MB GLE differential fluid

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by JP69
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
It's a 2018 Mercedes. Why are you changing the differential oil? Leave it alone before you make things worse trying to fix something that isn't broken.
Changing the differential and x-case right after 10K miles is a best known method in my maintenance book
It's your money to burn, but you definitely do not need to do the rear or front differential early. On Mbworld forums changing differential fluid every 100,000 miles was deemed to be a safe and conservative schedule. I also think there is no benefit to changing transfer case fluid ahead of schedule. I would just follow the service intervals set forth in the owner's manual. The only exception is if you own AMG, then owner's manual recommends early change in differential fluids.
The vast majority of all axle wear occurs during the first 15K miles and since axles do not have pressurized oiling systems or filters, there is merit to changing the oil early. For example, look at the iron levels in the rear axle of my retired 2010 FX4--despite longer and longer runs, the iron per mile continues to drop and that is no coincidence.

 

[zeng]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by JP69
Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
It's a 2018 Mercedes. Why are you changing the differential oil? Leave it alone before you make things worse trying to fix something that isn't broken.
Changing the differential and x-case right after 10K miles is a best known method in my maintenance book
It's your money to burn, but you definitely do not need to do the rear or front differential early. On Mbworld forums changing differential fluid every 100,000 miles was deemed to be a safe and conservative schedule. I also think there is no benefit to changing transfer case fluid ahead of schedule. I would just follow the service intervals set forth in the owner's manual. The only exception is if you own AMG, then owner's manual recommends early change in differential fluids.
The vast majority of all axle wear occurs during the first 15K miles and since axles do not have pressurized oiling systems or filters, there is merit to changing the oil early. For example, look at the iron levels in the rear axle of my retired 2010 FX4--despite longer and longer runs, the iron per mile continues to drop and that is no coincidence.

Facts speak for itself, consistently I suppose.

 

[JP69]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
The vast majority of all axle wear occurs during the first 15K miles and since axles do not have pressurized oiling systems or filters, there is merit to changing the oil early. For example, look at the iron levels in the rear axle of my retired 2010 FX4--despite longer and longer runs, the iron per mile continues to drop and that is no coincidence.

Can't say you're wrong, but when Mercedes says change differential in first 5,000 miles for AMG cars, but it's a lifetime fill for every non-AMG model, they're saying there's not much wear and tear on the differential for non-AMG models.

If you change differential fluid every 100k miles, your differential should easily last 500 to 600k miles and probably well beyond that. How much longer do you want the differential to last?

Mercedes recommends changing coolant at 150k miles, and they don't even recommend differential fluid change, which means they expect it to last well beyond 150k miles, which is the life of the car in most cases.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by JP69
Can't say you're wrong, but when Mercedes says change differential in first 5,000 miles for AMG cars, but it's a lifetime fill for every non-AMG model, they're saying there's not much wear and tear on the differential for non-AMG models.
The first scheduled change in my AMG is 40K miles, not 5K and there is no such thing as a lifetime fill. I am not sure where the 5K originated?

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by JP69
Can't say you're wrong, but when Mercedes says change differential in first 5,000 miles for AMG cars, but it's a lifetime fill for every non-AMG model, they're saying there's not much wear and tear on the differential for non-AMG models.
The first scheduled change in my AMG is 40K miles, not 5K and there is no such thing as a lifetime fill. I am not sure where the 5K originated?


Well there's other AMG models like the E63 or C63 where I seem to recall seeing 5k change intervals. Or maybe S63/S65 or the G63 and maybe the older models.

 

[JP69]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
The first scheduled change in my AMG is 40K miles, not 5K and there is no such thing as a lifetime fill. I am not sure where the 5K originated?


Mercedes has too many models. I've looked at S and AMG models where MB recommended differential change at 5k or even less to clean out the initial metal gear shavings. I'm sure you're correct that there's different recommended intervals for different models.

By "lifetime fill" I'm referring to the zero maintenance recommendation for differential fluid MB makes for many models. For example my 2015 ML350 RWD, owner's manual recommends never change differential fluid.

If I planned to keep my car 150k miles I wouldn't bother to change the differential or coolant, so they would be "lifetime fills" for me. I'd like it to last 300k miles, which is way too long for a "lifetime fill" so I will do more maintenance.

Basically I'm saying, what's the point of wasting time and money babying the differential when that is not the part of the car that's going to break down. If you put in brand new Fuchs 75w85 when owner's manual says you need a differential change, that differential is going to last.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by JP69
Can't say you're wrong, but when Mercedes says change differential in first 5,000 miles for AMG cars, but it's a lifetime fill for every non-AMG model, they're saying there's not much wear and tear on the differential for non-AMG models.
The first scheduled change in my AMG is 40K miles, not 5K and there is no such thing as a lifetime fill. I am not sure where the 5K originated?

