Changed my rear differential oil and...

[Kirwin]

I was suprised how dirty it was. The new stuff is nearly clear. The old stuff was carmel colored and had some metal particles. Contact pattern on the ring gear looked rather gray, not shiny like I was expecting. The gray silt on the bottom was not excessive but I only have 21,000 miles on the truck. It appears that the plugs are magnetic as they both had the normal metal fuzz that you see in the transmission the first time you change it. I was so worried about it I decided to change the front differential oil to see what it looked like. It looked much the same and my truck has only been in 4WD maybe 5 times since new. I realize that the entire front end turns now but there is no load on the front end like there is on the rear differential. I do have limited slip in the rear, but the rear oil was about the same as the front oil. I decided to put the Mopar stuff back in at least to the 36,000 mile mark. I don't remember my Danas causing the oil to be discolored. Has anyone elce had this same experience. Maybe that 15K drain interval that schedule B has is for some reason other that to sell $20 a quart oil. I should be able to extend it some as the Mag-Hytec cover hold 7. 5 quarts. Ken Irwin

 

[mconstable]

Mine was the same at the first change, mechanic commented on how much stuff my magnet that I stuck on the diff cover caught, and I had it changed at or before 15,000 miles.

Not saying that it's OK, just maybe normal for these diff's

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Kids, this is why our first diff oil change should be within the first 5000 miles. Even better. . . 2000 miles. This is what a rear axle builder said. Lots of break-in contamination. . . get rid of it!



Vaughn

 

[Bertram65]

I have seen the Mag covers and I do not see how it adds an additional 3. 5 quarts without raising the level considerably. I have the PML cover which is very close is size and it only added 1 quart for a total of 5. I would check to see where the dipstick puts the oil in relation to the stock fill/level hole, on the PML I measured the height off the ground and the fill/level hole is the same as stock.

 

[Kirwin]

Refill capacity

Bertram65 I don't know what to tell you. Instructions included with the Mag-Hytec cover were really for a Chevy truck with a extra sheet that said that they had eliminated the bottom bolt on the Dodge application to provide more meat around the drain plug boss I guess. They also state that on a stock truck refill capacity should be between 6-8 quarts. There are others on here that have posted about refill capacity with the Mag-Hytec cover being 7-8 quarts. I put in 6 and level came to just below the minimum line on the dipstick. I waited over night and got two more quarts the next day from the dealer, rechecked level that night, then added an additional 1. 5 quarts and I'm just a wisker above the high level line on the dipstick. I drove the truck this weekend and rechecked level Monday night and its still just above the max line. I am planning on installing a Cyberdyne temperature detector in the rear cover soon and maybe I'll let the oil drain out of that hole to see how much oil is above this hole then I can compare that level to the original level of the drain plug in the OEM cover.

I have the Mag-Hytec cover on my 97 also and I think they are a significant improvement over the stock cover and they do what they advetiise they will do. All the above IMHO. Ken Irwin



Vaughn, all I can say is live and learn.

 

[Kirwin]

Vaughn MacKenzie isn't perfect either!

mconstable, Don't let it bother you. I did a search for the proper oil level in the front differential and a post from Mr. MacKenzie showed up. Guess what his post says he hadn't changed his differential oil and he stated that he had 10,000 miles on his new truck!!! :-laf

 

[mconstable]

Thanks... my Brutha...

 

[LightmanE300]

Kirwin, Vaughn is a good guy and frequent poster around here. I don't think he was trying to be patronizing you in particular, I think it was just verbage. . and probably good advice... so I'm not sure what your point is in attempting to rub it in his face.



Have you had any problems with clearance of the rear tire with the new diff covers guys? PML?

 

[Bertram65]

My PML touched the spare when I pulled the 5th wheel for the first time on a couple big bumps. When I got to the campsite I lowered the spare and then pulled it back with a small piece of rope tied to the hitch and cranked it back up again, no problem since. I could only tell it had touched on the top fin of the cover as it left a little black mark.

 

[KBennett]

Kirwin, Vaughn is a good guy and frequent poster around here. I don't think he was trying to be patronizing you in particular, I think it was just verbage. . and probably good advice... so I'm not sure what your point is in attempting to rub it in his face.



Have you had any problems with clearance of the rear tire with the new diff covers guys? PML?

I am with Lightman on this one. If you were familiar with Vaughn's posts he meant no harm.



Are all of you using the factory recommended lube?

