Club 80-90 Forums

The front diff on my 88 syncro is locked, the diff light is on and it is almost imposible to turn the wheels.
It had been stood for some time before i bought it and it has not been driven as i got it trailered.
Is it a big job to get it to disengauge.

Give Russell at Syncronutz a call; he very kindly freed mine off at Syncropendence this year.

From memory; Actuator off, spray lube, curse, remove mud from eye, tease pin out, reassemble, do not reengage.

If that doesnt work its front diff out I think.

Not hard to do but awkward to get to..

First try jacking up a front wheel and with the engine running, push knob back in and rotate the wheel back and forwards a little. You are giving the actuator a last chance to pull the pin back out!

If that doesn't work. You'll need to jack up the front of the van (or drive it up onto ramps) and clamber underneath!

You should find (on the N.S) the actuator (which is Black and Blue) with 2 vacuum pipes going to it. The actuator is held onto the diff with 2 small screws. Remove these and you should be able to pull the actuator slightly away from the diff (not fully) and peel back the seal (if it still has one) revealing the diff lock pin. You may need to clean it up a bit with some rags and WD40 to see it, but there is a small pin which you need to drive out, its only about 3mm in diameter.

Once this is out you can remove the actuator from the diff, then coat the whole pin and surrounding area in WD40 and let it soak for a while.

You need to make up (or buy) a small slide hammer in order to pull the pin back out. Take it easy and take your time. Once you get it moving slightly, tap it back (careful!) and slowly move the pin in and out until it comes fully out.

If you get stuck in the middle of this, or I haven't explained it very well.. feel free to ring me anytime.

07989 333437

MG

First check that someone hasn't connect the pipes up the wrong way around!

Can normally get a 3mm or 2.5mm hex allen key in the roll-pin hole that Michael speaks of to pull it out, as first quick try

If not getting far with freeing it up, the trick to freeing it is to remove the tell-tale switch (above the operating plunger boss), inject Plus-gas, and try rotating it - Rotate and pull..

1st remove vac pipes as residual vacuum makes removal difficult (of course!)
Remove roll-pin with thin drift (less than 3mm diameter), then 7mm ring spanner to remove the long bolts holding actuator to its bracket (careful not to round off)
Also be very careful not to bend the actuator's pushrod (thin, keep it straight); drift out roll-pin carefully, and lay something on ground to catch it if on rough ground (easy to lose)

Syncro site has plenty info on this too... click the Syncro logo top right of forum main page

SyncroDerby - if you ever need anything to look at for comparison purposes - or just a cup of coffee and a chat - we're in Mackworth off the A38/A52 island.......more than welcome whenever you're over this way........

good god, look at that !

a 24 hour response team !!!!!
its an 8090 thing

as my better half says, get ya ass over to derby, and i'll show yiou mine

Hi there
As clive said above first check that the pipes are on (and the right way round)easiest way is to activate the diff lock on dashboard(twist to the right and pull out)Start the engine and slowly move back and forward with steering in different positions.
If this dose not work the the pipes are probably on the right way and the diff is seized.It it dose work then simply swop the pipes around on the actuator.
Second u can follow steps given above to remove catuator but if diff lock is engaged on the front diff u cant remove the lockation pin due to this being inside the alloy sleeve the locker shaft slides through.
U will need to first pry this out (to ure disscretion on how, depending on tools available to ureself)"unlock the diff"
Always do this with one or 2 front wheels of the ground.
Onece u achive this continue as said by others
Cheers Russel

Thanks to everyone for the really helpfull advice, i will have a go at freeing it off as soon as it's warm enought to work under the van outside without freezing to death.

syncroderby wrote:as soon as it's warm enought to work under the van outside without freezing to death.

That'll be next June for some on here

PAH!

Get out there and crack on with it, man! What are you waiting for - broken CVs?!