I was under the rear of my car today trying to figure out how to change the gear oil in the rear end. I happened to grap the driveshaft and rotated it. There is what appears to be play in the ring and pinion. I pulled the fill plug and can not feel any oil that I can reach with my finger. Is there an easy way to remove the diff cover without dropping the entire IRS to check the gears and diff before I drop money for new parts?

 

That's the way they are for both the backlash and the oil. The old rule is you should fill oil until it's at the bottom of the hole. wrong. That's too much. You'll have leaky seals!!! When you refill just put 1.8 bottles in and your tube of friction modifier. Those rear ends take 3.75 pints. there 2pints per quart minus the friction modifier. As far as getting the cover off??? I'm not an IRS owner. If your that worried, stick a magnetic line in there and see what you come up with. Mass sludge is fine, but shiny particles are not!