Differential Cover

[pm26]

I noticed a ding in my rear differential cover. It is small but somewhat deep, as if someone took a Phillips screwdriver, placed it against the cover and hit it with a hammer. I have no idea how it got there, probably was there ever since I bought the truck, but I never saw it as it was painted dull black. The cover never leaked, but there is surface rust on it now, and this ding makes me a bit nervous, so I decided to buy a new cover from a Chevy dealer. They had one in stock and surprisingly it came with a new gasket and new bolts as well. All for about $ 40. It is not painted however, so I need to do that before I install it.

 

Am I the only one who thinks that GM axle supplier does a poor job painting these covers (and the entire axle housing) at the factory? And why is a new cover being sold unpainted on the outside?

 

What kind of sealant do they recommend on the differential cover gasket? Does GM sell their own brand?

[DaveH71]

yeah i would for sure paint it. Just rough if up a bit with some sand paper, spray some metal primer on, then color of your choice, and finally shoot a light coat of clear on it just to protect it. More clear if you want it shinny.

[dlstewart01]

That ding came in it. There is a round magnet with a hole in the center on the inside that fits around that ding..

[Vortec-Z71]

That ding came in it. There is a round magnet with a hole in the center on the inside that fits around that ding..

 

Do the GMT900 covers have a magnet? I put one on my truck when I replaced the fluid but it does not have that small indent like the old style.

[pm26]

Delete

[pm26]

That ding came in it. There is a round magnet with a hole in the center on the inside that fits around that ding..

 

Thanks for clarifying that, snakedoctor. The new cover does not have an indentation in it.

What the new cover has is a threaded fill hole with a plug. So now I will have two fill plugs (one on the cover and one on the differential housing) and no drain plug.

 

It comes as a surprise that the fill plug enclosed with the cover has a magnet in it.

[Vortec-Z71]

That ding came in it. There is a round magnet with a hole in the center on the inside that fits around that ding..

 

Thanks for clarifying that, snakedoctor. The new cover does not have an indentation in it.

What the new cover has is a threaded fill hole with a plug. So now I will have two fill plugs (one on the cover and one on the differential housing) and no drain plug.

 

It comes as a surprise that the fill plug enclosed with the cover has a magnet in it.

 

 

So the plug itself is a magnet? On the old style it was a donut-shaped magnet that stuck onto the cover itself.

[pm26]

So the plug itself is a magnet? On the old style it was a donut-shaped magnet that stuck onto the cover itself.

 

Yes, the plug itself has a round magnet pressed into its end. I tested it to make sure it is functional.