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How to change your rear axle fluid.

51K views 64 replies 34 participants last post by  neonsox 
#1 · (Edited)
You'll need this:
(Before you start, drive the car for a while to warm up the rear axle fluid so that it will drain more easily)

H14 Hex bit and a 1/2" drive wrench with an extension:


A fluid transfer pump:


2 Quarts (2 bottles) of 75-140 synthetic gear lube: (OR the new Royal Purple 75-140 at Pepboys for $9.99 each)



Teflon tape:


Raise the car and make it level:


Loosen the top bolt on the driver side (so that air will go in when you start draining, you may remove the bolt, but it may leak):


Get a bucket and remove the lower bolt on the pass. side and let it drain (in the meantime, remove the upper bolt, if not already done):


When it all drained out good, put teflon tape on the bolt's thread and put the lower bolt back in tight.
Also put teflon tape on the upper bolt so that it's ready.
As you can see it's leaking from both upper and lower bolts, but the teflon tape on the thread should take care of that.

Remove the fitting from the pump (if you have the same one) and stick the tube in the axle upper hole to fill it up and start pumping, you'll need almost 2 bottles to fill it up.




You'll know it's full when fluid starts coming out of the upper hole, where the tube is, at that time go ahead and put the bolt back in tight and you're done.

FYI: if you can't raise the car, or don't want to do it yourself, go to any lube place and make sure they have syn. 75-140, if not, bring your own with the pump, they should be ok with it as long as you don't ask for a discount.
While you're there, tell them to put teflon tape on the bolts.
They should have the H14 bit, but ask them just to be ready.
 
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#31 ·
Outstanding write up, I've been wanting to do this to my car as well.

Has anyone changed the transmission fluid yet? Is it any more difficult than most rear wheel drive cars?

Thanks.
 
#32 · (Edited)
Delete/remove thread.
 
#33 ·
No its not my first day here.

When I checked the KB for articles on changing Tranny fluid, there wasn't one there yet (last summer) so when I read your post I just figured I would ask.

But I do apologize for not re-checking the Knowledge Base. Thanks for the links Joesph.

:thumbs_u:
 
#34 · (Edited)
Delete/remove thread.
 
#37 ·
how often should i change it??...my rt is @ 53k...i've had it for the last 10k's...should i change it or not?
 
#38 · (Edited)
Delete/remove thread.
 
#39 ·
cool, now ill have something to do underneath the car...yay go me:) hehehe...i like doing this kind of stuff...makes my day:):beerchug: thx 4 the help:)

I would, unless you know for sure it's been done in the past year, or 20-30K
 
#40 · (Edited)
Delete/remove thread.
 
#44 ·
Howcomes the pics arnt viewable?

The writeup is great though!
Great write up!! for some reason the pics didn't show up for me...should be pretty self explanitory though.

I have Royal Purple in the garage now for a month...guess I need to get after it.
this member was banned and removed all the links.
 
#43 ·
Great write up!! for some reason the pics didn't show up for me...should be pretty self explanitory though.

I have Royal Purple in the garage now for a month...guess I need to get after it.
 
#48 ·
i just did this last night and you wont need a pump to add the fluid just squeeze the bottle. The tool to remove the H14 bolts is a H14 and can be found at Autozone in a trio pack for 11.99. So instead of paying a shop 90 + fluid go out and do it on your on. And get royal pruple... its not that much more and ive been using the max gear oil in my other cars for a long time and it works great.
 
#58 ·
Just did mine this weekend. Front up on ramps and back on stands to make it level. You'll need a 3" or longer extension on the drivers side in order to clear the exhaust to get to the fill plug. I din't use the transfer pump. I held one finger over the end of the bottle and tipped it in. Bottle wont tip up much and is a tight fit. I had to empty the little that was left from the 1st bottle into the second one. It took close to 1 3/4 quarts. I used the Royal Purple 75W-140. I took the advice of using the thread tape as mine was weeping around the drain plug. Easy job though. Write up helped. Took me a minute to find the fill port. Didn't realize it was on the side.
 
#61 ·
YEP- I gotta change my rear end fluid this thread will prove helpful. THANKS!!!

As a matter of fact I just remembered that I am going to help a buddy of mine set-up his Backyard Buddy garage lift - This will take care of getting the car leveled and getting it high enough for me to do the work - NOT ON MY BACK. I will drop the word on him today and let him know that the 1st thing to do on his lift will be my rear-end. Fluid that is. LOL!!!!!!!
 
#59 ·
JIFFY LUBE TOLD ME $120.00 TO CHANGE REAR DIF FLUID think i'll spend the $20.00 at pepboys and do it myself .
 
#60 ·
i hope pep boys does sell royal purple at $9.99 a qt lowest i could find online is $15.99 a qt
 
#65 ·
Thread won't die. It looks like the guy was banned 5 years ago for some anti-middle eastern sentiment in a thread. Something like that. Then he got bitter and took this thing down (or somebody did). Too bad.
 
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