Mazda 323 GTX Center Differential Lock Button

the center differential wont unlock itself when i hit the button. the button just depresses, but the light stays on and the differential stays locked. Anyone have any experience with this?

Try reversing a few feet, pulling forward a few feet, and repeating for a bit. Alternatively, try finding a spot with a good bump in the road and just drive over it at 10mph, sometimes that little jiggle on the driveline is enough to let it come undone.

As the cars get older, the mechanism in the t-case starts to stick. You may need to dig into the underside of the car to get it fixed, but in my experience you may be OK doing the forward reverse thing for a bit.

Don't drive in tight arcs with it locked, you can break stuff from the binding.

Only lock it when you're going to rally on loose surfaces.

Dave

Or,


put a piece of tape over the light.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2011 01:37PM by john vanlandingham.

Quote
john vanlandingham
put a piece of tape over the light.

While I'm all about that for a fix to a check engine light, driving around a GTX with the diff locked is a recipe for certain diff failure.

If it won't turn off in short order, there is a way to manually do it...but I don't remember how to do it.

Dave

Quote
DaveK

Quote
john vanlandingham
put a piece of tape over the light.

While I'm all about that for a fix to a check engine light, driving around a GTX with the diff locked is a recipe for certain diff failure.


Dave

Well would turning the radio up real loud help with that?

Is there an external lever or stumpy thing to turn or is that sumpin other Japonaise box?

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Quote
DaveK
If it won't turn off in short order, there is a way to manually do it...but I don't remember how to do it.

Dave

You have to take the diff lock motor off the transfer case and actuate it manually. It's a pull or push with a 90deg rotation but I've never done it myself. You can look it up on the Yahoo archive. I do know where the motor is located so good luck if your hands aren't girlish and tiny

well its a good thing they are then



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/24/2011 09:40PM by WRCWRXSTI.

The most common failure mode of the difflock moptor is that the motor magnets, being glued to the inside of the housing with what appears to be Elmer's, simply fall off one fine day and that's that. Once you get the damn motor off the trans and apart, it's an easy fix, what with the cleaning off of the housing and magnest and the liberal application of Devcon. In any case, ya wanna run that centerdiff unlocked or the poor thing will die a horrible death.
Sometimes it's an easier fix than that, just a fuse, but since you have a light at the switch, that ain't it. Check continuity 'tween the switch and the motor, in case it's a chafed wire. but I'm gonna guess unglued motor magnets.
I have a nice clean gone through difflock motor in my shed for sale in case you're wanting a spare---and some millen panasports and maybe some doors and a rear hatch and who knows whatall else....

Quote
DaveK
Try reversing a few feet, pulling forward a few feet, and repeating for a bit. Alternatively, try finding a spot with a good bump in the road and just drive over it at 10mph, sometimes that little jiggle on the driveline is enough to let it come undone.

As the cars get older, the mechanism in the t-case starts to stick. You may need to dig into the underside of the car to get it fixed, but in my experience you may be OK doing the forward reverse thing for a bit.

Don't drive in tight arcs with it locked, you can break stuff from the binding.

Only lock it when you're going to rally on loose surfaces.

Dave

i tried driving forward and reversing for quite a while, as well as driving over several bumps at varying speeds, but still no luck. so this mechanism is located in the transmission case? any tips on finding this thing and unlocking it manually?

oh i gotta seperate the motor from the transmission...

no ya don't! you need to locate the difflock motor on the backside of the trans, sorta under the intake manifold. There are I think 3 std bolts, and one special bolt that you have to turn halfway to get the shaft to unlock. It's fairly obvious which bolt that is, and I could tell you, if i had a functioning memory. but once you get that far, you can pull the shaft by hand, button it up, and forget about it if you want. no need to separate engine and go through all that rot.

Quote
WRCWRXSTI
oh i gotta seperate the motor from the transmission...

No. You need to get a BOOK.

You cannot own a car and rely on intra-webs forums to after days and days give you ideas that you could know the correct answer to in 2 minutes..
Book
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?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

damnit! i had it unlocked for such a long time and then i accidentally hit it again while trying to put a cigarette into the cig tray... looks like ill have to just buy the damn manual and find that diff lock motor.

Technically you are required to have the book to rally anyway it is in the rules somewhere that a shop manual must be presented at tech if requested. (I think for all classes but it might only be PGT and P) It is a good book by the way.

Mine would take a long time to unlock.

once you get it unlocked, disconnect the switch....

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---** To be in compliance with the Anarchy **---
Jorden R. Kleier
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
1990 Mazdog Protege 4WD
1973