Need help with rear differential/transfer case oil change

Thu Dec 19, 2013 1:42 pm

The factory rear diff fill is almost certainly a break-in oil. This was very common practice for hypoid gears back in the day. I use Sta-Lube synthetic (CRC Industries) in the new zuks because a) I can get it at NAPA, b) my pump fits the bottle nicely c) the pump/bottle combo fits and operates well under the car with it on ramps/stands and d) as I recall it meets the specs I found somewhere.

The factory fill transfer case oil looked brand new at around 36,000 miles so I left it in.

SamirD · Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:55 pm

What's the pump that you use look like? I know this isn't one of the places a normal funnel is going to work.

Thu Dec 19, 2013 5:15 pm

SamirD wrote:What's the pump that you use look like? I know this isn't one of the places a normal funnel is going to work.

This pump:
http://www.harborfreight.com/sta-lube-g ... 40714.html

(the short pieces of tube allow extension of suction side in to taller bottles)

and this oil in the SX4 and Kizashi rear diffs:
http://crcindustries.com/auto/?s=SL2482

I've used Sta-Lube's 75W-140 full syn in the D44 diffs of the Rubicon I had as well.

SamirD · Thu Dec 19, 2013 6:51 pm

Thank you for the links! That pump is going to have to be added to my tool collection.

Fri Dec 20, 2013 1:39 pm

Best 7 or 8 bucks I've ever spent. It gets used a lot.

SamirD · Fri Dec 20, 2013 4:12 pm

It will make a whole lot of things easier.

But what do you do to clean it so different fluids don't cross-contaminate?

Fri Dec 20, 2013 5:56 pm

I used to leave it sit a long while and gravity drain. Then run a pump or two of the new fluid through it in to my waste oil container before filling whatever and called it good. That was only an issue when I was swapping fluids in the Jeep (syncromesh in trans, ATF in the tcase and the Sta-lube in the diffs). I haven't done any power steering in a while, but, same deal gravity drain and a couple pumps of the new fluid to flush. I should have one pump for each type, but I don't.

SamirD · Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:39 pm

Ronzuki wrote:I should have one pump for each type, but I don't.

That's what I'm going to do, especially as cheap as these are.

DWenz · Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:40 pm

Had what's left of the dealer do mine today (it's cold, it's close, and I'm feeling lazy). $90 and they used Mobil 1 for both... if anyone is wondering what they use at the dealer.

KansasKid · Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:32 am

Bumping for awesome information about how cheap gear oil pumps are.

As long as I've had my Kizashi, I had been putting off the transfer oil/rear diff oil changes because I didn't want to take it to the dealer, and I didn't know the pumps were this cheap. Azumi just hit 40K, and I figured it is about time I stopped putting it off.

Don't get me wrong, I might still take it into the dealer, but I'm really really tempted try it myself now that my mechanic buddy is back from overseas for good.