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Need discussion, D44 Riddlers and fluid level

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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 05:19 PM
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Default Need discussion, D44 Riddlers and fluid level

I've read the threads there are and I need some advice.
I read WOL's writeup on the Solid diff cover. He said to dump two quarts of gear oil into the D44 front with the Solid cover.
I put Riddlers on my otherwise stock Rubi yesterday. I dumped approx 56-58 oz of gear oil in the front, Valvoline Durablend 80W-90, so not quite two quarts, but damned close. My breathers didn't puke last night driving it home from the shop at the farm where my girl works. It was colder late yesterday/last night than it was today, today almost 69 degrees. Still nothing from the rear, approx 2.375 quarts or approx 76-78 oz in the rear. I'm pretty sure I spilled about 4 oz, maybe a little less on the floor filling the rear, still have 1/2 qt. of the 3 qts. of Amsoil 75W-140 I bought for the rear.
The front puked a bit today, god knows how much on the road, the shock tower wasn't really covered, but there was an ounce or so on the ground under the Jeep. This was earlier this morning, and I didn't notice, I'd gone back to farm to drop her off, and played in the mud there for 20 mins. in 4H mostly, then a little in 4 low, checking that the lockers still worked correctly and they did. I noticed tonight after driving the ten miles to pick her up, another 20 or so miles to Wal-Mart for groceries and when we got back, I parked in the same spot as earlier in the day at my apartment complex, and noticed the spot that must have been from this morning as my Jeep was farther back in the spot. I stuck my finger in it and there's no mistaking the stench of gear oil plus it was on the front breather tube. I opened the fill plug, puzzled and slightly distressed over the little bit of teflon tape left that I used on the fill plug as there didn't seem that much left on the plug. I got out what I could. I removed an additional 6-7 ounces with the pump I have from the fill hole into a coke bottle from the front, and it now appears to be 1/4 of the way up the axle tube maybe a little more using the zip tie dipstick method. I thought it was last night though, but it was getting dark too. I was parked on a level surface both times.
Can those of you with Riddlers and D44's front and back tell me how much you're using front and back. The other question is how can the Solid covers be that much deeper than the Riddlers? The Riddler cover just barely clears the front track bar so WTF? Am I going to have problems now with axle seals, tell me it's going to be alright.

Last edited by ResQGrnRubi; Mar 29, 2009 at 05:36 PM.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 05:27 PM
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Originally Posted by ResQGrnRubi
I've read the threads there are and I need some advice.
I read WOL's writeup on the Solid diff cover. He said to dump two quarts of gear oil into the D44 front with the Solid cover.
I put Riddlers on my otherwise stock Rubi yesterday. I dumped approx 56-58 oz of gear oil in the front, so not quite two quarts, but damned close. My breathers didn't puke last night driving it home from the shop at the farm where my girl works. It was colder late yesterday/last night than it was today, today almost 69 degrees. Still nothing from the rear, approx 2.375 quarts or approx 76-78 oz in the rear. I'm pretty sure I spilled about 4 oz, maybe a little less on the floor filling the rear, still have 1/2 qt. of the 3 qts. of Amsoil 75W-140 I put in the rear.
The front puked a bit today, god knows how much on the road, the shock tower wasn't really covered, but there was an ounce or so on the ground under the Jeep. I stuck my finger in it and there's no mistaking the stench of gear oil plus it was on the front breather tube. I opened the fill plug, puzzled and slightly distressed over the little bit of teflon tape left that I used on the fill plug as there didn't seem that much left on the plug. I got out what I could. I removed an additional 6-7 ounces with the pump I have from the fill hole into a coke bottle from the front, and it now appears to be 1/4 of the way up the axle tube maybe a little more using the zip tie dipstick method. I thought it was last night though, but it was getting dark too. I was parked on a level surface both times.
Can those of you with Riddlers and D44's front and back tell me how much you're using front and back. The other question is how can the Solid covers be that much deeper than the Riddlers? The Riddler cover just barely clears the front track bar so WTF? Am I going to have problems now with axle seals, tell me it's going to be alright.
Sounds like you over filled the diffs. Here is a quote from the write up.
Fill up your Jeep JK Wrangler’s differential with SAE 75W-90 synthetic gear oil. The Front differential only needs 2.7 pints (1.35 quarts) and the rear only needs 4.75 pints (2.375 quarts).
If you have an after market differential cover that has a higher fill hole (like a SOLID or ARB), DO NOT be tempted to fill up your differential with any more gear oil than it needs as it will just end up getting pumped out of the breather tube and make a big stinking mess.
http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...hange-write-up
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 05:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Robar
Sounds like you over filled the diffs. Here is a quote from the write up.



http://project-jk.com/jeep-jk-write-...hange-write-up
Indeed, but the Solid cover write up, which is for the front, says two full quarts, this can't be right.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 05:54 PM
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Different covers change the capacity. Here's a fool-proof method that works for this fool.

Take a zip-tie and bend 90 degrees to use as a dip stick. It will fill to the same level as the stock fill hole on an un-lifted Jeep.

Fill the diff to here:

Click image for larger version

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Last edited by AZJeeper; May 9, 2009 at 07:53 AM.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 06:09 PM
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Here is another view of the stock cover and the oil level. There has to be enough oil in the diff to flow out to the rear wheel bearings.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by AZJeeper
Different covers change the capacity. Here's a fool-proof method that works for this fool.

Take a zip-tie and bend 90 degrees to use as a dip stick. Look at the stock fill hole on an un-lifted Jeep if you doubt my advice.

Fill the diff to here:

Attachment 21446
This is the very same method/write-up I used to fill my diffs after I installed my Riddler covers. The custom dipsticks helped immensely. I stopped at the same point marked by the base of the OEM fill holes but due to the capacity of the new covers, I still got a bit more fluid. No leaks or overflow and that was about 1000 miles ago.
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Old Mar 29, 2009 | 06:23 PM
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Originally Posted by ronjenx
Here is another view of the stock cover and the oil level. There has to be enough oil in the diff to flow out to the rear wheel bearings.
this is exactly right.. to remember its just above those bolts in the pic... i didnt go by the amount they took, i went by the height of fluid.
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Old Mar 30, 2009 | 04:26 AM
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no need to obnoxious, az. thanks for the responses, in the end, this is exactly what I did, and thought i did the first time.
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Old Mar 30, 2009 | 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by ResQGrnRubi
no need to obnoxious, az. thanks for the responses, in the end, this is exactly what I did, and thought i did the first time.
Obnoxious? Didn't mean to be.

"Fool Proof" was a slam at myself.

I had someone slam me on another thread for giving this tip. They obviously didn't know about the relationship between the factory hole and the axle location. Sorry if it came off as obnoxious.

In the words of Rodney King - "Why can't we all just get a long off-road trip?" Or something like that.

Last edited by AZJeeper; May 9, 2009 at 07:53 AM.
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Old Mar 31, 2009 | 01:28 AM
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no problems man, just for the record it puked again last night and I removed a little more, I'm going to just drain it tonight and out the correct amount in
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