Plastic hose fell in my differential

[live_to_hunt]

I was filling my rear differential on my 2010 Tundra. I usually cut a piece of clear soft tubing and jam it on the bottle it makes it easier to get the oil in. Today I got bit bye a bug when I smacked the bug I knocked the 3inch hose in my differential. I drained it again I never found it. I refilled and test drove it I don't know what to do

 

[Falken]

I looked at pics and the case looks welded all around, no bolts to open the case.

The only thing you can really do is get a clean oil pan, and just keep pouring into the fill hole over and over recycling what comes out, until you can hopefully see the tip of the hose pop out the drain hole.

I really don't know what else to say... stuff happens I guess.

Maybe if you have access to compressed air pulse it into the empty case from the fill hole with the drain hole open, and maybe get lucky...

 

[JimPghPA]

Just my opinion, forget about it. It is hydrocarbon based and will be quickly destroyed into insignificant small pieces as it travels between the gears.

The amount of horse-power being transferred between those gears is way more than enough to make any small plastic addition insignificant.

 

[Falken]

I'd be worried that the bulk of the tubing wrung through the pinion and ring gear or side gears would force them apart and cause damage, especially if it gets pulled through at high speed.

I'd do it for fun on a junker, but personally wouldn't chance it.

Open the drain and fill holes and fish around inside with a wire with a hook formed at the end.

You may be able to feel it at the bottom of the case as soft vinyl, and with patience may fish it out.

 

[JHZR2]

Stinks. I wouldn't want that junk in threre.

I'd go to hd, get one of those borescope type units that you can use to see into tight places. Put that up the drain hole, and try different implements through the fill hole to grab it.

 

[Chris142]

Can't you pull the axles and drop the punkin to get it out?

 

[Roadkingnc]

Hopefully its wedged against the side of the housing, I would remove the fill and drain plugs and try like crazy to get it out. It wont help anything when the gears try to eat it. Good luck.

 

[cmorr]

I wonder if a strong Shop Vac could suck it at least close to the drain hole enough to snag it

 

[live_to_hunt]

Thanks for all the opinions I did try with a wire i looked with a flashlight I sent a few qts of gear oil through the unit I have no idea where it went I did drive it a few miles I will try and find it again tomorrow..

 

[Jim Allen]

The ring and pinion have less than 0.010" clearance between them. When I wrenched on Land Rovers for a living, I repaired a diff that grenaded due to a piece of gasket material. Even if yours survive a hose running thru it and being ground up, the little chunks created will not be harmless to bearings and other parts. Leaving a foreign object in there is a big risk, if not for an immediate failure then for the long term health of the diff. Do what it takes to get the the hose out. I would try fishing up thru the drain plug with a coat hanger or another type of fairly stiff wire.

 

[crazyoildude]

i had a range rover and it had 54,000 miles on it and almost every part was replaced at least once.those are money pits and i ouwn my own shop!

 

[default]

That hose will be chewed up/squeezed out in the gears to dust. As long as it was just a plain rubber hose, I wouldn't worry about it. Maybe drain again in the next few hundred miles. What do you think happens to all the RTV used to seal covers that squeezes out?

 

[live_to_hunt]

Guys I respect and appreciate everything you told me. Some of you put the fear of god in me so I went and bought a flexible little flashlight. I took around an hour but I got it out. Thanks again

 

[Chris142]

Good deal

 

[gregoron]

I was just going to say that I hope that plastic hose was rated GL-5, but I'm glad you got it out. Next time just let the bug bite.

 

[dnewton3]

I would do whatever it takes to get it out ...
Obviously, the easiest things to try are the simple ones (fishing around with a wire, as you've already done), but if they fail, you're eventually stuck with pulling the diff carrier.

IIRC, the Toyota diffs are made similar to the old 9" Ford. Can't you pull the axles, release the driveshaft, and remove the rear carrier? It's not that hard, and you don't have to mess with the diff settings, as they stay intact with the carrier assy. Or, is the Toy diff not like the 9"?

The clearances are too tight in there to leave it in. If you're lucky, it has stayed low and not got sucked up into the gears yet. You are tempting fate every time you drive it.

Is it a 100% assurance that destruction will happen? No.
Is it a big risk that serious damage could occur? Yes.

We genearlly have three groups of people here at BITOG; the pratical, the minimalist and the anal-retentive ...
I find it ironic that some BITOGers will run synthetics for 5k miles for "cheap insurance", but yet others would suggest leaving a foriegn object in the diff with a "wait and see" approach ... I'm not particularly picking on any one person; I just don't understand the mindset of BITOGers at times.

As much as it might seem expensive or a PITA to deal with now, it will seem horrid later on when you ask yourself why you didn't deal with it now. If you're not up to the task, then pay to have it done.

 

[Jim Allen]

livetohunt: So glad you got it out. An hour is a small price to pay for the safety of the diff and for your piece of mind.

I suppose the people advocating leaving it in there do so out of ignorance of the possibilities. Using their logic, a cylinder full of water in an engine is no problem... but we know in the real world water doesn't compress and it will destroy an engine. A piece of plastic or rubber is the same. Trying to squeeze a piece of plastic between gears that have 0.008" clearance (the thickness of a piece of paper basically) is akin to trying to compress water. At some point, the material reaches it's maximum ability to compress and it might as well be a piece of metal. Something then breaks, bends or warps. As I said, I saw a broken Rover diff that was clearly due to a big chunk of gasket material that got between the ring and pinion gears.

Speaking of Rovers, I worked on them for many years ('70s-90s). Liked 'em a lot for what they could do but they were either Linda Blair on wheels (possessed by the devil) or the vehicle you wanted to be buried in. No inbetween. I will say that the years I worked at Land Rover dealers was the most financially rewarding time of my life ( : < ).

 

[Falken]

Good job!

What did you use, a wire hook??

All the guys at work have those flex LED flashlights.

I'm stuck with my stupid MAG light that always flickers and drains batteries like mad.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: live_to_hunt
Guys I respect and appreciate everything you told me. Some of you put the fear of god in me so I went and bought a flexible little flashlight. I took around an hour but I got it out. Thanks again


Living up to his username.

I would have suggested fishing around for it, but hunting around is right up there too.

 

[live_to_hunt]

The bore scope flashlight was key I found a thin metal rod I was able to bend a hook onto it. A pair of needle nose pliers those three tools and my wife I needed her to help with the light..