Can you over fill differential?

usocazy · Jul 16, 2017

So I've got a 2004 Ram 2500 with the 14 bolt 10.5" differential. Manual says capacity is around 2.65 quarts so I bought 3 quarts to change out the fluid.

Removed cover and gasket - everything looked good. Put new gasket on and reinstalled the cover. Put the first 2 quarts in no problem. Put half or so of the third quart in and stuck my finger in to feel the level, felt a little but had to go way in and down to feel the level.

Put the remainder of the third quarter in and it still didn't overflow out of the fill hole. Stuck finger in and felt the level a little better. Runs and drives well - just like before.

Question: will half a quart more fluid make that much of a difference? Should I back out some fluid or should be ok?

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R.L.K. · Jul 16, 2017

I'd add more , fill it up Untill spillover regardless of what the capacity says .

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corneileous · Jul 16, 2017

I was gonna say, unless there's diffs out there that haven't had that concept built in, usually the fill hole is where the oil level should be as in, when you're filling it and it starts running out the hole, its full.

corneileous · Jul 16, 2017

Or well, lemmie rephrase that - as long as you can stick a finger in the hole and feel the oil, it has plenty.

ramportin1 · Jul 16, 2017

Yeah, full level is at the bottom of the fill hole so technically no you can't over fill it as long as you are on level ground

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usocazy · Jul 16, 2017

Yeah that's what I thought too - regarding the fill hole also being the fill level. I had the back jacked up a bit so now that it's back on the ground I'll check the level again.

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usocazy · Jul 16, 2017

Checked on level ground. Removed plug and inserted little finger and the level was right there. [emoji1303]

Truck has over 183k and I figure this was the first time the differential fluid was changed - yikes! I got the truck in 2010 with over 110k miles. Good news is that the plug magnet had very little metallic flakes on the tip and the fluid was still pretty smooth. Regardless, it was way past due!!!

Also changed the tranny fluid, filter and gasket after dropping the pan. That one I did before but realized it was over 4 years ago. Figured while I was under there to kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

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corneileous · Jul 16, 2017

Yeah this winter when it finally cools off down here, I need to do a plug change, tranny fluid and filter change and probably front, rear diff and maybe even t-case fluid change.

JPT · Jul 17, 2017

I believe if there was a gasket there, the fluid had already been changed. I can't remember hearing the last time a diff came from the factory with a gasket for the diff cover.

I could be wrong...

Gaskets are nice if you change your fluids frequently, and if you use grease on both sides, they are reusable (there are some designed for multiple use too). We used to do this in the Jeep community where if you do river crossings a lot, you need to change the diff fluid after each adventure.

hornychief · Aug 25, 2017

Those have reusable gaskets. On the diff cover there is a line an inch or so below the fill hole. Says fluid level. I would stick with factory guide line. No additive and correct fluid level

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Can you over fill differential?

usocazy

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R.L.K.

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corneileous

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corneileous

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ramportin1

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usocazy

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usocazy

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corneileous

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