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Confused?? rear axle lube Explorer Sport

DonsFords

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Ohio
Year, Model & Trim Level
99 Explorer SOHC
I have a 1999 Explorer Sport 2wd 4.0 SOHC Vin E. Axle Code 41. According to manual looks like 80w90. Auto parts store says 75w140. Many threads say both. Some say Ford sent bulletin to upgrade to 75w140. Just trying to use the correct lube.
 



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as far as i know 75w140 full synthetic gear oil (with a friction modifier if you have a LSD).
 






Dont a lot of people on here use 75w90?
 






2002-04 Four Door Only? (See Link On Bottom)
AXLE FLUID REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED. ALL VEHICLES BEING REPAIRED BY THIS TSB MUST HAVE REAR AXLE LUBE XY-75W140-QL INSTALLED, IN PLACE OF XY-75W90-QFEHP. AS PART OF THIS REPAIR, CHECK AND REPLACE IF NECESSARY THE CURRENT XY-75W90-Q"FEHP" METAL TAG, WITH A NEW 75W140 TAG (F3TZ-4121-AA). ADDITIONALLY, REMOVE THE MULTI-COLORED LABEL WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE AXLE TUBE, OR BLOCK OUT ANY/ALL "FEHP" OR "75W90" REFERENCES ON THE LABEL.

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/muddyford/2010-02-10_033824_1121.pdf
 






I have the same question, and nobody really answered this in 8 years. Mine is a 98 Sport 4.0 SOHC with axle code 41. I think that means it's open gear non-limited slip 3.27 gear ratio from my research. I cannot get straight answers anywhere easily. This is much harder to get information for than one would hope. The manual says 80w90 for this, but 75w140 for LSD and full synthetic for gear ratios of 3.73 or 4.10. But it is written very poorly. And it says it's lubricated for life, which we know is never the case when you get to 100k, 150k, 200k, or more miles. It needs to be serviced.

In research, for this and many vehicles recommended for 80w90 it seems a LOT of people have shifted to full synthetics in the 75w90, or 75w110, or even 75w140 range willing to sacrifice some fuel economy in order for better lubrication. Seems saving fuel economy at the cost of gear damage is a false economy anyway.

So, does anyone have any real good suggestions or wisdom nuggets to dispense?
 






75-140 Syn or good ole 80/90 dyno
If you have anything other than open diff
Then XL-3 friction modifier is needed
 






The gear lube spec changed over the years for the 8.8. That’s why the confusion. I’d run 75w140.
 






Dealer’s choice.

I’ve run nothing but 80W90 in my diffs for 321,000mi. I’ve only had to do seals (front diff) and just did rear axle shaft seals and bearings a couple weeks ago. Nothing else. The 80W90 has served me very well.

I’ve heard rumblings that the 75W140 was for commonality, so the dealers could just stock and sell one lube (which likely has a higher profit margin being a synthetic). Also allows them to advertise longer service intervals.

If you drive hard, tow, or don’t like changing your fluid for a long time, the synthetic 75W140 is a great choice. Otherwise, the 80W90 isn’t going to give you any problems.
 






Yeah, given the difficulty and hassle and time in changing this, I may just go with the best fully synthetic Royal Purple or Redline with the friction modifier already in there, even if not needed, and plan for another 100k miles on it.

Then again, I'm doing ~1000 miles annually on this local driver. It'll need to be pulled in 10 years anyway. A cheap conventional (which I have a lot of on hand, basically free) might be the smarter play. It'll need changing in 10 years, and will have far less than 20k miles on it regardless. So a premium synthetic may be wasteful in a relatively low-value 23 year old truck that sees 1k miles annually... Just thinking out loud here.

Let's be honest, this 98 is probably on its last decade. "Free" conventional materials in the gearbox will serve it fine for the next 10 years and 10,000 miles. I doubt that will be the failure point. Something else will go first.... More thinking out loud.
 






