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[Fatcharlie]

Hello all,

name's Roger, I'm British but I live in the South of France (in Europe ;-P)

I've just bought myslef a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. It's the 4 litre version. I already love it and I've only had it 2 days. It's called Jezebel.

Like all 2nd hand cars it has shown a couple of quirks.

Most urgently, it appears to have a slow oil leak in the rear diff - I bought her in England on Friday, did some local shopping on Satuday and today (Sunday) I got on the ferry to France.

About 2 hours into the trip and I can no longer pretend the noise from the rear diff is normal 'wear and tear'. I stop and have a look. Any paint which had been there has gone and there is quite a smell of burnt oil. The diff sounds like a bag of spanners. I think most of the oil has gone. It has certainly gotten very hot!

So - here I am in the middle of France, about 400 miles either way from the UK or my appartment on the Riviera. Questions:

Once I discovered the problem, I waited an hour for the diff to cool then continued at about 45mph for about 30 miles to the next viable stopping point on the Franch motorway. At 45mph, the noise didn't get any worse and the box was not steaming when I arrived. Soooo...

1) How much damage am I likely to have done to the diff?

2) How difficult is it to top up the oil - I want to get home under my own steam if possible - even if I have to stop every 100 miles and top up the diff.

3) I know the answers to 1 and 2 are likely to be 'how long is a piece of string?', but give me worst- and best-case scenarios.

4) If I have to change the diff, is it complicated, or simply large bolts and lots of muscle?

Nice forum and site!

Cheers,

Roger (aka Fatcharlie)

[Bishops Finger]

It doesnt sound very good at all Im sad to say.....

You can top up the oil via the filler plug at the back of the rear diff but an additive is also needed tho in the short term youd probably get away with it...


Where is the oil leaking from? Has the rear diff plug lost suction?


Keep posting we are here to help..

[Fatcharlie]

Hi Bishops Finger - no more info at the moment - it was dark last night when it all happened, and still dark now!

But thanks for the reply - of course, it has engendered some new questions:

Is the top-up plug accessible when the car is not jacked up? Can you give me more of an idea where to look for it? Thanks.

I assume I use EP90 to top up (or, in this case, refill - lol) - any more info on the additive would be a help.

How much EP90 am I likely to need if it's more or less empty, the diff?

Thanks for the support. Stranded in the middle of France with 400 miles to go either way, no money cos it's the end of the month and I'd spent it all anyway on Christmas presies (the bigest one being said car). A few kind words go a long way! Thanks :-)

I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers,

Fatcharlie.

P.S. by 'has the rear diff plug lost suction?' - I am guessing you mean has it lost its seal? I'm not familiar with diffs - I've done most of my own mechanicking over the years but it's been limited to a couple of head gaskets, water pumps, that sort of thing. So forgive me if it's a daft question!

[Mike Pavelin]

If it's making a lot of noise, it's already fooked, I'm afraid. The correct oil is 75W90, it holds 1.2 litres. The filler plug is a rubber bung in the rear cover. The additive is a friction modifier to stop the discs in the limited slip diff chattering but I wouldn't bother, it's too far gone to worry about that now. Fill it with oil and try to limp home but if it's as bad as you say It might be better get it put on a truck or set fire to it .

[Pedroski]

Fatcharlie, did you buy it off a dealer or private?

[Fatcharlie]

Heh! it did cross my mind to set fire to it!

I bought it private - and a good mate of mine in the UK is going to pay a little visit... I know when you buy s/h it's 'caveat emptor' but one expects a decent level of honesty from people. If he'd sold it to me with a stuffed diff I would probably still have bought it, but at a lower price. There was clearly a proble already existing with the diff, but the seller cleaned it up and then kept quiet about it. They guy who inspected the car for me is a qualified mechanic and MOT inspector, so it's not as if he would have missed something - unless it had been deliberately hidden.

Which brings me to the next thing - where can I get one? Is there a second hand or reconditioned source for that sort of thing in the UK? Or is it a scrappy-job? Anyone tell me a good scrappy for Cherokees?  Alternatively, anyone breaking?

Also, does anyone have any 4x4 club/forum contacts in good old France? I might see if I can get some local club assistance.

Currently the car is stuck in the middle of France, with a large bill waiting for me. The RAC in their role as an insurer are saying it's too expensive to repatriate the car so I'll have to acept the local Jeep Dealer quote or pay to repat the car myself. As usual the insureres try to wriggle out of paying out.

Maybe if there is a local French off-road club they might lend a hand.

Any French contacts anyone?

Thanks,

Fatcharlie.

[wildwood]

Sorry to hear the bad news Charlie......... 'lost in France'

Plenty of breakers here in the UK biggest and one that has shit loads of Grands of 96 vintage...(I know cos I had spares off them this year) is
Charlton Recyclers who are a spit from Stanstead on the M11 01223832656

Just phoned them and they have one left  for a 4.0 litre 96  £300 + VAT that will be the whole thing including brakes.the lot....easier for them to pull just the big bit.

E-bay might get you cheaper..........might be one floating around in 'Juan- les-Pins!!'  what me envious of you in the South of France.........never. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

[Fatcharlie]

Thanks for the info Wildwood - don't you just love the internet?!

[Fatcharlie]

By the way - has anyone ever done a rear diff before here? Can anyone give some guidance about how it might be done? Thanks.

[wildwood]

If ya get the total rear end its just socket set spanners WD40 and jackstands...................

Otherwise its backlash  gear mesh and grown up stuff if ya do a rebuild

[eastryjeep]

Yup, reverse repatriation of complete axle to car for fitment by your good self mate, just make sure you've got additional fluids too (oil, brake fluid, WD40, friction modifier as Mike said and  ).
Also don't forget to spray all mounting nuts and bolts with copious amounts of penetrating oil while waiting for the spares to pitch up.
Might be a good time to check the rear U-joints and prop shaft to save groveling about under there again in a few weeks time!
We could have told you Jeep means 'Just Empty Every Pocket' but they are worth it and you wouldn't have listened anyway!
Good luck, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Jeepin'

[Fatcharlie]

Heh! Better than Lotus - Lots Of Trouble - Usually Serious!

I am looking into getting a full rear axle out here.

Know anyone coming this way?

The car is about 200km South of Paris on the A6, 10km from the exit off the motorway.

[Bubba]

its better to replace the axle  rebuilding the diff is basic but precise stuff and dare i say it confidence it can very easy go shitshape and cost you twice