4bangerjp.com
General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: gomi on August 19, 2006, 08:28:32 AM
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So it's sunny outside here in ct and I went out to wash the jeep when I noticed my neighbor, who has a 4.0, changing his differential fluid. I have yet to do this so I thought I would check it out. Odd thing is the way he was doing it. He was using one of those pumps that you would usually attach to the fluid bottle to help you pump fluid in when you were done. Only he was using it to pump the fluid out if the diff. Instead of unscrewing it and resealing it etc. I was wondering if this was really ok to do?
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I think fluid change is a good time to inspect your diff, so I would rather do it the old fashioned way.
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He's lazy. Take the diff cover off and check the inside. It also allows you to get all the small metal particals out of the bottom. They look like slivers of gold. You can look at the gears and check for nicks. If the axle is off the ground you can rotate the tires and make sure everything is moving freely.
You will have to scrape off all of the gasket material on the cover and diff though. That can be a pain. I use a 1" wood chisel though. (They don't go dull as fast as a razor gasket scraper and more useful for other things.
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Lazy indeed. Take the cover off and inspect your setup like Jeffy suggested. It's worth the extra effort in the end. A few years ago I owned a 77 Trans Am. :twisted: Use to pull the cover off of it and then spray the gears set with a little brake cleaner to help flush the metal chips out and get the gear lube off of the gearset so I could inspect them. Put the cover back on, filled back up with synthetic and then spun the wheel a few times by hand to make sure everything was coated with lube before running down the road/track again. It's worth the extra time to me even though my method may seem a bit excessive.
:D
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To add what others have suggested of pull the cover, lift slightly both sides of the axle one side at a time. The fluid is in the axle tubes and needs time to drain back to the center section. Before you begin, make sure you can remove the fill plug. If the plug is the rubber one, remove it and inspect it. Be careful, using a screwdriver may create a problem. Get a replacement if necessary. Better to find out that replacement is necessary prior to emptying the diff, unless you have another vehicle for transport.
Suction is the cheap way of doing it, and that's what the oil changing stations do. If done in as much as changing the engine oil, then I don't see a problem, especially when the fluid is hot and mixed well.
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fluid drains quicker after removing all the bolts from the diff cover with an 18v dewalt and dumping all the crud into a cut in half keg shell.....
angle grinder with a wire wheel cleans gasket surfaces perfect and fast.
aerosol black rtv sealant makes reinstallation a breeze.
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I usually reference this site for all of my DIY stuff...great write ups...even if he has a 4.0 :twisted:
http://www.4x4xplor.com/mods.html
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I usually reference this site for all of my DIY stuff...great write ups...even if he has a 4.0 :twisted:
http://www.4x4xplor.com/mods.html
Nice info site :P
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That was a very cool site with really infomative information... 'Cept, nothing for a YJ. :cry:
Looks like alot of stuff is similar so it's a helpful site.
Nice referral. :thumbsup: