Front diff oil came out black!

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

daveo26

New Member
Posts
163
Right gents I changed both diff and transfer oils last night.
Rear diff and t box's oils came out treacle coloured the front jet black.
Like engine oil.
The level was ok, I.e not raised.
Has it mixed with swivel grease?
It's an 03 90.
Is it any thing to worry about?
Any thoughts?
Cheers Dave
 
when were they last changed?
black would have me thinking the same as you, can you look see whats in the swivels, take the filler plug out and stick a finger in, do both sides you might find one is oily grease and the other grease if a seal has gone.
failing the finger, a straw or somthng to get further down.
 
8000 miles ago. Not by me.
I'll do that, seems like a good plan.
There is no drains on mine so, at least I'll know which side it is,
Thanks pal
 
Well, I'd be a bit worried if oil was any other colour than black. When I changed the juice in my back axle it came out as a kind of grey emulsion, suggestion some other kind of contamination had got in. But my new oil appears to have gone black and stayed that way, when I undo the filler plug and put a finger in. So I'm happy and so is my diff.
 
Whenever I drain oil out of anywhere it always comes out black. This has happened every time with numerous vehicles in 50 years of motoring of one sort or another. Never seemed to be an indicator of something nasty!
 
Ive had the same thing recently and I to reckon its mixed with some swivel oil, not the end of the world.
 
Condensation and use will usually turn oils to grey / black eventually but if its lumpy and treackly its normally just not been changed for a long time.
Guess grease contamination will thicken it too, my swivels were awful when I drained them last year, thick goo but drained them recently when doing another job and they looked like the oil had just been changed.
 
my diff, TB n g/B always look the same as when they went in, I do mine once a year, and check levels/dip the finger in every couple of months, if waters got in it would go whitish as it emulsifies, only the engine oil goes black
 
Hmmm interesting.
Back axle and transfer box came out looking great front axle black as Guinness.
Something is amiss.
I'm going ahead with swapping stub axle seals.
 
Forgive my ignorance, which seal causes this problem?
Must be the seal between the axle and the swivel ball right?
Cos iv replaced both sides since I changed the diff oil last time
 
Back
Top