Unlike motor oil, which works with an oil filter, differentials don’t have a filter. When differential fluid levels are low, the gears will begin to grind, which can cause differential failures. What Happens When Differential Fluid Levels Are Low? That can lead to differential failure, which is a costly problem. It also weakens gears and wears down surfaces. It's important to stay on top of changing differential fluid because metal-on-metal contact creates heat from friction. In most cases, you will need to change differential fluid every 30,000 to 50,000 miles.
Differential fluid manual#
It’s always best to consult your owner’s manual for the proper service interval. How Often Should Differential Fluid Be Changed? Trucks use the same fluid in both the inter-axle differential and the rear differential. Rear differential fluid is used for rear-wheel drive cars. A front-wheel drive vehicle will use a transaxle, which is part of the transmission. Rear-wheel drive vehicles use a rear differential but no front differential. As with all synthetic oils, synthetic differential fluid oils can be fine-tuned for optimal performance. The other is synthetic differential fluid, which is created in a lab. One is mineral oil, which is a natural, crude oil-based fluid. There are two types of differential fluid. What Does Differential Fluid Look Like?ĭifferential fluid looks like engine oil but is thicker. That means it would burn itself out and possibly cause safety issues and require expensive repairs. Without differential fluid, the differential would overheat due to metal-on-metal contact. Lubricates the ring and pinion gears that move power to the wheel axles from the driveshaft.Lubricates clutch packs, gears and bearings.It’s designed to perform under high-pressure situations, rather Differential oil is sometimes referred to as gear oil and is found in the axle housing. What Does Differential Fluid Do?ĭifferential fluid ensures the differential stays working in peak condition for a long time. Start to grind down and cause major problems.īrian Murphy, Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Education & Development Program Manager, Curriculum, shares more about why differential fluid matters and why it’s important to maintain it. What is differential fluid? It’s the oil that lubricates the internal components of the differential, like the ring and pinion gear, so the differential doesn’t The differential relies on differential fluid to stay working in optimal condition. The differential is what keeps you in control as you turn. The differential, which is part of the drivetrain, helps evenly distribute vehicle power to each wheel. The inner and outer wheels travel as a car goes around corners. That’s all thanks to the differential (sometimes called the transaxle), which is a component that compensates for the difference in distance Turning corners without rattling, hopping or skipping is something that’s easy to take for granted.
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