I just changed my diff fluid over the weekend and now once in a while my car is making a chattering noise/feel just as the clutch engages and the car starts to roll. It feels pretty obvious that it's coming from the rear, and sort of feels like the rear tires break loose for a second.

Oh, I used Redline 75W-90 Gear Oil.

Anyone have a clue what could be causing this?

Thanks,
-Chris

 

Did you get 7/8 of the quart into the diff?

 

Yes. I drained the diff, replaced the drain plug, refilled the diff (the whole quart), then lowered the car and let the excess run out, then raised it back up and replaced the fill plug.

 

PilotChris Posted on May 30 2007, 05:30 PM
Are you sure it is not the clutch itself?

Or axle nut not torqued down enough (makes a clicking sound at take off).
CV's?
Hub?
Stone caught between brake pad & rotor?
Propshaft?
(the whole driveline basically )

How did the old diff oil look?
How many shavings on the magnetic drain plug?

Let us know what you find

 

On the way home from work, I did some stops and starts, trying to make the diff chatter again. It seems really easy to do it if I start with the wheels turned. It's not a clicking sound or anything rotational. It's a shutter that you can feel through the whole car, just as the clutch releases and the car begins to roll forward. It's almost as if there the diff is slipping or grinding. The best way I can describe the shutter feeling is if you were to spin the tires on a rainy day.

I decided not to take any chances and replaced the Redline fluid with Mobile 1. I also checked the magnet on the drain plug, and there really wasn't any additional metal filings. I also checked the diff mounting brackets and CV boots, everything seemed fine.

I took the car on a 15 mile test drive, did some stops and starts, and everything SEEMS fine now, but we'll see if it shows up over the next week or so. Hopefully it was just the fluid. It still seems weird because I've been using red line oils for years with out any problems.

If anyone has any ideas of what would have caused this, please let me know.

 

Bumping an old thread bc after searching and searching this is the exact symptom I have and I used Redline 75w90 as well. Did the problem ever come back since you changed the fluid? Any other diff problems?

Edit: looks like the op sold his car in 07. Any one else have this issue?