can you use a limited slip gear oil in a non limit

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can you use a limited slip gear oil in a non limited differential , I own a 2003 pathfinder LE I want to change the gear oil in the both fromnt and rear differential , not knowing what I have I hear you can use limited slip gear oil in a non limited regular rear end but not the opposite ,is this true, also the front gear differential is different from the rear in a pathfinder ?
 
Just from looking at Mobil LS gear oil it says its fine in non limited slip differentials.
I am using it in a few and there have been no issues.
 
I use Mobil 1 LS 75W-90 in the front and rear diffs of my 2007 Nissan Frontier. No issues at all in four years of use.
 
Generally speaking, some FMs (Friction Modifier), which is the LSD additive, are known to increase the oxidation rate of the oil. If you have that type of FM, and don't need them, your oil life could be somewhat shorter than a non-FM'ed oil. But you would have to know which FM the oil has and that's about impossible. Where I have been able to determine the type (only two cases) the type of FM generally followed the price range. I.E. the better oil had the better FM. The likelihood is that a high quality oil will have the better FM and possibly vice versa.

I admit to picking nits here. In a front axle application, seldom and lightly used, you should have no issues even with a lesser FM. The issue mostly comes in a long running, high heat situation anyway. Not a scenario often seen in a front diff.

Forgive me if I complicated the issue. This is one of my soapbox topics ("Niagara Falls.. slowly I turned" if you get the reference).
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Generally speaking, some FMs (Friction Modifier), which is the LSD additive, are known to increase the oxidation rate of the oil. If you have that type of FM, and don't need them, your oil life could be somewhat shorter than a non-FM'ed oil. But you would have to know which FM the oil has and that's about impossible. Where I have been able to determine the type (only two cases) the type of FM generally followed the price range. I.E. the better oil had the better FM. The likelihood is that a high quality oil will have the better FM and possibly vice versa.

I admit to picking nits here. In a front axle application, seldom and lightly used, you should have no issues even with a lesser FM. The issue mostly comes in a long running, high heat situation anyway. Not a scenario often seen in a front diff.

Forgive me if I complicated the issue. This is one of my soapbox topics ("Niagara Falls.. slowly I turned" if you get the reference).




I used GM limited slip additive in my (trucks) rear end when it started to chatter. Look at the UOA in the link below. Both the front and rear differentials were filled with Amsoil SVG. The oil from the rear differential showed an increased/severe TBN. It must have come from the LS additive.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2665588#Post2665588
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Generally speaking, some FMs (Friction Modifier), which is the LSD additive, are known to increase the oxidation rate of the oil. If you have that type of FM, and don't need them, your oil life could be somewhat shorter than a non-FM'ed oil. But you would have to know which FM the oil has and that's about impossible. Where I have been able to determine the type (only two cases) the type of FM generally followed the price range. I.E. the better oil had the better FM. The likelihood is that a high quality oil will have the better FM and possibly vice versa.

I admit to picking nits here. In a front axle application, seldom and lightly used, you should have no issues even with a lesser FM. The issue mostly comes in a long running, high heat situation anyway. Not a scenario often seen in a front diff.

Forgive me if I complicated the issue. This is one of my soapbox topics ("Niagara Falls.. slowly I turned" if you get the reference).


Jim; from what you've seen/heard/researched, is the Motorcraft XL-3 considered one of the "better quality" (as far as gear oil degradation/oxidation is concerned, NOT function, as I know it is BEST at that!!) limited slip FMs??
 
I'm using Mobil 1 LS 75W-90 in my Pathfinder's rear open differential without an issue.

You will need:
1.95 quarts for the front differential
2.96 quarts for the rear differential

Torque specs:
Rear differential fill and drain plugs: 43 - 87 ft-lbs
Front differential fill plug: 29 - 43 ft-lbs
Front differential drain plug: 43 - 72 ft-lbs

It may be a wise idea to change the transfer case fluid if you haven't yet as well. Which transfer case unit do you have - part time or full time (auto) transfer case?

Grease the driveshafts too if you aren't already doing so regularly. This picture shows the grease fitting locations - if you can't see or access them, move the vehicle a few feet to allow the driveshafts to rotate. Any NLGI No. 2 lithium soap base grease will work fine.
 
No problem using an FM oil in an open differential. Most of the FMs in the limited slip oils will hydrolyze to acid - a little bit of FM goes a long way, though, so I am not sure if the above TBN issue is because of the FM. It may have just been from normal oxidation - there is a lot of sulfur in the GL-5 gears after all.
 
It is okay to use LS oil where there is no limited slip differential. The only time I have read that it causes problems is in Subaru manual transmissions.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Just from looking at Mobil LS gear oil it says its fine in non limited slip differentials.
I am using it in a few and there have been no issues.
================================================================
thanks for the information
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
Generally speaking, some FMs (Friction Modifier), which is the LSD additive, are known to increase the oxidation rate of the oil. If you have that type of FM, and don't need them, your oil life could be somewhat shorter than a non-FM'ed oil. But you would have to know which FM the oil has and that's about impossible. Where I have been able to determine the type (only two cases) the type of FM generally followed the price range. I.E. the better oil had the better FM. The likelihood is that a high quality oil will have the better FM and possibly vice versa.

I admit to picking nits here. In a front axle application, seldom and lightly used, you should have no issues even with a lesser FM. The issue mostly comes in a long running, high heat situation anyway. Not a scenario often seen in a front diff.

Forgive me if I complicated the issue. This is one of my soapbox topics ("Niagara Falls.. slowly I turned" if you get the reference).
thanks for the information = Yak Yak Yak Mo lary wheres the cheese
 
Originally Posted By: Towncivilian
I'm using Mobil 1 LS 75W-90 in my Pathfinder's rear open differential without an issue.

You will need:
1.95 quarts for the front differential
2.96 quarts for the rear differential

Torque specs:
Rear differential fill and drain plugs: 43 - 87 ft-lbs
Front differential fill plug: 29 - 43 ft-lbs
Front differential drain plug: 43 - 72 ft-lbs

It may be a wise idea to change the transfer case fluid if you haven't yet as well. Which transfer case unit do you have - part time or full time (auto) transfer case?

Grease the driveshafts too if you aren't already doing so regularly. This picture shows the grease fitting locations - if you can't see or access them, move the vehicle a few feet to allow the driveshafts to rotate. Any NLGI No. 2 lithium soap base grease will work fine.
==============================================================
thank uou nice picture, i changed the trasfer case fluid nissan matic trans fluid recomened
 
consider a syn in the front too. it spins full-time, and the thinner syn fluid will gain you a small but measurable mpg... on the level of .25 - .5 mpg.

I had a 97 p'finder, and used to drive 25k miles per year. syn in the rear and AT grabbed me 1 mpg. I then installed manual locking hubs on the front and mpg increased a full 1 mpg over that. the locking hubs were not cheap ($120? $240? something like that), but all said and done, at my mileage, at that time, the hubs and fluids paid for themselves in 6 months.
 
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