? about changing fluid in rear diff

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

i posted a thread in the tranny and differential forum about changing my fluid in the rear end.but i want to just make sure on something.theres no drain plug right? its a 2000 explorer sport,2wd with the 4.0l ohv.i heard i have to take off the diff cover,then clean it up along with the diff itself then put a bead of sealent around the whole then and put the diff cover back on.i will tighten the bolts in a cross pattern.then the fill plug is like a 3/8 or 1/2' bolt on the top front of the differential.i need to put in 5.5-5.8 pints of fluid.it has no ant-slip,so i don't need the friction modifier.im going with royal purple 75w-90 gear oil.if im missing anything,or got something wrong,i would appreciate any help please.my explorer is at 120,000 miles,its something on the to-do list.

 

[Maniak]

Sounds like you have the right idea..

I can't verify the capacity, but the fill plug is a 3/8" drive plug.. (i.e. use a 3/8" drive ratchet with an extension.. and no socket)

~Mark

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

oh ok thats good.so i just need a 3/8' drive ratchet with an extension? thats great!i should be able to tackle this.thanks.

 

[Runnin'OnEmpty]

If I'm not mistaken, Ford recommends 85W-140 (synthetic only) in the rear diff of the 2000's.
That's what I intend to refill my 2000 Sport with this summer.......

 

[Maniak]

I know the capacity of the 8.8 is < 3 quarts as I fit 3 quarts with the rockcrusher diff cover this last weekend.

~Mark

 

[Four0Sport]

75/90 will work fine

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

yea in my owners manual it says 80w-90 for regular axles,and the 85-140 synthetic for limited slip diff's.mine don't have the limited slip.its actually just under 3 quarts.it says in my manual 5.5-5.8 pints.3 quarts is 6 pints.would it be ok to put the whole 3 quarts in?

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

I know the capacity of the 8.8 is < 3 quarts as I fit 3 quarts with the rockcrusher diff cover this last weekend.

~Mark

you might of been able to fit 3 quarts with that diff cover.i just got the stock diff cover.it says in my manual 5.5-5.8 pints which is just under 3 quarts.3 quarts would be 6 pints.do you think it would be ok for me to put the 3 quarts in my diff?

 

[Maniak]

If you don't do anything special to get the fluid out of the bottles You will be fine.. 5.8 pints is 2.9 quarts.. and there is usually a little left in each bottle once you pour them in anyway..

As for being an extra .1 quarts over (if you get the bottles completly empty), I doubt it will cause any issues.. Its not like its going to put so much in there that it will come out the vent.

~Mark

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

ok thats what i was thinking.that not every drop is going to make it in.so im just going to pour all 3 quarts in a pan/bucket and i got a pump to pump the fluid in.because the fill hole is on the top of the diff i believ.i doubt im going to get the bottle up there.and i got a funnel with a 1 1/2 foot flex hose.but the hose will be bent down then going up,and i don't think the fluid will make it up the hose.so i think my best bet is to pour all 3 quarts in a bowl or something,then i got a pump with 3 foot hoses,one on the top of the pump and one on the bottom of the pump.

 

[Maniak]

That is one of the reasons I went with the Rock Crusher Diff cover that JTSMITH sells here. I use the fill plug on the diff cover to fill the diff and the fill plug on the diff itself is just used to let me know when its full.

~Mark

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

That is one of the reasons I went with the Rock Crusher Diff cover that JTSMITH sells here. I use the fill plug on the diff cover to fill the diff and the fill plug on the diff itself is just used to let me know when its full.

~Mark

well i got under the truck tonight just to check out the diff.the fill hole is on the driver side of the diff in the front.easier to get to than i thought it would be.i sprayed to pb blaster and tried to loosen the plug with a 3/8 ratchet and extension,but couldn't break it loose.im going to need a breaker bar to put on the ratchet and maybe a shorter extension.but i'll try it again tomorrow probably.im going to try and pump out all the old fluid through the fill plug before i pull the cover off.if i can get almost all the old fluid out through the fill hole,then i won't have to remove the diff cover.

 

[Four0Sport]

its still a good idea to remove the cover. even after pumping all of the fluid out i could with a suction gun from the fill plug, i removed the cover and there was still a good bit of dark nasty gear oil in the bottom. i sucked what i could out then used rags to sop up the rest. surprisingly no metal shavings or score marks on the r&p.

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

its still a good idea to remove the cover. even after pumping all of the fluid out i could with a suction gun from the fill plug, i removed the cover and there was still a good bit of dark nasty gear oil in the bottom. i sucked what i could out then used rags to sop up the rest. surprisingly no metal shavings or score marks on the r&p.

yea i think so to.i was going to see how much fluid came out,and if i didn't think all came out,i was going to remove the diff cover.i will pump out all i can,then remove the diff cover and get the rest.thats if i can break loose the fill plug the 3/8'' extension don't go very far in the fill plug.so its hard to try and put pressure on the ratchet without the extension slipping out of the fill plug.

 

[96eb96]

yea i think so to.i was going to see how much fluid came out,and if i didn't think all came out,i was going to remove the diff cover.i will pump out all i can,then remove the diff cover and get the rest.thats if i can break loose the fill plug the 3/8'' extension don't go very far in the fill plug.so its hard to try and put pressure on the ratchet without the extension slipping out of the fill plug.

Keep trying and it will break loose. Apply pressure against the head of the ratchet into the plug.

 

[JohnnyO]

Maybe there's a typo somewhere, but I don't think 3 quarts will fit in there.

 

[Four0Sport]

mine fit a little less than 3qts b4 it started seeping out of the fill plug hole

 

[2000XPLORERSPORT]

yea im just going to fill it until the fluid comes out the fill hole.i'll know if enough went in when that happens.if i only got a little bit left from the 3rd quart,then i know im good.will it fill correctly with the front end on the ground and the rear up in the air?