2000 Acura RL w/162K

[Kira]

This is a very well maintained 20 year old car with a sheaf of ITEMIZED dealership records.
NO servicing of the differential is mentioned anywhere.
The transmission has had several D&F's but the differential is a separate unit.

Owner's manual states fluid replacement @ 60K and every 30K thereafter.
It takes a GL-4 or GL-5 so that's no problem.
80W (-18℃ and below), 80-90 (-18℃ and above)

The unit has a single "level hole". Suction and refill is what I'm going to do.

Any caveats you know of?
I'm assuming any brand would be OK.
Synthetic or conventional?

My concern is it being a 160K diff which MAY HAVE been neglected.

Any and all suggestions welcome. Thanks

 

[NormanBuntz]

George, I'd use synthetic, something like Castrol, and I wouldn't worry about it. New fluid in the diff will be better than old fluid. You should get many more miles from that RL. You'll remember that my wife had a 1996 RL for 10 years and loved it.

Maybe this link will be helpful: https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-tl-problems-fixes-118/differential-fluid-change-diy-607617/

 

[DuckRyder]

I use M1 in ours (it is still in the Family).

I'd have no concern changing it even if original... it is just gears and bearings....

Been a while, but I was going to say I'm 99% it has a drain (because I would remember the hassle of it not having a drain) also, if you have a pump to fill it you don't need to remove the wheel...

 

[john_pifer]

I didn't change the diff fluid in my 2007 Tacoma until 2012, when it hit 100K (same mileage I did a full fluid swap on the trans). I used M1 75W-90. Changed it again at 200K. No problems at all. The truck now has 215,000+.

 

[Kira]

Thanks fellas. I'm not sweating it. It's just 20 year old fluid with 161K on it so it's time for a change.

The owner's manual had an illustration featuring only a single "check level" hole.

I'll go to the link provided and read what's there.

Remember, go to the For Sale section and see my departed sister's 2012 Mazda3.

Again, there's no money for me involved. I'm just selling it.

 

[BISCUT]

M1 75/90 is hard to beat. Drain it and fill and smile.