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Dana 44 fluid volume question

rockbottom

rockbottom

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Stock Dana 44 on 2006 lj rubicon
I have the correct fluids
In the manual it says, with vehicle level fill until fluid begins to come out the fill hole.

When I removed the fill hole plug, before I removed the cover, alot of fluid drained out the fill hole.

So what is the correct way to install the new fluid?
How would you get fluid , 60 oz, above the fill hole?

Confused on fluid draining with the jeep setting level

Do you jack the rear up and measure what you put in?

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IMG_0423.webp
 
There are various methods. Fluid pump that fits on a bottle, suction gun or big syringe that can fill from container then dispense into rear, and squeeze pouches.
 
Unless your pinion is rotated up for drive line vibrations/SYE and double carden filling to the fill hole is a sufficient volume.

Aftermarket diff covers typically move the fill holes to allow for more fluid capacity.

-Mac
 
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I could be wrong here completely but the front diff cover fill plug looks way to low. Far as overfilling, we can assume it wasn't full of water was it? Typically diffs say fill till it runs out or up to 5/8" below the hole.
 
Drain plug is located behind the cover as shown in this picture. If all you're doing is a fluid change then just draining and filling is fine but I'd recommend removing the cover probably every 2-3 changes just to clean it out more thoroughly (doesn't take much longer than a normal fluid change). As for filling it you can either use a fluid pump or one of the squeeze pouches. Rear is 2 qts and front seems to be under some contention as to whether its 1.375 qts or 2 qts.

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Gilaguy23 said:
I could be wrong here completely but the front diff cover fill plug looks way to low. Far as overfilling, we can assume it wasn't full of water was it? Typically diffs say fill till it runs out or up to 5/8" below the hole.
Click to expand...

The TJ Rubicon’s OEM diff covers are front/rear specific, with the front having a lower fill hole. The front diff does not require the same volume of lube as the rear, since it is not necessary for the front to have enough lube to run down the axle tubes to lube the bearings
 
Stranger things have happened but this is a strange one
I thought about it last night, maybe there is a fill plug higher on the housing. After s close look this morning i found nothing that would be another fill port.
Alot of gear oil came out both front and rear differentials when I pulled the plug before breaking the cover. Strange is the level about the plug?

Well without options this morning i filled front and rear diff’s with the amount on the tags 60oz rear, 44 oz front

Strange but true, both took almost exactly the OEM spec with nothing running out the fill port

My new guess is alot of fluid is caught up in the diff gears and assembly.

If I had pulled the cover first then I would have never known.

My thinking was to remove the plug while the cover was attached in case it was to tight rather than fight a plug on the bench, along with thinking it would also vent and allow the gear oil to drain easier

Live and learn

Im gonna look for the drain plug in the photo that was sent

Oh well whats next🤪
 
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They probably jacked up one end to fill it up, then put in the fill plug before they brought it back down. That's the only way I can think of how it would be above the fill plug.
 
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rouxbicon said:
The TJ Rubicon’s OEM diff covers are front/rear specific, with the front having a lower fill hole. The front diff does not require the same volume of lube as the rear, since it is not necessary for the front to have enough lube to run down the axle tubes to lube the bearings
Click to expand...

If you remove both diff covers and mix up the front with the rear, you should give up the bottle and the pipe. 🤫
 
rockbottom said:
Stranger things have happened but this is a strange one
I thought about it last night, maybe there is a fill plug higher on the housing. After s close look this morning i found nothing that would be another fill port.
Alot of gear oil came out both front and rear differentials when I pulled the plug before breaking the cover. Strange is the level about the plug?

Well without options this morning i filled front and rear diff’s with the amount on the tags 60oz rear, 44 oz front

Strange but true, both took almost exactly the OEM spec with nothing running out the fill port

My new guess is alot of fluid is caught up in the diff gears and assembly.

If I had pulled the cover first then I would have never known.

My thinking was to remove the plug while the cover was attached in case it was to tight rather than fight a plug on the bench, along with thinking it would also vent and allow the gear oil to drain easier

Live and learn

Im gonna look for the drain plug in the photo that was sent

Oh well whats next🤪
Click to expand...
Always remove the fill plug (on axles, trasfer case, transmission) before removing the drain plug.

You don't want to drain something only to find the fill plug frozen and no way to refill it.

Axle drain plugs are great. I hear they deleted them on the newer JLs, SMH.
 
JKP said:
Always remove the fill plug (on axles, trasfer case, transmission) before removing the drain plug.

You don't want to drain something only to find the fill plug frozen and no way to refill it.
Click to expand...
Now you tell me. :unsure: Drained my 241 tcase and now I have to drive it empty. ;)
JKP said:
Axle drain plugs are great. I hear they deleted them on the newer JLs, SMH.
Click to expand...
Ducks are more important and are the extent of most JL owner's mechanical knowledge. 🤫
 
TheBoogieman said:
No contention at all. It's 1.375 quarts unless you're using a HF pump. Then, two quarts and a roll of shop rags for the spill. ;)
Click to expand...

The only reason I say that is because of the differences in the FSM and tags on the diff. That being said now that I'm taking a step back from it and not giving into the research hysteria I sometimes find myself in when trying to find information, I'm realizing that the difference between 1.375 qts and 2 qts is more than enough to cause issues for the people running 1.375 qts if that was "low".
 
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That'll Buff said:
The only reason I say that is because of the differences in the FSM and tags on the diff. That being said now that I'm taking a step back from it and not giving into the research hysteria I sometimes find myself in when trying to find information, I'm realizing that the difference between 1.375 qts and 2 qts is more than enough to cause issues for the people running 1.375 qts if that was "low".
Click to expand...

I never measure my diff fluid anyway. When it comes out of the fill plug, I'm good.
 

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