I'm about to put on a new axle on the centurion, but I noticed that it had a hole on the axle shaft that looked suspicious. I took a look on the Riv and this is what is supposed to be in the hole, some kind of valve or something? Right now it's just a hole with a broken plastic piece still left in it, what should I do about this, try to get another one of these, or just bolt it up? Hmmm,,, could it be like an air valve for when things get hot in there?
Its a vent for the rear end. Someone sells them, but for the life of me I can't remember who. Remove this and install a new one so water wont get in the rear.
If someone knows who sells them or what they are called more specifically that would be great. I'm also hitting the yard on Friday so I'll try to extract a used one then.
If you go to your local Pep Boys or other auto store that carries a big selection of "Help" items by Motormite, they should have it there.
Yep you'll want to replace it . It is a vent . Without that piece dirt , water , and ........ Could mess ya up . :rant: And i'd try a GM dealership first . Ya never know . :Smarty: p p :TU:
another thing to know about the vent on a rear axle housing is ....if the rearend had no vent, pressure would build inside as the rearend heated up while you were driving. the pressure would eventually blow rearend grease past the axle seals and into the brake drums :shock: . so a working vent is a good thing to have. sometimes if you buy a used car that has been setting around for a few years .. before driving it the first thing you wanna check is the axle housing for dirt/mud dobber wasp nest on the vent. if there is one and you havent found it, shorlty after you start driving it the rear wheel seals will start leaking. most times the nest will break off from hitting a few bump and you may never know it was there. these nests are not usually found by people but if you look closely on some old housings you can see where there may have once been a nest. most times the remnants and/or nests dont stay around for long due to driving in the rain and washing the car. i bet napa has them (vents ...not the nests) new.
its called a "rear axle housing vent" in the gm mater parts book. grp. 5.387 number part numbers for 72 big cars are... 1235274 for the 350 eng and a B or O axle code 3993462 for the 350 eng and a C or K axle code 231092 for all 72 B,C & E w/455 eng exc. wgn
I wasn't able to locate a new one, so today I got one from a car at the yard instead. I also put the diff cover on, and we're ready to go. Hopefully I can make the axle change during this weekend.
