Changing oil in differential

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

09-08-2009, 02:51 AM

#11

67t5ponycoupe

5th Gear Member

Join Date: Jan 2006

Location: Colorado

Posts: 3,946

If they are a reputable shop and not over charging you for the work it would be a good opprotunity to do a visual inspection on the gears and bearings. These cars are pretty old and one of the things thats that get over looked while doing maintenance is the rear end. If you don't care about that stuff just suck it out and put new in.

09-09-2009, 11:19 AM

#12

snorulz

2nd Gear Member

Join Date: Mar 2007

Location: WI

Posts: 277

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2+2GT

The disadvantage to removing the diff is you have to replace the seals and gaskets. I don't see the big attraction for having a drain. Ten years from now, if you even still own the car, you might be thinking about changing it again. Lessee, stick tube in diff, draw out oil, pump in new oil, 15 minutes, tops. Or you can pull the axles and diff, clean out all the oil to prevent fire, drill drain hole, weld on drain bung, replace wheel seals, coupla hours. So now having the drain makes changing the diff oil a minute quicker, since you don't have to insert the drain hose. If you change the oil every year (ridiculous, I know) in only 50 or 60 years you might break even on the work it took to install the drain.

It is much more than a minute difference. 10 seconds to pull the drain plug. Now you can walk away and do something else so this time does not count. Filling will take about 3 minutes so it takes 3 minutes and 10 seconds with a drain and 15 with a pump. Every time you save 11 minutes and 50 seconds. Going to pay back much faster than 50 years. The other side is I already own a welder and would have to go buy a vacuum pump if I wanted to suck the oil out.

What gaskets and seals are you talking about? I just built/rebuilt a 9" and I will not be using any gaskets or seals in places that would be damaged by pulling the pumpkin. RTV where the pumpkin attaches and the bearings I bought for the axles are sealed. All I have to do is put a little rtv around the outer edge when I install the axles. I put in a drain because their was never going to be a better opportunity to do so.

If I just wanted to change the oil in my 8" I have currently would I pull the pumpkin? Most likely, I would want to see what the gears looked like and get all the oil out. You have no idea how much oil you are getting out if you use a pump. I plan on changing my oil much more than once ever 10 years.

09-09-2009, 04:34 PM

#13

67mustang302

6th Gear Member

Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: California

Posts: 10,468

RTV works, anaerobic sealer is good as well for flat metal-metal mating surfaces.

09-10-2009, 07:52 AM

#14

snorulz

2nd Gear Member

Join Date: Mar 2007

Location: WI

Posts: 277

thanks 67mustang302, I will try the anaerobic sealer when I finally get around to installing the axles in the rear.

09-10-2009, 11:45 AM

#15

67mustang302

6th Gear Member

Join Date: Apr 2007

Location: California

Posts: 10,468

Anaerobic is what is used on TREMEC transmissions and most factory stuff(transmissions and diffs) these days. They've done away with gaskets. Just make sure the mating surfaces are both flat.

09-10-2009, 01:55 PM

#16

2+2GT

6th Gear Member

Join Date: May 2009

Location: PA

Posts: 5,232

Quote:

Originally Posted by snorulz

I plan on changing my oil much more than once every 10 years.

Why? Is it a racing vehicle? Track or drag?

09-11-2009, 07:34 AM

#17

snorulz

2nd Gear Member

Join Date: Mar 2007

Location: WI

Posts: 277

Because i want to, going 10 years just doesn't seem right. No its not a racing vehicle but i do tend to drive it hard. I have way to much time and a fair amount of money tied up in it that I will do anything I can to prolong the life of it.