Aluminum Differential covers

[bcpalmer]

Those of you that have added aluminum differential covers, do you think they have actually lowered the fluid temperatures? I am considering adding one on the rear differential for towing reasons. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Dieselnerd]

I have one on my '96. The parts I like best are the drain plug and the magnetic dipstick that acts like a filter to remove all the fine metal particles instead of letting them circulate with the oil. Cooler? I don't know but my guess would be that it is.

 

[Mark Craig]

bcpalmer,



The main reasons we got into distributiing the aluminum transmission and diff covers is for their ability to lower fluid temps, in most cases 20-35 degrees. The biggest problem we see out there is a lot of the covers are powder coated and that is one of the best insulators out there and actually hurts the covers ability to "throw" off the fluid heat. Some of the covers also add so much fluid, especially the transmission pans, that it actually over runs the stock coolers ability to cool the fluid quickly after a long uphill pull. The PMl pans add 2-4. 5 quarts depending on what truck and trans and get the same degree of cooling as others that add as much as 8 quarts, but the PML cools off on the down hill side of the grade much quicker. They are also anodized, to protect the finish but are NOT powder coated to help drop- as much temp as possible as fast as possible. They come with magnetic drain plugs as well as temp sender bosses if you want to add a diff or transmission temp gauge too!



Mark @ DPPI



Mark @ DPPI

 

[Cattletrkr]

I have the Mag-Hytec rear diff cover and it serves its purpose. I dind't know about PML when I order my Mag otherwise I would have gone with the PML which is about $100 cheaper. I like the looks of the Mag, but I bought the cover simply to have a drainplug. I have no idea if it actually runs any cooler, but for me that's just kind of a bonus if it does.



If you want a sweet looking cover that'll add capacity and is supposed to drop temp, get the Mag. If all you're after is simple drop in temp and a drain plug, the PML is the way to go. JMO

 

[Bertram65]

PML is the way to go, it has been covered a bunch of times.

The Mag does not use all the factory bolts, the dipstick is not calibrated for the differential so you end up over filling the diff by about 2 quarts if yo ugo by the dipstick, uses tiny allen headed fill and drain plugs that are prone to freezing in the fill and drain holes, and it uses a O-ring seal instead of the simple factory reuseable rubber gasket.

The PML uses all the factory bolts, has a simple fill hole/level indicator just like factory, has large bolt head fill and drain plugs, and uses the factory gasket. The PML is also a $100 cheaper, but even at the same price it is a much better cover.

 

[Cattletrkr]

The Mag does not use all the factory bolts, the dipstick is not calibrated for the differential so you end up over filling the diff by about 2 quarts if yo ugo by the dipstick, uses tiny allen headed fill and drain plugs that are prone to freezing in the fill and drain holes, and it uses a O-ring seal instead of the simple factory reuseable rubber gasket.

Using all the factory bolts... so. A complete non-issue.



Dipstick--I filled mine the second time to the factory level and it hummed, dumped a little more oil in 5K later and the hum went away. Factory level is over-rated. Don't go nuts (i. e. up to the top mark on dipstick) on the oil or it might foam, but a little over "full" is OK, at least in my limited experience. The Mag also has a "fill" hole where the factory level would be if you chose to use it.



I instinctively checked the plugs BEFORE I installed the cover just to make sure they were OK and I haven't had any problems. I don't really like the stupid little allen headed thingys, but they do work.



Nuttin' wrong with the o-ring seal. Yeah the factory seal is good enough, but it's not any better than the o-ring.



Sorry Bertram65, not trying to flame here, but you make it sound like the Mag is an inferior product when it isn't. It's just different. It kinda sounds like I'm contradicting myself here 'cause if I were to do it all over again I'd go with the PML just 'cause of cost. The Mag is definently a quality product.

 

[GerryDrake]

Using all the factory bolts... so. A complete non-issue.



Dipstick--I filled mine the second time to the factory level and it hummed, dumped a little more oil in 5K later and the hum went away. Factory level is over-rated. Don't go nuts (i. e. up to the top mark on dipstick) on the oil or it might foam, but a little over "full" is OK, at least in my limited experience. The Mag also has a "fill" hole where the factory level would be if you chose to use it.



I instinctively checked the plugs BEFORE I installed the cover just to make sure they were OK and I haven't had any problems. I don't really like the stupid little allen headed thingys, but they do work.



Nuttin' wrong with the o-ring seal. Yeah the factory seal is good enough, but it's not any better than the o-ring.



Sorry Bertram65, not trying to flame here, but you make it sound like the Mag is an inferior product when it isn't. It's just different. It kinda sounds like I'm contradicting myself here 'cause if I were to do it all over again I'd go with the PML just 'cause of cost. The Mag is definently a quality product.

I'm glad you addressed this, because I thoroughly agree. The Mag-Hytec, though a bit more expensive, is a quality product, fills and drains well, seals with no leaks, and I would put one on the front end if they made that one. I think Bertram and I will just have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[MMeier]

Just installed my Mag-Hytek rear cover a couple of nights ago. So far so good, looks *****in', and the extra capacity has to help keeping the lube a bit cooler , or at the very least take a lot longer to get hotter then the stock cover did. My . 02 Oh, and where the heck did that phrase " will just have to agree to disagree on this one " come from !!

 

[GerryDrake]

Oh, and where the heck did that phrase " will just have to agree to disagree on this one " come from !!

If you read his post (#5) above, you will see that speaking of the PML he said "but even at the same price it is a much better cover". . and I disagree. That is where the phrase came from.

 

[MMeier]

Yes Gerry I saw that, it's just that I have had this phrase used on me "recently" and trying to figure out how it came about, thats all !

 

[GerryDrake]

I think it likely has been around for eons, as to me it means just what the words say. The one that gets me is "at this point in time"... why not just say 'now' ????





Anyway, back to the covers. I found the following very interesting in Mark's post. "Some of the covers also add so much fluid, especially the transmission pans, that it actually over runs the stock coolers ability to cool the fluid quickly after a long uphill pull" ..... I had never thought of that, but it seems valid.

 

[Bertram65]

I think the Mag is a decent cover, I just don't like how they handled the problem with the first covers they sold for the Dodge that had the O-ring setup wrong. I am also not impressed that the dipstick read full when the diff is actually 2 quarts over filled, if you are going to bother to have it make it read the correct level. Agree to disagree.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I am also not impressed that the dipstick read full when the diff is actually 2 quarts over filled.

You wouldn't think it would be that hard for Mag to put another mark on the dipstick. Just choose which one you want to use. Does running the oil level higher than factory cause any problems with leaky outer axle seals? (terminology?)



Has anyone out there painted their cover?? I've seen a few with neon colors to match other accents on the truck. Just wondering.

 

[ReevesRacing]

Are polished aluminum covers available from anyone? Don't really care for the look of black with polished cooling fins... or cooling fins in general.

 

[Bertram65]

PML offers them polished, here is the link that actually shows the Dodge cover polished, http://www.yourcovers.com/dc_10361.shtml

 

[robert4570]

I had a Maghytec rear diff cover on my 99drw 3500 . Awesome product , looked too good to leave the truck unattended in a rural setting . I always kept the stock cover,bolts, permatex , and lube in my tool box ,just in case .

i knew of one cover that was stolen while parked at a boat ramp.

Damn shame .