2016 Rear Differential Fluid/Rear Axle Fluid

[AskMeAboutMySilverado]

I am about to change the rear differential fluid on my 2016 Silverado. I went to the dealer to get the fluid (75W-85 special new fluid, supposedly "High Efficiency"). The dealer was unable to give me the volume spec for the fluid to fill it back up. I have seen both 2 liters and 2.6 liters required. Seeing as to how the fluid costs $22 a liter from the dealer, I don't want to buy 3 liters if I only need 2.

 

Can anyone help clear this up/set me straight???

[mookdoc6]

I have no Idea, but I would like to know too. I would bet it's filled up on the light side. I can only imagine how much crap is in there! I should have taken a picture of my first Crankcase oil @ 1000 miles looked like I had a gone silver mining some even about the size of finger nail clippings? Oh, well I am over it.................

[newdude]

I am about to change the rear differential fluid on my 2016 Silverado. I went to the dealer to get the fluid (75W-85 special new fluid, supposedly "High Efficiency"). The dealer was unable to give me the volume spec for the fluid to fill it back up. I have seen both 2 liters and 2.6 liters required. Seeing as to how the fluid costs $22 a liter from the dealer, I don't want to buy 3 liters if I only need 2.

 

Can anyone help clear this up/set me straight???

 

For the rear axle, if you have the 5.3 or 6.2 V8s, its 2.75 quarts/2.6 liters.

 

If you have the 4.3 V6, its 2.15 quarts/2.03 liters.

 

Rear axle uses the 75w85 part # 19300457.

 

The front axle is 1.51 quarts/1.43 liters.

 

Front axle uses 75w90, part # 88900401.

 

Your dealer's parts guys are either lazy or stupid as it took me all of 30 seconds to get the capacities for front and rear axles, and the fluid chart.

Edited October 24, 2016 by 15HDriver

[AskMeAboutMySilverado]

 

For the rear axle, if you have the 5.3 or 6.2 V8s, its 2.75 quarts/2.6 liters.

 

If you have the 4.3 V6, its 2.15 quarts/2.03 liters.

 

Rear axle uses the 75w85 part # 19300457.

 

The front axle is 1.51 quarts/1.43 liters.

 

Front axle uses 75w90, part # 88900401.

 

Your dealer's parts guys are either lazy or stupid as it took me all of 30 seconds to get the capacities for front and rear axles, and the fluid chart.

Thanks so much! I have the 5.3L so it looks like I will be heading back out to the dealer. I will take before and after pictures of the fluid to show the metallic flakes. Truck only has 7000 miles on it, but I know that the break-in period creates a lot of flaking.

[newdude]

Thanks so much! I have the 5.3L so it looks like I will be heading back out to the dealer. I will take before and after pictures of the fluid to show the metallic flakes. Truck only has 7000 miles on it, but I know that the break-in period creates a lot of flaking.

 

 

Sounds about normal for new truck axle fluids. I drained my front, rear and transfer case at 10k.

[sdeeter19555]

Is the 85w for CAFE numbers?

 

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[LongrangeLauber]

I bought some Mobil 1 75w-90 full synthetic when I did mine and I haven't had an issue, changed it about 50k miles ago. I'm about due for another change, as well as trans and tcase

[15_silverado]

Does anyone know if the GM Rear axle fluid 75w85 part # 19300457 is a true full synthetic oil? It says high efficiency, but I can't find any descriptions that says full synthetic. I'm sure there's a lot of opinions on this; but is there a better full synthetic option in the GM recommend weight of 75w85?

 

Also, with out getting under the truck right now, to anyone who has already changed their diff fluid on these new trucks, is there any kind of drain plug or do you have to remove the cover to drain? If so, is there a GM gasket to replace or do you just use rtv gasket maker?

 

Thanks

[groutguy]

I replaced the diff fluids on my 2015 Denali 1500 at 15,000 km (7300 miles). It took 2.6 litres for the rear.i used amsoil 75/90 severe gear, as I have had good results in the past with the severe gear.

The 75/85 is a fuel economy formulation, and is a little lighter than the 75/90. I have found that the intermittent downshift clunk has almost disappeared completely with the amsoil 75/90. I'll be sticking with this fluid rather than the GM 75/85.

I also noticed that the factory diff fluid was extremely whitish brown, almost like water contamination. There was a lot of particulate in the fluid. Definitely glad that I did an early fluid replacement.

On a side note; the factory cover gasket is very beefy, and there should be no issues reusing the gasket a number of times (as long as it doesn't get over torqued on reinstallation).

[sdeeter19555]

I replaced the diff fluids on my 2015 Denali 1500 at 15,000 km (7300 miles). It took 2.6 litres for the rear.i used amsoil 75/90 severe gear, as I have had good results in the past with the severe gear.

The 75/85 is a fuel economy formulation, and is a little lighter than the 75/90. I have found that the intermittent downshift clunk has almost disappeared completely with the amsoil 75/90. I'll be sticking with this fluid rather than the GM 75/85.

I also noticed that the factory diff fluid was extremely whitish brown, almost like water contamination. There was a lot of particulate in the fluid. Definitely glad that I did an early fluid replacement.

On a side note; the factory cover gasket is very beefy, and there should be no issues reusing the gasket a number of times (as long as it doesn't get over torqued on reinstallation).

While this is a Dodge explanation for the milky fluid, it might also explain the GM. Dodge had a batch of AAM differentials that had milky fluid in them from new, a batch of guys complained, and it turned out that the marking compound used to set the gear lash harmlessly contaminated the fluid giving it the milky appearance. Just one possibility.

 

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[BuyAmericanIron]

The rear diff cover gasket is reusable. It is a rubber coated steel gasket. There is no drain on the rear. No RTV needed on these trucks.

The front diff has a drain plug. I found what looked like white assembly grease inside the fill plug on the front diff and the oil had a white tint to it. Looked like water contamination, but I am certain it was the grease.

The transfer case has a simple drain and fill plug. Very easy.

Like a few others, I refilled front and rear with Amsoil Severe Gear and the transfer case with Dex VI.

A lot of people never change these fluids and don't have any problems, but it gives me piece of mind considering the cost of the investment.

[tnchevy]

I have always changed the drive line fluids in all my trucks every 30k miles (both diffs, transfer, and trans) in my last 3 trucks that I kept for 12+ years and 150k miles each. Mainly for peace of mind. On the flip side my company trucks get traded in every few years with over 150k miles on them and they never get any fluids changed but the oil and they never have any problems.

[Donstar]

The earliest recommended change in my manual appears to be 45,000 miles for the front differential and I assume the rear should be done at the same time. By reading this post it sounds like this may be too long of an interval and I should consider an earlier change!

[newdude]

While this is a Dodge explanation for the milky fluid, it might also explain the GM. Dodge had a batch of AAM differentials that had milky fluid in them from new, a batch of guys complained, and it turned out that the marking compound used to set the gear lash harmlessly contaminated the fluid giving it the milky appearance. Just one possibility.

 

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Yeppers. #PI0020D: White, Milky or Cloudy Appearance of Front Differential Fluid. On GM it affected the front diffs 2012-2015.

[dorkweed]

I hate the way it's marketed and sold; but you cannot go wrong running AMSOIL products in your truck.