Refilling Differential
 

Time to refill the differential with the usual 600W gear oil. However, both fill holes on my differential are on the bottom side of it. I do live in a weird place (San Francisco), but unfortunately not so weird that oil flows upward.

What is the magic trick to getting oil into the differential?

Thanks in advance to any useful help,

Andrew

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Use a suction grease/oil gun. Get it at the local auto parts store. fill from the uppermost hole, that is all it needs.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

I use the squeeze bottle that the gear oil comes in. I've also used a squirt oil can with the nozzle removed.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

i use the bottle that the oil comes in also, you can warm it a little for easier flow if need be. any leftover that you can't get out just funnel it into the next bottle....
or a suction gun

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Ah, I knew there had to be a use for that brass grease suction gun other than giving me mechanic street cred. Will try it first thing in the morning!

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Both fill holes are on the bottom ? How did that happen ? I can understand the drain plug ending on top, but I didn't think the fill hole could move very far. No matter what, it should be about half way up facing the rear of the vehicle.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

"...both fill holes on my differential are on the bottom..."

No doubt an after-market modification designed for the steep streets in San Francisco (think Bullitt chase scene)...

Sorry, slow morning in Napa...

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Having trouble visualizing a model A taking air over some of those SF street-hills like that green fastback.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Andrew,

No doubt whoever assembled this differential was not paying attention to the correct locations of the fill/drain holes in this part of the banjo.

Also, you are lucky -- the person who assembled this differential did not post a reply "yet" to suggest the simple easy fix; i.e., to fill the bottom holes in the differential, turn your vehicle upside down

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Mr. Chauvin Great sense of humor !
Al

Re: Refilling Differential
 

You can also set a funnel up at the back bumper and run a hose down to the hole

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Hi Andrew,

Would not be a bad idea if you could locate a club member to help you to place the holes correctly to insure proper lubrication.

With the possibility of no lubrication because of leaks & excessive wear, worse case scenario would be total replacement of worn parts.

For example, with just a few listed:

Two axles: $700.00
Ring & pinion gear: $450.00
Four Differential Bearings: $160.00
Two Differential Bearing Cups: $50.00
Pinion Bearing Cup: $60.00
What ever else ???????

Upwards of $1,420.00 without shipping.

Hope this helps just in case you never thought of same.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

..oh man, I even thought about doing that.

Suction gun did the trick. Made an unholy mess though.

Thanks all, Andrew

Re: Refilling Differential
 

On the tranny I disliked to have to crawl under the car to check the level, I cut a 3" square hole in the floor board just above the plug wich is 3/4" pipe thread remove the plug and screw in a 3/4 by 5" nipple with the a 3/4" pipe cap on hand tight. go to a autowrecker and get a dip stick that will sit in the pipe to check your level if you have to add do so to the right level then screw the cap back on and keep your dipdtick under the floor mat cover the square hole you cut for the opening cover with a piece of metal with a screw in one corner so it will swing out of the when you want to check the level works well for me Gord.B by the Bay

Re: Refilling Differential
 

I use a flexible transmission funnel between the bumper and the body (straight bumper) and it just reaches the hole.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

I think the Op was expecting the diff to be completely filled with oil (a reasonable expectation) and therefore expected the filler hole to be on top of the diff. He just needed to be told that both the filler hole and the drain hole are positioned on the lower half of the diff because it is meant to be filled only about one third full. The correct level for the diff oil is about half an inch below the lip of the filler hole. Fill it higher than that and you leak oil out the ends of the axle onto the brake lining. When you poke your pinky through the filler hole you should just be able to make contact with the oil at that level.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Vendors sell one now.

http://macsautoparts.com/images/400/B6750MOD_pJPG.JPG

Re: Refilling Differential Mitchell sold me one
 

Yes, Mike,
MITCHELL has been selling that thinghy for ten years,. I purchased it when it first came out, but dumped the nipple and I just look through the hole and then I use a long funnel. The nipple would unscrew sometimes so I did not trust it :)

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Doesn't the car get greased once a year or every thousand or two miles? So, you're under the car greasing it and that's the time to check the tranny oil. If it needs to be checked more than that, then something needs to be fixed.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

Hi, I do what others have said and that is via a funnel and hose to the fill plug. What I do extra is to remove one side bolt from right at the top of the banjo , this allows air to escape, otherwise with such a vicous product, it takes forever.

Re: Refilling Differential
 

how bout a 10' extension to grease the chassis, this way we wont ever have to get under the car... and we can change our oil like a boat motor and suck it out

Re: Refilling Differential