Maserati diff ???

[dexdringle]

Further to my "Speedo - help" thread yesterday I also have a diff question.

My diff whines like nobodys business and leaks diff oil from seals both sides (not a lot though and levels are at max). TVR dealer has had a look and said they can do me an exchange unit 'fitted' (4 hours labour) for approx £1k. A TVR specialist has told me its a Citroen / Maserati unit and exchange / fitting will be circa £1300. I'd rather the specialist did it but can't understand the quote difference. Any ideas anyone (the car is an early 1993 4.0 litre) ?

[spnracing]

Has the Chimaera really got a Maserati diff?

Anyway - I'd do neither.

I'd look up GEAR BOX MFRS & REPAIRS in Yellow Pages, find one local and take the car there. I reckon they'd be able to drop the diff, refresh the internals and replace the seals for half what you've been quoted.

[dexdringle]

spn - the Maserati thing is just what I was told. I'd rather it was a Rover / Sierra part but you never know with TVR !!

Re the diff people tend to be really cautious saying things like "it needs to be set up exactly right" and "only TVR specialists can do these" etc so the thought of a general gearbox monkey taking it to bits scares me a little.

I'm in the West Mids (Kidderminster) so does anyone have any suggestions about a possible quality repairer or whatever (Clarks TVR and David Gerald aside) ?

[spnracing]

I don't know any specific places but the Midlands is full of engineering shops.

The TVR diff (even if it is Maserati) is a standard LSD as fitted to many cars nowadays, it has to be set up right but then thats what these specialists do - I'd rather use one of them than have a 'reconditioned' one fitted.

[GreenV8S]

quote:
people tend to be really cautious saying things like "it needs to be set up exactly right" and "only TVR specialists can do these" etc

I'd hope it's the other way round. Any TVR specialist worth his salt will know enough to get a gearbox/diff specialist to do the actual rebuild and assembly - all the TVR specialist will do is remove and refit it.

[dexdringle]

I understood that all recon. diffs were sourced from the factory (partic. for early Chimaeras) ?

Given that a diff isn't normallt too complex a bit of kit, why am I looking at £1k+ ?. Given 4 hours labour (4 x £60 + VAT = £280) does it really cost £700+ to recon a diff ?

GreenV8S - I seem to remember you've had new diffs before what d'ya think I should do ?

Dave

[shpub]

Just spent a long time looking for a replacement diff for the 520. It uses a Jag one. I was quoted between 700 and 1200 for a rebuild! The 700 assumed that there was nothing major wrong and it was essentially bearings, seals and clutch packs for the LSD. Eventually found a VGC second hand one for £300 which I could get serviced for another 500. Turned out to be a severe case of UJitis but as diffs or to be exact spares are hard to source in many cases, kept the diff. Also means that the original diff will be blessed with immortality as the bit that breaks is always the bit you don't have a spare off!

To be honest a £1000 bill is not unreasonable.

So you get £x00 to strip it and put it back together. Then add new bits and VAT and it all adds up.
If you have bits crogenically frozen like Pete did then I suspect that the final bill will take several body parts to finance.

Steve

[Hut49]

Steve
Stupid question probably....but how can you tell if a second hand diff is VGC? What do you look for?
Hutch

[joospeed]

it's pointless having your unit reconned when the factory have these in stock, I've fitted one a few months ago to a griff 500. cost is around a grand though ..

[shpub]

quote:
Steve
Stupid question probably....but how can you tell if a second hand diff is VGC? What do you look for?
Hutch

First thing it is a different diff so the weakpoints are different and there is a bit more that you can get at. Output shafts seals don't leak, fluid levels internally. Back lash. Does it feel smooth and does the LSD work.

[shpub]

quote:
it's pointless having your unit reconned when the factory have these in stock, I've fitted one a few months ago to a griff 500. cost is around a grand though ..

BTR or GKN though?

Steve