Our friend Jason Fenske from Engineering Explained has already taught us how to change the oil in our cars. It's an easy process, and it's one that will allow you to get closer to your own machine while making sure it's properly maintained. Now it's time to take things a step further. Jason is back, and this time he's teaching us how to change a car's differential fluid. The guinea pig for the process is his Honda S2000 project car.
The steps involved here are nearly identical to those used when changing your engine oil. You'll have to jack up the car while it's on level ground, then get under there and find your differential. Now figure out which bolt is the drain bolt and which is the filler bolt. Remove the filler bolt first to check the fluid level, then remove the drain bolt and let the old fluid drain into a drain pan.
ALSO SEE: How to change a car's coolant
Once you've removed all of the fluid, reinstall that drain bolt, adding a new washer. Make sure to torque it to the proper spec or you'll have some issues down the road. Next, you can start putting the new fluid in through the filler plug. Jason has a nice pump setup for getting the fluid into the differential, and it's one that you can also utilize for not a lot of money.
With the proper amount of fluid inside the differential, you can put the filler plug back in place, again adding a new washer. Make sure your bolts are torqued and wipe away any excess fluid that may have spilled. After that just lower the car, and go for a drive.
