[bertbear]

Hi all, long time lurker here, IMWhisper is my wife and I know a few of you have seen her around here.

We have hit the 15000 mile mark, and the maintenance schedule calls for the differential oil to be changed. That seems like an incredibly short maintenance period, but I will follow it anyway. The dealer wants $119 "On Special" to do it. Most of times I have done this it takes less than an hour and runs about $20 in parts.

Has anyone here done it yet?

Just glancing at the rear end tonight by flashlight it looks like the rear cover would have to come off, and there is a rubber plug in the cover for refill access. A new gasket is available for about $3 and the oil (SAE 75-140 synthetic) is $17 per container (not sure how many it will take, but would be surprised if more than 2)

Any comments out there?

 

[Quiet Lunatic]

Welcome to the forum bertbear, I'm nowhere near that mileage yet but I'm sure someone will answer your question.

 

[electricblue]

Hi all, long time lurker here, IMWhisper is my wife and I know a few of you have seen her around here.

We have hit the 15000 mile mark, and the maintenance schedule calls for the differential oil to be changed. That seems like an incredibly short maintenance period, but I will follow it anyway. The dealer wants $119 "On Special" to do it. Most of times I have done this it takes less than an hour and runs about $20 in parts.

Has anyone here done it yet?

Just glancing at the rear end tonight by flashlight it looks like the rear cover would have to come off, and there is a rubber plug in the cover for refill access. A new gasket is available for about $3 and the oil (SAE 75-140 synthetic) is $17 per container (not sure how many it will take, but would be surprised if more than 2)

Any comments out there?

welcome bertbear, to me thats seems too soon, I hit 15k too, so when your done with yours enjoy and stick around, imwhisper can share

 

[Waldorf]

welcome bertbear, to me thats seems too soon, I hit 15k too, so when your done with yours enjoy and stick around, imwhisper can share

bertbear: I agree that sounds soon. Is it listed this way in the maintenance schedule book? I haven't looked at mine, but the breakpoints are different for Canada as we use kilometres!

electricblue: welcome to the smurf (electric blue) army!

 

[NitroTech]

Takes about 2 Litres of fluid, and a half hour of labor, plus the gasket. I think it should be in the $75 range.

 

[TylerCanada]

Wow, that's very frequent. 25,000km for us Canadians, and double the cost for us with 4WD (front and rear are listed at the same interval). I don't really like that.

I would tend more toward double that mileage, but change it immediately after submersion in water/mud.

 

[NitroInATX]

That's what I charge the pre-owned division for differential fluid changes. Though it may not seem like it may be needed, and it probably isn't, it's always better to safeguard your vehicle and yourself against possible failure due to improper maintenance.

I typically change the diff and transfer case fluid on all Chrysler pre-owned (In case you don't know, I am a technician working solely for the used car dept. I don't do warranty work) at or above 20k miles regardless if it's been done before. You'd be surprised how viscous some differential fluid changes have been. Some rear ends burn fluid. I've had one diff casing nearly 1/2 below what the level should have been.

 

[TylerCanada]

Since I feel that a 3750 mile service interval is fine, my diff fluids will be changed at 18,750 miles rather than 15,000.

 

[Turbozcs2003]

If you plan on keeping your NItro, it would be a wise investment to change the gear oil after about 5000 miles or so to get the wear metals out of the differential. Then refill it with a good synthetic. Chrysler has always recommended 15K intervals for severe service.

Also dont forget your front diff and transfer case.

I would view this as an opportunity to get more familiar with your Nitro and learn something, not a difficult job.

Hope this link works but shows a study of wear metals verus initial change out of the factory fill gear lube. Conclusion is to change out after3-5K miles and doign so will greatly reduce the wear rate since the initial break in wear is flushed out and thereafter the wear rate is very low.
https://www.amsoil.com/dealer/techs...erential_Oil_Change_After_Initial_Breakin.pdf

 

[kaleos]

read the first tuneup on my nitro, 31,000 miles.

Hi all, long time lurker here, IMWhisper is my wife and I know a few of you have seen her around here.

We have hit the 15000 mile mark, and the maintenance schedule calls for the differential oil to be changed. That seems like an incredibly short maintenance period, but I will follow it anyway. The dealer wants $119 "On Special" to do it. Most of times I have done this it takes less than an hour and runs about $20 in parts.

Has anyone here done it yet?

Just glancing at the rear end tonight by flashlight it looks like the rear cover would have to come off, and there is a rubber plug in the cover for refill access. A new gasket is available for about $3 and the oil (SAE 75-140 synthetic) is $17 per container (not sure how many it will take, but would be surprised if more than 2)

Any comments out there?

hello bert bear, read the thread that i started...first tuneup on my nitro, 31.000 miles. it was actually for the 30,000 mile mark but i brought it in at the later mileage. this should help you distinguish the overpayment that i did compared to the savings you will accomplish by doing it yourself. good luck to you.

mcnabb (kaleos) in louisiana..........:wavey:

 

[fcsallan]

15K is soon for the average driver.

I had my dealer tell me that I was due to change my Dakota's rear grease as well at around that mileage. However he said that most decline. Just note that if you decline they can refuse warranty service. I change mine about every 25K anyway. But then I change my transmission fluid then too.

If you do it yourself it is a no brainer. $40 bucks or so and half an hour and a couple of beers for a small piece of mind. Sounds like a bargain to me.

 

[TylerCanada]

I misread the schedule. I thought 15,000 miles for the diff fluid was the "light" service (schedule A) but it's in fact the normal aka severe service (schedule B). The schedule A time frame for diff fluid is in fact 30,000 miles.

