Differential plug gone

Put oil in the diff, buy a plug, put it in. drive....

I don't think it's likely that it fell out without some help. Do you ever get your oil changed at one of those Jiffy-Lube type places or had any work done at a Midas shop? Some of them do a free "courtesy inspection" on all your fluids hoping to sell you more than what you originally came in for. They might have checked the fluid level and never re-installed the plug. For piece of mind I think I'd change the gear lube when replacing the plug.

I would pull the cover and take a look see for any damage. If the metal shavings etc are minimal I would clean it out and replace the plug and fluid. If they are more than minimal and everything looks and sounds ok then I would do the same and change the fluid again in about a month.

beekeep

Nobody got this right. I would check for a damaged or plugged vent for rear axle as it may have plugged up and over pressured when it warmed up and popped the plug out.

----------------- TheSnoMan.com

I think it would pop the vent hose off before it blew out a threaded solid steel pipe plug. I could be wrong but I just don't see it happening.

over pressures and poped the plug out(your nuts snowman) how can a threaded plug pop out the only way it can come out is if the threads were gone or was not tight and it would unscrew and fall off not pop out under pressure also if it built up too much pressure it would blow the axle seals or pinion seal first not blow the plug.

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Come on, the answer came from Snoman, it MUST be right! Snoman, is this answer based off your vast technical abilities? The same abilities that you told Roy he lacked? The same abilities that led you to tell a poster to trade in a truck due to a bad $30 sensor?

Logic seems to tell me that if there was pressure on the plug, it wouldn't vibrate loose because there was pressure against the threads?

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Bro, are you out of your mind?? You attempt to introduce logic here??

Oh, here's a bit of info I came across. Seems that there have been more suicids of Viet Nam vet's since that deal ended than were killed during it. I read 59K. Of course GB cut's the VA's budget and closes hospitals.

Roy

God I hate to do this but in SnoIdiots defence it is a rubber plug that just pops in. "BUT" I do think he's full of shit about the vent plugged and the heat and the resulting pressure forced it out. That is stuff for Grimm's Fairy Tales. Somebody just forgot to put it back in when they checked the level.

To the original poster, get a quart or two of fluid, fill it up and put and new plug in it. Drive on and be happy. If there was any damage you would have heard the noise.

Denny

I was not refering to the pop off valve Denny. BUT yes, if the only thing in question or debate here was the vent valve then yes, all said would be logically correct. However, from what has been indicated it sounds like the fill plug was what was/is missing. Sorry, but the amount of force (read pressure) that would need to be created to blow out a properly inserted (threaded) fill plug would have likely damaged the diff housing. SO, like you and others have indicated, the OP should buy some diff lube, making sure he gets the correct type, as he may or may not have an LSD, fill it to the proper level and put in a new fill plug. HOWEVER, at this point, the locigal thing to do would be to pop the diff cover off and inspect it as there is no indication how long it has been like this.

But all is forgiven Denny, since you and Snoball are such great friends. I won't hold this against you.

Not so. Applying pressure to a loose plug, bolt, screw etc. can cause it to turn. But I believe the pressure required to push it all he way out would be greater than the seals. Also if the plug were tightened I do not believe the pressure inside would be great enough to loosen it.

I work in force measurement. Part of the product testing involves generating force through use of a bolt against a force transducer that measures such force. If left sitting the bolt will eventually turn itself loose.

Yep, this is the honest way to do it... I bet your Mom would be proud of you, huh....Cover up the problem and then take it to a place you trust and then screw them to death....

Denny

I would NOT

Neither was I. I'm fairly sure the fill hole just has a rubber plug stuck in it. But that's ok Larry, I know you and the snoidiot are like brothers.....

Denny

BUT yes, if the only

Last I checked, the fill plug was a threaded plug.

Thanks for causing me to chuck my lunch, f#$%ing wabbit!

Larry, don't forget that the friggin' rabbit and the Idiot are neighbors. IIrc the wide ride spent a few day's of his vacation sorta shacked up with the Idiot and "the machine". Ya gotta expect that after the serious bonding that took place, there is lot of admiration flowing between them.

Roy

Last you checked on what, a 2004 Dakota? Your Chevy? You never know what you're talking about.

A little touchy aren't we... must have struck a nerve. I guess I remember something about two wrongs making a right......or something like that..

Have fun

Denny