The gen2 8.8 axle is the same axle as the gen1 8.8, except it has disc brakes tacked on the ends instead of drums. Internally they are identical.
80w90 was the standard fluid until Ford went to 75w140, probably for longevity and/or mpg reasons.
But the housing is the same, the gears are the same, etc. Either will be fine! 75w140 may be somewhat better, but both are fine to use.
 






I have a 1999 Explorer Sport 2wd 4.0 SOHC Vin E. Axle Code 41. According to manual looks like 80w90. Auto parts store says 75w140. Many threads say both. Some say Ford sent bulletin to upgrade to 75w140. Just trying to use the correct lube.
I uses 80w-90 on my 95 XLT 4x4. They r just trying to sell Synthetic. There big difference in cost. I also don't have a gasket on the cover. I uses the green, RTV gear oil gasket maker.
 






I uses 80w-90 on my 95 XLT 4x4. They r just trying to sell Synthetic. There big difference in cost. I also don't have a gasket on the cover. I uses the green, RTV gear oil gasket maker.
No gasket is pretty standard. I think it was to try an remedy the growling a lot of these pick up with age.
 






Next diff oil change I'm getting one of them fancy rubber metal reusable gaskets
I have rtv black on now
 






I've got a bunch of gear oils on hand and would prefer to not spend what I see as probably unnecessary $45-60+ on more gear oils.

My Explorer is having some ticking problems. I'm not sure what the issue is. It has 203,000 miles. It's the one vehicle I'm just not confident in the lifespan.

I drive this ~1,000 to 2,000 miles per year, all short in town trips. I'm hopeful in forecasting 10 more years on this vehicle, so that's 10-20k miles. I have already spent far more than I wanted on maintenance on this so I'm really not wanting this to be a money pit. Cutting corners where I think I safely can without harming it.

I'm in Idaho where winters reach sub-zero and summers reach over 100 on a regular basis. I have read a lot about the benefits of a heavier weight on these Fords, and many go to 75w110 or 75w140 with good results.

I am considering using one type or a mixture of the following of what I have on hand.

3.5 Qts of Valvoline and Quaker State conventional 80w90. All GL-5. (This is a "free" option, no other applications)
8 Qts of Chevron ESI Isosyn 85w140 GL-5 (I think it's conventional, but unsure). (This is a "free" option, no other applications)
8 Qts of Valvoline 75w90 synthetic. ($15 per Qt retail) (I have 5 other vehicles to service that all require this weight)

I'm thinking either use up the 80w90 since I have no other applications for it. Or mixing it, 1/1 with the Chevron 85w140 to get something like a 85w115, or mixing it 1/1 with the Valvoline synthetic to get a blend around 80w90. I considered buying some Valvoline 75w140 and mixing 1/1 with the 75w90 on hand, to get me something like a 75w115 weight.

I wrote Valvoline and Chevron with my plan and proposal and awaiting any responses on mixing these.

I should note the two other vehicles I'm considering this option for are a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis (my primary sedan) and my 2002 Ford Crown Vic (my secondary sedan). I alternate driving these. Both very well maintained, I just like the Mercury better. I expect at least another decade from each of these at ~1,000 to 2,000 per year on each as well. I am sorta looking for an excuse to use up these gear oils sitting on the shelf. So if they or a combination of them will work for this/these applications I'm leaning toward that.
 






Buy a high quality brand of gear oil, that should be the first priority. Skip the cheap brands, and if you can swing it, synthetic is better long term. The newest suggestion to 75w-140 was about the time when everyone was pushing 100k mile spark plug changes. So likely that's about lengthening service intervals, and the OEM telling you it's a forever fluid like the transmission, LOL.

I prefer Amsoil Severe Gear, which was $11-$14 per quart. They have gone up recently and it's more like $14-$16 now. I use their 75w-110 in the front diff, and 75w-140 in the rear. I can handle that versus the local parts store, $6 per quart stuff. I'm frugal but I'm not cheap.
 






I've got a bunch of gear oils on hand and would prefer to not spend what I see as probably unnecessary $45-60+ on more gear oils.

