Can I change my own rear differential fluid?
Can I change my own rear differential fluid?
Changing the fluid in a differential is almost as easy as changing the oil in the engine. Carefully remove the drain plug and drain the fluid into a pan. Replace the drain plug. Fill the differential housing with fluid via a hose or pump until fluid pours out of the fill hole.
How much fluid does a E36 Diff take?
The differential in the 4-cylinder E36 BMWs is the small case differential, thus it requires 1.2 US quarts of fluid, and not the 1.8 US quarts used in the medium case diffs in the 6-cylinder models. Either way you slice it, you need to order 2 quarts of fluid.
How often do you change differential fluid BMW?
every 20,000-50,000 miles
Differential oil lasts for a fairly decent amount of time. But our certified mechanics here at Jesse’s Garage recommend having the differential oil on your BMW assessed and changed every 20,000-50,000 miles to keep your differential running at peak performance and to avoid larger more costly repair issues from arising.
Does changing differential fluid make a difference?
In most cases, you will need to change differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. It’s important to stay on top of changing differential fluid because metal-on-metal contact creates heat from friction. It also weakens gears and wears down surfaces. That can lead to differential failure, which is a costly problem.
What happens if you don’t change differential fluid?
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 I don’t change my differential fluid?
What happens if differential oil is low?
If the gear oil runs low or becomes excessively dirty, it can cause the gears to whine or howl as they turn. The whining or howling is caused by lack of lubrication and may increase in volume as vehicle speed increases.
How long does differential oil last without changing?
Usually differential oil is good for up to 80,000 miles without changing. However it is commonly overlooked in the wide spectrum of vehicle maintenance. Failure to change the fluid at regular intervals can cause a variety of problems, eventually causing the bearings in the diff to fail.
How do I jack up my car to change the differential oil?
First, drive the car around the block a few times to get the oil inside the differential warmed up, Now, let’s jack the car up. First, chock the front wheels to keep them from rolling while you have the rear wheels jacked up. Be sure to jack the car up on a re-inforced part of the body, such as a crossmember or chassis beam.
Why change the differential oil on a BMW 325is?
This article is written with the 325is model in mind, however this article applies to all BMW’s in general. Why change the differential oil? The differential is just like any other mechanism with moving parts. It generates heat and friction while in operation.
How do you drain the oil from the rear diff?
These are the drain and filler plugs for the oil. Put a suitable drain tray under the plugs and first open the top plug to relieve any possible vacuum inside the diff and help the oil drain out. Now loosen the lower plug and thread it out by hand.
