Diff oil replacement

[VFSV6FORME]

These are cheap, less than a twenty and may be OK quality, so check out supercheap auto's hex bit socket set.

Otherwise go to Bunnings which has some Craftsman?, Kingchrome, Sidchrome, branded products worth a look at.

I have a good collection of allen Keys and I found two that fit correctly. Now because the exhaust is in the way (Did not drop it by removing the rubbers) I use the Allen key back to front to get around the the pipe itself and the 8 MM (or is it 10MM) Allen key (Unbrako, good quality) twisted a bit when I had the 300 MM Shifter on it. Now by this you an see that the both top and bottom plug are very tight and require no twist to snap it off before you can unscrew it.
I think by using a cheap 3/8 drive with the cut down allen key will snap the 3.8 drive it self and I better to use a genuine 1/2 inch Sidchrome socket that I have that fits the cut down allen key and use a 18 snap bar to get it off. Yes they were both tight doing the other way and if I continued doing it I might have twisted the allen key with the leverage I had with 300 mm shifter.

Just a note, the diff itself was totally dry, not a whiff of oil anywhere.
Question !
Can you jack the rear of the VE/VF via the Diff itself using a typical floor jack. Never done it this way. Never jack the rear or the front via the cross member under the Engine

 

[markalan1two]

so you had no oil in it at all

 

[dgp]

Yes, you can jack the rear up by the diff, and the front up by the crossmember.
Jack to desired height, and place on stands.

 

[Fu Manchu]

What year did Holden decide "sealed for life" diff oils were a great idea? What was the diff oil change interval prior to this?

Forever.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Yes, you can jack the rear up by the diff, and the front up by the crossmember.
Jack to desired height, and place on stands.

I was always scared to jack the car (VF and the VE) on the diff itself and the front crossmembers but now I know you can and will do if I need too. YES,YEs,YES always uses safety stands, I have a collection of them at home.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

Forever.

Maybe on a open diff not a LSD that have that fibre clutches wearing contaminate the oil.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

so you had no oil in it at all

No could not get any plug open. When I said it dry I should have said the out side of the diff housing was a dry as a bone, not a wiff of oil so by this if no oil is leaking we should have oil inside the diff. Only having 1.2 L oil inside the diff it would not take to much time if you have a leak to empty that amount of oil.

 

[Skylarking]

Yes, you can jack the rear up by the diff, and the front up by the crossmember.
Jack to desired height, and place on stands.

The VF workshop manual doesn't state you can lift the vehicle via the rear diff. Doesn't state you shouldn't either. But as the diff is suspended on the carrier via rubber bushes, wouldn't lifting the diff put strain on these bushes in a way that was not intended? Maybe these bushes will wear out or tear if repeatedly lifting via the diff housing?

Really, i'm not sure so just asking for clarification.

 

[VFSV6FORME]

The VF workshop manual doesn't state you can lift the vehicle via the rear diff. Doesn't state you shouldn't either. But as the diff is suspended on the carrier via rubber bushes, wouldn't lifting the diff put strain on these bushes in a way that was not intended? Maybe these bushes will wear out or tear if repeatedly lifting via the diff housing?

Really, i'm not sure so just asking for clarification.

You would think that Holden would states this as people have been lifting their car this way for 50 years.

 

[lmoengnr]

The VF workshop manual doesn't state you can lift the vehicle via the rear diff. Doesn't state you shouldn't either. But as the diff is suspended on the carrier via rubber bushes, wouldn't lifting the diff put strain on these bushes in a way that was not intended? Maybe these bushes will wear out or tear if repeatedly lifting via the diff housing?

Really, i'm not sure so just asking for clarification.

Good point, but would depend on the diameter of the trolley jack lifting support.
My jack is large enough to lift on the subframe after compressing the bush a couple of millimeters.
A small jack lifting directly on the diff housing might compromise the bush.