Anyone lost a Diff Pin?

[BaySHO Performance]

Has anyone had a diff pin let go? What did it sound like? What happened when you tried to engage a gear afterwards?

I think the problem with my '91 is the clutch, but want to rule out a diff pin.

 

[AREA 91]

My first one let go on an easy 3000rpm shift from 2nd to 3rd. Felt like the entire drivetrain locked up for a split second. Car continued to drive normally for a couple hundred feet till I got to a stoplight. Noticed smoke and a smell. Took my seatbelt off, opened the driver's door to look under the car. ATF running all over the Y pipe. Proceeded drive it 3 miles to my garage. Big hole in the tranny case.

The second one let go while driving and it felt like I hit a huge *** hole in the road. Boom! Eject-o diff pin.

All my MTX differentials are now reinforced, except the Green 91 +. She has a Quaife. I did manage to snap the input shaft with slicks and nitrous at the drags. Changed out the input shaft and she is still going.

 

[BaySHO Performance]

Thanks for the reply. My son was driving, took off aggressively from a light, heard a snap like a key breaking off in a lock only louder, car immediately was coasting. Engine now spins in all gears without the car moving with a ticking sound. No fluid loss.

Sounds like a broken reinforcing strap rubbing against the bell housing rather than a diff pin. Phew!

Shattered third gear at Laguna Seca one day. 550 crank HP s/c.

 

[Bryan]

Does this happen often? My 92 SHO MTX has 106k on the clock and still shifts buttery smooth.

 

[luigisho]

Not often but enough to keep filed in the memory banks. The trans doesn't do well with beating on it. Nor do the clutch straps. These things weren't over-engineered

 

[Scott Horton]

Happened this way for me: (94 3.0L Manual)

Coming out of a parking lot in early-spring conditions. Attempting to accelerate, hit a patch of ice. Tire spun out, then hit a patch of uncovered damp pavement and caught. Something in front went "BANG!' loudly, and from then on the car moved with a heavy, repeating **** and sounded like the transmission was full of gravel.

Through a combination of friends and insane luck, was able to locate another transmission. Originally intended to rebuild the failed unit once it was swapped out, until we got it out and discovered the damage.

Entire case around the Diff cracked, with a large hold. Eight-inch hole between diff and clutch compartment. two-inch hole ripped out of the diff carrier.

Not sure what to do with the old transmission at this point. Replacement is working okay, syncro seems to be weak but otherwise drives normally.

(Sorry for the image comments; originally created these to post to Facebook for the non-car public.)

 

[SHOdded]

 

[Bryan]

Happened this way for me: (94 3.0L Manual)

Coming out of a parking lot in early-spring conditions. Attempting to accelerate, hit a patch of ice. Tire spun out, then hit a patch of uncovered damp pavement and caught. Something in front went "BANG!' loudly, and from then on the car moved with a heavy, repeating **** and sounded like the transmission was full of gravel.

Through a combination of friends and insane luck, was able to locate another transmission. Originally intended to rebuild the failed unit once it was swapped out, until we got it out and discovered the damage.

Entire case around the Diff cracked, with a large hold. Eight-inch hole between diff and clutch compartment. two-inch hole ripped out of the diff carrier.

Not sure what to do with the old transmission at this point. Replacement is working okay, syncro seems to be weak but otherwise drives normally.

(Sorry for the image comments; originally created these to post to Facebook for the non-car public.)

Honestly after reading what you are saying it seems the ice was more of the culprit of your transmission destroying itself over just a failure of a weak driveline. Any transmission spinning at high revolution then almost instantly coming to a stop is going to most likely destroy itself, and if not you are looking at some possible serious damage or wear.