dieselengineer
Charter Member
Does anyone monitor your differential temperatures while towing? Or after towing, at a stop, use the thermo infrared gun to read the temperature of the rear cover? If so, what is the average temp?
I wonder if a water temp sensor would fit or be adaptable to the drain plug hole? I've never given thought to checking the temp on the differential. Probably a good idea though.Jim, no I dont but thats a great idea. I need to install some guages on the "A" pillar, EGT and trans temp. Someone might make a diff temp guage that would fit in one of those. And maybe a sender that might fit into the drain plug on the diff. What a concept. Bob
Does anyone monitor your differential temperatures while towing? Or after towing, at a stop, use the thermo infrared gun to read the temperature of the rear cover? If so, what is the average temp?
For heavy towing, the change interval for the rear diff (Dodge) is 15,000 miles. Appears that this is due to the temps and duty that the lube is subjected to during heavy towing. The mag hytec covers are very well made, and in the long run can be cost effective if the drain intervals can be extended due to not cooking the lube. However, when the black coal is pouring out the pipe and the boost is at it's maximum, the temps keep on climbing. I know, there should not be black coal pouring out the pipe, but what fun would that be.
The numbers for the Ford I quoted aren't "back in the day" they are from 2006. With that thought Kenworth owners must be changing theirs every 10 miles!nhunter
Differentials today are subjected to "severe" duty service and encounter more stress and heat than was seen only a few years ago, simply due to the fact that today's engines have more HP and Torque. Extreme pressures and temperatures generated within the differentials increase stress on the lubricant. Schedule "B" in the dodge owner's manual calls for lube changes every 15,000 miles. It is not the same as "back in the day"
nhunter
I disagree with your comparison with a "kenworth". The ring and pinion gears are not in the same league and they have larger surface area to handle the torque with less heat and stress on the lube.