Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Sucking out differential fluid?

[Pit Bull]

Anybody make a device to just stick a tube in our rear differential and suck out the fluid? Then refill with fresh. Might not be as good as removing the rear cover, but it would be quick and easy and I would change fluid more often.

 

[amsoilman]

Pi Bull,

I have used the "suck-out" method several times using a suction pump purchased at the local parts house, but I preffer pulling the cover and letting the fluid drain out. This method is much better. It does take a bit more time as the cover needs to be re-sealed, but I find it much better, especially when I change out the flud to install synthetic lube. This is of course what I do.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[BV]

Suction tool

Yep - You can buy a suction tool for $10 around here and some come with a dipstick tube for changing oil in boat engines. I'm glad I pulled the covers on mine so that I could clean out the crap lying in the bottom.

 

[JFitzgerald]

To me, the real fix is to drill and tap the bottom of the diff housing and install a flush plug so the plug doesn't get damaged. This is what I'm doing to my Jeep because it needs the fluids changed frequently to get rid of the mud and water. It is a PITA to pull the cover, scrape the old sealer and re-seal and I agree, I'd do it more frequently if it were quicker and easier to do.



Still, the best way to do it is pull the cover, so you can totally clean the housing out. But, we don't do this with our engines, trannies and transfer cases... . But, the engine has an oil filter..... I'm thinking too hard.

 

[Pit Bull]

I understand what you guys are saying about it being better to take the cover off and cleanout the bottom. I don't tow with my truck and schle A indicates that you never need to change the front and rear diff fluid. I just figured that sucking out all that I could and then filling it back up with a good synthetic and some LSD treatment would be better than the schle A of never changing it? Does it hurt anything to mix synthetic lube with the small amount of nonsynthetic that will be left after I suck out all the lube that I can? Thanks

 

[Briar Hopper]

Good point about schedule A maintenance, Pit Bull, but I didn't like what I saw when I dropped the diff cover at 45,000 miles, the original lube was nasty, I had a bit of gunk & metal in the bottom of the diff. I installed a Mag-Hytec and Amsoil Series 2000 75w-90 . To that point in time, I had not yet towed anything with my truck! No harm done if synthetic mixes with a little of the original lube, Amsoil is fully compatible. Dunno about the other brands, they might be, also.

I'd take what the factory recommends with a grain of salt, if I were you... . they are after all, the same guys that brought us defective steering parts, lift pumps, CD players, ineffective 5th gear fix kits, and Earl Scheib paint jobs.

So I prefer to err on the side of caution, and over-do it with the fluids maintenance. Schedule B, and more frequently, is the safer course of action for most of us.

That's my personal preference, as I believe the factory doesn't give a flip how long our vehicles last for us... . "Crunch all you want, we'll make more ! "