wrangler did something similiar. It not only cracked the front diff case, but knocked a hole in it.

 

My advise is to check a wrecking yard for a replacement pretty quick. JB Weld may hold for a little while, but what's prolly broken inside the front diff will only get worse.

 

Another thought, is that maybe you ran over something solid, (like a rock) that cracked the bottom of your case. Still.......try the JB Weld, you have nothing to loose. Replace the gear lube, and see if that quiets the gears down. Just be sure to super clean the area before applying JB Weld. The cleaner the surface, the better JB Weld holds. You could just get lucky with a quick cheap fix.

[nipper]

i agree, the diff went first, and whatever went caused the crack. Another reason not to let strange noises go too long without knowing what they are.

 

nipper