Differential Breather Mod for Dummies (Pics)

Read the entire scuba mod and you may change your mind. With some milage on your truck, dipping your hot diff in the water may be enough to suck water into your diff through your axle seals. Jus' Sayin'

 

^^Hes giving good advice

I'm still trying to research a little more info on that tranny breather. i think i want to get my hands on one of those breathers with the silver cap and take it off to see if a hose will be able to attach to it.

did you see that video i made and posted on the scuba mod page HBMurphy?

 

No. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!

 

So after reading through this thread, I've got a question... and I think I know the answer but I'd like some more experienced insight.

This mod is needed whenever your rear diff is going to be submerged... so I haven't done any wheelin yet but I launch jet skis in the river 2-3 times per week, one of them being a stand up jet ski that I keep in the bed... so when I launch we back the truck up with the tailgate down, to the point where the tailgate is practically touching the water (you can hear the exhaust gurgling even, and its cut off right after the muffler so its pretty high).

I'd say I DEFINITELY need to do this mod, considering I have the entire axle sitting under water for a minute or two at a time...

does it make a difference if the truck isn't warmed up? so if I'm pulling the jet skis OUT of the water when we're done, and all I do is start up the truck and back it from the parking lot down the ramp... will that little stock valve probably still be closed? does it take quite a bit of runtime for that little guy to start opening and closing to let out pressure?

 

You are prob okay. Just back up to the point that your rear slowly until you have it in about one third - probalby good to wait here a minute. Your rear end will cool and you breather will close. Then back in. If you want to be safe. Just do the mod.

 

Ok cool, thanks!

 

Key word - cool - as in cool it down before you submerge.

 

haha well said

 

Picked up the union and breather from Toyota dealer last week ($12) and think today is a good day to do the mod... I already have the yellow tube from Lowes. Looks like I will drop the spare tire for easy access, and that means I can invert the spare to access the air valve to keep the pressure in check... My last two Tacos had the air valve pointing down... strange they made it impossible to check the air in the spare on the 2010?

 

Okay, did the mod today.. a little diferent in the location of the breather... instead of the fuel filler bay, I put it in the bed side storage compartment (no chance of fuel getting into the tube!)... I have several photos and will post them... Here is the link to my intallation photos and text: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/111954-my-differential-breather-mod-photos.html

 

Just following up. When I did this mod, the hex part seated all the way down to my diff.

Is this how is supposed to be?
How many wraps of teflon did yall use?

I thought I used enough. Mine went in fairly easy / smoothly and the wrench didn't start feeling pressure till that lip started hitting the diff.

 

i know this is a tottaly retarded question but, what is a differential breather?

 

Well the video explains it, but in simple terms it is a one way check valve to release pressure in the diff.

 

I think I would want it to feel snug before it bottomed out... I wrapped the teflon tape three times. My tape is the 3/4" wide kind and so you can see the excess over the hex in this photo:

 

My union was coated black and I put like 6 wraps on it. I had the excess around the hex part but mine bottomed out. Hmmm... should I re-do it?

 

How can you not know...there are 3 threads, including mine discussing this!??

Just for you my friend... a recap of my thread on the mod:

My 2010 went through some 3 foot muddy water in Baja last May and my differential was contaminated... had the oil changed. The breather mod puts a two way breather up high, so it is out of the water and allows air back into the differential so muddy water doesn't get sucked in through the axle seals.

The two parts from Toyota cost about $12 together:



Buy 6 feet of 3/8 x 5/8 pressure tube from Lowes (if you like the yellow)... cheap.



Remove the breather (on the left side of the differential) with a 14 mm or 9/16 or adjustable wrench.





Screw in the 'union' with a couple wraps of teflon tape on the threads...



Attach the tube to the union and secure with a hose clamp... leave plenty of slack so the hose doesn't get pulled when the axle moves.



Some run their tube into the fuel filler bay, I ran mine into the side storge compartment, after drilling a 5/8" hole.



The new two way breather next to the one way breather off the differential...



In place...

 

Wow... It should be snug with no tape... but 6 layers and it still bottomed out? I wonder why yours was different (black)? Perhaps tell others what part # you ordered so they can avoid it and get the union that was recommended here (the silver/ metal one)?

 

Edit: post N/A

 

If you look at the OP, I ordered those exact same parts and they look exactly the same. His is black and not silver (

$8 90404-51026 Intake Air Control Valve Union

90404-51026). And it looks like his bottomed out.

One thing I did differently then you guys... I used CLEAR reinforced tubing from Home Depot. I don't know about ya'll but I would want to know if there is condensation build up in the hose or any type of debris.

 

I see what happened, you bought a different union than what the rest of us bought.