Spanners

My plan was always to change engine, diff and gearbox oil at half the service interval, plus changing the gearbox oil once at 9.000 effectively to replace the oil used to run it in. Oil is cheap and easy to replace and has such an influence on the longevity of the mechanicals.

My car has done 9,000 miles from new. I changed the engine oil at 4,500 sticking to mineral oil, then went Redlin 10W30 synthetic at the 9,000 service. The service oil change for the diff is 18.000 from memory, so under my plan now is the time to change both diff and gearbox oil.

Having at last got hold of some Honda MTF oil I set about changing them both today.

Gearbox was no problem. The gearbox oil was nice and clean.

Diff, however, was a different story.

The diff oil was filthy. The magnetic drain plug was all furry.

I know the limited slip thingy puts strain on the oil, but I was not expecting the oil to be in quite this state.


Anyone else change their diff oil and seen what has come out?

Is this normal?

Turtle

Yes. Unless you find teeth (gear or young children's) in there, don't worry. It's just normal break in debris.

-Brian.

Amuse Boy

Nice work - I'll be doing the same next month.

Spanners

Phew! Thanks Brian.

I shall be changing it rather more frequently than the book says though. The muck that came out was worse than my old Mini Cooper S engine/gearbox/diff unit used to produce many years ago.

chrisr111

I changed all my fluids at 4.5K

Just like yours the gearbox oil looked like new but the diff oil was nasty.


Chris.

Spanners

Just back from SM5 - the French Connection (It was GREAT - you should have been there) having covered 3,000 miles (we went out before the 'pack' and drove the long way). So, now I have a NEW 23mm flat combination spanner bought in France, which is EXACLY the tool needed for the diff refill plug, I thought I would change the oil in my diff again. This time the oil I drained out looked more like oil, albeit a bit dirty, than the muck that came out when I changed it two weeks ago. This time it has covered 3,000 miles, not the 9,000 of the last change, but looked a lot healthier.

I plan to track down a better oil than the Castrol hypoid I have been using and change it again in another three or four thousand miles. This will, of course, help justify the investment in that 23mm spanner.

baptistsan

XBy, am currently in contact with Liquid Engineering who manufacture an oil for the rear diff that matches exactly the Honda spec, its the 607 stuff. Will let you know what happens.

How did you find the Redline oil? as that's what I'm considering changing too when I go fully synth.

Spanners

Baptisan

The Redlne oil does what it says - it is oily! No comment really, other than I used about 0.5 litres over the 3,000 miles I have just covered on SM5 with PLENTY of VTEC. Still nice and celar too. But then I suspect most good oils would be at this stage in my car engine's life (12,000 miles).

The spec for the diff oil is just an EP 90 hypoid. I wandered into Helfords expecting to have a choice but no such luck. I am currently usning a 75W90 semi-synth - but suspect I can do better - Redline do some diff oils.

The troublesome one is the gerbox oil. Honda recommend only Honda MTF - which is surprisingly hard to buy!

If you want to try the Redline then Graeme Finlayson at Fluke Motorsport - graeme@fluke-motorsport.co.uk is your man. We bought some a few weeks ago. We met Graeme at Stanford where his parents have a hotel, but he can post. If you are going to try Graeme let me know as I may be interested in some Redline diff oil if they do an appropriate spec.

Do change your diff oil sooner rather than later! The muck that came out of mine, and the crud on the magnetic drain plug, still give me nightmares!

baptistsan

Has anyone tried this stuff?

Silkolene BOA 90LS.

Xby2K did you ever source the Honda MTF?

Spanners

Yup. Got some Honda MTF. Got my garage to order some, after the intervention of Honda UK.