Brown chunks on rear diff plug.

So I just changed my rear diff fluid and found an unnerving amount of brown rusty looking chunks on my diff plug. Not shiny metal but brown crunchy chunks sticking to the magnet(obviously ferrous). I just got this truck about 2 months ago and had already changed the fluid which was gross and only found one bitty metallic piece, about the size of a grain of sand. Am I looking at needing a diff rebuild or something?

 

Got pics for size/scale/ID?

More important, noticing any symptoms?

 

Dang I shoulda taken pictures. Imagine coffee grounds. Maybe a pinch worth of them. The fluid was brown and opaque. Wasn't surprised since I took it in some deepish water, which is why I changed it.

As far as symptoms, none that I have noticed.

 

If you plan to take it in water again do the breather relocation so you won't have to worry about it.
LINK

 

Funny you mention that, I just ordered the breather adapter this morning.

 

Did you change it cold? You will get water entrainment, especially at the plug if you did, you know oil floats. It will look like coffee grounds in that case. Was it metallic gritty to the touch, or just gritty in appearance?

Unless you had shavings, metal shavings, I would worry.

Edit, I re-read that. One metallic shaving is nothing to worry about. You probably got some scale from the housing. I wouldn't worry unless you start getting leaks at your pinion seal or axle shaft seals.

 

I drained the diff warm. Not hot but I didn't let it fully cool. It was gritty like bits of rust. I could crush it up, unlike metal bits. The guy I bought the truck from lightly used this truck and only changed the basic fluids. I doubt he every changed the fluid. Or at least did rarely.

 

I wouldn't be sweating it. I've found similar in mine (other vehicles) in the past. Chances are you just knocked stuff loose off the inside of the diff while out playing hard.

 

Okay cool thanks! I just talked to a gear head of mine and he told me the same. Told me it's very rare to actually hurt a diff. Maybe I'll just change the fluid on a more frequent interval till all the chunks are out.

 

The important thing is staying on top of the vent/breather so you don't build up excess pressure and blow out seals, throw bearings, etc. Relocating will help with that. Only sharing in case it's not known.

I wasn't exactly stoked about what came out of mine, here's pics and the reply after it shows the magnet smears. https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-1549#post-3084622

I really dunno if/when the previous owner ever changed any of the fluid, I was least stoked about what I found up front.

 

I wouldn't worry about it unless you see big chunky pieces, and even then it'll start making noise when there's truly an issue.