Chief409 wrote:
Down here I deal with a small family owned Ford dealer and they take excellent care of all my vehicles.
Yep that's the key in my opinion.......I deal withy a SMALL FAMILY OWNED CHEVY DEALER in Appomattox, Virginia. When I bring my truck in I know that I'll be treated right and won't be ripped off. Small dealers survive on repeat business from their customers.
We checked a total of four newer GM P/U's here at our shop. Only one had the rear differential filled to the fill hole. That truck (2005 3/4 ton) was bought new from a small family-owned dealer in a small town. They are also the ONLY dealer around here that does NOT charge a processing fee when you buy a new vehicle. Amazing how GM and others get away with this bling.
I had the oil changed today and I asked the dealer here in Florida to check the fluid level in the rear end, it was OK but he said they have found a number of trucks that have needed some added. Not sure if our dealer back in Minnesota had checked the level or not. They are a small dealer and I'm like the service I've got from them in the past.
Jim & Jane
2014 Ford 350 King Ranch, Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, IS Suspension, Disk Brakes Nights camped in 2012: 142
Nights camped in 2013: 186
Nights camped in 2014: 185
Nights camped in 2015: 232
Nights camped in 2016: 165
Check your owners manual, running out the hole may not be the correct level.
Here is a quote from the 2008 owners manual I found online.
• For all 6.6L DURAMAX DIESEL 2500HD Series
applications and all 3500 Series applications,
the proper level is from 0.6 inches to 0.8 inches
(17 mm to 21 mm) below the bottom of the filler plug
hole, located on the rear axle. Add only enough
fluid to reach the proper level.
GM says it is not a dealer issue. The fluid level is supposed to be checked by the factory. My scientificlevel checker is my finger. If I can'tfeel it with my finger it is too low.
My '07 manual has nothing to say about the fluid level. Only the type of fluid. That is why I called the dealer. They said it should be within the .6 -.8". How do you confirm that? I figure my finger will get a half inch level. That is about the length of my fingernail.
rlhedlund wrote:My '07 manual has nothing to say about the fluid level. Only the type of fluid. That is why I called the dealer. They said it should be within the .6 -.8". How do you confirm that? I figure my finger will get a half inch level. That is about the length of my fingernail.
A little more research showed that this same 11.5 AAM axle now used in the Dodge 2500/3500 has a similar issue with the placement of the plug being higher than the recommended fluid level. They say to bend a pipe cleaner or piece of wire at a right angle to insert in the hole. Then measure the level. Over filling causes foaming of the lube.
I checked the rear end level yesterday, and it was foaming due to the level being up to the fill hole. I drained 1/2 qt. to get it to proper level.
Also discovered the drain plug is on the very bottom center of the differential housing. Not a good location as it bottoms out in the dirt and fills the head.
