I need some advice.
I imported an R200 long nose diff in a 3.9 ratio from Japan a few years ago off a DR30. Ripped the back off and checked the crownwheel and pinion for any damage and it looked very good. Even quickly checked the mesh using some red lead (I find it easier to see than bearing blue). Back lash felt fine. It had a factory clutch type LSD.
I also bought a brand new Quaife LSD.

So I booked the diff in to a local diff shop and got them to fit new bearings when fitting the new centre. A year later I had finished the rear end and put it in the back of the car. Took it for a drive and there were three noises coming from the back end.
1. Low speed click at approx 3-4 times wheel speed under 20km/h
2. A nasty clunk when changing gears or going from partial throttle to deceleration.
3. Period whine starting around 70km/h on partial accel and decel and continuing through to 85 (I didn't go any faster than this)
4. On partial throttle a nasty click/whirr noise

Thinking it was the CV's making all the noise, I changed out the CV's to a different type. This made little to no difference.
Took the diff in the car back to previous diff shop and took owner around the block. He was horrified at the noises and started saying it sounded like the CV joints, but said they would look at it. I said I would be happy for them to open up the back of the diff and have a look and if there was nothing wrong, I'd be happy to pay the labour.
I drove the car around the back and they put it up on the hoist. The diff shop owner then starts having a bit of a look under the car, rotates the tailshaft. "Bloody hell this centre has a heap of backlash!" I tell him it's a brand new Quaife ATB diff and it shouldn't have any 'backlash'.
He then tells me the CV joints are crap and making funny noises. I say to him it's not the CV joints, it's the diff. I changed the CV's to something different!
"Oh mate, it must be the gearbox too." I say that it can't be the gearbox as it was quiet as a mouse when we were driving it.
He says "It's a second hand crownwheel and pinion, we can't do anything with it"
Basically this 'expert' is pointing the finger at anything but the differential they put together.
I start to get annoyed and say that I am going to take the car away from them as they aren't fixing the problem. They don't even crack the rear cover out and have a look.
I end up taking the car off them and telling them I am not going to pay anything as they haven't looked at the diff at all.

Today, I have had some time with the old man to jack the back of the car up, put some jack stands under the suspension arms to raise them up to approx ride height and put the damn thing in 4th gear under no load up to 60km/h. Shock horror the noises come back. Guess where they are coming from? Using a combination of stethoscope and a screwdriver up to the ear, we check everything from the wheel bearings to the gearbox. It's the bloody diff and the bloody pinion side. Dad even says the diff is getting very hot up the front.
I crack the back and drop the oil. After just over 100km, this is what I see... My thoughts are:
Take the diff to another diff shop and get them to look at it.
Ask for a refund for my $660...

Can anyone recommend a reputable differential shop that has experience with Nissan differentials?

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Lurch, if you are following, I <may> be able to take the diff out of the car and bring it up to Les Collins. Just sick of this bloody thing. May have to get the crownwheel and pinion lapped after all of this. Just hope the centre isn't damaged...

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Hey Nik,

That really sux, so many dodgy people out there!

Maddat did mine, Scott did a fantastic job in putting it together, I had a great service/experience with him

Cheers,

Trent

_________________
1600 Build: http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=22694

Send it to les nick.

I'm sending my gearbox over next week from WA.
He one of the only people I will trust with it

_________________
Circuit Race 1600 in the build

There has to be other (more local) places that specialise in Nissan Diffs though?

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Hey Nik,

have you thought about taking it to Randy?

_________________
1600 Build: http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=22694

Dude that sucks. I know some guy's out here but that's not going to help you where you are. Best of luck getting it sorted. I'd definitely be having words with the diff guy's. They obviously haven't set it up properly to begin with. Surely they already checked the bearings and preload and shimmed it accordingly?

_________________
Ongoing Project: 1972 Datsun 510 S13 SR20Det. http://ozdat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=17898
New Daily: D22 Navara (The new workhorse)
Retired 12/2016: MY98 Subaru Impreza RX
Previous Car: Restored Green 1972 Datsun 510, Hot L18

Trying to claim warranty.

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Well warranty has been claimed through the diff shop. All bearings replaced, crownwheel and pinion lapped and re-assembled.
I'm going to see how it performs over the next few months with putting a few K's into it.
No track days just yet.

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Hopefully this is the end of your problems Nik. Just be careful when you do start driving it though. I realise it is a completely different kettle of fish, but my friend pulled down a warranty engine from a rotary workshop and it was full of second hand, mostly un-useable parts. Hopefully this shop doesn't do the same sort of thing to you realising they won't make any more money.

_________________
green200b - aka Alistair

The fleet:

Australia:
'80 200B GX - the green200b - hibernating
'81 RX-7 - 12A extend port - daily
'74 RX-2 - 13B bridgeport - cruiser

Europe:
'93 200SX - CA18DET - tourer

Where did the metal shavings end up come from?

I just bought a STI R180 CLSD. When I went to look at the diff I pulled the back off and had a look inside and it all looked ok to me (first time I've ever looked into the back of a diff). At the time of looking I hadn't heard of backlash so I bought it ($700!). Got it home and noticed when you rotate the input flange left and right there is clunking noise and my brother told me it was back lash. How much is too much back lash? Is the only way of knowing by measuring it? Is lapping what fixes backlash ? Is it expensive?

G'day Al,
I was there when they pulled it apart. They used quality bearings from Japan.

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Metal shavings came from either the bearings on the pinion or the crownwheel and pinion or both.
I've been told it's typical to see some metal filings on a magnetic diff plug when rebuilt. That's why you change the oil after 1,000k's. If you are still getting major metal filings after that, you got problems. Some small filings after 60,000k's of highway driving should produce a small amount of filings.
I'm going to change the oil after 500k's to check and then another 500k's just to make sure the wear is reducing.

You can do a search on the internet for how to mesh a crownwheel and pinion properly and what causes backlash.
With no oil in it and the rear cover off, there will be a 'clunk' even if the backlash is to spec. The oil dampens this out (and so does the cover). Best bet is to find the factory specs for the diff and measure the backlash! If it's out of spec, you will need to get the thing re-shimmed and re-set.

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun

Ok cool thanks for that, have you taken yours for a drive yet? Does it sound better now?

Yep taken it for a drive. It's much better when it comes to the previous clunk, but still makes a period whine noise around 75km/h.
I'm hoping it will change if I change the oil to something else. I'm currently running a reasonably cheap mineral 80W-90. I'll run a 85W-140 for the next batch of running in time and then change to a full synthetic with all the bells and whistles.

_________________
1972 Datsun 1600, S14 SR20DET Engineered (204rwkW @ 17psi.)
viewtopic.php?t=6579
#SR20Datsun @SR20Datsun