Rust on the inside Differential Cover

[FiNorman]

While I was out of town a buddy of mine took my axles to a shop to get them serviced... they later called me to tell me that there was a bunch of water inside of the diff but the damage wasn't too bad.

I decided to take the covers off because I was going to powder coat them a brushed aluminum and found that they had pitting rust on the inside. It's strange, almost like there is a vertical water line.

Even if I could use rust converter and sand blast wire wheel the inside of the cover out do you think that I should get new covers to replace these?

 

[Tin Medic]

You should be fine with those covers. Once they are cleaned I dont know if I would use any kind of sealer, just re-install them.

 

[thiswontbetooexpensive]

That is the line that wasn't covered in water/had water in it.

Mine had the same thing. When I had them off, I sandblasted them and coated the inside with a clear spray paint to prevent further rusting. If you don't keep the water off, the rust will continue.

Remember that there is no pressure on the covers from the inside. If you don't knock a hole in one, it shouldn't leak through. My rear AMC20 cover had some pits in it, but not bad. I wasn't worried about the integrity of it all all when I put it back on.

 

[FiNorman]

Cleaned it up, powder coated the outside and they look nice.... I will be powder coating the bolts a deep metallic blue