Ok well we removed the front 3rd to gear it and rebuild the knuckles, and lord jesus have mercy, I have NEVER seen diff fluid look so bad! This stuff could almost be considered a solid. It has the viscosity of month old chocolate pudding (don't ask). We opened the drain plug and not a single drop came out! Had to physically scoop it out with my hands!

Best guess is that this is the original differential fluid, and that a seal busted, and the original owner just kept adding grease until it became this congealed slurry of pudding.



Anyhoo, I've tried cleanin it the best I could, but there is no way to get all the $h!t out of the tubes, seeing as how we've gone through a case of brake cleaner and a couple boxes of shop towels. So I'm wondering what would be the best way to clean out this front axle. Was thinking maybe put it all back together, filling it up to the fill plug with diesel, and driving around for couple of seconds, then drain it and try cleaning it again. What yall think?

 

get scrubbin....

 

rofl... if jesus had mercy, he'd use MEK (methyl-ethyl ketone), acetone and mineral spirits and flush that out with diesel then replace all of the seals.

 

since you are doing a complete rebuild what about running pipe cleaning tool (plumbing tool) down the shafts? not sure if that would screw up sealing surfaces but it seems like if it works on crap, it should work on your problem...

 

I just wish it was a smooth shot through the tubes, that way I could just pull some rags through like a giant rifle cleaning kit...

 

Yeah I've tried something like that dropzone, but it doesn't pull anything out, just sort of rearranges the crud lol...

 

hot tank it?

 

Yes gypsy, how much? Haha, whats this hot tank you speak of?

 

Who you callin' gypsy? Do I look like Fleetwood Mac?

 

See if you can locate some parts washer fluid..

If failing that I would see if you could somehow take as much apart as possible then pressure washer the gook out then drop about a quart of oil through it all to make sure it dont rust?

 

Mmmm maaaaccc with cheese. Aint fleetwood some kind of fancy brand of boots?

 

Well out pressure washer is dead, but I suppose I could take back out the seals I put in, then unbolt it and take it to the car wash... Was trying to avoid something like that.

 

Vietnam was over a while ago....

Not sure about boots, but they make RV's with nice slide-outs.

 

Seems like it was just yesterday....

 

MASH was about the Korean War

 

 

Yeah, I've just been wanting to pull the klinger card for the longest time, and seemed like this was the closest I'd get lol

 

Ok, I wont lie, im a little drunk lol.

Mind aint seem to be thinkin like it should

 

I feel ya'... well not really, thook and deathcougar won't let me... but that's another story.
I've got about a 5th of black velvet somewhere in me right now, as we speak....
It's kinda funny I don't dreel funk.

 

Yeah weve (3 of us) gone through I think about 30 cases in 3 days cause of this dog gone truck... Really suprised were done by tomorrow seein as how our good hours are from like 11-3 lol. 8-11 being breakfast beer time and 3-7 being lunch beer time. Well see how she does!