Where do you get Diff oil

**Ivan** · 17th November 2011, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Ean Austral

Gday All,

Went to the Castrol distributer today and as I expected none in darwin, and will only order it in 20 ltr drums..around the $500 mark.

So did some ringing around and got told that Valvoline syngear full synthetic 75/90 oil is the same oil as castrol SAF.XO, according to the price quoted it most likely is.

So has anyone tried, is using, or have any other conflicting info about the Valvoline oil.

Many thanks

Cheers Ean

Thats what they use at MR Automotive in Redcliffe. I was there last night and asked about the Castrol stuff. They said they just use fully synthetic Valvoline to GL5 spec.

HTH

Ivan

Ean Austral · 17th November 2011, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by rick130

Ean, Syntrax would be closer to SAF-XO than any Valvoline oil

Oh, and that's an insane price for XO, it's not that flash an oil.

Ring Castrol's Tech line and ask can you substitute Syntrax for it.

If my memory serves me right, SAF-XO is BMW car/MAN truck spec non LSD fluid.

I'm starting to think Syntrax is a bit of an Australian special as I've never been able to work out what it used to be called in Europe (UK Syntrax is something different being only a semi-syn like Multitrax here)
According to Castrol Syntrax was originally developed for the TWR XJR-12 Le Mans Sports Prototype Jag, used in F1 and used for the XJ-220 transaxle too.

I pay about $22/litre here for Syntrax.

Gday Rick,

spoke to castrol tech services and they reckon syntrax was for the older style disco's and some other euro models like merc, but wouldn't seem suitable to the D3.

His advice, got to the dealer and pay whatever price they ask.

Maybe he owns a L/R dealership...Oh and I rang the lacal ( and only dealer) and $50 a ltr and they dont have any to sell..

Oh what a feeling...oops wrong brand.

Cheers Ean

**PhilipA** · 17th November 2011, 02:49 PM

Don't complain. the correct oil for a BMW E36 M3 is

BMW 83 221 470 080 (large container)/83 221 467 993(small) special [COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]gear [COLOR=blue !important]oil[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]
oem Castrol SAF-XJ 75W-140
1.2 Lt/2.6 Pt
I paid $118 at a BMW dealer.
Regards Philip A

**101RRS** · 17th November 2011, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ean Austral

Oh and I rang the lacal ( and only dealer) and $50 a ltr and they dont have any to sell..

Oh what a feeling...oops wrong brand.

Cheers Ean

I went to a dealer a few years back because I was having trouble getting oil and they told me they do not sell it retail as it was for car servicing only - the only way I could get it was to put my car in for the required service.

Garry

**PhilipA** · 17th November 2011, 03:03 PM

This guy imports oil from the uSA independently and sells Redline and Amsoil and will deliver anywhere by courier. I have used him for Royal Purple in the past .
The BMW forum in the states likes Redline for BMW LSDs which are inclined to chatter, thus the special oil.Have a google and look up the oil sites.

I don't think there is anything special about D3 diffs , as from reports here several posters are having problems at low mileages , the super expensive oil does not seem to be doing anything.( I guess you could look at it the other way that they depend on this special oil to live which I do not think is true. More likely to be to combat noise or chattering)

PerformanceLub.com

Regards Philip A

**rick130** · 17th November 2011, 07:24 PM

Originally Posted by Ean Austral

Gday Rick,

spoke to castrol tech services and they reckon syntrax was for the older style disco's and some other euro models like merc, but wouldn't seem suitable to the D3.

His advice, got to the dealer and pay whatever price they ask.

Maybe he owns a L/R dealership...Oh and I rang the lacal ( and only dealer) and $50 a ltr and they dont have any to sell..

Oh what a feeling...oops wrong brand.

Cheers Ean

Wow, SAF-XO has been around forever too (early/mid nineties) and meets the same API and US Mil specs as Syntrax, but the smart thing to do is run what LR specify to cover your backside, at least until the warranty runs out.

I've attached an old SAF-XO/SAF-XJ PDS if anyone wants a look.

**rick130** · 17th November 2011, 08:30 PM

FWIW Fuchs Titan Sintopoid 75W-90 meets the BMW diff spec too.

I'm beginning to think the oil spec is designed around low shear, extremely low oxidation properties as it's filled for life, or at least a very long time with a minimal volume of fluid.

Bring the service intervals back to a reasonable milage and I'm guessing you could use virtually any premium syn API GL5, US MIL-PRF-2105E spec fluid.

**IvanR** · 18th November 2011, 03:01 PM

HiEan Austral
your castrol distributer is telling porkies,
Castrol SAF-XO comes in 1 litre bottles as well as 20,lts I have a container sitting in front of me at the moment.

Ivan R

**rick130** · 18th November 2011, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by IvanR

HiEan Austral
your castrol distributer is telling porkies,
Castrol SAF-XO comes in 1 litre bottles as well as 20,lts I have a container sitting in front of me at the moment.

Ivan R

They probably don't want to buy a box and break it open.
I've seen it on the shelf in bottles at one of the distributors here too. (100km away, but local

)

<edit>
My Castrol dealer just rang me back and Castrol have dropped the 1l bottles, it's only available in 20l drums now

**Mully** · 24th November 2011, 10:56 AM

Greets Ean... I changed diff oils recently and after a few hours chasing everyone in Adelaide, ended up at Solitaire who are the Landy dealer here.... wasn't cheap as others have mentioned and the rear locking diff was different to the front as mentioned. Think it was around $250 all up to change both diffs...

Had no chance sourcing at Super Cheap and those places alas... everyone scratched their heads, even Solitaire when I called them.

Cheers.

Thread: Where do you get Diff oil

Thread Tools

Diff oil

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions