Changing diff oil

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:08 pm

Hi guys - just wondering what your diff oil looks like after you change it. A weird question i know, but I'm not entirely sure if i have to change it as often as i do. My truck does have breathers, so i only change it after deep water river trips or if my truck spends a considerably time submerged if stuck in a hole.

Any way here's what came out this afternoon:

Doesn't look to bad to me; but I'm not entirely sure as Ive never seen diff oil that's been contaminated with water :roll:

- so i cant really judge.

Cheers for the advice guys.

Mike

Sadam_Husain · Post by **Sadam_Husain** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:12 pm

Yep thats full of water, the more water the whiter it'll get. If it dosent look like what came out of the bottle change it :wink:

kiwipete · Post by **kiwipete** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:18 pm

I would suggest you invest in some longer breathers and poke them into the cabin space somewhere well above the water line. You shouldnt need to replace the oil after each deep water excursion.

Mikey · Post by **Mikey** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:39 pm

Cheers guys; thanks for the advice.

kiwipete wrote:I would suggest you invest in some longer breathers and poke them into the cabin space somewhere well above the water line. You shouldnt need to replace the oil after each deep water excursion.

Yeah, probably should as I'm relying on the standard Nissan breathers at the moment. They will be the same as on your terrano Pete; how did you go about extending yours?

SMOKEY · Post by **SMOKEY** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:46 pm

Once you have got water in your diffs and transmissions it is very hard to get it out, there's always going to be some contamination that will get trapped in the cases. Unless it is really bad don't be to concerned, most modern day oils will still do there job with a little water still in there. You will soon get to know what colour is ok and when it needs changing, sometimes you can let the vehicle remain stationary for a couple of days then carefully remove the drain plugs (without dropping them) and let the water out, it will sit on the bottom of the oil.. My Cruiser has had slightly milky oil for ten years without giving me trouble.

IV'E PROBIBLY POINTED THE BONE AT IT NOW,

FITZY

kiwipete · Post by **kiwipete** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:17 pm

Mikey wrote:Cheers guys; thanks for the advice.

kiwipete wrote:I would suggest you invest in some longer breathers and poke them into the cabin space somewhere well above the water line. You shouldnt need to replace the oil after each deep water excursion.

Yeah, probably should as I'm relying on the standard Nissan breathers at the moment. They will be the same as on your terrano Pete; how did you go about extending yours?

The front ones are std, one is center top of firewall (has a u bend on it) and the other is near the top of the drivers side guard btwn the battery and firewall. Have been meaning to extend these into the cabin through the firewall, but have just not got around to it.
The rear one was extended into the floor under rear seat, through rubber grommett and up into the plastic lining in the boot sidewall above the tyre area.
I used black gasket RTV to seal around the rubber tubing (fuel line) at the rubber grommett as this stuff sticks better than plain RTV. I use this stuff to seal everything now.

SupraLux · Post by **SupraLux** » Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:27 am

Just remember what it smells like before you poke the hoses into the cab - as the diffs warm up the air expands and you get the smell of diffs as you drive... not that pleasant... Get 'em high, but keep them away from your nose

Steve