[Dookie]

Has anyone done it themselves yet? A couple of things I was wondering about...

1- Has anyone actually inspected the differential oil, like Nissan says to? If so, am I correct in saying that the only way to inspect it is to remove the fill plug and check with your finger?

2- Same as above, except the transfer case as well?

3- I looked in the service manual on how to lubricate the propeller shaft and I can't find anything about it. Does anyone have a clue?

Thanks!

 

[Eric L.]

Yes I believe the way to check the differential fluid is to make sure it is filled to the bottom of the hole. If you would like to drain and refill it, there is also a drain hole beneath I believe.

As for the propeller shaft, the shop manual does show where you lubricate it, indicated by the little droplet marks.

 

[Dookie]

I was under the impression that you check the shaft for leakage there. What would you lubricate it with?

 

[Eric L.]

The recommended lubricants section indicates that the general chassis grease is a lithium grease (NLGI No. 2). My guess is that any high temp lithuim grease will do.

Oh, I was wrong about the propeller shaft - the shop manual does not show the grease points on it. It just states that an inspection should check for cracks or leaks.

 

[Dookie]

Hmmm....I'm gonna have to go crawl under there and see if there are any grease points...

As far as the differential goes, where exactly is that at? What about the rear differential? Does that need checking too?

 

[Eric L.]

Hmmm....I'm gonna have to go crawl under there and see if there are any grease points...

As far as the differential goes, where exactly is that at? What about the rear differential? Does that need checking too?

The front differential is located right next to the transmission (it is actually part of the same unit I believe). The rear differential is called the "transfer case" in the FSM and is located on the center of the rear axle, the gearcase that the propeller shaft joins with.

 

[Dookie]

You havent bothered to check it yet have you?

 

[Eric L.]

You havent bothered to check it yet have you?

I just past 13,000 miles last night. Still a month or so away from the 15k inspections (which I will do myself). The front differential only holds about a quart of fluid, and the rear, about half a quart. So, I was thinking of just replacing the fluid with Mobil One synthetic and not have to worry about it for a while. Mobil One makes a 75w90 synthetic gear oil which may be suitable for the GL-5 80w90 fluid nissan specifies.

 

[Dookie]

How would you fill it when the fill port is on the side?

 

[Eric L.]

How would you fill it when the fill port is on the side?

I was actually going to ask you that. In the shop, they use a portable hand pump with a tube attached. The tube goes into the filler hole. If there is enough room underneath you may be able to use a long funnel.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[Dookie]

Okay cool. I am checking M1's web-site to see if the fluids are compatible.

 

[Dookie]

M1's web site seems to be down, but I searched Amsoil and they have a synthetic lube that is made for GL-5 applications in the 80W-90. Its somewhere around $5-6/quart. I wonder if synthetic lubricants in the two differentials will make a difference with gas mileage?

 

[mgthe3]

Filling Diff's

I used to change my diff lube often on a 4x4 I owned because of high water crossings I did. And, I had to fill up my dually's diff after a change, duallies use the diff lube for the wheel bearings as well. I used a pump on the top of the gallon container it came in. It was sort of like a mega shampoo bottle pump with a hose attached, it worked very well.