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Rear Axle Lube Change

Joined
Mar 3, 2001
Messages
314
Location
Andover, MA USA
Corvette
1986 "Bright Red" Coupe
Any tips on how to drain and refill the rear axle in a 1986. I figure I can use one of those hand pump brake bleeder setups to suck out the old lube, but I'm looking for a shortcut to refill the axle. Also what is the correct ratio of lube to anti-slip additive? I thought it was one bottle of additive to one 23 oz bottle of GM lube. Not sure and don't know where to verify it. I know someone on this forum has the answer and may be willing to share.
 
i hope someone else answers, I need to do mine as well, got all the lube, and additive.
 
Anybody out there?
 
well no one else posted so i guess we will have to do this on our own eh?

Talked with the guys at napa, The additive is 1 bottle, then fill the rest of the way with Gear Lube.

After the change, run the car in a tight figure eight 7 or 8 times ( distrubutes the lube and Additive, through-out the clutch pack and gears) at an easy/low speed. Then ya should be done.

Am curious as to how the siphon will work though. Adding it back in should be fairly easy ( i got the smaller squeeze bottles ).
 
If you'd like a easy way to empty the diff, what I used to do is take your Shop Vac and make a "straw" from surgical tubing or some other type of flexible plastic, Tape it to the hose for the shop-vac and vola! you have a professional Devac Lol it works great!
 
Sounds to me like the oil ends up in the vacuum cleaner, is that right? I'm gonna use one of those Mi T Vac hand pumps to get the oil out, it's getting the oil back in that seems impossible.
 
Gear oil pump

They make a hand pump that screws right into a 1 gal can of gear oil. It cost about 5 bucks and all auto parts stores should have them. Valveoline is one brand who has the pump. I got a new one sitting on my bench right now.
 
Re: Gear oil pump

resto75 said:
They make a hand pump that screws right into a 1 gal can of gear oil. It cost about 5 bucks and all auto parts stores should have them. Valveoline is one brand who has the pump. I got a new one sitting on my bench right now.

I use the hand pump to remove the lube from the diff too!!!
have to be creative of course
 
My buddy is an outboard tech, he has left over magnetic drain plugs from old trashed lower units. We just drilled a hole in the bottom and threaded it while the old oil was draining through the hole and washing out the filings. Now all I do in unscrew the plug and open the fill plug.

JS
 
jsinga said:
My buddy is an outboard tech, he has left over magnetic drain plugs from old trashed lower units. We just drilled a hole in the bottom and threaded it while the old oil was draining through the hole and washing out the filings. Now all I do in unscrew the plug and open the fill plug.

JS

excellent idea!!!

100 points !!!;worship ;worship
 
My Haynes manual does not tell me how much fluid goes in the Dana 36 axle. So can someone tell me what the capacity is? Also using the siphon technique how much of that capacity should I expect to get out?
Thanks, Graham
 
Tight 8's

The tight figure 8's mentioned above, are REAL good , in both directions, as routine maintenance.

While I cannot remember exactly what it does, I recall this obscure tip being very good for the unit.

I run synthetic lube or better. Is it called type 5?
 
What timely information, guys!

I was sure I wasn't the only one that worried about the fluid in the differential. Bought my 'vette used and I don't trust anybody!;):):)
 
I just finished the drain/fill process in my Dana 36. Not bad at all. Only thing annoying was that I got an 3/8 hex bit socket so i could use my 3/8 drive ratchet. Well that ain't gonna happen... Can't get a ratchet in there. Can't get a u-joint on it to use a ratchet. I ended up just grabbing the socket with a pair of vice grips. Not a big deal.
I managed to get 1.5 qts out of the diff using a siphon that I use for my boat outdrive. Works fine. You can pick one up for about $7 at any automotive store. It's made for filling the carrier but you can just use it in reverse to drain it. Works fine. No matter how you jack the car up or fuss around with the siphon hose you can't get all of it.
The stuff that came out was a disgusting smelling pink fluid. Nasty stuff :puke This is what they wanted me to use for the gear breakin period. It did have some fine metal grit in it that I was told to expect. So one more drain/refill should get the rest out. If you're small you can get in there without jacking up the car and do the whole job. You do want it level when you fill it.
Went out and did some tight figure eights and then an easy cruise down the road up to 70mph. Smooth.
Graham
 

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