How to remove differential cover?

[SupDoc]

I'd like to remove the back cover off the differential in my 510. It looks like I'll need to remove the 2 studs coming out of the cover, then drop the mustache bar out of the way. Is this correct? Does the mustache bar support anything, or is it just a brace to keep the differential case from moving around?

[thisismatt]

It's half the support of the differential, especially the torsional load.

[datzenmike]

Leave the studs take the nuts off.

[paradime]

Or leave the studs take the cannolis.

 

There are 4 bolts holding the nose of the Dif to the crossmember. That will hold it in place when the rear mustache bare is removed.

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Nice. Always gotta be a Godfather reference...

 

We used to weld the nuts onto the studs and make them bolts, just to make the diff easier to remove.

[SupDoc]

Well, I was able to remove the cover and check out the gears inside. I've been trying to track down the source of the whirring/grinding noise in the drivetrain. The only thing that really stuck out to me was the damage on the gear teeth of the smaller gear attached to the end of the driveshaft (not sure the name of that one). You might be able to see some of wear and tear in the picture below.

 

 

[datzenmike]

Pinion gear. The bung for draining the differential has a magnet on it. Did it have metal chips on it?

[thisismatt]

Yikes.  How do the spider gears look?

[datzenmike]

Something got loose in there for that damage. All ground up metal won't be good for the bearings also.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Yeah, the word for that is JUNK! Get another diff.

[SupDoc]

Here is a picture of the bung with metal shavings. I have an 06-07 STI LSD on the way...