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Last fall I replaced my 2.73 rear with a used 3.42 single rib that had 5,000 miles on it. I have since put 1,500 miles and took the car to the car down the strip 6 times. The rear has developed the dreaded rear whine! I am close to 450 rwhp and when I track the car I run M/T et streets. My question is should I buy a built rear diff. or could I install a new 3 rib z06 rear and be ok. Not sure if the z06 guys are having the rearend whine issues or not, being they have the shot-peened gears and all.
First off,
The single rib 3:42 that you purchased & mentioned had 5K miles on it.
Are you absolutely sure that differential only had those low miles on it?
I highly doubt it.
I would look for a three rib (newer for one thing) Z06 differential.
It will have the Capital letters painted on the tag (SP )
meaning the ring gear/pinion are ( Shot Peened )
I would be on the lookout for a used one for in the neighbor hood of $450-$750.
Another thing you could do is have a reputable shop, RPM, Rick Kim @ RKT56.com, etc... sell you a built differential.
You can likely live with it until you find the better case. When you do, would be the perfect time to upgrade the clutches, belville springs and output shafts, both sides.
I bought mine before I knew anything about these cars and it had 140k miles on it. Did all the mods and have a lot of passes on it now and it has a barely perceptable whine. I was fortunate to find a well maintained unit, it was perfect inside.
Or, you can do the stereo mod, or the exh mod, then you won't be able to hear it.
At any rate, if it's not horrible, the gears will live a long time making noise.
The whine is pretty loud.... Already done the radio mod...lol...kenwood dnx6990hd double din with kicker speakers. Exhaust mod....check...LG longtubes and Borla stinger quad tips. At 30 mph or higher it begins to over power everything. Only advantage to the whine is that it keeps the WIFE from wanting to drive it....