1985 Dana 70 gear oil API spec?

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I have an 85 E350 chassis RV with a Dana 70 4.10 rear end. It has potentially been 25-30 years since the oil was changed, if it was EVER changed at all. I want to change it a few times with cheap conventional gear oil to help clean it up before I put in more expensive full synthetic.

I have my eye on a $15 gallon jug of SuperTech 80w140 for a short change interval of maybe 500 miles, but it's only spec'd to API-GL5. Would that be acceptable?

I haven't opened it up yet so I don't know if it's an open or limited slip diff. Adding a $10 bottle of Motorcraft friction modifier still makes it only $25 total.

I plan the "final" fill to be Valvoline full synthetic 75w140 which is over $50 for 4 qts, so obviously I don't want to use that for the short term use cleaning process.

I ordered a $22 "Lube Locker" rubber differential cover gasket so I can easily pull it back off multiple times in a relatively short amount of time for changing the oil. No RTV required, so I will only have to scrape the surfaces of RTV/gasket the first time.

If it's an open diff, I might even just stick with the cheaper $15/gal conventional instead and change it every 12 months since the rubber gasket makes it so easy.
 
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Its not a bad idea to do a first drain and fill with something cheap; replacing in 500-5k miles. Supertech has a 75w-140 synthetic that may be a good bet and might actually be nearly the same price as the conventional.
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Its not a bad idea to do a first drain and fill with something cheap; replacing in 500-5k miles. Supertech has a 75w-140 synthetic that may be a good bet and might actually be nearly the same price as the conventional.


Nope. The SuperTech 75w140 full synthetic is $11.72 while Valvoline's is $12.47, all of 75 cents per quart difference. $3 isn't much savings to fill.

Now on the other hand, SuperTech full synthetic 75w90 is about $5.86/qt vs $9.48 for Valvoline's.

If I went with the SuperTech 75w90 full synthetic instead of 80w90 conventional, then yeah, it's not that much more expensive.
 
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