Thread: Changed Oil in my read Diff Today... WTF

once the oil is emulsified the water will not separate, but it will still be doing damage.


the trick with water crossings, get to the other side wait a few hours for the water to settle on the bottom then crack the drain plugs the water will drain out, tighten plug when oil starts coming out. Nobody ever does this because they are in too much of a hurry. pay for it later tho.

Definitely water contamination

Thanks guys, I havnt personally done a water crossing and this is the first diff oil change since ive had it, lets hope its ok after the change with fresh, ill change it agian in 50km or so making sure its all clean

check your breathers while your at it, could be blocked or hoses damaged.

Mate, if it doesn't look like oil any more then it's stuffed. Get rid of it. Even if it did seperate it would mix up again next time you went out for adrive. Once it has turned even a bit milky it has water in it and is starting to do damage.

If you don't have diff breathers and your not in a hurry just stopfor 10 mins or so before a water crossing to let your diff (and gearbox) cool down a bit. Of course you wont need to do this if the water isn't going to go above your the centre of your wheels where it can enter through your whell bearing seals or your diff breathers.

I always carry a small amount of diff oil if i'm on a trip. Your diff doesn't take a lot of oil and is easy to change if you get water in it.

Cheers, Rick.

Originally Posted by Franrick

Mate, if it doesn't look like oil any more then it's stuffed. Get rid of it. Even if it did seperate it would mix up again next time you went out for adrive. Once it has turned even a bit milky it has water in it and is starting to do damage.

If you don't have diff breathers and your not in a hurry just stopfor 10 mins or so before a water crossing to let your diff (and gearbox) cool down a bit. Of course you wont need to do this if the water isn't going to go above your the centre of your wheels where it can enter through your whell bearing seals or your diff breathers.

I always carry a small amount of diff oil if i'm on a trip. Your diff doesn't take a lot of oil and is easy to change if you get water in it.

Cheers, Rick.

Oh its been changed with new, I was just going to leave it see if it separates before I threw it away

I wouldn't leave it for another 50k. I do mine at 20k plus after any trip involving water crossings. Not much oil involved in a diff so its cheap insurance. The older I get the more fussy I'm becoming about oil changes.