Thanks to all who replied to my original post.

I went and bought the synthetic oil from the dealer because no other auto
parts store was open today. I took the front diff cover off and the oil
was very dark (almost black). I washed the insides with a cleaner as
everything was completely black as well and put everything back together
and added the synthetic 75W-140 gear oil.

I tried taking the rear diff cover off but could not manage to get my hands
around the top bolts. Its a stock height currently and the gas tank was
the biggest culprit. So I went and got a cheap siphon pump to take as much
oil out as possible. I think I only managed about one litre (half the
total quantity). Again the oil was extremely dirty and had a funny smell
of almost like mud and oil mixture. Instead of putting the expensive
synthetic oil in now, I topped it up with mineral 80W-90 and the hypoid
gear oil additive. I'll run it this way for a thousand kms and change the
rear properly next month. This should act like flushing oil.

I test drove for about 20 minutes and made several slow and slightly faster
figure eights in an empty parking lot. The feel has completely changed, it
is running very quietly and a lot of the vibrations that I thought were
normal have gone away as well. I think the previous owner had never had
the diff oil changed, even though the services were all done by the dealer.

Thanks
TW

 

"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
:
: I test drove for about 20 minutes and made several slow and slightly
faster
: figure eights in an empty parking lot. The feel has completely changed,
it
: is running very quietly and a lot of the vibrations that I thought were
: normal have gone away as well. I think the previous owner had never had
: the diff oil changed, even though the services were all done by the
dealer.
:
: Thanks
: TW
:
Looks like you found the culprit, good job.
-Brian

 

"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
:
: I test drove for about 20 minutes and made several slow and slightly
faster
: figure eights in an empty parking lot. The feel has completely changed,
it
: is running very quietly and a lot of the vibrations that I thought were
: normal have gone away as well. I think the previous owner had never had
: the diff oil changed, even though the services were all done by the
dealer.
:
: Thanks
: TW
:
Looks like you found the culprit, good job.
-Brian

 

"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
:
: I test drove for about 20 minutes and made several slow and slightly
faster
: figure eights in an empty parking lot. The feel has completely changed,
it
: is running very quietly and a lot of the vibrations that I thought were
: normal have gone away as well. I think the previous owner had never had
: the diff oil changed, even though the services were all done by the
dealer.
:
: Thanks
: TW
:
Looks like you found the culprit, good job.
-Brian

 

"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
:
: I test drove for about 20 minutes and made several slow and slightly
faster
: figure eights in an empty parking lot. The feel has completely changed,
it
: is running very quietly and a lot of the vibrations that I thought were
: normal have gone away as well. I think the previous owner had never had
: the diff oil changed, even though the services were all done by the
dealer.
:
: Thanks
: TW
:
Looks like you found the culprit, good job.
-Brian

 

> I tried taking the rear diff cover off but could not manage to get my
hands
> around the top bolts. Its a stock height currently and the gas tank was
> the biggest culprit.


The rear axles must hang to gain access to those top bolts. Lift the vehicle
and support the frame so that the axle hangs down as far as possible.

 

> I tried taking the rear diff cover off but could not manage to get my
hands
> around the top bolts. Its a stock height currently and the gas tank was
> the biggest culprit.


The rear axles must hang to gain access to those top bolts. Lift the vehicle
and support the frame so that the axle hangs down as far as possible.

 

> I tried taking the rear diff cover off but could not manage to get my
hands
> around the top bolts. Its a stock height currently and the gas tank was
> the biggest culprit.


The rear axles must hang to gain access to those top bolts. Lift the vehicle
and support the frame so that the axle hangs down as far as possible.

 

> I tried taking the rear diff cover off but could not manage to get my
hands
> around the top bolts. Its a stock height currently and the gas tank was
> the biggest culprit.


The rear axles must hang to gain access to those top bolts. Lift the vehicle
and support the frame so that the axle hangs down as far as possible.

 

Good idea CRWLR! I was wondering how I was going to get that rear cover
off.

Good tip.

Tom

"CRWLR" <CRWLRJEFF@YAHOO.COM> wrote in message
news:107g89k7gcp7gca@corp.supernews.com...
>
> > I tried taking the rear diff cover off but could not manage to get my
> hands
> > around the top bolts. Its a stock height currently and the gas tank was
> > the biggest culprit.
>
>
> The rear axles must hang to gain access to those top bolts. Lift the
vehicle
> and support the frame so that the axle hangs down as far as possible.
>
>
>
>
>
>