Working_Class_S

I have found 1 to 4 small pieces of brass and steel in my diff every time I change the oil. The brass looks like the pieces pictured. Now I change the diff oil with Amsoil 75/140 every time I change the engine oil.

SpitfireS

There is no brass, or any other yellow metal, in an OEM diff.

Working_Class_S

Must be an AP2 thing.

SpitfireS

I'll add a "y" to my post.

There is no brass, or any other yellow metal, in any OEM diff.

Working_Class_S

What do you call the yellow metal ears that, in addition to myself, two other people found in their differential, and the yellow metal ring that they appear to have broken from?

SpitfireS

Well....
I have to admit I never took my Torsen apart - never had to - so I'm surprised to see the yellow colored rings.
I based my comments on all the diff parts but the Torsen unit, so I could be wrong.

Do the magnet test.
If you found them on the magnetic drain plug.. you allready have your answer.
It certainly looks yellow-ish, in the picture.
Hard to tell from a picture if it is a true copper/zinc (=brass) or copper/tin (=bronze) or any other copper/xx alloy - and there are a lot.
Recommending a GL-5 oil, know to be corrosive to yellow metals, in a part with yellow metals is strange, unless Torsen used a alloy that can stand EP additives, usually sulphur /phosphorus based.
There is no word about yellow metals on the Torsen web site.

So far I've not found any ears in my old diff oil, or on the drain plug, so I have nothing to see for myself.
(and I'm glad I don't to be honest)

Working_Class_S

The magnet is also the low point in the case. When the differential stops moving, things heavier than oil will fall onto it. The shim could be brass or brass coated steel. Newer GL-5s will not affect brass. Don't speak in absolutes unless you are 100% sure you know what you are talking about. You have a lot to say about oils and that worries me.

S2KPUDDYDAD

The 4 washers are cadmium finished steel with a waffer surface on one side and smooth on the other. They can blue up from heat and will have a blue/gold color to them if they get hot. The little ears keep them locked into place within the LSD unit. They break off maybe from heat, stress, or age.

SpitfireS

Yes, but not stick to it when you turn the drain plug upside down while draing oil diff oil.
As S2KPUDDYDAD told us, its a bit of both.

ASTM D-130 chart.
The only GL-5 fluid I know to be completely safe for yellow metals was the good old LE-607 with a solid, inert EP additive, but that is no longer produced.
Mobil1 does not even show the ASTM D-130 copper corrosion test results for the popular 75W-90, or 75W-140, same for Castrol so I stopped searching.
Amsoil does provide the test results, and all the Amsoil gear oils I've seen are 1b, so that is not too bad but not 1a.
Amsoil Data Sheet - scroll to bottom
Your 6 words "Newer GL-5s will not affect brass" comes with nothing.
I'm not saying your wrong (again ) but it would be nice to provide any data to support it.


Do you have any detailed pictures of damaged washers?
How does the fracture look like?
How would 1 ear shear off if there is no room to rotate in relation to the housing because the other 3 prevent it.

S2KPUDDYDAD

I will look but I think the old pic I posted is all I have of the inside of the LSD.

I've not examined them to much to tell the truth, I just go inside the LSD if the rear is blown so I can clean it out.
I also open the LSD sometimes if it does not spin free. I do this if I think I can repair it with good planetary gears salvaged out of other blown LSD units.

The 2 washers at ither end (see pics posted) of the LSD housing are locked in and are near fully reseed down inside the housing. The waffer surface is above the reseed area they seat in.
The 2 center washers may have a bit of allowed movement as the inner workings of the LSD is in monition.

When I get time I will take another pic of the LSD internals with the housing removed. You can see how everything is in place and how it works.