Does anyone have a link to a DIY for the front diff? Or is it pretty obvious once you get in there?

 

It's pretty obvious.....have to remove the big front cover......then as you mighy expect, one plug in the bottom, one up on the side (or maybey the back). Pretty easy while you have the pump and oil out to do it with the Trans. My only surprise was that it took somewhat more oil than the maunal indicated. I think the manual said about 1L, and it took about 1.5 or something like that.

Get ready......this oil coming out will be black!

MK

 

Thanks, I am glad this thread came up, I had been thinking about doing the tranny and probably would have just overlooked the front diff. Time to get dirty.. ( again !)
FS

 

While you guys have the front lower tray/cover off.. A recommendation is to flush the coolant system. The early 2001 and 2002 should really update to the new Factory Coolant.

 

And switch out the old yellowed coolant tank before it starts seeping.

MK

 

Dock 75W-90

 

Thanks to all the 996tt veterans who still offer advice to those of us who are new to this board. I have been maintaining my 993 and 930 for years, and there is so much to learn about these new water cooled turbo cars. I appreciate all the good advice and education that I get from reading the posts on this site. Thanks again.
Ford

 

When I bought my car last summer I wanted to change the tranny fluid but the dealer told me the fluid should NEVER be changed. Sounds like this was bad advice?

 

No, it was horrible advice... change it every 7500 miles or every other track weekend as advised earlier.

Mike

 

I tried the link to the factory oil and it says discontinued. What should I buy? It sounds like nobody is using any of the synthetics like Redline? Can I get the Mobil fluid at any auto parts store?

 

To be a little more specific, I assume this car has both a transmission oil that needs to be changed and a front differential oil. Maybe a rear differential oil too? How many oil changes are necessary? And does each require the same fluid?

I remember with other cars that I've owned with more conventional rear wheel drive I needed to change both a transmission and transaxle oil and each used a different fluid.

 

The link to the Mobil data page says this..

DISCONTINUED - The recommended replacement product is Mobil Delvac Synthetic Gear Oil 75W-90, 80W-140.

Find Mobil Delvac.. Your local truck stop should carry it.. Same fluid for the gearbox and diff.

Run the Mobil, don't stray to the other brands.. This is a Very good gearlube.

 

So I read this thread last week and decided to change the oil in the tranny and front diff just for the hell of it.

Pretty easy IMHO...the worst part was getting the car up on the stands.
Pumping the oil out of the quart container while laying on the floor was an exercise in itself.

My car has 28k and the gear lube had a clean and clear amber appearance coming out of the diff with no whiskers on the magnetic drain plug. The tranny fluid was a bit dirtier, but still amber in color and there was a little pile of whiskers attached to the magnetic drain plug, but nothing that would cause alarm.

All things considered it was an easy DIY job and cost me around $60 for the Mobil-1 75W-90.

Edited to add a question:
Noting Kevin's comment above, has anyone used other fluids like Royal Purple or Amsoil?

 

Along those same lines about alternative lubricants....whatever happened to the Swepco 201 as a recommended fluid? Or is that for the older air cooled varieties? I know that's what I use in the 930. Kevin....?????

 

I have spoken with Brian Copan about the "oil" situation and he recommends the factory Delvac Mobil gear lube.