How to Change Front Differential Fluid 2002-05 Mercury Mountaineer
Created on: 2014-10-26
Learn how to drain and fill the front differential fluid in your 02-05 Mercury Mountaineer or Ford Explorer.
-
step 1 :Draining the Differential
- Have a drain pan ready
- Remove the 13mm bolts from the differential cover
- Replace a top and bottom bolt to the differential cover
- Pry out the differential cover with a flat blade screwdriver and hammer
- Allow the fluid to drain
-
step 2 :Removing the Differential Cover
- Remove the remaining two 13mm bolts from the differential cover
- Pull off the differential cover
-
step 3 :Cleaning the Differential
- Put a rag into the differential to protect the gears
- Scrape the gasket residue off with a razor
- Remove the rags
- Clean the sediment out of the differential reservoir
- Wipe down the outside of the differential
-
step 4 :Preparing the Differential Cover
- Apply RTV to the gasket mounting area
- Put on the gasket
- Apply RTV to the gasket
-
step 5 :Installing the Differential Cover
- Make sure the differential cover mounting area is clean
- Push on the differential cover
- Start the 13mm bolts into the differential cover
- Tighten the 13mm bolts to 15 foot-pounds of torque in a crossing or star pattern
-
step 6 :Filling the Differential
- Remove the differential fill cap with a 3/8" ratchet
- Clean any sediment of the fill cap
- Insert a hose into the fill hole
- Add gear oil to the differential
- Add gear oil to the differential until it leaks out the side
- Replace the differential cap
Tools needed
-
Razor Blade / Gasket Scraper
13mm Socket
Hammer
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Torque Wrench
RTV
Drain Pan
Rubber Vacuum Hose
Ratchet
3/8 Inch Drive Ratchet
13mm Wrench
Brought to you by 1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet.
Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to service the front differential on this 2003 Mercury Mountaineer, and the items you'll need for this is a 13 millimeter socket and ratchet, 13 millimeter wrench, a 3/8 inch ratchet, RTV, a razor, a piece of hose, a drip pan, a torque wrench, flat blade screwdriver, and a hammer.
Your front differential cover is located right here and you want to start off by just removing these 13 millimeter bolts that line the differential cover. For this one bolt right here, you're going to need to use a 13 millimeter wrench, and you can use another wrench for some extra leverage to help break it free but you will have to use a wrench to remove that bolt. If you have an air ratchet, that makes this process go by a lot quicker.
Now, replace one bolt just halfway up in the top corner, and then another one at the bottom just halfway. Then using a flat blade screwdriver and a hammer, just find the lip and hit from behind the differential cover. You do want to make sure you have a drip pan underneath this. Once you get it to a certain point, get the flat blade screwdriver up in there to hold it open. Just let this drain, and when it stops draining, remove those two bolts. Then pry the cover off the rest of the way.
Using a razor blade, just scrape the old gasket off of your differential cover. Take a towel and just cover up the inside of your differential, and then scrape off the old gasket from around the sides. Now just wipe down the area and wipe down your differential cover. Then, using some RTV, just trace all the way around doing the outside of the bolt holes. Once you've gone all the way around, just make sure that you've circled around each bolt hole entirely.
Carefully put your differential cover back up into place, making sure you don't knock the RTV on the inside gears. You want to just have one bolt in there already as you put it up, so you can just twist that in and have it held in place. Then just replace the rest of the bolts by hand and then tighten them up.
Again, air-powered ratchets speed this process up a lot. Now torque each of these to 15 foot-pounds, and for this bolt up here, just tighten it as much as you can by hand with the wrench.
Now, using a 3/8 inch ratchet, just remove your filler cap. Then take a piece of hose and then insert the other end of the hose onto your bottle and just squeeze the fluid in. You may need two bottles for this, or at least a bottle and a half. When it starts to overflow, that's a good sign that you filled it up to the right point but you can just check with your pinkie, make sure it's right up to the top of the filler. It's right to that lip there so you just replace the cap and tighten it back up. Then once you've done that, just wipe down the differential cover and you're all set.
We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
How to Check and Fill Rear Differential Fluid 2014-19 Chevy Silverado
Learn how to check and fill the rear differential fluid in your 14-19 Chevy Silverado. Let 1A Auto show you how to do this easy regular maintenance at home