 

[Ol'TrailDog]

Okay, okay... . if you kids can't play nice you'll just have to... well... drive chevy diesels. And I don't mean the Isuzus - the old GM diesels. :-{} :-laf

 

[agkrueger]

OUCH!!!! Now thats what I call punishment! :-laf

 

[Kirwin]

All just in fun

I was just trying to have a laugh. I was not trying to slam Vaughn. I have great respect for Mr MacKenzie. I was saying that I am lazy as I knew it was supposed to be changed at 15K. Like I said above, live and learn. I just didn't realize that the AAM axles seem to dirty the oil faster than on my 97. On the 97 I did put the Mag-Hytec cover on at 11K so I guess I did change the original oil earlier. I really did this to get 75-140 that Dodge said to use in the owners manual. The real issue here IMHO is that in schedule A you would never change the differential oil. But if you USE the truck it goes to a 15K service interval? Or maybe my memory isn't as good and the 97 oil was just as dirty



Vaughn Please don't take offense. I was not trying to insult you. If thats the way the post comes accross I appoligise. Ken Irwin

 

[lawdog1]

I just did a front/rear diff fluid change a few weeks ago and I have the Maghytec cover on the rear. I used around 8 quarts total for both diffs. I believe the rear was 5 to 5. 5 quarts and the front 2. 5 to 3 quarts. I had a case of Redline Diff. oil and have several quarts left over (which I can count when I get to the house if a debate ensues... ) I know that the rear did not hold 7 or 8 quarts, but it did hold over 4 quarts and I was surprised/pleased at that. My old front and rear oil looked about the same and the rear oil had been changed at about 3K miles when I first put on the Maghytec. I personally think the 15k interval is too soon after the first fluid change or maybe two to ensure fresh oil after break in. (I am not a frequent heavy tower, though... ) Just my two cents.

 

[Kirwin]

What level did you fill too?

Lawdog1, did you fill your rear differential to the high mark on the Mag-Hytec dip stick? As I said above 6 quarts filled mine to just below the minimum line on the dip stick and 7. 5 quarts filled it to just above the high mark on the dip stick with 24 hours setting in between to allow for the oil to refill the axle tubes. I also let it drain for 24 hours. I also checked it after my next outing with the truck and level is still just above the upper line on the dipstick. I did not jack up the truck to drain the axles. Bertram65 has me wondering how close to the "proper fill line" the upper line on the dip stick is. I'm in the process of figuring out how I'm going to check how the level at the upper line on the dip stick compares to 1/4" below the fill hole on the old cover. Their are no issues with the Mag-Hytec cover and the spare tire on my truck. Plenty of room to install it without dropping the spare. Yes I used the $19/quart factory lube. The Dodge parts girl really likes me!!!

 

[lawdog1]

I filled it through the dipstick hole on the top of the cover. I unscrewed the cap around the middle of the cover face and filled until it started weeping oil like I do with other differential covers. I have never checked the dipstick level... guess I should tonight. I used Redline Synthetic Oil (75w-90 with no limited slip additive), only paid $9 per quart.

 

[Kirwin]

Plug in the back of the Mag-Hytec cover

Lawdog1, check you installation instructions! That plug is for a temperature sender in case you want to monitor your rear differential temperature. It is not a fill line plug. I think you will find that you are low on oil. Not to worry you still have more that the factory says is required for proper lubrication of the differential, but the higher level ensures that the outer axle bearings get sufficient lubrication while the truck is running down the road. Ken Irwin

 

[Tony T.]

Gear Oil

I changed front an rear gear oil at 15,200 miles, it looked very clean to me,no sludge, or gunk of any kind. I replaced with Castrol Syntec 75w-90 full synthetic. I don't find any where in the Owners Manual were it says to change gear oil earlier than 15,000 miles, maybe thats common knowledge to mechanics. The schedule A does not show a time for change , maybe I missed it somewhere. I tow very little here lately, but I would routinely change it for the fact of condesation build up myself. You know I bet there's a lot of people on here that would like to ask a question about something that would be simple to answer for some, but are afraid to be blasted with the "well dumb a$$ it's like this". The reason I even became a member was so I could post questions to alot of very knowledgeable people on this site. Think about the people that have never even heard of the TDR, or what it's all about, I believe their missing out. I know it's helped me.





Have a good Day



Tony

 

[lawdog1]

Well I am F'ing scared now, it took three quarts to get to the high fill mark on the dipstick. I don't hear and have not been hearing any rear end whine or noise, so I guess am fine, but I correctly feel like a Class 1A dumb a!@ for not knowing how to fill it right. Guess it is a good thing I read this post before I drove it 15K with the dang thing half full. If the Lord loves me he will let the diff explode before my warranty expires if it is planning to do so, but knowing my luck I might as well go ahead call the driveline shop and book an appointment for a chunk rebuild for the day after I hit 36,000 miles. I will now signoff before my self-control fails and I begin to type the explicatives which are running through my head...

 

[bombero]

This is what I dont like about this site. A bunch of guy that have more money than sense. How long are you going to keep your truck, with that pretty cover on it? I dont like supporting the oil companies so I will follow DC maintenance schedule. When it first came out, synthetic gear lub was advertised to last forever. Now the stuff DC uses only last 5-15 K miles?? You do what you want but anyone else reading these post should do some other research