Hi I just replaced my rear diff 2003 legacy l model 2.5l and I can drive a little way maybe 5 miles and feel of it and its too hot to touch it has fluid in it. by the way my last rear went out cause of overheating could it be a wheel bearing or something my wheels are not hot brakes and e brakes are not stuck this is my first Subaru and its not going so well hope I can fix this and my thoughts on this car Thanks in advance

what was the donor vehicle?

 

will the car smoothly idle thru tight circles in a parking lot? no jerking?

Hi I just replaced my rear diff 2003 legacy l model 2.5l and I can drive a little way maybe 5 miles and feel of it and its too hot to touch it has fluid in it. by the way my last rear went out cause of overheating could it be a wheel bearing or something my wheels are not hot brakes and e brakes are not stuck this is my first Subaru and its not going so well hope I can fix this and my thoughts on this car Thanks in advance

 

Are your tires all the same size?

Does your new rear diff have the correct gear ratio?

Yeah no jerking around corners the donor was from a 02 legacy and the gear ratio is right  the orginal rear end also got hot but I didn't know anybetter cause I had just bought the car any more ideas

wheel bearings and brakes are not causing the diff to be hot.  those fail *all the time* and never cause what you're describing.

 

 rear end also got hot

 

call 911 immediately!  lol

 

what were the original symptoms?  in other words why did you think the first differential was bad? 

 

something initiated the desire to want to touch it, determine it's hot, and replace it.

 

what is that "something"?  what were the symptoms?
i.e.: binding, jerking, noises, vibrations, dragging, locked up diff, leaking fluid, etc?

 

please detail it preferably with punctuation and specific SYMPTOMS.  we only have words to work with which is really hard when trying to repair something mechanical. be specific and concise and we will be able to tell you what to do next.

did you change the fluid in the diffs? what fluid did you use?

 

do you regularly drive thru high water? (you may need a snorkel on the diff's vent)

 

I've never checked the diff's temp - maybe it always feels hot?

Edited June 22, 201411 yr by 1 Lucky Texan