How to Check and Fill Rear Differential Fluid 2014-19 Chevy Silverado
Created on: 2019-05-13
Learn how to check and fill the rear differential fluid in your 14-19 Chevy Silverado. Let 1A Auto show you how to do this easy regular maintenance at home
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step 1 :Checking the Differential Fluid Level
- Raise and support the vehicle if necessary, and make sure it is level
- Remove the differential fill plug using a 3/8ths socket extension
- Inspect the differential fill plug for wear and metal deposits
- Fashion a dip stick out of a wire tie or similar material with a right angle bend in it
- Dip the wire tie into the fluid so that the right angle is at the same level as the bottom of the fill hole
- Remove the wire tie to view the fluid level
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step 2 :Filling the Rear Differential Fluid
- Use the appropriate fluid as directed by the vehicle owner's manual
- Add fluid until it begins to spill out of the fill hole
- Plug the fill hole with your finger for several minutes to allow the fluid to settle into interior passages in the differential
- Allow excess fluid to drain out
- Replace the fill plug.
Tools needed
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Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Wire Ties
Drain Pan
3/8 Inch Drive Ratchet
Cloth Rags
Brake Parts Cleaner
What's up, guys? I'm Andy from 1A Auto. In this video, I'm going to show you how to check the fluid in the rear differential on this 2015 Chevy Silverado. If you need parts for you vehicle, click the links in the description, and head over to 1AAuto.com.
You want to raise the vehicle, and make sure the vehicle is level. Also, put a drain bucket underneath the differential for any fluid that comes out. To pull the fill plug out, and it's right here on the back of the cover, you're going to use a 3/8 extension and a ratchet to take this out. A lot of times there is dirt in here, so take a pocket screwdriver and just get any of the dirt out. That's good.
Now, install that and twist it counterclockwise. Pull the fill plug out. Sometimes you'll have some fluid draining out of this, but we don't have any. There is a little bit of metal on the backside. This vehicle has 135,000 miles on it, which for that this metal looks about normal, so I can wipe that off with a rag.
To check the level, I'm actually going to take a wire tie and I'm just going to bend this. You can try to look inside there and see if the fluid is right up to the top, or up to the bottom of the fill hole. I'll just take the wire tie and stick it in there. And then, it's like a little dipstick, so the level looks like it's right about there, so I'll have to add a little bit of fluid.
All right, so we're going to top off our fluid, and make sure you use the appropriate fluid. You should be able to check that in your Owner's Manual. And once it starts coming out, and it's full, I'm just going to hold this for a second and let it disperse a little bit. There is some little hidden passages and stuff, so if I hold this closed the fluid level is a little bit above there. You can let it drain out. I'll just let that drain for a little bit. I want it level with the bottom of the hole.
Now, I'm going to install the fill plug. Now, this fill plug has a seal on the back, so I don't have to put anything on here. But, if it didn't have a seal, you could put a little pipe sealer on there to help seal it up. I'll take the extension and the ratchet, and I'll just snug this up. That's good. After that's done, we're just going to take some brake parts cleaner, and clean this off. We're just going to take a rag and wipe off the excess.
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