Help with rear diff...

[cgmchris]

I need to change my rear diff oil...can anyone give me a hand doing this? thanks in advance

[CHAOS]

what kind of help are you looking for? someone to guide you or like moral support or what?

[GottalovetheWagon]

there is no guidence here besides 1/2 inch breaker bar and/or 1/2 inch wrench that about it and fill untill it starts to seap out the fill hole

[cgmchris]

what kind of help are you looking for? someone to guide you or like moral support or what?


I Need someone that has changed the rear diff fluid before to give me some guidance on doing it, I figured If I posted up on here someone would chime in with advice or volunteer to assist me , but if not I could always take it to the dealer, but i'd rather learn to do my own maintenance. thanks

[cgmchris]

ok I did a little research...what is the easiest way to fill the fluid, i've been reading that the sway bar is a little tough to manuever around

[teh DIRT]

get a tube that fits on the end of the diff fluid bottle and shoot it into the rear that way. easy!

[TROLL]

STi Rear Diff Fluid Change

tools needed:
-1/2" Drive Ratchet
-Fluid Pump ($15 at Pep Boys or similar store)
-1L Subaru LSD Rear Diff Fluid (using any other fluid is not recommended for the STi specifically)
-Gasket Sealant (optional)

1) First, go for a short drive to warm up the diff fluid making it less viscous so more of it drains faster for a better fluid change.
2) You can leave your car on the ground, or you can jack it up, but if you jack it up make sure the car is level when its in the air because it is important to refill the diff accurately.
3) Using a 1/2" drive ratchet, crack the top bolt plug first and remove it.
4) Then loosen the lower bolt plug and remove it. When the bottom bolt comes out you'll drain the old fluid into a pan of some sort until the diff is pretty much empty.
5) Once its fully drained, put the bottom bolt back in and torque it. I put a little gasket sealant on the last couple of threads just to make sure it seals up tight but its probably not necessary.
6) Use the fluid pump you got, and put the "in" end into the bottle of new diff fluid, and put the "out" end into the top hole of the diff. Pump the fluid from the bottle into the diff until it spills out of the hole. The correct level to fill the fluid to is until it reaches the top hole, so basically once it starts overflowing you're good.
7) Put the top bolt back in and torque that, use a little gasket sealant on the last couple of threads again if you want.

Thats it, really straightforward. Oh yeah, tranny/diff fluid STINKS. You're going to want to seal up the pump you used in a ziplock, or two. You're also going to want to wash your hands real well.

[Honest_Bob]

I second the fluid pump. :)

[cgmchris]

sweet thanks guys...i'm going to try this out tomorrow if rain permits

[cgmchris]

so should i stay away from redline rear diff oil and just get the oem fluid? I was just on my way to jscspeed to pick one of those redline powerpacks...should i not even bother?

[TROLL]

general consensus is that it is best to stick with oem rear diff fluid for the R180. i cant find the part number offhand, but it looks like this:
https://www.subarugenuineparts.com/images/subaru-oil.jpg
maddd jdm.

if you cant find it locally you can order it from subarugenuineparts.com here: https://www.subarugenuineparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=1063

[MuddyREX]

Very simple to do. I've done mine a whole bunch of times, you don't even need to jack up the car.

And for the record, diff/tranny fluid is my favorite car smell.

[Buster]

[QUOTE=MuddyREX; And for the record, diff/tranny fluid is my favorite car smell.[/QUOTE]


I bet you sniff your fingers after you wipe too you nasty bastard! JK LOLss

Good thread, ive been looking into this aswell.

[cgmchris]

are you guys getting your oem fluid from the dealers? if so which ones? And I forgot to ask is the "general consensus" saying to stick with oem gear oil also or is it ok to go with say redline,royal purple etc.?

[TROLL]

mmm people try different things for the transmissions but it seems a lot of guys are happy with just normal valvoline 75w90, which is rumored to be what the factory fill is (they wont tell us officially). guys try redline and some other stuff, but just as many or more people have been hapy with the valvoline dino oil and its cheaper so i'd just go with that.
as for the oem fluid, any dealer can get it, its just a question of price and if they have it in stock. i ordered mine from subarugenuineparts personally.

[cgmchris]

ok I'm going to place an order through the website also...thanks for all your help Troll, I truly appreciate it

ps. I need a license plate frame lolz

[TROLL]

no problemo, i just went through all the same stuff, hopefully it helps some others too. tech info ftw!

[jspek]

diff oil smells awesome. i wish they made a fragrance for it. lol this is a good thread. altho subarus arent cool anymore.