Infiniti M45 / M35 Rear Differential Fluid Change

[fxlr8]

TOOLS:
JACKSTANDS
JACK
10MM HEX SOCKET
SOCKET WRENCH
TORQUE WRENCH (FT/LBS)
BREAKER BAR (IF NEEDED)

SUPPLIES:
2 (QUART) BOTTLES DIFFERENTIAL GEAR OIL (75W-90 SYNTHETIC IS WHAT I USED)
FLUID PUMP
DRAIN PAN
RAGS

SAFETY:
NEVER GET UNDER A CAR WITHOUT OUT QUALITY JACKSTANDS OR RAMPS IN PLACE. NEVER EVER GET UNDER A CAR ONLY RAISED AND SUPPORTED WITH A JACK.

PROCEDURE:
LIFT AND SUPPORT ALL 4 CORNERS OF YOUR VEHICLE WITH JACKSTANDS. YOU WANT TO KEEP THE THE CAR AS LEVEL AS POSSIBLE SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PUMP IN THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FLUID INTO THE DIFFERENTIAL.

LOOSEN AND REMOVE THE TOP FILLER PLUG FIRST (YOU'LL WANT TO REMOVE THE FILLER PLUG FIRST SO YOU CAN BE SURE THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FILL UP THE DIFFERENTIAL AFTER THE FLUID IS DRAINED).


LOOSEN THE DRAIN PLUG. ALIGN YOUR PAN UNDER THE DIFFERENTIAL AND REMOVE THE PLUG.


LET THE FLUID DRAIN COMPLETELY.


AFTER THE FLUID DRAINS, CLEAN THE DRAIN PLUG AND REINSTALL THE DRAIN PLUG. TIGHTEN THE DRAIN PLUG TO 25FT/LBS.



GRAB YOUR FLUID AND PUMP AND FILL YOUR DIFFERENTIAL UNTIL THE FLUID STARTS COMING OUT OF THE FILLER HOLE. YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME FLUID COMING OUT SLOWLY THE WHOLE TIME YOU ARE PUMPING, BUT IT WILL NOT BE FULL UNTIL IT IS COMING OUT PRETTY GOOD (AROUND 1.7 QUARTS).


AFTER THE FLUID IS LEVEL WITH AND COMING OUT OF THE FILLER HOLE PUT BACK THE FILLER PLUG AND TIGHTEN TO 25FT/LBS.


CLEAN UP ANY FLUID THAT YOU SPILLED ESPECIALLY OFF THE EXHAUST PIPES.

DONE..

MY CAR HAD AROUND 39,000 ON IT, NOT SURE IF THE FLUID WAS EVER CHANGED BEFORE I DID IT.
OLD FLUID ON LEFT / NEW FLUID ON RIGHT.

 

[HumbertoCALI]

Wow..

 

[midnite]

what will happen if you never change it ?

 

[Mongolian]

I just got my promotional Mobil 1 75w90 synthetic gear oil. I will get to this when I get my car back -_-

 

[fxlr8]

what will happen if you never change it ?

Not exactly sure on what "will" happen, but the cost and ease of doing this maintenance procedure should make it something that you shouldn't skip. Over time the viscosity and effectiveness of the differential fluid will deteriorate due to the constant on/off heat cycles of the differential, added to the the fact that there will be small metallic particles in the fluid from gear wear.

http://www.amsoil.com/news/differential2.pdf

 

[Ilya]

Adding to FAQ.

 

[Ilya]

Question, as I'm getting ready to do this, is this basically the same for the front differential?

 

[Mongolian]

Same ol

 

[Ilya]

Thank you sir. I'm about to hit 100,000k so I'm getting ready to change all the fluids, etc.

 

[Mongolian]

If u haven't done differential in a while, you should film as the gear oil literally oozes out. I forgot to film mine but I waited 50k fir my second one and the fluid was really really thick

 

[Ilya]

I had all the fluids changed at 50k. This time I'm going to attempt to do them myself. I'll see what I can do.

 

[Freddie's M45]

I have a local shop that sucks the old oil out and replaces it with new oil for $39.95. They even offer a $5 coupon which brings it down to $34.95

Stealer wanted $140

It's not a hard job but it can be messy and car needs to be level.

I had my M done at another shop, labor & Mobile 1 syth for about $65 with tax.

Sometimes it's best to shop around at your local shops.

 

[Ilya]

It seems pretty easy, thanks to this HowTo, and I have my own lifts, tools, heated garage at home (thanks Pops lol) so it's not a matter of tools, etc...more a matter of if I want to tackle the task.

 

[Freddie's M45]

I wish I had a lift

 

[Ilya]

The novelty wears off lol. But it's nice to have.

When I had the Maxima, I was in there every weekend working on it. With the M, I can barely make myself get in there to change the oil which only takes me 10 minutes lol.