I’ve got a E Type diff that’s out of a friends Ser 1 ots that burned to the ground, along with his MG PB, Studebaker President restoration project, some airplane parts the whole workshop and another US made vehicle that was parked out side. The fire started in a short in the E Type the investigator surmised. The diff then wound up sitting outside fully exposed in the weather for ten years. I got it free because I needed some parts for another diff that has a broken cross shaft. Anyway I took it apart today to see if it was salvageable. The fire was really bad. The oil was gone - just some gummy soft black residue clinging to the inside of the cover, and covering the internals. The three seals are only metal rings - the split lock washers around the 7/16" bolts that hold the hubs on were either flattened or badly sprung, although the split lock washers around the 5/16" bolts that hold the cover on were not. In fairness the hubs had been removed in the past and possibly the washers were damaged then? The lower half of the case and cover still has remnants of the gylptal paint - the top half is rust - thou that could mostly be from the weather? I got it with the discs, calipers and parking brake mechanism attached - all rusted together. Interestingly the brass (?) forked pieces that are the spring for the parking brake were not melted, though one was clearly warped from the heat. Some of the metal inside the diff looks like its been heated to a high temperature - it’s turned a dark gray color, that steel goes to when heated red hot.
I pulled the hubs out, cleaned them in the parts washer - the bearings spun freely but interestingly on re installation and loosely tightening the bolts it locked the diff up. I’d used the same shims that were on the hubs. The diff turned by hand before taking it apart. This indicates that the preload has changed or something else. When operating before disassembly there was no free play in either the pinion or the hubs. I don’t believe this to be a good sign, as some free play is mandated in the manual.
Anybody have experience with parts out of a fire? Is it possible that the case has warped in the heat? I wouldn’t think so - exhaust manifolds are also cast and they don’t, but I’ve never worked with fire damage.
fwiw - in my limited experience. if you have gummy black residue it probably did not get too hot, but you may have some distortion as the diff case is made of softer more ductile steel rather than the hard cast of manifold. does the tin cover look distorted or have rainbow colours on inside?
I have the same with a MKX diff, that has not been burned
that particular bearing has some blueing. (diff output shaft)
I am of the opinion this must mean the bearing was set up incorrectly with too much preload
Cant think of any other explanation, if there is one, please let me know
Terry:
I wish I could be more help on your main question, but fairly new to the e type world. this may not be the proper place but I cant figure out how to message within the forum…I am curious as to what happened to the MG PB though since Ive been working on one myself for a while now.
Best
Dan
Dan the PB was written off by the insurance company as was the E Type. A friend bought the E Type as salvage to make into a vintage racer but abandoned the project eventually. No idea of where, if anywhere, the remains of the PB wound up.