Belto

is it hard to change? can I do it in my garage without my mom getting mad? aka, is it messy? also what oil do you recommend

bc this might be needed, its never been change and the xj has about 119k miles,

Kyle

Very easy to do and no you wont make a mess. Just get some gasket maker and make sure you clean the surfaces off well so leaks occur. You will be fine.

okcjeeper

Of course it's messy but you can limit the mess..get some news paper and lay it down and have a drain pan of course...Remove the drain plugs then loosen the bolts a touch use a putty nice or something to seperate the bottom just a tad to let it start draining and it won't splash everywhere..once drain slows start taking all but the top 2 bolts out and let it finish then remove those and pull the cover completely off..Make sure you have some rubber gloves on for this and start scooping as much out as you can..I use a turkey basting squirting thing that's like what my wife uses in the kitchen as well to suck as much out as possible..Then use some carb cleaning to hose down the gears and what not to clean it all up as much as ya can...Clean the gasket material off an clean the cover all up...put some RTV on gasket area on the axles and cover and smear it a touch then start bolting back up..After it's all bolted up let it sit a bit so the RTV can cure then fill it up till it oozes out of the fill hole and put the drain plug back in and you are done...

Belto

do I take all the bolts off? and all the oil goes splash or is there a way to do it specifically, never done it,, also what oil do you recommend ?

Edit: didnt see your post,, up, thanx for the quick howto,, what oil do you recommend?

okcjeeper

Well I personally use Valvoline non synthetic in mine..I think 75-90 or 80-90 can't remember which..but I think when I start wheeling hard gonna go with the 145-90 or what ever it..I just went to the closest auto parts shop and got the only non synthetic they had and called it good..

Belto

in the axle whats the diff between synthetic and non synthetic?

okcjeeper

errm other then one is synthetic and the other is conventional dino oil that's about all I know about it..which is better I dunno but I am jsut not personally sold on synthetic yet...Just don't trust it I guess..

COSXJFAN

I bought the 145 wt Valvoline syn blend. I have a lunch box locker in mine and want all the "padding" I can give it. I have not put it in yet, but I'm hoping it will "quite" the locker down some. I have read that it will. IDK, thought I would give it a shot, need to put HD diff cover anyway. I'll post up about how it goes. Later!!

Belto

Ill look foward to that, make sure you take some pics,, of the process

COSXJFAN

Will do!!

Belto

many friends tell me about Lucas, or Royal Purple,, what do you guys think, also whats the diff between the # shown above?

COSXJFAN

Higher the #, the thicker the oil. IDK the diffs between Lucas and RP, and the like. I know that they are expensive as hell!! IDK if they are worth it or not??

okcjeeper

Oh one more thing if you have a limited slip you have to add an additive to the oil...so you need to figure that out as well...As for what to use pick one and have fun.. Everyone has a brand preference..I am a valvoline man and probably always will..my next diff change I am going with the synth blend a little of both worlds without going full synth.. I dunno if there is much difference at all betweent he various brands and what not but pick one and stick with it..

Belto

how do I know I have limited slip? I have a 95 sport, auto 4x4 4.0L

Kyle

As far as the oil goes I just run Dyno in the diffs and have yet to have a problem. Be sure to add the additive if you have a LSD.