how long will gears last without oil

[swynx]

Went snow wheeling last night. Some guys were getting drunk and one of them mentioned his pumpkin was leaking fluid. Then an argument got started about how long ring and pinion gears would hold up before any damage was done if there was no fluid in the pumpkin. (It all leaked out in the mountains and had to drive it back) some guys said 50 miles some said 100. I honestly don't know cuz I've seen yotas with dry pumpkins drive with 35s a long ways by mistake.

???

 

[Lil-Pony]

lets find out...
1...2...3...crunch

haha, dont really know, hope i never find out.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I don't know.
I was at a car show and someone set up a motor drained of oil and was taking bets on how long it would run. IIRC it ran at full throttle for over 20 minutes.

Richard

 

[swynx]

Haha me neither. Idk if there will be a right answer as this is an expensive answer. Any one know off handwhat kinda temps the ring and pinion endure with fluid? Let alone without.

 

[swynx]

I don't know.
I was at a car show and someone set up a motor drained of oil and was taking bets on how long it would run. IIRC it ran at full throttle for over 20 minutes.

Richard

My dad has told me of doing stuff like this with old 300-i6 and fairlanes.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

This is one of those stories I try not to tell, but since it fits.

When I first built my 9", I forgot to put the fill plug back in. I drove it 5mi, and discovered it. I plugged the hole with a rolled up piece of cardboard and drove 5mi back. It took 2qts of oil, and was full. Hoping nothing was hurt, I drove it back and forth to work, 70mi round trip, and muffin/ wheelin on the weekends for 3 months. Breaking in gears with no oil is a bad bad thing apparently.

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[swynx]

Jeez. Thats bad. So apparently they last awhile. A buddy wheeled a yota for wwho knows how long with mud for oil.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

I tried that with my D35...
Yotas maybe, but Danas don't like it.

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[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

The damage to the hardened surface would be immediate. After that the softer metal underneath would wear out quickly whether you put oil back in or not.

I have heard that the diff can get to 300*F. under towing conditions. Mine is warm to the touch after running on the interstate unloaded

 

[black_demon69]

saw an old 70s buick where the diff was red hot for like 1hour before plug could be removed and 80/90 put back in of coarse dif was f**ked up and sounded like a deep frier when oil was put in. the customer insisted it was fine and got about 2 miles up the interstate when it just gave out and had to have towed back to the shop.. this was like 20 years ago
(damn i'm getting old).

probably has something to do with it but if you babied it no more than 5 mph you could probably go along way on the other hand at 70 mph it would die faster... just my 2 cents

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't know.
I was at a car show and someone set up a motor drained of oil and was taking bets on how long it would run. IIRC it ran at full throttle for over 20 minutes.

Richard

I have heard somehow they can hold a little oil at the bearings at full throttle, start going up and down in RPM and they don't last near as long.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

My guess is the damage has been done and its not if but when it fails. Is it worth the gamble running it until it pukes thats up to the owner. I would start getting the parts together for either a complete rebuild or swap the rear end. You can bet all the bearings and seals have seen metal shavings.

 

[wildbill23c]

The ring and pinion gears might be ok for short distance its the bearings that will suffer the most. Either way its not good, and you'll ultimately be faced with an expensive rebuild.

 

[naford]

It would last until you absolutely needed the truck. Picking up the mother in law from the airport no problem. Taking the mother in law to the airport. Wouldn't make it out of the drive.

 

[Stangman92]

Yeah, in my experience with Dana 30's and Ford 8.8's its always the bearings that go out long before the actual gearsets.