What Kind Of Oil Goes In The Rear Differential?

There are two types of differential fluid. One is

mineral oil

, which is a natural, crude oil-based fluid. The other is synthetic differential fluid, which is created in a lab. As with all synthetic oils, synthetic differential fluid oils can be fine-tuned for optimal performance.

What is the best oil for differential?

• Red Line MT-90 — Best Differential Fluid.
• Lucas Oil 10048 — Great for Synthetic Transmission and Differential.
• Red Line 75W90 — Gear Oil for Faster Shifting.
• Honda 08200-9003 — VTM-4 Differential Fluid.
• Mobil Delvac Syn Gear 75W90 — Fully Synthetic Differential Fluid.
• Royal Purple ROY01300 — High-Quality Synthetic Lube.

What oil goes in a rear differential?

There are two types of differential fluid. One is

mineral oil

, which is a natural, crude oil-based fluid. The other is synthetic differential fluid, which is created in a lab.

Can you use motor oil in a rear differential?

Transmissions do not have quite the same high pressure stresses that differentials do. Motor oils have to deal with shearing a lot more than pressure, so there's a whole different set of design parameters.

No way should you put motor oil in your differential

.

Should you change the oil in your rear differential?

The differential is a series of gears that allows your inner and outer wheels to travel slightly different distances when you turn. Those gears require lubricant, and it's recommended you change your rear differential fluid

every thirty thousand to sixty thousand miles

.

What's better 75w90 or 75w140?

A

75W-90 will be thinner at higher oil temperatures

than a 75W-140. Both are the same thickness at lower oil temperatures. The 75W-140 is said to have a wider viscosity range – when more accurately it would be a wider temperature range.

How do I put gear oil in my rear differential?

1. Step 1: Secure the vehicle on jack stands or ramps. …
2. Step 2: Allow time for the gear oil to completely drain. …
3. Step 3: Locate and remove the gear oil fill bolt.
4. Step 4: Use a pump to slowly add the recommended type of gear oil to the differential.

What's thicker 75W90 or 75W140?

So, the difference between “75W90” and “75W140” is that at operating temperature,

the 75W140 will be considerably thicker than the 75W90

but at room temperature they will be about the same viscosity.

Which is better 75W90 or 80W90?

Ans:

75W90 is artificial

and mostly better than 80W90, but it costs more. 75W90 has a better low-temperature viscosity and is good to run all over. If you're in a warmer zone, using 75w90 will be more suitable than 80w90 for you.

Is gear oil and differential oil the same?

One of these types of fluids is the differential oil, also commonly known as gear oil, which is used to lubricate manual transmissions and differentials.

When should I change my diff oil?

Usually, differential fluid is changed

after every 30k to 60k miles driven

. This is a tough job, so must be handled by an expert technician. Only an experienced mechanic can properly wipe out the old different fluid from your vehicle's drive-train.

Does changing rear differential fluid make a difference?

Changing this oil is just as important as changing your engine's oil, and for the same reason. Metal-to-metal contact wears down surfaces and creates heat from friction, which inevitably weakens the gears and leads to failure.

Can I use gear oil as engine oil?

Gear oil and motor oil are not the same thing, and they

are not interchangeable

. Gear oil is specially formulated for use on gears.

What happens if you don't change rear differential fluid?

Differential Fluid Change: What happens if you don't change differential fluid? …

Differentials deal with moving parts that involve metal to metal contact that produces heat from friction

. The said contact can also wear down its surfaces and eventually weakens its gears that can lead to failure.

How much does it cost to fix a rear differential?

A typical rear differential repair costs anywhere

between $200 and $400

. These typical repairs would include your bearing, seals, and fluid changes. Of course, when a gear change is required, that's when things get pricey. $1,500 is just the minimum you can expect to pay for new gears.

How much does it cost to change differential oil?

When changing the differential fluid, the overall differential fluid change cost averages between $80-$150 for the rear and

$70 to $130 for the front change

, coming in at a total price of between $150-$280 for the differential fluid change cost.