How often should I Change Front and rear differential fluid?
How often should I Change Front and rear differential fluid?
How often you should change front and rear differential fluid depends on your vehicle, driving conditions and differential fluid quality. That’s a vague answer, but it’s true. If you drive your truck primarily on the highway in temperate conditions and rarely tow or haul, you likely don’t need to change front or rear differential fluid very often.
Where is the differential fluid located on a rear wheel drive car?
Owners of rear-wheel-drive cars will find that their differential fluid is located at the rear of the car, which is why a mechanic will recommend having the rear end checked or having the rear end fluid changed. Front-wheel-drive cars will have the differential in the front of the car.
What kind of oil do I need for front differential?
Might be possible to fill directly from gear oil bottle, but the pump system worked well. For the Front you will need a 8mm allen key or allen socket for both the fill and drain plugs. The recommended fluid is synthetic 75w85 gear oil.
What does it mean when your differential oil is leaking?
Differential fluid often looks just like motor oil. Once again, you’ll have to put your eyes on the leak to determine its origin. Usually, if you have a leak at the rear of your vehicle and it’s rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, it means your differential is leaking. Differential oil usually has a distinctive smell.
When should you change your differential fluid?
Most manufacturers recommend that the differential fluid be changed every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. It is a messy job, and should be done by a licensed mechanic.
What differential fluid to use?
Designations for differential fluid may vary between different countries, though in the US the American Petroleum Institute (API) refers to them by gear lubricant (GL) numbers. Most differentials tend to use GL-4 or GL-5 differential fluid.
How do you change differential fluid?
Differential fluid can be changed in various ways depending on the vehicle as well as the tools the repair shop has on hand to drain and refill the fluid. Some of the more modern shops will possibly own an extractor that will not only remove the old fluid but will also refill with new fluid.
How often should you get rear differential service?
The normal service interval for the differential is 90,000 miles so if you cut that in half you should have no issues. The severe service interval is 60,000.
