Differential Questions from a New Owner

[Anthony French]

Hello  All,

I picked up my first westfield this weekend, a 1998 SEW with a 2.0 pinto.

So the first thing I am planning is a full service on it.

The final drive setup is an RS2000 live axle with a 3.09 diff (from a Capri) fitted.

My 3 x questions are as follows:

1.  Are there many people running this setup? Is it a good combination?

2.  Can anyone recommend an oil type for this diff?

3.  I was planning to drop the oil and replace it, but see that there is no oil drain plug on the diff, just the top op plug. Any good reccomendations on how I can do this without having to take it all to bits.

Any help would be much appreciated,

Thanks,

Anthony,

[Hammy]

The final drive setup is an RS2000 live axle with a 3.09 diff (from a Capri) fitted.

Hi, Are you sure about that ratio ?   The 3.09 ratio was from the atlas type axle, which is bigger than the RS 2000 axle.  I thought the tallest RS ratio was the 3.54 -unless someone know different.

I have a 3.54:1 with a four speed box hanging off a x/flow -its fine for me but a 5speed would help cut the revs for cruising.

You can buy a syringe type device to suck the oil out like this

m" target="_blank">flee bay.

you can synthetic replacements for EP80 or 90 oils which would be the norm... Google can help here. If it has a lsd then you will need somthing else.

[markcoopers]

3.54 and 3.9ish are the common ones i think. With a pinto this is fine, big tourque low revs, but a 5 speed might be worth considering if not already fitted. THe axle is teh English/Timken/Banjo type, and yes was fitted to some base capris, but mainly the Escorts cortinas and even Anglia 105E.

Diff oil is largely fit and forgett, so i would personally just top up and leave it. The GL rating of the oil is the important factor here, and being an old ford not really worth a massive investment in sythetic stuff, just use the correct GL rated fluid. For the love of God i have no idea, but it is on here some whare, but try a serch and see what comes up. If a LSD diff is fitted well that is different but i would take advice from the manufacture or a speciallist in the area.

[Anthony French]

Thanks very much for the responses.

I am a but confused, The guy I bought it from gave me all the documentation and it definately says there is a 3.09 diff fitted. And is def a Mk II escort RS2000 rear axle which I thought was en english. I check my axle against the english and atlas drawings and it def looks like the english (more circular casing and the big threaded plug on the rear plate)

Are you saying that this combination is not possible?

If so I prob need to do some more research into what I really have.

Thanks also for the advice on the oils, I am going to phone up Burton tomorrow to get all the spares for the service so will take their recommendation on the best oil to use.

Any more advice would be great.

Thanks,

[Anthony French]

Oh an Ps.

It already has the Type 9 5 speed box.

Are there any good tips to identifying the diff and axle for certain?

Thanks very much,

Anthony,

[chazpowerslide]

Post up a pic for us to see and we'll hav a go at identifing it.

If it looks like the on this thread it's an English (or Escort) axle.

HTH

Chaz

[peterg]

It'll be an English axle    and you can confirm what diff ratio you have by jacking up the back of the car and turning one wheel whilst counting the revolutions of the propshaft  

[davidgh]

It'll be an English axle    and you can confirm what diff ratio you have by jacking up the back of the car and turning one wheel whilst counting the revolutions of the propshaft  

It's important to take into account that only one rear wheel is turning. Stand to be corrected but, IIRC the ratio will be the number of prop shaft turns for two full revolutions of one back wheel (the other not turning).

Altenatively, tunnel top off and push the car forward one revolution of the rear wheels. If your prop goes round three-and-a-little-bit times, you do indeed have a 3.09.

HTH

[Guest]

To identify an english diff from the Atlas the easy way is that the Atlas has a removable rear plate and the diff innards are removed via this.

The english diff has a removable cast front housing with a welded rear plate so that the diff innards are fitted into the cast housing.

If the diff came from an unmodified RS2000 then it would be an english diff, but it is a common swap in the performance Escort camps to fit Atlas diffs as a performance mod.

Regards Greg