Options for the whiny butt?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4,812
Likes: 46
From: Taylorsville North Carolina
Options for the whiny butt?
My '02 Z06 has had the whiny diff for the past couple of years, but seems to be getting worse. Just took a 3hr road trip, and it makes trip almost unbearable. Seems like repl with used would be hit and miss as this seems to be common in C5 diff. Rebuild the best option? DIY seems almost out of the questions as special tools would be required. Who does these rebuilds. Car is tracked 4-8 times a year if that matters.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,145
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
My '02 Z06 has had the whiny diff for the past couple of years, but seems to be getting worse. Just took a 3hr road trip, and it makes trip almost unbearable. Seems like repl with used would be hit and miss as this seems to be common in C5 diff. Rebuild the best option? DIY seems almost out of the questions as special tools would be required. Who does these rebuilds. Car is tracked 4-8 times a year if that matters.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
I've never done a rebuild myself but I've swapped diffs in and out myself. Too many precision parts to try and tackle myself.
You can try Zip or Corvette Central for a rebuild. Or go all new from somewhere like Corvette Mods.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 595
From: Prescott, Arizona
Also RPM Transmissions. Since you track the car, I would get the Stage 4 upgrade with WaveTrac differential, stronger shafts and other good stuff. That is what I did five years and 13 track days ago.
http://rpmtransmissions.com/page47.html
http://rpmtransmissions.com/page47.html
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,421
Likes: 302
From: CSRA, SC
It's extremely common and affects every C5 diff that has actually been driven because they all have the same inherent problem. Even if you don't hear anything if you've got 30-50k miles, the bellville washers are probably cracked already and the noise is coming. Best thing to do is have it refreshed with C6 parts all inside especially the belleville washers and your choice of diff for your application.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,145
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
It's extremely common and affects every C5 diff that has actually been driven because they all have the same inherent problem. Even if you don't hear anything if you've got 30-50k miles, the bellville washers are probably cracked already and the noise is coming. Best thing to do is have it refreshed with C6 parts all inside especially the belleville washers and your choice of diff for your application.
If the whine is common I've only experienced it once across 3 c5s and 6 rears. I've also blown three diffs to smithereens. So perhaps I just never made it long enough to the "whine zone" in most of them.
I currently have a rear with 100k+ miles on it that lived most of its 80k+ miles abused (by me) behind 428rwhp. Now it's behind 634rwhp and still doesn't whine. But I'm sure I'll grenade this one too if I don't get my act together and have it upgraded.
In my experience these diffs have catastrophic failure way before they whine...if they are "driven".
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,421
Likes: 302
From: CSRA, SC
If you are carelessly launching them hard all the time with big power, yeah they can break apart. But ask anyone who rebuilds C5 diffs for a living/business... 50k miles is on borrowed time. Also worth noting that in many cases just because you can't hear it doesn't mean it isn't there. Loud exhausts, loud tires, loud radio, windows down, snoring passenger, hardly ever cruising at 60 or 70+mph, you won't hear it unless its way past gone.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,145
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
If you are carelessly launching them hard all the time with big power, yeah they can break apart. But ask anyone who rebuilds C5 diffs for a living/business... 50k miles is on borrowed time. Also worth noting that in many cases just because you can't hear it doesn't mean it isn't there. Loud exhausts, loud tires, loud radio, windows down, snoring passenger, hardly ever cruising at 60 or 70+mph, you won't hear it unless its way past gone.
What you are claiming above simply isn't true though. It's not accurate that "all C5 diffs are on borrowed time over 50k miles".
If the diff is well maintained and fluid changed regularly they can and will last a long time and well over 100k miles without issue. However, big power and abuse does change the outcome of this.
