How much should it cost to to replace a diff solenoid?

[Medium]

this is most likely a stupid question but my understanding of E-lockers what there were a magnet pulling against a spring. if this is the case is there somewhere you can unplug it so the magnet loses power allowing the spring to release to get you home?

[S.Bartfast]

Originally Posted by Medium

this is most likely a stupid question but my understanding of E-lockers what there were a magnet pulling against a spring. if this is the case is there somewhere you can unplug it so the magnet loses power allowing the spring to release to get you home?

Yeah, I have wondered this myself. Also I would have thought a faulty solenoid would be more likely to prevent a locker from engaging rather than prevent it from disengaging but after looking into it for a bit all I have been able to learn is that I really don't understand lockers at all. I thought what ever happened in a locker was fairly straightforward but tell you what, it's all black magic in there. Honestly there's more information out there on what goes on inside an H-Bomb than what actually happens inside a locker

Anyway, the locker had actually begun to function normally again by the time I dropped the car off and the workshop are confident they will be able to re-assemble the diff in the unlocked state for me without any trouble.

[LeighP]

I like OX lockers.....cable, air or electric operation....if the operating system craps itself, you can still disconnect it and fit a manual over-ride device to unlock the locker.
Great system.

Now, all I have to do is save up for them......

[mudpig]

Realistically how long does it take to drain and open the diff for an inspection? 10-15 min. Then 15 min to inspect? 30 min total to see what's happening in a diff?
Mate, I'm sorry to say but i think you've encountered one of those mechanics we keep hearing about on A Current Affair.



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[mudpig]

You may need to ask here for more feedback on decent mechanics specializing on jeeps in SA.
Tell them you'll only give them 30 min if labour cost MAX!! Otherwise you'll contact Fair Trading.

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[S.Bartfast]

Well, I'm back at home now with my beloved Jeep and I'm pleased to say all did end up working out for the best. I must admit that in my darkest hour I was most pessimistic but to my great relief they ended up coming through for me and I have to say things ended up working out remarkably well. After thinking things over and discussing things here I did call them in the morning to say not to go ahead with replacing the solenoid and it was all back together ready to be driven off that afternoon.

I haven't mention it but the front tail-shaft was also making a horrible noise when in 4WD and I was pretty confident the universal joint or something would need replacing. I didn't mention it here as I didn't want to confuse the discussion too much but in the end they did end up replacing the universal joint and cleaning (but not replacing) the solenoid as well as adjusting my handbrake for me. As it was the bill came to $561, and covered the diff inspection/cleaning, replacing the universal joint and handbrake adjustment which is an amount I was happy to pay -in fact it was an amount I was pleasantly surprised to pay . The day before they had estimated between $600 and $700 to replace the uni and reassemble the diff and I have to say this is the first time I have ever had a mechanic charge me less than they estimated

The solenoid is once again working as it should but they say they have no idea how long it will last. Apparently the oil in the diff was pretty mucky and had a lot of mettle filings (and I think he even said gravel???) in there, so hopefully after having a bit of a clean and oil change the solenoid will continue to work for a while yet. If it does fail again I'll probably look at putting an entirely different diff in rather than replacing the solenoid anyhow.

So all in all I have to say it has worked out remarkably well, and despite my concerns in the middle it turns out I'm quite pleased with how it all finished up.

[S.Bartfast]

Originally Posted by mudpig

Realistically how long does it take to drain and open the diff for an inspection? 10-15 min. Then 15 min to inspect? 30 min total to see what's happening in a diff?
Mate, I'm sorry to say but i think you've encountered one of those mechanics we keep hearing about on A Current Affair.

To be fair I dare say the $300 inspection involved more than removing the rear plate. I believe it also required removing the axle and disassembling the hemisphere which is quite possibly a reasonable amount to charge for such work (I wouldn't really know). What I was annoyed about wasn't so much how much they were charging for the inspection itself but rather that the inspection was done at all given how unaffordable the fix was going to be if it was what they expected. I mean given I really wasn't prepared to spend $3000 on a new solenoid (or $2500 on a used one) why do the $300 inspection in the first place?

Now that it's all over I think they really did have no idea how impossible it is to replace those solenoids on their own and they probably did do the inspection not realising it was pointless. I'm not sure if they ended up wearing some of the cost of that inspection themselves or not but the amount I ended up paying was not too dissimilar to what I would have expected had the inspection not been done, so for me it all ended up being fine.