1954 plymouth differential gasket

[olskulow]

I recently ordered a diff gasket from napa. Well I took apart the differential and as soon as I was going to put it together I noticed the diff on my plymouth has 11 bolts and the gasket i ordered had 10 and was a bit larger than the pumpkin. Does anyone know what the part number of differential gasket or what kind of differential im running?

Thanks

[Plymouthy Adams]

did NAPA slip you a later model 8 3/4 gasket..introduced in 1957 and carries 10 hole pattern..

Edited July 13, 2009 by Tim Adams

[Young Ed]

I would bet so because the last time I checked Andy Bernbaum was the only source for the diff gaskets. I think he was having them made.

[RobertKB]

Easy enough to make your own.

[55 Fargo]

I just used black RTV, but it leaks a bit, need to pull it again and use a gasket.

Robert, the gasket would not be too hard to make once the pumpkin is out, use the gasket m,ateril cut out with exacto knife, punch holes with gaket hole cutter set.

Maybe I will buy 1 from Burnbombs, and kae a nfor future use, less work

[olskulow]

I am thinking of making my own. if i cant find it.

[55 Fargo]

As mentioned above Andy Bernbaum has them for $6.50, worth buying IMHO, you trace it onto cardboard for future use.

For $6.50 it's dirt cheap....

[olskulow]

Yeah that the first thing that im going to do is contact him.

[olskulow]

well i found on on ebay and it fit perfect. moparts had one but they have a 30 min shipping.

[grey beard]

I would not consider buying a differential gasket. Today's RTV gasket maker is truly wonderful stuff, if you know a little bit about it. It is perfect for making differential gaskets and such. Here's what you need to know to get leak-proof results. Get the surfaces both nice and clean. I use sand paper and then mineral spirits, and last of all a little lacquer thinner. That makes the mating surfaces perfectly clean.

Now put a nice 1/8-inch bead of RTV around the entire machined surface. HERE'S THE TRICK! Let the stuff dry for at least an hour. It will form a skin and become somewhat rigid. Now install your lump and snug each bolt in rotation to get a good snug fit. You'll never see a leak at that joint.

There are two kinds of silicone gasket sealer - aerobic and anerobic. One dries without oxygen, even in between threads, and the other will never set up unless it has abundant oxygen for at least an hour. I have used this stuff in place of a head gasket on a British water cooled motor, and got away with it. Just let it sit in place over night before I bolted the head in place.

The other trick to using this stuff is that it takes very little. Just because SOME is good, does not necessarily follow that MORE is better. A 1/8-inch unbroken bead of the stuff is usually sufficient for most jobs. GM uses it in place of valve covers on new motors today, did you'all know that? This stuff is used commercially in big truck and heavy equipment shops every day for things like differentials and power dividers and transfer cases and transmission cases/tops/covers, etc.

I once took an oil pump out of a freshly rebuilt BBC (belly button Chebby) small block that was filled with blue glue. The kid used a full tube on his oil pan gasket. Most of the tube wound up in the sump and pump. What a mess - ruined the engine, needless to say.

A little goes a long way.

[olskulow]

Crazy thing now the diff is leaking from the area where the drive shaft connects to the diff. I think it might be a seal or somthing.

[Jerry Roberts]

If the vent on top of the differential is plugged when the oil is warmed up , some will be forced out somewhere .

[olskulow]

Vent doesnt seem to be plugged the cap moves, but ill double check it might be .

[55 Fargo]

The pinion seals can and will leak, these are available too, form Roberts, Bernbaums, maybe Kanters......Fred