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rossy

Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Co. Roscommon
Posts: 1296

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 CSW Stornoway Grey

Front diff oil goes black very quickly

Six months ago I changed the diff oils for Castrol Syntrax. On a recent service the dealer noticed the front oil had gone quite black and recommended I changed it next service.

I have since done a search and apparently the blackness is simply grease from the CV joints washing into the oil. I understand that the front diff has to work harder than the back one but surely after only 6k miles it would be not necessary to change it again ?

Does this grease affect the properties of the oil in a negative way or does it not make any difference ?
And would I be better off using a non synthetic EP 80/90 GL5 in the diffs which, apart from being cheaper, may be a bit thicker and less likely to mix with grease from other components ?

I tow a caravan with it but don't do any off roading.

Thanks

20th Sep 2012 8:51am

ibexman

Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2954

If it aint broke dont fix it

20th Sep 2012 9:44am

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17540

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Why would grease from the CVs be "washed" into the axle tube? There are oil seals between the tube and the swivel housings and for there to be enough lubricant migration between the two for grease to be carried into the diff these seals would have to be well worn, damaged or missing.

Does oil run out of the swivel housing if you remove one of the lower swivel pin retaining bolts/studs? If not, I sugest that there is no lubricant migration (it being easier and more likely for oil to pass from the axle tube into the swivel housing that back the other way).

20th Sep 2012 9:58am

rossy

Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Co. Roscommon
Posts: 1296

Thanks Blackwolf but I really don't know. I'm only going by what other threads have suggested.
There is some oil weeping out of the swivel pin because you can see it just underneath the ball but I posted a photo a while ago and everyone said it was normal so I just wipe it off with a rag now and again.

So what would be blackening the oil then ?

And if a seal was faulty would that not be too big a problem assuming everything is still getting lubricated and there's no leaks other than that tiny one at the swivel ball ?

20th Sep 2012 10:28am

MK

Member Since: 28 Aug 2008
Location: Santiago
Posts: 2445

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Chawton White

Those seals are actually not that tight. And MoS2 will not hurt your diff. Puma 110" SW

.............................................................
Earth first. Other planets later

20th Sep 2012 11:20am

rossy

Member Since: 29 Nov 2010
Location: Co. Roscommon
Posts: 1296

20th Sep 2012 8:16pm

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