OK. NOw I'm Really Confused!!! Need Help please.

[jorgensensc]

Hey all,
Sorry for the long post, but I need some guidance please. I need to replace the front and rear (locking) differential fluid and the transfer case fluid. I read the directions posted by member kwlr3 that he received from a dealer. My concern is that the dealer wanted to charge me for 2 quarts for the front diff. I asked why when the owners manual says it takes 1.5 pints (.64 quarts). They checked with their technicians and were told the front takes a little over 1 quart. They fill it to the fill plug. I was concerned because the directions below state that the differentials are filled to the quantity, not the fill plug. I called 3 different dealers and got the same answer at all of them, so I called Land Rover USA and asked them. They spoke with the corporate technician and he stated that they fill it to the plug ( a little over a quart) and that is the way he trains all of the other techs. When I asked why it differentiated from the workshop manual and the owner manual they didn't have an answer, just "that's how we do it" I asked if there was a bulletin that came out that changed the fluid quantity and they said no there isn't one. They then went on to say that the "capacity only not to the plug" verbage was put there to protect themselves from consumers doing their own work and not knowing how to fill to the plug and overfilling the diffs. Odd though that the transfer case says to fill to the plug? I also find it odd that the manufacturer would tell the consumer to leave about 1/2 quart out of the front differential! So I am very confused.
My concern is that if I fill it to what the manual says (going against what the dealer and Land rover USA says, then if I have a differential issue then it becomes my fault because I didn't follow their recommendations. If I fill it to what they recommend and have a differential problem then I didn't follow what the manufacturer states in the manual. I followed the dealers "recommendation". Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance!!
Shawn

These are the directions, cut and pasted from the other post:

Front Differential:
1. Remove engine skid plate
2. Clean area around drain and fill plugs, remove fill plug
3 Remove drain plug, drain fluid
4. Install drain plug; up to serial number 254845, tighten hexagonal drive drain plug to 54Nm (40 lb-ft), from serial number 254836, tighten 3/8" square drive drain plug to 28Nm (21 lb-ft)
5. Fill with 0.61 litres (1.07 pints) (0.64 US quarts) Castrol SAF-XO - 75W/90 (LRN 7591)
CAUTION: Do not use the fill plug as a level, fill with the correct quantity
6. Tighten filler plug to 34Nm (25 lb-ft)
7. Reinstall engine skid Plate.

Rear Differential:
1. Raise and support vehicle
WARNING: do not work under a vehicle supported by a jack
CAUTION: Do not undo or remove the large protruding hexagonal on the differential casing.
2. Clean the area around the differential fill plug and drain plug, remove the fill plug
3. Position container to collect fluid, remove the drain plug. Drain fluid
4. Install drain plug. Up to differential serial number 254325, tighten the hexagonal drive drain plug to 54Nm (40 lb-ft) from differential serial number 254326, tighten the 3/8" square drive drain plug to 28 Nm (21 lb-ft)
5. Refill with correct fluid and quantity;
Open unit: Castrol SAF - XO 75W/90 LRN 7591 1.1 Litres (2.3 US pints)(1.16 US Quarts)
Electronic torque managed differential: Castrol SAF Carbon Mod Plus LRN500070
1.5 litres (3.17 US pints) (1.6 US quarts)
CAUTION: make sure correct specification and quantity of oil is used
7. Install filler plug and tighten to 34Nm (25lb-ft)

Transfer case Draining and Filling

1. Raise and support vehicle (note the warning)
2. position a container to collect fluid
3. Clean area around fluid drain plug, remove plug and discard the sealing washer.
4. Allow fluid to drain
5. Clean component mating faces, install a new sealing washer, install drain plug and tighten to 22Nm (16lb-ft)
6. Remove the filler/level plug, clean the immediate are and discard the sealing washer
7. Refill transfer case with Shell TF 0753, LRN0753, until the fluid is level with the bottom of the filler/level plug hole. (1.5 litres)(2.6 US pints)(1.5 US quarts)
8. Install the fluid filler/level plug with a new sealing washer and tighten to 22Nm (16l lb-ft)

 

[kwlr3]

KWLR3 here. I recall that when I drained the old fluid into containers to take to the oil recycling center, the quantity drained closely matched the quantity put in. I was replacing the original fills. In any case, at about 92,000 miles I had to replace the rear differential. The looking clutch was out of range and and the bearings were starting to howl. The front diff and transfer case seem to be fine. Assuming you have no oil leaks, why not measure the amount of oil drained and replace it with at least the minimum fill quantities. If your going to lose sleep over it add a little more.