What are differential fluids?

Differential fluid: Lubricates clutch packs, gears and bearings. Lubricates the ring and pinion gears that move power to the wheel axles from the driveshaft. Cools and lubricates the differential.

How often does differential fluid need to be changed?

every 30k to 60k miles driven
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.

How much does a differential fluid change cost?

The Average Cost to Change Differential Fluid Is $79-$93. This price range is based on national averages for all vehicles and does not factor in taxes, fees, or your particular make and model. Related repairs or maintenance may also be needed.

What is the purpose of a differential?

The differential is a system of gears that allows different drive wheels (the wheels to which power is delivered from the engine) on the same axle to rotate at different speeds, such as when the car is turning.

Is differential service necessary?

Is differential service necessary? Yes! The differential uses oil, thicker than the oil that goes in the engine. Changing the oil in the differential is as important as the engine oil change because over time, the oil wears thin and becomes contaminated.

Is it necessary to change rear differential fluid?

Because the differential is at the rear and under the car, it gets none of the star treatment that the engine up front does. But if lubrication in the car differential fails, you won’t be getting very far for very long. Fortunately, you only need to change this oil every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.

How important is differential fluid change?

Most differentials need a fluid change at about 50,000 miles. If left too long or if the fluid starts to run low, the differential will become noisy and can eventually fail. If that happens, the gears can seize, locking up the rear wheels and potentially causing a lot of damage or even an accident.

What happens if your differential fluid is low?

If water enters the differential fluid, if gets contaminated, or low, it’ll cause catastrophic damages to the differential. It can also lead to a permanent breakdown. Before damaging the entire differential, it’ll project some symptoms to notify the driver of an imminent problem in the system.

What is your differential?

The differential is a system that allows the drive wheels to turn at different speeds, which is required when the car is negotiating a turn. In a turn, the outside wheel must travel farther, which means it must travel faster than the inside wheels.

What happens if you don’t change your differential fluid?

How do you know if you need to change your differential fluid?

What are the Symptoms of Bad Differential/Gear Oil?

1. Burning Smell from the Differential. When you notice a bad smell coming from your gearbox, you should take it as a sign of bad differential oil which can be contaminated hence not operating as it should be.
2. Weird Noises.
3. Vibrations.

How do you know if your differential is going bad?

Here are the most common bad differential symptoms to look out for:

1. Your vehicle is quickly going through oil.
2. Difficulty steering.
3. A loud front differential noise, such as the grinding of gears, clunking, or a “howling” sound.
4. Rear differential noises.
5. Extensive and inexplicable wear and tear on your tires.

Can you change your own differential fluid?

Changing the fluid in a differential is almost as easy as changing the oil in the engine. However, the process can differ between vehicles since some differentials only have two plugs — one for filling the fluid and another for draining it – while other vehicles require you to remove the housing cover.

What are differential fluid oils?

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.

How to check differential fluid levels?

You’ll also want to check the level if the differential has just been serviced. Here’s how you go about checking the differential fluid on your ride. If you choose to get a repair manual for reference, you can look up your vehicle’s make, model, and year through sites like Chilton.

How to add differential fluid to a car?

Step 1: Add the differential fluid. Add the appropriate fluid to the differential until it starts to trickle out. Most differentials use gear oil but the weight varies. The fluid type can be found either in your owner’s manual or the vehicle repair manual. A parts store can also look up the fluid type for you.

What is the best differential fluid for snow and dirt?

Limited-slip differential fluids actually have additives that help the clutches in the differential function to stop you from spinning just one tire in the snow or dirt. 1. Editor’s Choice: Red Line 75W90 GL-5 Gear Oil 2. Lucas Synthetic Racing Gear Oil 3. Royal Purple Max-GEAR 4. Liqui Moly Fully Synthetic Gear Oil 5.