Chesapeake Auto Repair

What's the dif? To an automotive technician, it's the differential, a part of your vehicle that helps direct power from the engine to the wheels.  The differential is a gearbox that enables the drive wheels to turn at different speeds (they do that when you turn).  

Inside the differential is a fluid that makes sure those gears and other parts are lubricated since there are a lot of metal moving parts in there.  (Your vehicle may have more than one differential in it depending on the drivetrain.) 

As you can imagine, it's important that the lubricant in those differentials do its job.  Otherwise, the gears may be damaged by heat and friction. The more you drive your vehicle, the more likely it is for that lubricating fluid to break down.

So, it's important to have the differential fluid exchanged every so often.  Your vehicle's manufacturer recommends how often your model should have that done, but a common interval is every 30,000-60,000 miles/50,000 km-100,000km.  Regular exchange of differential fluid can reduce premature wear of the gears inside.

Scheduled maintenance goes a long way to preventing differential problems, but sometimes when they begin to fail, you may hear the vehicle sounding a little louder than usual where the differentials are located.  

When it comes to changing the differential fluid, some have a drain plug in them. Others require the entire cover to be removed to drain the fluid.  There are often gaskets that must be changed at the same time to make sure there are no leaks.
Now when someone asks you, "What's the dif?" You’ll know how essential the differential is and how to keep it running in top shape.

West Service Center
904 Cavalier Blvd
Chesapeake, Virginia 23323
757-487-4420
http://westservicecenter.com

When you're driving and turn a corner, you probably aren't aware of all that's going on with your wheels.  The outside wheels have a longer distance to travel than the inside wheels, so there are gears that allow the wheels to go at different speeds when you turn. 

That set of gears is called a differential.  In front-wheel drive vehicles, it's by the transmission and called a transaxle.  Rear-wheel drive vehicles have the differential, naturally, on the rear axle. Many all-wheel and four-wheel drives add a center differential since power has to go to the front and rear wheels. (Some newer vehicles power wheels with electric motors, but that's a whole different story.)

Time and distance traveled eventually can take their toll on the differential, and you may notice some noises you hadn't heard when your vehicle was newer.  Sometimes you'll hear a whir that might change in pitch when you turn.  You may hear clicking sounds when you're moving.  Others describe rumbling sounds coming from underneath during a turn. Another symptom of possible differential problems may be vibrations or shakes the faster you go. 

All of these could be signs that you have problems with a differential. One common cause of differential problems is the gears aren't getting enough lubrication.

These can all have serious effects on your driving.  You may find it hard to turn, or your wheels may lock up. That could put you or drivers around you in a dangerous position. 

It's better to take care of differential problems before they get too serious.  Bring in your vehicle so we can have a technician check yours out.  They can see if there are any differential fluid leaks or failing gaskets.  In some cases, we may recommend your differential fluid be replaced.  And if there are any mechanical issues, some components may need to be replaced as well. 

When your differential is maintained, you'll be doing your vehicle a good turn.  

West Service Center
904 Cavalier Blvd
Chesapeake, Virginia 23323
757-487-4420
http://westservicecenter.com