Changing Diff Oil
 

I changed my diff oil today and i started with the front one and had no trouble. oil was real dirty but black in color. went to the back one and had the worst time getting the fill plug off. ended up putting the jack on the breaker bar's handle and removing it that way. (not the best way ) but when it drained it was the worst smelling oil that i have ever smelled. It was also a very tan color. must of had water in it?? any idea???

Walter

Yes that sounds like water.
Do you have any leaks on the rear diff? Like on the front input seal?
It is very common for the axle breather on the rear diff to get clogged and then the front seal will leak and the moisture will not escape and will contaminate your diff fluid.
Mine was that way when I bought it and changed it for the first time.
I also replaced the axle breather and have not had any trouble since.

i have no seen any leaking. i will look at the breather tube and see if its cloged.

You may not see any actual leaking, but it may be wet around a seal.

You will need to remove the axle breather and make sure it is clear.

They are plastic, so take care. Also, if your diff is hot and you run through deep water, it will suck water in the seals. That is why you should always check the fluid after running through water...

ok i went to take it off and its was broken about 3" from the fitting. can i just run some poly water line to fix it.

Yes you can use water line for a ice maker for a freezer.
BUT you MUST remove the breather from the axle and make sure it is not rusted shut.
The only purpose of the line is to let it vent above any water and to keep water from being sucked in.
But if the metal breather on the axle itself is rusted shut it will not let air out.
That is the problem with them, they rust and then they cant do their job.
I bought a brand new one the first time from www.atlanticbritish.com but the next time I just took it apart and reamed it out by hand with a drill bit and then cleaned it up good with carb cleaner.
They I let it dry before I put it back.

yea i took it off and it was rusted to pieces. i'm going to order new ones and just replace the fromt and back ones. i was talking about the icemaker line.

Thanks for the help.

Walter

why ice maker lines? The breathers i have on my other 4x4 are just soft rubber.

Also if you are going to put a new one on think about extending it way up high in case of a deep water crossing.


Dave

The HDPE holds up better. Also the rubber lines don't all hold up well when exposed to synthetic oil. Some just turn to mush. Best to go back with the material already used. It is a good idea to run longer lines if you plan on doing a water crossing...