Changing Rear Differential Fluid?

[Sky]

Well I got 15k on and alot has been pulling so Im putting the Amsiol 75-140 in. I have never changed it before, My question is how do I do it? Im still learning #ad
. I got under the truck and only see 1 plug in the differential???? I drain from there and fill it from there? Or do I have to take the whole plate off? Thought there may have been 2 plugs. One on top and one on bottom??

Sky

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2001 QuadCab,SWB,Auto, 4X4,4" Flowmaster Exhaust, Bosch 275 Injectors, K&N... ... ... .

 

[Sled Puller]

SUCK IT OUT!
Most people drop the cover and silicone seal it back on. I like to look around in there, for anything out of the ordinary.
If you have limitied slip, don't forget to do several figure 8s to get the lube worked up into the clutch. (Do not do this in public, ask Steve StL!)
Clean the sealing surfaces well. Job is a snap!
Gene

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1997 Cummins Dodge 4x4 Bombed & Amsoiled. Amsoil Premiere Direct Jobber, Member of: NRA Business Alliance, GLTDR, WANTED: Wrecked Dodges.
www.awdist.com

[This message has been edited by MGM (edited 12-19-2000). ]

 

[B.G. Smith]

All of the lube won't even come out with the cover off. You have to mop it out with a lint free cloth. I used the blue silicone, just read on the product label and it will tell you if it is good for that application. bg

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White 99 3500, QC, 3:55, auto. most options except leather, Line-X bed liner, fiberglass running boards Rancho 9000s, bug shield and window vents, black vented 5th wheel tailgate, 100 gal. aux. fuel tank.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Scrape off all the old silicone sealer and clean the surfaces with lacquer thinner (Home Depot and auto parts houses have it). Put on a film of sealer where the parts mate and a gasket would have been in the old days. The film should not be thick--maybe 1/16" thick at most. Most will squeeze out if the surfaces match well and you don't want a big bead of it inside.

 

[Brandon]

permatex Right Stuff
is the best, it is oem available on pressurized bottles and oversized caulking gun tubes

Try it we use it in shop weekly

B... ... ... ...

 

[Paul Somers]

Need to remove pan as prevoius poster stated. There is a small cavity at bottom of chunk that will hold about 1/4 cup of crud. Mine was like mud(15K miles). Also the sealant on mine was gray in color so I used ultry gray.

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Northport,AL. 1999 2500 quad cab, driftwood, 5 speed ISB. Boost and Pyro gauges. Line-x.
Amateur extra W4XH

 

[gwdouglas]

When I removed the differential cover the first time I had a devil of a time getting it loose. Does anyone have a way to do it without prying a blade in between the parts and damaging the sealing surfaces??

 

[gwdouglas]

When I removed the differential cover the first time I had a devil of a time getting it loose. Does anyone have a way to do it without prying a blade in between the parts and damaging the sealing surfaces??

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

Get a thick, stiff blade putty knife. Make sure the edge is smooth, and hammer it between the cover and the housing. If you hold it in line with the joint it will work fine and not damage the surfaces.

 

[Cooker]

Why doesn't anyone use a real gasket anymore?

The problem I have with the Silicone gasket material is if you accidentially squeeze too much on where does the extra go? Inside the diff!

I recently changed the front diff, no time to do the back yet, and I installed a cork/paper gasket and put a little bit of RTV (very light film) on both side of the gasket so it will be easy to get off next time. I aslo agree with the idea of jacking up one side of the truck at a time to get that little extra bit out.

Just my opinion.

 

[highland]

A wide, thin blade works great. I use a 6" wide drywall knife. The blade is very thin. Just tap it upward with a small hammer or mallet and it cuts thru the old silicone without damaging the machined faces.

 

[High Voltage]

Just replace it with a Mag-Hytec cover,no silicone no gasket no mess. my. 02 #ad
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[illflem]

Cooker,I'm from the old days of gaskets also,but prefer just using sealant,the sealant you used on both sides of the gasket was probably enough for a good seal without the gasket. Especially with a thicker cork gasket it's harder to get thin metal parts such as diff. covers and oil pans torqued down evenly,the metal can bend compressing the gasket,sealant alone won't do this. Trick with sealant is putting on just the right amount. It also comes off easier than a gasket especially if the gasket has sealant on both sides.

 

[Cooker]

illflem,

Why do you say the gaskest would come off harder with the RTV on both sides? I have never put RTV on the paper gasket before but it was suggested to me by a gentleman at the driveline shop.

Guess I'll have to wait and see how many 4 letter words I use in a year when it is time to change it again. BTW I didn't think that the RTV only gasket came off that difficult.

Ryan

 

[illflem]

Ryan,that's what I was trying to say was that a sealer only gasket comes off easier. My experience with paper and even worse with cork is that when you use sealer on both sides the gasket usually ends up breaking on removal and sticking to both surfaces(sometimes they do this with no sealer. )When you go to remove the broken up gasket some pieces usually end up going where you don't want it,i. e. in the diff. ,just makes more work for you. Usually with just a sealer like RTV you can pull it off in one piece,like you say,not too difficult. Gaskets worked great for years and still do in some applications,but the modern sealer only method just makes for less work.

Be careful on a newer gasser if you do any intake work,only use the OEM recommended gasket seal. Some sealers emit fumes that play havoc with the air pollution sensors,the engine will run poorly and it takes a very good mechanic to figure out what's wrong.

[This message has been edited by illflem (edited 12-21-2000). ]

 

[Mad Max]

I'll take the RTV thanks... its a heck of a lot easier to transport in a tool kit than spare gasket sets.

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Max

 

[redram3]

Why change it 230000 have not changed yet.