I suspect it's the difference between RWD and AWD. BMW ///M models are similar.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by JP69
Can't say you're wrong, but when Mercedes says change differential in first 5,000 miles for AMG cars, but it's a lifetime fill for every non-AMG model, they're saying there's not much wear and tear on the differential for non-AMG models.
The first scheduled change in my AMG is 40K miles, not 5K and there is no such thing as a lifetime fill. I am not sure where the 5K originated?

I suspect it's the difference between RWD and AWD. BMW ///M models are similar.
Meaning AWD is 40K or?

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by JP69
Can't say you're wrong, but when Mercedes says change differential in first 5,000 miles for AMG cars, but it's a lifetime fill for every non-AMG model, they're saying there's not much wear and tear on the differential for non-AMG models.
The first scheduled change in my AMG is 40K miles, not 5K and there is no such thing as a lifetime fill. I am not sure where the 5K originated?

I suspect it's the difference between RWD and AWD. BMW ///M models are similar.
Meaning AWD is 40K or?

Seems to be the case, at least from what I can tell. I chalk it up to the RWD cars putting a lot more power through the rear differential, possible LSD break-in as well. I'm not to familiar with Mercedes, but that is the case with BMW.

 

[oldhp]

I don't get the too many different specs as well. It's a ring & pinion, nothing special and I'll bet not a whole lot different than Ford, Chevy or Dodge ring & pinion metal's. Bearings??? Again I'll bet nothing special. Posi? Nothing special either here I'll bet. The factory's put too many of "their" specs on something that basically is just simple based oil. And I'll bet any 75W90 full synthetic name brand gear oil would fill 99.99% of all these special "spec" oils.

Factory scare tactics to just to sell their oil for exuberant prices.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted by oldhp
I don't get the too many different specs as well. It's a ring & pinion, nothing special and I'll bet not a whole lot different than Ford, Chevy or Dodge ring & pinion metal's. Bearings??? Again I'll bet nothing special. Posi? Nothing special either here I'll bet. The factory's put too many of "their" specs on something that basically is just simple based oil. And I'll bet any 75W90 full synthetic name brand gear oil would fill 99.99% of all these special "spec" oils.

Factory scare tactics to just to sell their oil for exuberant prices.


The only thing I sorta remember from some old threads was that the factory fluid got you better gas mileage as someone who eventually swapped to the factory fluid instead of some aftermarket fluid found out.

 

[JP69]

Originally Posted by oldhp
I don't get the too many different specs as well. It's a ring & pinion, nothing special and I'll bet not a whole lot different than Ford, Chevy or Dodge ring & pinion metal's. Bearings??? Again I'll bet nothing special. Posi? Nothing special either here I'll bet. The factory's put too many of "their" specs on something that basically is just simple based oil. And I'll bet any 75W90 full synthetic name brand gear oil would fill 99.99% of all these special "spec" oils.

Factory scare tactics to just to sell their oil for exuberant prices.


Yeah all the manufacturers do it. That's what's great about this site, sharing info so we can take care of our cars and save some money.

I know several people have used Mobil 1 75w90, which can be purchased for $10 per liter, instead of the factory fill, and have had no issues. My dealer told me any GL-5 gear oil in 75w90 viscosity range would be fine.

Motul makes a 75w85 GL-5 gear oil which sells for $11 per liter, which is only alternative to Fuchs 75w85, that has same viscosity (that I know of).

My choice is use the Fuchs 75w85 at $14 per liter. I'm willing to pay that much to get the OEM fluid. Now if I could not get Fuchs and I had to pay $34 per liter for MB fluid, I'd go for Motul 75w85.

 

[MaximaGuy]

Yet to decide to go by 75W85 OEM oil or 75W110, most probably will chose the latter.
These gears are dumb mechanical components and 110 wouldn't give any less than 18MPG (on the freeways it does go up to 21MPG).

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by MaximaGuy
Yet to decide to go by 75W85 OEM oil or 75W110, most probably will chose the latter.
These gears are dumb mechanical components and 110 wouldn't give any less than 18MPG (on the freeways it does go up to 21MPG).
75W-110 is the upper viscosity that 75W-90 was before the J300 tables were updated. Highly skeptical that you will see any MPG changes especially given the size of the vehicle which have more effect on MPG versus rear axle oil. I am on the fence as well for my AMG, but cannot imagine that Amsoil would provide less protection versus OEM.

 

[oldhp]

Challenger R/T's come with 75W85 gear oil, auto or manual trans. But if the customer hears any kind of noise coming from the rear differential, put 75W140 in it. The factory rep has cleared this change of oil.
75W85 is for CAFE standards only.