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Rear differential fluid amount

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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 02:59 PM
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Default Rear differential fluid amount

I'm in the process of restoring my 1969 Corvette L-71. Right now I have the whole rearend assembly out of the car as I am cleaning/painting it, adding new bushings/rear spring/shocks, installing new u-joints, and such.

While the rearend is out I will pull off the back cover to remove all of the old diff lube, verify the condition of the gears, clean everything out, add a new gasket and such. The question is ... how much lube does GM recommend for the rearend?

While I know that most guys fill the rearend until the lube just starts to run out of the fill hole ... I'm looking for the exact measurement that GM recommends.

And yes, I will add the proper GM posi lube when doing the re-fill.
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 03:01 PM
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I don't think GM ever gave an amount. It was alway fill to the hole.
Variation in the castings and milling would change the amount so the hole is the measuring point.
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 03:28 PM
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In the empty diff, I pour in 2 GM posi lube bottles and fill the rest with lube up to the hole.
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 04:31 PM
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The differential will take about 1-1/2 bottles of diffy lube and a small bottle of Posi-trac treatment. GM did not specifiy how much lube it was to hold....just to stop when lube started to run out the fill port.
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Old Sep 3, 2012 | 06:54 PM
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Then quick put the plug in before the sh%#'s everywhere. Ha ha ha
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Old Sep 4, 2012 | 11:21 AM
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http://books.google.com/books?id=lX5...amount&f=false

According to this book, on page 48, it says that '69-'76 diffs take 4 pints. I don't know why they couldn't just say 2 quarts. Anyway, the way a diff operates, I think it's more important for the fluid to be at the correct level, as opposed to a certain amount. Buy 2 quarts of fluid, the posi additive, and just top it off, you'll be fine, just fine. Good luck with your project.

Have you given any thought to adding a drain bolt while you have it apart? It would make future fluid changes much easier.


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

Last edited by scottyp99; Sep 4, 2012 at 11:23 AM.
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Old Sep 8, 2012 | 11:30 PM
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well i just drained and refilled mine last week, first job on my new lift in the garage, car was pretty much perfect level. i sucked all the old oil out with a good pump and it was 100% full when i started, i am pretty sure it didnt leave much in there , you only use 1 bottle of the posi additive not two. ok one bottle of that and 2 gm differential lube which i think were like 23 oz each and it didnt fill up all the way i added just a hair extra to get to the top , of yeah 72
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Old Sep 9, 2012 | 04:40 PM
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Originally Posted by KHW34
well i just drained and refilled mine last week, first job on my new lift in the garage, car was pretty much perfect level. i sucked all the old oil out with a good pump and it was 100% full when i started, i am pretty sure it didnt leave much in there , you only use 1 bottle of the posi additive not two. ok one bottle of that and 2 gm differential lube which i think were like 23 oz each and it didnt fill up all the way i added just a hair extra to get to the top , of yeah 72
If you are having no problems with clutch noise from the diff, then one 4 oz. bottle of posi lube is OK. However, many take two bottles before the noises disappear. (GM recommends one and a half, and some Eaton lockers need three).
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I am changing the differential fluid in my 72; is ACdelco limited slip axle lubricant the same as GM Positrac lube.? Thanks
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