If you read the description, almost everyone fits in schedule B. But I maintain that somewhere between the two is more than enough for all but the most abusive drivers.

Chrysler has always recommended 15K intervals for severe service.

 

[kaleos]

got my first tune up and rear differential fluid change at roundtree dodge dealership a couple of days ago. the total price i paid was almost half of my nitros monthly note. i knew ahead of time of how much it might cost, but its just the idea of me always servicing my own vehicle then to turn around and let them do something kind of minor on the mechanical knowledge scale, for some, and to have to pay alot more money than if i would have done it myself.

here is what it all cost and what they did:

1). replace all six spark plugs, part #spzfr6f1-16 $3.20 each x 6=$19.20

labor and parts...................=$89.20

2). performed synthetic differential service with limited slip additive,
synthetic oil...................part #pksus216 $19.95 each x2=$39.90
additive.........................part #pk01491 $14.95 each x1=$14.95

labor and parts...................=$99.83

shop supplies...................................................................$9.45

total labor.........114.98
total parts.........74.05
total misc.chg......9.45
total tax.............17.87

TOTAL INVOICE....$216.35!!!!!!:shakehead:

if i do it myself next time, less than $85.00.

also, i asked the service advisor if they had different spark plugs that last longer instead of having to change them out every 30,000 miles and he said "no", "the ones that are in there are engine specific and if i tried another plug like bosch or the e-3 or champion, all i would be doing is hurting my engine and it would run poorly".

thought i would share this info with all of you, part numbers, prices and me way over paying somebody to do work on my vehicle where as i could have done it myself. one of these days i'll learn of my mistakes and try to correct them and maybe even write a book about it and maybe even sell a few to make up for all of the money i will have thrown away........or maybe not.

good luck to you all!!!!!!!!!!

kaleos, mcnabb, in louisiana............:Racing:

Hi all, long time lurker here, IMWhisper is my wife and I know a few of you have seen her around here.

We have hit the 15000 mile mark, and the maintenance schedule calls for the differential oil to be changed. That seems like an incredibly short maintenance period, but I will follow it anyway. The dealer wants $119 "On Special" to do it. Most of times I have done this it takes less than an hour and runs about $20 in parts.

Has anyone here done it yet?

Just glancing at the rear end tonight by flashlight it looks like the rear cover would have to come off, and there is a rubber plug in the cover for refill access. A new gasket is available for about $3 and the oil (SAE 75-140 synthetic) is $17 per container (not sure how many it will take, but would be surprised if more than 2)

Any comments out there?

hello bertbear, here is the start of a thread that i did earlier. i learned my lesson on this topic. will try to do everything myself next time.

mcnabb (kaleos) in louisiana...........:wavey:

 

[Chaos872401]

Hey guys just wanted to let you know that I had my differential service front and rear. The service guide says to do it every 15,000 miles. I know that some of you thought that was a little too soon. I had both mine done today and the front was not too bad. Then on to the rear and my mechanic was really surprised how dirty the oil was in there. I have almost 17,000 miles on my Nitro. So I guess when they said to change it very 15,000 miles they were not kidding. I think the front can go a little longer than that but the rear baised on what I saw it should be done at the aloted mileage.

Plus I want to thank Nitro Tech for answering my pm on the differential fluid change. Once again you are the best.

Thanks,
Andy

Ps you guys should do this at the aloted mileage you wont be sorry. It cost me about 188 to do both the front and the rear.

Still love my Nitro

 

[BLUBYU]

Chaos, I thought I read on here somewhere that Chrysler uses Synthetic in the front differentials and dino oil in the rear? Not sure why but I think it would be wise to replace it all with synthetic when changed. Maybe NitroTech can confirm this?

 

[Chaos872401]

I actually Pmed Nitro Tech and he told me the oil weight and what types to use I did put in syn into the rear but put in whatever Nitro Tech told me too.

Andy

 

[jeffrey750]

Could the rear fluid have looked dirtier to you because of the friction modifier that is added to the rear?

 

[TylerCanada]

If there was sediment in the rear fluid, it could have been from getting water in the overflow hose or its metal from something wearing. If it's wear metal, I'm a bit worried. My fluid ended up getting changed early, thanks to a stealership that can't follow directions.

 

[adot45]

differential service

I took mine in this morning for the 15,000 mile service. I got an oil change, filter, GREASE JOB, the 16 point inspection. and the differentials done for $190. ( synthetic ) It seemed early to me for the diff's but I wanted to satisfy my warranty requirements. I was also informed about a "rapid response" bulletin about the roof rack bolts possibly rusting. I take it back Thursday for the application of anti-rust goober to the roof bolts ( takes 4 hours they inform me ) and a new set of roof racks.....my 3rd set. The drivers side leading edge has lifted on the new style ones. :Racing:

 

[Jerrod710]

I just want to add something here. As much as the next person I don't want to be changing me axle fluids every 15,000 miles. That's ridiculous. So I am going to mention something to help you Nitro drivers out. I'm sure many of you people on here have heard of Amsoil or familiar with it. When I get to 15,000 miles I will change my front and rear diffs and put in Amsoil and it will be good for a service life of 100,000 miles. The dealer can't void your warranty for using Amsoil and doing extended drain intervals. If they do Amsoil will back you and take legal action against that dealership. So if you don't want to be changing your diffs every 15,000 miles check into Amsoil, you can even get a break on the pricing if you become a dealer and they have much more than differential fluids. One of the best synthetic oils out there I may say especially for cold weather.