1955 Cad Eldorado PUMPKIN?????

[RandyK]

This is a new one for me!!
Car is in the shop. Being told the PUMPKIN is leaking?  Never heard of this before.  Thought the guy was messing with me with Halloween coming soon!  So, who can explain this oe and where would I get another one?
What is tye part really called?
Randy
Dallas, Texas

[J. Gomez]

This is a new one for me!!
Car is in the shop. Being told the PUMPKIN is leaking?  Never heard of this before.  Thought the guy was messing with me with Halloween coming soon!  So, who can explain this oe and where would I get another one?
What is tye part really called?
Randy
Dallas, Texas

Randy,

Your mechanic term "PUMPKIN" is generally used to refer "to the rear differential", so it is not a Halloween prank.   

As to where this term came from not sure maybe from the old "hot rod" world, may be someone can chime in, just too lazy to do a Google search.   

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

To be precise, the great lump of cast iron in the centre of the diff, that holds the Crown Wheel and Pinion, and what the tail shaft attaches to.

For it to be leaking, usually it means that the gasket between the Pumpkin and the Steel Axle Housing is leaking.

To fix it, the axles and tailshaft have to be removed so the Pumpkin can be removed, and the gasket replaced.

As for where the word Pumpkin came from I am not sure, but a Removeable Pumpkin is like in a "Front-loading" Diff, as against the Rear Loading Diff which has a tin plate at the back to access the internals.   I suppose the Ford 9" centre looks like a Pumpkin when it is out.

Bruce.

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

I have a '55 Eldorado that had a "leaky" rear end.

Check the pinon gear seal (at the front of the differential).
That's a likely source of the leak.  I had mine replaced (twice) before the mechanic got it right.

Mike