So I'm trying to replace my rear differential fluid (Chrysler 8.25). It hasn't been serviced in way too long, and the rubber plug is just plain stuck. Tried prying it up with a scraper tool, tried to loosen it up by spraying it with some brake cleaner. Tried prying it and pulling on the edge with needle-nose pliers... I managed to rip a piece off the side, but still can't get the damn thing out.

I'm probably going to get a fresh plug ($3 or so?) and don't mind makeshifting something until then, but I've got to get it out somehow to fill it!

Any ideas how to get it out?

~~tetrad

 

Leave it alone until you get the new part in hand. Another couple of days won't hurt it.

 

If your replacing the fluid why don't you remove the cover and poke it out from the inside.

 

You might drill a hole at an angle to fit a screwdriver to pry it out. I imagine it would be easy to bend the cover though. Maybe use a piece of wood to pry against. I've never seen one, don't have one.

Or if it's that hard just remove the cover?

 

Do this, plus inspect gears while you are in there.

 

really, just remove the cover to empty it and clean the gears with brake cleaner and pop the plug out from the inside,like the guys above said.

 

agreed! take it off. change the fluid.

 

Assuming you pulled the cover off by now, so next comes the question....."what RTV" should I use?

 

Grey RTV works for me!

 

The previous owner of my 90 used Orange. I am using black with no problems.

 

Just make sure its made for 90w (gear oil)

Some are made for different types of fluids.

 

Jeez, I need to do this as well, I don't even know if my gear oil has EVER been changed.... bad?

 

I've heard that hypoid? type gear oil does not break down like engine oil exposed to what that involves. It's common to run it for years. 23 years? Might be nice to pull the cover and clean it out! I've used the black faster setting RTV for years and am not aware of it causing any leaks.

 

diffs should be changed 30-60k miles depending on your driving style and weather conditions (hot/cold) and any time water could/has entered the diff.

I would change it.

 

Yeah I decided to let it sit overnight to figure out the best course of action. It occurred to me to just pop it from the inside once I got the cover off

Unfortunately I'm an idiot and managed to break off some of the bolt heads (upside down + solvent fumes = overtightened the bolts thinking I was loosening them). So my next step is to try to extract them with a left handed drill bit (DOH!).