Here’s another educational experiment from our favorite Russian scientists.
February 11, 2023 at 4:34 am ET
Garage 54a YouTube channel that focuses on automotive experiments, recently conducted another one, this time involving a Lada, its differential and frozen water.
The idea behind this strange experiment was to see if the Lada could be freed with its differential full of frozen water. Our favorite Russian “scientists” started by draining any fluid that might have been in the differential, cleaning out any residue, and then pouring water into it. The car was left outside in the cold overnight, and after a few days the team started the engine to see if it had enough power to move the car, simulating what could happen when a car is left outside for the winter
The team noticed that the engine did not have enough power to move the axle and the gearbox was fine, but the rear differential would not move. They concluded that the engine’s power was going through a reduction gear and that the engine simply could not handle the task. The team also noticed that the old differential fluid was in very poor condition and had turned into an emulsion, which is oil mixed with water.
At the end of the day, the team tried to free the frozen differential by using a torch to heat it. They aimed to heat the differential housing, axle shafts and the differential itself in an attempt to free the mechanism.
After a few minutes, with the torch turned on at a high temperature, the team expected the metal to heat up and melt the ice. After a while, the car finally moved. The team concluded that the key to freeing the differential was to heat the differential housing, axle shafts, and the differential itself.
It is important to note that attempting to free a frozen differential is not recommended for the inexperienced and could result in damage to the vehicle and endanger the safety of people around the vehicle. This experiment was conducted in a controlled environment by professional mechanics and should not be replicated by anyone without the appropriate knowledge and experience.
