Friendly reminder to maintain your diffs.....🔥😭

DonegalWinger

DonegalWinger

Member
Hi all,

Had a disaster yesterday where the rear diff went up in flames and took down my 99 Legacy BH5 GTB (JDM).
Absolutely heartbroken but everyone out safe including the cat, which is the important thing.
Not sure if it was one of the drive shafts causing heat or the diff itself. I managed to get the wee fire extinguisher on it and put it out for 10 seconds but the heat just kicked it off again.
By the time the fire department came the whole car was toast. Have potential of saving the engine gearbox 🤞
Diff oil done about 3 years ago so would have thought it would be ok 🤷‍♂️

Make sure you all check your oils and seals regularly 👍👍learn from my pain 😭
 
Yeah it's pretty gutting after working on the car for the last 6/7 years. It's taught me a lot but yeah, everyone safe and that's what matters.
I thought it was the rear caliper seizing so was nursing it to the petrol station to take a look. Good job I didn't make it there.
If I can get the engine and gearbox it'll be going into a VW T2 campervan and the Scooby soul will live on 💪🤞
 
Holy sh*t man. Fuckin feel awful for you. Horrible thing to go through, as you said, at least everyone is safe. It's a car after all. Can be replaced. I'd be depressed too but everyone is safe, that's the main thing.
Would be class in a VW camper. My sister has one. The old beetle engines are quite slow lol
 
I'm so sorry to hear that man. Hopefully all if you guys are safe. I'm gutted just reading this as like yourself I built up my car over years.

Stay safe, mind yourselves and keep the head up❤️
 
Man that’s shocking and heartbreaking,

How do you know it was the diff?
 
Jesus that's rough going, but like you said at least you weren't after landing at the petrol station or somewhere else with a load of cars near you (thinking of the Douglas, Cork shopping centre car park fire a few years back). You made it out unscathed is the #1 thing. Hopefully insurance covers everything and it's all a distant, weird memory soon enough.
 
Eoinmack said:
Holy sh*t man. Fuckin feel awful for you. Horrible thing to go through, as you said, at least everyone is safe. It's a car after all. Can be replaced. I'd be depressed too but everyone is safe, that's the main thing.
Would be class in a VW camper. My sister has one. The old beetle engines are quite slow lol
Click to expand...
She looking to sell? 😉
 
BazGF8 said:
Man that’s shocking and heartbreaking,

How do you know it was the diff?
Click to expand...
The small fire at the start was from around the diff area. My guess is it over heated and maybe ignited the bushings but could be wrong. All happened fairly fast
 

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Car got collected yesterday and sitting in at the recovery place. He said it was missing bits like the silicone TMIC pipes, expansion tank and oil cap. So someone was at it over night or the recovery people helped themselves 🤷‍♂️
Hopefully they find someone to take the engine out and we'll take it from there
 

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Very sorry to see! I think a Sligo member had something similar happen years back on their classic? Rear diff temp light came on and next thing they knew the rear of the car was up in flames and eventually consumed the whole car.
 
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