Hi all,

Sons 1.25 Zetec is now becoming a royal PIA, diff failed before Xmas so we put a replacement in (from a breakers) and that’s gone as well now, are the diffs on these things a bit iffy? I can get a refund on the replacement as it came with a 3mth warranty but it’s a pain having to take the box out and replace it yet again. He can only afford a used replacement (with the obvious same risk) but I’m wondering if you can buy a refurb/overhaul kit for the diff and do a DIY job on his old box, anyone have any experience and/or know where to source such a kit?

Not entirely sure what the issue was with the original but it began by intermittently failing to drive the wheels then stopped driving them altogether. The later one made a crunching noise and appears to have blown a hole in the casing as there’s oil everywhere......it will still drive tho albeit with a horrible noise!

I've never heard of a diff failing on these. What's actually failed in it do you know? Have you stripped the newer one and found the crown wheel just broke in half or what?

27 minutes ago, Luke4efc said:

What's actually failed in it do you know? Have you stripped the newer one and found the crown wheel just broke in half or what?

Newer one is still in the car so not had access to check yet. Older one is in the garage so will have a look inside at some point to see what’s failed. 

It's not a common issue for the diff to fail in the ib5 gearbox...  I hope you don't think I'm being intrusive or anything, but does your son drive the car like it's stolen? 

2 hours ago, Rich_654 said:

I hope you don't think I'm being intrusive or anything, but does your son drive the car like it's stolen? 

😀, that was my initial thought to be honest but I don’t think so, he has one of those insurance black boxes fitted and there’s nothing too adverse showing up on there. 

6 hours ago, BR36 said:

😀, that was my initial thought to be honest but I don’t think so, he has one of those insurance black boxes fitted and there’s nothing too adverse showing up on there. 

Aye mine was like that. I'd hate to grass him up, but it doesn't stop you from driving at the redline everywhere as long as you don't speed. The 1.2L isn't fast enough to get over the speed limit anyway 😂.

How long did the newer one last for anyway?  I doubt there's a rebuild kit for them though, if a tooth has sheered off then you're pretty buggered. The only spares you could probably get are uprated bearings. 

1 hour ago, Luke4efc said:

How long did the newer one last for anyway?

Put it in 21st December😳

Put it in 21st December[emoji15]

Imo it sounds like driver error over anything else. The chances of two gearboxes having the same fault are very very unlikely.

There is a company called cartansplants. They're one of the best breakers I've ever used. Pop a low mile gearbox in the car and if the issue returns for a third time. It's more than likely it's down to driving style.

Best thing is take the car for a drive when it's repaired again, if there is no sign of error. Then you need to tell your son to calm down on the gearchanging and ragging.

I've destroyed gearboxes in my time. I chucked a diff in my old punto about 10 years back from driving like a tool. The ib5 is strong, but not indestructible.

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I would have tended to agree but I did actually have one go in an XR3i of mine (years ago now) and I was doing nothing wrong at the time, turned into an uphill junction and gave it normal boot and bang, lost all drive. I do agree that 2 failures is a bit of a coincidence though. 

why just replace the diff. replace the whole box. i know its not easy.

 

Jamie

Hi all, got a replacement gearbox FOC from the original supplier and swapped again at the weekend. Examination of the one taken out shows a big chunk of aluminium blown out of the inner diff housing (inside the bell housing) and 1/2 dozen fragments of diff gearing floating around in the bell housing. Have reviewed circumstances of it failing and if he’s being truthful, it doesn’t seem as though it was under particularly heavy load. Told him not to be hammering this one anyway tho so hopefully it’ll be ok.