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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Filling rear diff - how much oil?
Hi folks,

I have a 300Tdi 110, but it has a 2009 rear axle fitted. I've just put an Ashcroft ATB into this, and filled up with EP90.

My Tdi manual says 1.7l, and I think I've found something which says the 2009 rear axle would take 1.6l.

So far so good, but I also thought the filler cap was a "level"? I filled to just short of this, and I think I got something like 2.2l in there. I can't see that the Ashcroft diff would have a lesser 'volume' than the standard P38?? So what am I doing wrong?

The only thing I can think of is that the car is on axle stands, so the filler plug is probably a little higher than it should be, but I looked at this beforehand, and didn't think it would make that much difference.

Draining a little out is OK, but what would you do? What harm would it do to have it a little overfilled for a test drive? It's a new Gwynn Lewis breather, so I know that's OK.

Ta Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #820434 20th Mar 2020 9:10pm
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htb2



Member Since: 02 Nov 2018
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 507

Scotland 
Wait till you drop it off of the axle stands and check again, mine are all done to just running out of level plug.
Post #820438 20th Mar 2020 9:45pm
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topless_matt



Member Since: 29 Mar 2015
Location: norfolk
Posts: 68

England 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Tonga Green
If you have tipped it forward enough that the level inside the casing allows it to run into the tubes of the axle you can get a lot more oil in it that the book value.
I expect that is what you have done, as you have nearly half a litre more in.
Just sit it on the level and drain it to correct, won’t have hurt it at all.
I run my full time off roader with a very full casing as it’s not often on flat ground and it’s never caused a problem. Hold my beer and watch this!
Post #820448 20th Mar 2020 10:37pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Thanks, yep that sounds easy enough. I was just wondering why it might have taken that much in the first place.

Something else I've learnt too: try to remember to warm up the new oil first. EP90 doesn't flow too well when the temperature is somewhere between freezing and 3'C. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #820449 20th Mar 2020 10:39pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Thanks Matt - that does make sense - that some of it must be running into the tubes. I didn't think the 'tilt' would add much to the diff pan itself, but if it's just enough to allow more oil into the tubes.... hadn't seen it that way. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #820451 20th Mar 2020 10:43pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 7664

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
if there is too much it will prob come out the breather anyway Cheers

James
110 XS Utility
130 Puma Station wagon/camper (in the making)
90 Puma Hardtop
Post #820583 21st Mar 2020 10:39pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Well, put the wheels back on and put the car back on the ground.

Basin under the diff, removed the filler plug and.... nothing came out. Because I was doing a couple of other things too, I haven't taken it out for a run. I'll try taking the filler out again once I've got the oil a bit warmer. It's still a bit chilly up here... Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #820585 21st Mar 2020 11:02pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

ha! I did a search for axle oil levels….. and found my own post.

Happy I did though because having just refilled the axle, the same question rears its head, and the info above is a great reminder of where I was before.

Basically, as noted in another thread about drive flanges coming loose, I had a leak from one side of the rear axle. As I wasn’t sure how much oil I might have lost, I decided to drain and refill the axle.

It’s something shy of 2l that came out. Up above I said I’d got 2.2L into it. I don’t think I’d lost that much through the leak.

Anyway, refilled, and I reckon I got just shy of 2L back in (this is with the car on its wheels, on dead level ground) not the 1.7L the manual says it should take.

On the Pumas, is the filler plug also a level?
Is it still 1.7L for the rear axle in the Pumas?

Ta.

Makes me wonder about the calibration marks on my little Sealey pump bottle…. Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #926046 17th Oct 2021 10:20am
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11240

United Kingdom 2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Orkney Grey
The filler is also the level plug on all axles regardless of the being Puma's. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #926066 17th Oct 2021 1:43pm
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Marks Landy



Member Since: 09 Feb 2015
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 296

United Kingdom 1985 Defender 90 200 Tdi SW Java Black
As above, fill to spill on level ground.
Post #926070 17th Oct 2021 2:16pm
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Dinnu



Member Since: 24 Dec 2019
Location: Lija
Posts: 3141

Malta 2012 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 CSW Santorini Black
The more metal... the less oil. So a 4 pin will take less oil. Not a lot less, as the diff is not fully immersed. 1988 90 Hard Top, 19J Diesel Turbo, Shire Blue - Restoration ongoing
2012 90 CSW, 2.2TDCI, Santorini Black
Post #926073 17th Oct 2021 2:30pm
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donmacn



Member Since: 06 Nov 2017
Location: Nth Scotland
Posts: 1829

Thanks very much guys - confirms what I thought. It’s the discrepancy between what the book says and what’s actually going in that’s been making me doubt what I was doing.

Better to have a little more oil than too little! Donald

1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong
(The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html )
2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8

in the past..
RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi
1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box
1993 Discovery 300Tdi

not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper...
Post #926111 17th Oct 2021 6:14pm
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