My Explorer is having some ticking problems. I'm not sure what the issue is. It has 203,000 miles. It's the one vehicle I'm just not confident in the lifespan.

I drive this ~1,000 to 2,000 miles per year, all short in town trips. I'm hopeful in forecasting 10 more years on this vehicle, so that's 10-20k miles. I have already spent far more than I wanted on maintenance on this so I'm really not wanting this to be a money pit. Cutting corners where I think I safely can without harming it.

I'm in Idaho where winters reach sub-zero and summers reach over 100 on a regular basis. I have read a lot about the benefits of a heavier weight on these Fords, and many go to 75w110 or 75w140 with good results.

I am considering using one type or a mixture of the following of what I have on hand.

3.5 Qts of Valvoline and Quaker State conventional 80w90. All GL-5. (This is a "free" option, no other applications)
8 Qts of Chevron ESI Isosyn 85w140 GL-5 (I think it's conventional, but unsure). (This is a "free" option, no other applications)
8 Qts of Valvoline 75w90 synthetic. ($15 per Qt retail) (I have 5 other vehicles to service that all require this weight)

I'm thinking either use up the 80w90 since I have no other applications for it. Or mixing it, 1/1 with the Chevron 85w140 to get something like a 85w115, or mixing it 1/1 with the Valvoline synthetic to get a blend around 80w90. I considered buying some Valvoline 75w140 and mixing 1/1 with the 75w90 on hand, to get me something like a 75w115 weight.

I wrote Valvoline and Chevron with my plan and proposal and awaiting any responses on mixing these.

I should note the two other vehicles I'm considering this option for are a 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis (my primary sedan) and my 2002 Ford Crown Vic (my secondary sedan). I alternate driving these. Both very well maintained, I just like the Mercury better. I expect at least another decade from each of these at ~1,000 to 2,000 per year on each as well. I am sorta looking for an excuse to use up these gear oils sitting on the shelf. So if they or a combination of them will work for this/these applications I'm leaning toward that.

You can mix the gear oils, that will not create a bad fluid, just a compromise between the two.

I'd use the low viscosity in the front diff, and the rest of it mixed in the rear, with that Chevron gear oil.

Try to buy better gear oils in the future. I have bought some low end parts store stuff over the decades, and used only what I had to have immediately. I stock the Amsoil now, typically enough to last me a couple of years for all of my cars.
 






You can mix the gear oils, that will not create a bad fluid, just a compromise between the two.

I'd use the low viscosity in the front diff, and the rest of it mixed in the rear, with that Chevron gear oil.

Try to buy better gear oils in the future. I have bought some low end parts store stuff over the decades, and used only what I had to have immediately. I stock the Amsoil now, typically enough to last me a couple of years for all of my cars.

This is solid feedback and advice. I'm also frugal, but not cheap and I see long-term as well.

I have 6 qts of Royal Purple 75w90 with friction modifier inbound. Two are for my Challenger, and the rest for upcoming Toyota service. I talked to the RP rep and he said I could use this in my Fords. I might go heavier weight. That Amsoil 75w110 may be a good compromise. Or 75w140. Still wrestling with this. Again, frugal but not cheap, spreading money smartly and not foolishly.
 






I started using the Amsoil when the big 30mpg thread was started and getting hot. There was a lot of discussion about fuel economy for the various gear oils. He was the one to try the thinner gear oil in front and back, for fuel savings, he drove little and not long trips or for hard usage. I took that and figured I'm harder on my vehicles, so I put the thin version in the front, and the thickest in the back.

I think the best brand gear oils are good enough for almost any application. So that's a bigger priority to me than the actual viscosity. I've used the mid level 110w in my cars several times, and the price difference between each level is about $1.
 






I think the push for lifetime fluids was because 75% of people never change their transmission fluid, or gear oil.
 



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I agree, and they just made it easier for more people to neglect their vehicles.

I've had my last two vehicles be from those type of people, with original spark plugs in them, one with the wires too.
 






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