let me tell you what my dunbass did..

y'all know those removable caps on the lids of gear oi? i got one in my rear diff while i was changing the diff oil. don't ask.
obviously i am not overly worried about some piece of soft plastic getting chewed up by the gears but could it screw up my LSD? i used to put LSD additive in with the wallyword gear oil but i used valvoline gear oil for LSD diffs, just as well right?
i went for a ride afterwards and didnt hear anything unusual over the damn nexen tire whine.

 

Hmmm

 

Sounds like too much LSD.

 

man i wish i loved that stuff.....ahh good times good times

 

Is it funny you spelled dumbass wrong or just sad

 

Not dumbass, dunbass just like the OP spelled it.

 

This is another dun bass. Catch a bass like this and you're dun.

 

Oil bottles are made of high density polyethylene - the cap will float in the gear oil (it will not precipitate out or sink to the bottom) which means it will likely be pulverized by the gear sets. I would be concerned over time, smaller and smaller pieces of the HDPE would be circulated through the bearings, gears, and perhaps cause damage to the seals - pinion and axles. I don't know that HDPE has any inherent lubrication properties, so, it could potentially inhibit lubrication of a gear or bearing if some were to accumulate - HDPE melts at about 250-260 degrees - on a hot metal surface, a gear or bearing not being cooled by gear oil circulation - like after a shutdown. I would drain and refill, and hope to get all the HDPE material out.

 

I'd have to get that sumbitch out of there before I was able to sleep at night.

Axles might have come out or the pumpkin might have been plucked, but there is no way I'd leave it. I'm guessing you're diff will be perfectly fine though. Bearings might be the worst of it. Melted plastic and/or plastic particles won't be good for them.

I once dropped a nut down the oil valley in a 4Runner while replacing the head gaskets. The oil pan had to be removed to fetch the nut. What a kick in the nuts for a job that already sucked major ass.

 

^Lost a socket into the valley of a 4.0 Ranger once doing headgaskets, took that mofo all back down looking for it. Damn thing was on the crossmember the whole time...

As for the oil lid, I would just drive it.

 

That's curious...why would you leave the lid in the rear end, to be pulverized and circulate HDPE particles throughout the gears and bearings? You've done something similar before, and know it won't hurt anything? Just wondering - of course it's not yours or my truck.

 

Not gonna hurt a thing.

Rally racers have been carrying zip lock bags of gear oil for years. They put the bag and all in the 3rd member and put the member back together and finish the race.

I will admit that my OCD would require me to change the oil in the very near future. I'd just wait a bit until it is good and chewed up so all comes out with the oil.

 

Because its a little plastic piece that'll get chewed up.

 

Had that happen to me last year. Just because of my OCD, I opted to disassemble the third member to get that sucker out

 

Thought the op was gonna say he traded his 2nd gen in for a 3rd gen.

 

I wouldnt even be able to sleep knowing it was in there.

 

Just remove the diff cover and remove it....done!

 

No diff cover.

 

Thats how I would feel about it, I would have gone after it then and there.