Temps pre & post diff cover change

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Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone has taken temperature measurements pre & post a diff cover change to see if there evidence that the diff cover change reduces oil temperatures?

Thanks!

-kehyler
 
As in changing the cover itself to an upgraded version for better cooling or just changing the fluid?

When I changed the fluid on my Jeep Cherokee XJ's rear diff 8 years ago or so I used a temp gun and the temps were about the same. The fluid drained was what I would assume to be the factory fill at 84k miles and the fluid that replaced it was Redline 75w90. I was happy to get out all of the break-in material though I saw floating around in there. I changed the fluid again at 150k miles and it looked almost brand new still.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Look for diff cover youtube videos posted by Banks Engineering. Some interesting information regarding temps, flow and foaming >> stay stock!
 
I saw a diff on a show car which featured a cooling coil.....appx. 4" X 6", bent pipe with fins like many an old Chrysler power steering pump had.

I had no idea how the fluid was moved through the pipe. Perhaps it had an impeller like a lawn mower engine.
 
Originally Posted by jjblbi
Look for diff cover youtube videos posted by Banks Engineering. Some interesting information regarding temps, flow and foaming >> stay stock!


+1

Most aftermarket covers make things worse.
 
I wish I had seen the Banks videos back before I bought that expensive cover for my 2500HD. I could have saved some $$$
 
I can't imagine a diff gets hot enough where over heating is a problem to begin with. Nothing cooler than Clear Gearz on an old muscle car though.
 
Originally Posted by jjblbi
Look for diff cover youtube videos posted by Banks Engineering. Some interesting information regarding temps, flow and foaming >> stay stock!
Except he never proved anything--no test results that I ever saw posted and foaming happens just as much with OEM covers. I do not see that he proved or disproved anything.

In the end, it was a glorified sales pitch for his "new and improved" cover.
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
Originally Posted by jjblbi
Look for diff cover youtube videos posted by Banks Engineering. Some interesting information regarding temps, flow and foaming >> stay stock!


+1

Most aftermarket covers make things worse.


I think the lesson of that video was stay curved.

I'm considering this one: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/bmm-40298/overview/
 
Originally Posted by RamFan
I can't imagine a diff gets hot enough where over heating is a problem to begin with. Nothing cooler than Clear Gearz on an old muscle car though.

.
Pretty cool video.....until I skipped to near the end where the Clear Gearz cover started leaking! He had a choice word after he parked and crawled under the car...and the camera caught it all! LOL!
 
Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
Originally Posted by jjblbi
Look for diff cover youtube videos posted by Banks Engineering. Some interesting information regarding temps, flow and foaming >> stay stock!
Except he never proved anything--no test results that I ever saw posted and foaming happens just as much with OEM covers. I do not see that he proved or disproved anything.

In the end, it was a glorified sales pitch for his "new and improved" cover.



I don't think he ever finished the series. Or if he did I missed the final video. I think the last I saw was that they burned up their dyno working on them.
 
Last edited:
Let's try and get back on topic, which is the pursuit of data-verification of lower temperatures.

Would we admit the following experiment as valid:

(1) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?
(2) change the differential cover & fluid
(3) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times (at same ambient temperature) & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?

When then compare the temperatures obtained in (1) against those in (3) to see if the fluid cooler.
 
Originally Posted by kehyler
Let's try and get back on topic, which is the pursuit of data-verification of lower temperatures.

Would we admit the following experiment as valid:

(1) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?
(2) change the differential cover & fluid
(3) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times (at same ambient temperature) & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?

When then compare the temperatures obtained in (1) against those in (3) to see if the fluid cooler.


I think you would have to change gear oil first, put the old cover back on, then check temps. Otherwise you are comparing worn possibly lower viscosity sheared oil against new oil with the new cover.
 
Originally Posted by spasm3
Originally Posted by kehyler
Let's try and get back on topic, which is the pursuit of data-verification of lower temperatures.

Would we admit the following experiment as valid:

(1) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?
(2) change the differential cover & fluid
(3) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times (at same ambient temperature) & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?

When then compare the temperatures obtained in (1) against those in (3) to see if the fluid cooler.


I think you would have to change gear oil first, put the old cover back on, then check temps. Otherwise you are comparing worn possibly lower viscosity sheared oil against new oil with the new cover.


I thought about this, but it would be annoying to recapture the old fluid in a clean container. Is there an easy way to do this?
 
Originally Posted by spasm3
Originally Posted by kehyler
Let's try and get back on topic, which is the pursuit of data-verification of lower temperatures.

Would we admit the following experiment as valid:

(1) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?
(2) change the differential cover & fluid
(3) drive the same stretch of long highway multiple times (at same ambient temperature) & measure the temperature of underside of the differential (not the cover) with an infrared temperature sensor?

When then compare the temperatures obtained in (1) against those in (3) to see if the fluid cooler.


I think you would have to change gear oil first, put the old cover back on, then check temps. Otherwise you are comparing worn possibly lower viscosity sheared oil against new oil with the new cover.
You would also need to have a temperature probe directly in the fluid to eliminate any variables from the external reading and would need to have controlled "runs" for consistency otherwise, it is semi-guess work.
 
Banks' general methodology was sound. It was his attempts to make the test so ludicrously unrealistic, chiefly because he couldn't show a ‘need' for his product otherwise, IMO, that ended the whole thing.
 
Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
[/quote]You would also need to have a temperature probe directly in the fluid to eliminate any variables from the external reading and would need to have controlled "runs" for consistency otherwise, it is semi-guess work.


I am a firm believer in diff covers like the Ford Racing one or Mag HyTec. I watched Banks video and while entertaining, I don't think it was a perfect scientific test. I get he is trying to sell his product, he would just be one of the last companies I would expect to sell a diff cover.
 
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