Before purchasing please make contact to ensure you receive the correct item, you're vehicle chassis number will be required before the Differential can be shipped.
GearLab Motorsport Billet 6082-T6 Finned Differential Cover Solid Mount.
Two versions available Check out our eBay shop.
Available for the E46 M3 2000-2006
Check out some of the upgrades.
• Machined from billet T6 aluminium.
• Improved oil flow.
• Improved design to improve cooling efficiency and heat dispersion.
• Sintered Muffler silencer breather to reduce case pressures ventilation, Sintered to avoid any debris or contamination entering the differential.
• Increased oil capacity.
• Oil breather baffling plate.
• Pre-machined blind hole for oil temperature sensor.
• Directional fluid flow gallery to reduce aeration.
• Includes 2 pin Temperature sensor which monitors 0°C to 180°C ideal for race applications or fast road users. (2 pin male connector 1PR)
• Increased strength over OE stock cover.
• 10mm solid mounting support (to avoid the common crack on the OE stock cover)
• Neodymium magnetic swarf collection plug optional.
• Laser printed Gearlab logo
• Oil cooler compatibility.
• Inlet and outlet ports for oil cooler or catch can. (AN8)
• Fitting kit included (X8 12.9g High tensile Allen head securing bolts)
• Anodized in two colours Black or Silver
A must for any Fast road, Trackday, Club Motorsport or Competition Spec M3.
Most clients never think of how important Differential Cooling is. We Cool our engines, Water Coolant and even our Cabin but rarely do Clients cool there Differential.
We spend £€$ 1000s on our Differentials and it only makes sense to implement proper Cooling.
A Differential running temps of 80°C to 100°C will perform better than one running temps in excess of 120°C upto 150°C.
When the differential reaches these temperatures the clutch plates within the LSD will start to slip due to the heat! which is a definite no no when your out on track.
By running a Differential cooler you promote longevity of the LSD, Clutch pack, Ring & Pinion, seals and bearings.
Once a Differential exceeds temps of 110°C the oil viscosity is also compromised causing oil degradation and the protection the oil offers is lower than desired.
In the past the only way to solve this problem was to either drop the oil after every session or implement a Diff cooler. A diff cooler is a great way of dropping temps dramatically, by removing the hot oil from the differential and passing it through a cooler, the cooled down oil can now re-enter the differential cooled and ready for another cycle.
Introducing the oil back into the differential is also important, traditionally the only way to feed the oil back into the differential was to flow it into the level plug located on the side of differential punkin / main case.
The problem with this method is that by introducing the oil in this way causes alot of aeration within the oil. The oil is being forced into the differential in the wrong direction distributing the flow of oil. Not something you want when trying to keep the oil cool.
By directing the oil in to the side case the flow of oil within the Differential is disturbed.
Our solution is to direct the feed of oil from the top of the differential cover in the same directional flow as the oil, this reduces the chances or aeration and also moves oil to key area's where it is needed.
We are able to do this via a clever design within the rear case, we installed ports where oil can travel from the bottom of the case up to the top and then directed straight into the oil pathway.
There is no option to flow the oil in this way on a standard case simply because of clearance issues.
The oil ways and galleries within the Differential are designed to travel in one direction flowing in a oval-shaped pattern, the oil starts at the bottom of the differential case and then is moved throughout the differential via the crown wheel, the crown wheel acts like a kind of pump, think of it like a (water wheel) the teeth on the crown wheel act as paddles moving the oil around the differential.
The oil starts at the bottom of the differential and then moves towards the rear the cover, the oil then flows over the rear cover where it is directed to bearings and oil galleries, the cover also acts as a large heat sink for cooling the differential.
The importance of the rear case and how it moves oil is paramount and must not be over looked, after all the rear case is the point to where the oil changes direction and oil is directed. The distance also between the profile to where the crown wheel passes the rear case is also a part of the case that requires scrutiny. This is because the distance between the crown wheel and rear cover must be at the perfect distance, so that the oil is not paddled up the case and then waterfalls back into the main case or is not too close that it causes more aeration with the oil as it compresses against the cover. There is an optimum distance that needs to be acquired in order for the flow to travel correctly.
We have spent alot of time designing and testing the rear diff cover to make sure it performs in the real world.
The oil then flows over the top of the main case where it is directed into oil galleries where it finds its way to the front and rear Pinion bearings, the oil then flows through return galleries back to the bottom of the main case and the cycle starts over.
Our rear case also implements a sintered bronze muffler which reduces case pressures and also stops any contamination or debris entering the differential. Case pressures are also a key area thats often over looked as most dont realise that a differential creates pressure, that heat and pressure must be dispersed this in terns helps with temps and also helps to avoid leaking or weeping from seals.
We also implemented a chamber and baffle cover to prevent any oil from existing the differential which can be a problem when using a original cover.
Blocking up the breather is always not advised as this can cause seals to leak oil.
The cover also comes with its own temperature sensor which reads temps from 0°C to 180°C perfect for monitoring differential temps, we located the sensor in a central position on the case and with a blind hole port to avoid direct contact with oil and air which can give inconsistent readings.
By piloting the sensor we get a more uniform temperature reading from the case.
These improvements all help increase the performance, oil life and economy of your differential.
No more cracked mounting brackets which are common on the OE stock cover. The cover is specifically designed to minimise aeration within the oil, this helps to reduce heat, viscosity loss and degradation of the oil.
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