TR - Billows of white smoke!

I have tried JB weld so many times on my trucks for my business and other vehicles it just flakes off soon when you least want it to happen, its been around forever as well, their are lots of new technology adhesives that are much better, might stop by a Napa and ask them what they might reccomend.

 

No, all of that is true, but notice that they don't claim that it remains glued/welded *to* something. Don't get me wrong, I use the stuff.

For instance, I patched an exhaust header crack on an old jeep. JB Weld lasted perhaps 3 years, then the JB Weld flaked off in one giant flake...leaving the original exhaust crack.

Of course, 3 years for $6 worth of JB Weld is a pretty cheap fix.

But it's not permanent. I'd dare say that the more temp variations, differences in metals, and vibrations would reduce the useful life of such a patch.

Nor would I want that hard "flake" of JB Weld to wedge itself into a half-shaft CV joint or other rotating part while I'm driving.

Could it last until your next engine-out service? It's only remotely possible, at best.

I'd go for the tig hot weld at the very least, but that's just me.

 

Do not drive the car anymore! There is a reason that the crack formed, and it wasn't because of old age. The differential carriers in the early TR tend to come apart, and when they do they put pressure on the housing, to the point where it will explode. This was fixed in the later 512TR and 512M.

Do a search in the archives and you will find more information.

The transaxle needs to come out of the car and be repaired. I would recommend updating it to the later type. Be prepared to spend 10-15K.

Brian

 

Yes a lot more. The hot shrapnel can fly through the fuel tank causing it to explode and kill you but the real liability comes in when your burning car crashes into a school bus killing a group of children and their lawyer looks over the net and realizes that you knew of this condition and didn't fix it properly and sues what remains of your estate and those you left behind are put out on the street.

 

Yeah, I see where you're going with this...but I just don't see JB Weld being your solution here. On a non-moving part like an exhaust pipe...sure...use it to get you through to an engine-out major where you can then fix it right.

But on a high-stress moving assembly?!

Tig weld the casing (presuming that it isn't magnesium) and try her out in a parking lot or on a track. Otherwise, go for a used, rebuilt, or new tranny.

 

Can you say "incorporate"?

 

Rob

Brian is one of the top Ferrari Techs existant. I too have a bit of TR experience having driven one 150K miles and BTW had the exact same thing happen to mine at 85K miles. THe Fat Lady has sung.

Cheers

 

Not at all. Believe me I was none to happy when I saw that white smoke billowing out of the back of my TR but this is something that happens to many TR and sadly the only fix is as Brain stated. If the box goes it can do enormous damage.

 

I'm betting the backfire you heard was the differential splitting. This puts pressure on the side cover and it blows as it appears your has.

A number of us have been through this. My Boxer transmission has just been replaced with a new diffrerential, syncros, ets. by Rod Drew in CA. My symptons were very similar to yours.

Mine was a little more complicated because despite popular belief that an early TR transmission will fit a Boxer, it will not. The oil pickup and passages are not consistent.

I would do two things. Make sure FOCF is capable of diagonosing this. I mean no disrespect to them but that is a relatively new dealership and perhaps the techs are not familiar with this type problem.

Second, call Ted Rutland in Atlanta, Ted rebuilds a lot of TR gear boxes through Rod Drew and may have a rebuilt spare on hand. He will need your core.

Your risk of doing further damage is that you may not have a usable core which is around another $5K.

I really hope we're all wrong but the cost of all this will be around $20K by the time your done.

Really sucks, I know. Again, hope we're wrong, but the symptons you have described are text book case of a cracked differential.

Drew Altemara

 

Just a way to cover your assets - in case you DO hit the schoolbus

 

Find a good independant repair shop, the dealer sounds clueless and will be experimenting on your car charging you double in labor plus probably making mistakes as well setting them up is a pain and takes experience, the upgraded diff is about $3500, the case could be tig welded up and repaired, I'd say you could have it done for < $10k by a decent independant, dealer > $20-$25k

 

Hey Drew, were you able to still drive your Boxer when that differential split?

TestaRob drove on in to the shop, so I'm wondering if that's a clue.

 

JB Weld, Ferrari and repair should not be used in the same sentance especially by someone that should know what they are doing

A rebuilt diff will do the same thing unless you get the upgraded diff unit

 

Was the sum of the full diagnostic evaluation from the dealership a blown seal and a cracked case?

And you were shifting and driving for some distance with no shifting issues per se?

Are these things accurate to say?

 

FerrariChat needs to start our own "service bulletins" for things like that for the owners who would like to be proactive on such issues during a Major scheduled service.

 

Hi Chris,

Mine let loose at 5mph doing a left turn from a stop light. Car was totaly warmed up. I heard a big bang, like a backfire, saw a lot of smoke and had a deep rumble like I was draging the exhaust. Got out of gear in less than 100 feet, maybe 5 or 10 seconds. Bustede differential, side cover, ring and pinion, etc.

Rutlands sometimes stocks refurbished transmissions that have the newer differential, redone syncros, etc. I beliece they run say $17K with a core change but best to ask Ted.

That's why I'm guessing it may take close to $20K to fix Rob's car. As by the time you pull the engine, split the transmission, send it out for repair or exchange you will always do some more, "while you are in there".

I hope I'm wrong.

My repair was a little different and a little more costly as I had to reuse the existing BB box and replace the components with doner TR parts from a transmission that Ted had plus new differential and syncros. There were also some other issues.

My transmission left Rod Drew's shop last week and shoud be in Atlanta early this week. Ron Reineke is putting things back together. I'm a fair shade tree mechanic but this one is beyound my capabilities.

Drew