Gave the diff some love.

[LSXtasy]

I finally got around to changing out the diff fluid with some Royal Purple Max Gear 75W90 the other evening after work. Luckily I beat the freak blast of snow. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to change the trans fluid. I'll have to save that for a day when it's above zero degrees.

 

[Black 03 Z06]

LSX I am not sure how you got the gear lube into the rear end but it is a miserable job doing it on your back. That stuff stinks!

I put mine in using the pump that is designed to transfer lube into the lower unit of an outboard motor. Just be very careful if you use that method that the hose does not come off and drop inside the housing..

I also found that if I kept the oil in a bowl of very hot water it was so much easier to pump, huge difference. Also it is a good idea to have a couple of spare "crush" washers for the plugs. I think you can only get them from GM and they were not cheap but my original washers were actually causing a fluid loss. I am not sure they are designed to be reused.

Maybe someone else can confirm or deny this but I was told you had to take it easy for some time after changing the diff lube. This ensures the clutches are properly lubricated. Anyone?

Just wondered how you accomplished the lube change on yours? Good luck with the transmission.

 

[LSXtasy]

LSX I am not sure how you got the gear lube into the rear end but it is a miserable job doing it on your back. That stuff stinks!

I put mine in using the pump that is designed to transfer lube into the lower unit of an outboard motor. Just be very careful if you use that method that the hose does not come off and drop inside the housing..

I also found that if I kept the oil in a bowl of very hot water it was so much easier to pump, huge difference. Also it is a good idea to have a couple of spare "crush" washers for the plugs. I think you can only get them from GM and they were not cheap but my original washers were actually causing a fluid loss. I am not sure they are designed to be reused.

Maybe someone else can confirm or deny this but I was told you had to take it easy for some time after changing the diff lube. This ensures the clutches are properly lubricated. Anyone?

Just wondered how you accomplished the lube change on yours? Good luck with the transmission.

Hey Black, I used a fluid transfer pump as well. I had lots of hose so I didn't have to worry about it falling into the diff housing. However, it is a messy job laying on your back. I found that was the worst part was trying to contain the mess. Good thing my floors are epoxied, it made for an easier clean up.
I did reuse my gasket as it didn't look bad, but I will keep an eye on it for seaping. If I have to get another one, I'm lucky enough to be able to order it through work for cost.
LOL! My garage stinks like old diff fluid. It is a pretty gnarly smell. I can't wait to do my trans fluid, that smells pretty bad as well.
It is a nice to have it done now. It won't be seeing any track duty right away, just regular driving to work for a bit until the weather gets more consistent.
Thanks for the reply. It's always nice getting tips or tricks from different members. If I master a more efficient pump method, then I'll pass it on. Until then I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

 

[Riley P]

Some good words on changing the diff fluid. I wussed out and got mine changed while it was in the shop 3 years ago. ...and did the transmission too as I had no record of it ever being changed. However, the transmission fluid looked brand new!...or does tranny fluid even get dirty?

I still have to do the brake fluid..... I need to get on that asap.

 

[LSXtasy]

Hey Riley, it never hurts to change your fluids. It's one of the "cheapest" ways to keep your car performing it's best. Even though you had your trans fluid changed and it looked new, that's not a bad thing. You had no record of it before so now at least you know when it was done last and the condition of it.
Brake fluid isn't too bad. Have someone help you pump the brake pedal as you bleed the lines of old fluid. However DON'T let the fluid in your reservoir, drain too low. As you bleed a bit of old fluid top up your reservoir with new fluid. If the fluid in the reservoir drains too low into your master cylinder than you are going to have bigger problems.
Keep your car fenders covered, clean your hands often and don't touch any painted surfaces as the brake fluid will destroy your paint. It's really not that bad to do. The buddy system is the best way to ensure a proper bleed.

 

[Riley P]

Excellent. Thanks for the tips! That is one project I hope to tackle this summer.

 

[New C5er]

If you have someone pump the pedal for the brake fluid change it's a good idea to have that person in the car put the other foot or an appropriate thickness of wood under the brake pedal before pumping so the brake piston does not get too far extended.
Al..

 

[Riley P]

Sounds good Al! Will do. Anyone have advice on how to also cycle the fluid through the ABS modulator besides going and braking hard enough to activate the ABS?

 

[LSXtasy]

Sounds good Al! Will do. Anyone have advice on how to also cycle the fluid through the ABS modulator besides going and braking hard enough to activate the ABS?

We use a Snap-on "scan" tool that cycles the ABS unit as part of the brake bleeding procedure. Other than that, I'm not too sure Riley. I can try and find out for you.

 

[LSXtasy]

Hey Riley, if you don't have access to a Snap-on " scan " tool like Solus (or whatever Matco's, Mac's, or others equipmemt is called), then you will have to manually bleed from the ABS unit itself. This is a messy and time consuming affair. There's no guarantee that you will completely bleed the ABS unit entirely and so you will have to wait until your brake pedal feels a bit spongy (after/during driving), get a partner, bleed the brakes and repeat as necessary. Some ABS units will have a seperate bleeder screw that you can use (I'm not sure if our C5's do as I've never bleed the ABS unit on mine), however it will end up being the same result. The "scan" tool procedure is about 5 minutes or so. Even if you have to repeat it, it will only take another 5 minutes or so. Hope this helps.

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Great information LSX. I suspect that the Solus tool is an expensive one.

 

[LSXtasy]

Great information LSX. I suspect that the Solus tool is an expensive one.

Yeah Black, and there are more expensive versions, not to mention software updates which are subscription based.