Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

Andy W · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 559 Location: Brighton

Hi, just got back from a 120 mile drive, driving at about 60'ish mph for most of the way and I could hear what sounded like a slight gear whine at times. When I got home, for some reason, I decided to check the temperature of the wheel hubs which were fine and then crawled under to feel the rear diff. It felt very warm, not quite hot but approaching it (I know that's like talking about the length of a piece of string!) but I expected it to feel only slightly warm.

When I recently had the axle out, I pulled the diff out to check the condition of it as the front one was in a very poor state when I first got the van; I didn't dismantle it at all just gave it a visual and felt the running of it; put it back together again and filled with oil and that was it.

Somewhere I read that it needed 2L of oil which I put in, however it did not come up to the filler plug.

So I have two questions; how much oil should the LWB 2.8L rear diff take? and do they run warm/hot (its one thing I have never checked on a vehicle).

Cheers, Andy
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1994 LWB Super Exceed L400, Black & Silver

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gnomebase · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 366 Location: London

FWIW mine is filled to the filler (this is not the non slip version). I drained and refilled it to the filler in the last 5 years.

Have done 4 x 12 hour motorway trips in the last year.

Note the non slip version has a different oil type.

Lewis · Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 2:32 Post subject:

See this post for the L400 service lubes and fluids:- http://www.MDOCUK.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=79

HTH
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Andy W · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 559 Location: Brighton

Thanks Lewis; I have a different version of the manual and it doesn't feature the 4m40 engine / axle configuration, all it says is for the 4d56 and petrol versions and says they need 2.6L of oil, whereas your version is saying 1.8L for all 4WD vehicles. I think I will top it up to the filler plug as that seems the most logical option.

Any thoughts on running temp, has anyone had a feel of the diff after a journey?

Cheers, Andy
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1994 LWB Super Exceed L400, Black & Silver

Lewis · Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2016 9:11 Post subject:

Oops! Sorry my bad..... Embarassed

That was the L300 model rear axle link. Rolling Eyes

I have corrected my post and put the L400 models link in.

Filling until oil starts to drip out of the filling hole is the way to go, as that is positioned to be in the optimum place, when the vehicle is parked on level ground.

It's pointless getting under the van after a run to feel how hot the diff is. There are too many variables. As you drive it is getting air-cooled, the axle itself is a massive heat sink and the pipe out the top of it is there to act as an expansion pipe and air pressure release valve. It has a one-way valve, so water does not get down it when you are fording rivers or flooded roads, etc. Wink

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Andy W · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 559 Location: Brighton

That makes more sense! I guess I should open my eyes as well! Cheers
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1994 LWB Super Exceed L400, Black & Silver

davep10000 · Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2016 12:28 Post subject:

Andy
To my surprise as well, diffs do run hot - The one in my Westfield is almost too hot to touch after a run (and this is apparently perfectly normal).

HTH
Dave.

andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

When you think about the amount of energy put through the diff, it's probably not surprising that it gets hot, after all, an auto gearbox needs a radiator to stop it overheating!
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Andy C L300 Super Exceed - over 100 smiles per gallon!

Andy W · Joined: 03 May 2015 Posts: 559 Location: Brighton

Thanks for that, it puts my mind at rest; I topped the diff up with nearly another litre of oil to get the level up to the filler plug, went on another 50 mile jaunt in it to drop my son off and felt the diff again and it was hot. The temperature was similar to a domestic radiator where you can touch it, keep your hand on it for 20 - 30 seconds but then it starts to get too hot to keep your hand on.

I guess its something that is tucked underneath the car and you never have a need to put your hand on it and therefore are not aware how hot it gets, and like you said Andyman, the auto transmission has to have cooling provided to it as that gets so hot.

Andy
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1994 LWB Super Exceed L400, Black & Silver

Lewis · Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2016 10:53 Post subject:

All you need to do as general maintenance is occasionally check to see if you are leaking oil via the drain plug, through the diffseal, where the propshaft joins it, or through the seals at the axle ends.

You may find oil on the underside of the box section above the diff, which may have beenblown outof the vent pipe.

If there is anything thicker than that, ie grease, forward of that box section it will be grease sprayed up from the end if the propshaft universal joint. There is a grease nipple in that to top up with fresh.

HTH
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hotchpotch · Joined: 15 Apr 2007 Posts: 339 Location: Preston

Guys, when we touch something and it feels hot, it may not be as hot as you think.

As a heating engineer, I often have to set up the hot water delivery systems. I can tell you that 40 degrees C is the temperature at which water will tingle the back of your hand. 2 or 3 degrees above that will feel positively intolerable, yet it is not enough to harm you in the short term. Human temperature tolerance is far from linear.

I imaginge that 50, 60, 70 or even 80 degrees is not a problem temperature for a diff gear, or similar, but to a human, that will simply fall into the category of HOT.

HTH

Peter
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YOZA · Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2016 16:54 Post subject:

okay then.

My rear diff runs from 45.c to 60.c the hottest being 15 mins into my journey at 70mph.

The norm is 50.c to 55.c A roads and duel carriageways.

The sensor probe was tied 1/4 of the way up the diff using ties and heat sink paste.
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andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

Impressive science, Yoza, and I guess that would be uncomfortably hot to touch.
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Andy C L300 Super Exceed - over 100 smiles per gallon!

YOZA · Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 10:54 Post subject: