Differential Lubricant Recommendations?

I'm about to drain and refill the front and rear differentials on my '98 GC

5.9 and am open to recommendations.

Fuels economy is a factor in my choice. I do not tow with the vehicle and most of my driving is interstate at 70+ mph.

The vehicle has 107,000 miles and I put on about 30,000/year right now. I'd prefer to not have to change it again for another 50-60,000 miles.

Thoughts?

Reply to
RCSnyder
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Synthetic 75-90. I don't know if you'll see the difference in fuel mileage though but it sure can't hurt. I've got Amsoil in my 99 Cherokee. I also put Amsoil fluids in the transfer case and transmissions. I've used Mobil 1 synthetic in many manual shift VW gearboxes and always had easy shifting all year around.

JoBo

Reply to
Jo Bo

I would recommend what the owners manual calls for....

I would stay far far away from unapproved snake oils and go with a real brand name oil.

Do you know if the diffs have limited slip in them? If so that takes a different additive than regular oil. There should be a tag on the diff for ID, but if not, you can jack up both back wheels and spin one to see if the rear is an open or not. If open, the wheel on the other side will turn opposite, if it has a limited slip, the wheel turns the same direction.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail >
Reply to
Mike Romain

i use royal purple

Reply to
J. Sprauer

Amsoil is a real brand name oil. in some situation their gear lubes can be very good. I like their engine oils but only in LPG engines or extreme cold. Other synthetics the same applies. I would never use synthetics in a diesel or in any engine with a lot of time/miles on regular oil on it since OH. Also I would never use it on an engine running heavily leaded fuels. Even running 10% 100LL in my R80 BMW motorcycle I won't use it. I no longer have to do that since I had my heads twinplugged but now I will stick with Aeroshell until teardown. (Which will be after I get my second engine majored and in the bike.)

Among synthetics i have used Amsoil, Mobil and Klotz. They all are the same.

Reply to
RapidRonnie

Nope, they sure as hell aren't all the same. Amsoil will void any manufacturers warranty out there. It is total snake oil garbage.

I read the 'spamsoil' page and they say 'when' the maker of your vehicle voids your blown engine's warranty for using the unapproved oil, you can send it to them and if 'they' decide the fault was their oil they will replace the engine. LOL! Ya right, like they can find fault with their crap.

A spamsoil sales droid gave me a case of the crap when he finally gave up trying to find suckers. I refuse to us it in any vehicle I own so I tossed the shit out to the recycle.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view! Jan/06
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Reply to
Mike Romain

As far as I know no manufacturer specifically prohibits Amsoil by brand. If the oil meets SAE specifications and ratings and is changed at the specified interval I know of no problem. If you can prove different please post your proof.

Klotz, Bel-Ray, and many other small manufacturers sell synthetic oils for niche markets and they do very well in those markets. I am not an enthusiast of synthetics for general purpose use but for racing or other extreme service they offer advantages and I would use them. Amsoil is cheaper than Klotz and more available. It's true they sell by a method I am not in love with but their oil has proven effective in some applications.

Ashless dispersant aviaton oils are not SAE approved for auto use either and anyone with an air cooled engine other than a Porsche 911, including a VW, Corvair, or similar, or air cooled pushrod motorcycle engines with shell bearings, uses nothing else on the street if they are not an idiot. Many Harley riders do too.

You have an unjustified animus against Amsoil. Amsoil has won a lot of races and will win a lot more.

Reply to
RapidRonnie

Amsoil does not distribute any motor oils that meet the Audi & VW specs for use in it 1.8 liter turbocharged engines. Use of an approved oil is a requirement for warranty coverage.

They publish, post, and maintain a listing of oils that meet or exceed their standards. That listing has been on this newsgroup as well as the Audi newsgroups several times..

If you would like a copy of the 2004 and/or 2005 listings I will be happy to forward...

Reply to
billy ray

Reply to
Jerry Bransford

And Amsoil's excuse is that they "update" their formulations so often that it would be cost-prohibitive to continually secure API certifications on every new formulation. What a crock.

Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

If an oil is not API certified, it will void any manufacturer's warranty. Most if not all Amsoil products are NOT API certified.

Reply to
Matt Macchiarolo

In a hypothetical case, where a customer brings in his vehicle with a blown engine, how exactly do "they" determine that non-certified oil was used?

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Like the others are mentioning, amsoil 'doesn't' meet the minimum specs for use in an automobile engine.

I sure wouldn't abuse my Jeep by using the stuff and I certainly don't buy fluids by whose is cheapest.

Mike

Reply to
Mike Romain

Is this something relatively recent? I used Amsoil in everything from PU trucks to 2-stroke race bikes 20 years go, until Mobil 1 began making thicker grades than 5w-30. Worked great. For example, I bought a 1980 FLH with 30,000 Miles from a dealer who warned me it'd need an overhaul soon. I put Amsoil in it and rode it 2000 miles. The oil came out very dirty but the motor smoothed out and stopped using and oil. 80,000 miles later I traded it in on a new 'evo', still running fine and using no oil. I only quit Amsoil cuz it was so hard to get. OTOH I'd not use any oil that wasn't SAE API if I can find one that is. Naturally YMMV.

Reply to
Vito

In article , Earle Horton wrote: #In a hypothetical case, where a customer brings in his vehicle with a blown #engine, how exactly do "they" determine that non-certified oil was used?

Simple. Ask for reciepts. From either the oil change places or receipts for the oil you bought if you did it yourself.

Worse comes to worse, and there are no reciepts because they were lost or whatever, you send a sample of goo to the lab.

A properly set up lab can tell you which brand of gas, down to the week of production. And that is *after* it has been used to burn down a house. Ask any arson investigator.

It's even easier with used oil.

/herb

Reply to
Herb Leong

Reply to
Jerry Bransford

Reply to
Jerry Bransford

Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

Neither sludge nor galled bearings are proof positive of non-certified oil. In fact, the most likely cause of both is a bad thermostat. For some reason, this reminds me of the time the truck dealer I was working for tried to get warranty money from Mack, for a bad liner and piston. The factory reps came in, looked at the intake, and found some tiny aluminum shavings. They tried to say that the vehicle owner had modified the intake with a hack saw, leaving shavings. The dealer came out with a tape measure, and demanded to know the dimensions of a new part. The reps didn't know, and Mack wound up paying.

Earle

Reply to
Earle Horton

Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

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