Mercedes Rear Differential Fluid Change w116
 

My eyes!!!

Just do a fluid change if you don't know when it was last done. Then you'll know for sure that it's filled to the correct level.

How much fluid do i need for the change? w116 1090 300SD, thanks.
Sorry i was playing with fonts and sizes, lol

I use as a rule of thumb, when I get the oil in the diff and starts overflowing through the filling hole, it's full. My only available dipstick is my index finger...

anyone know the oil capacity down there? just so i know how much of that stuf to buy. Synthetic?

The manual specifies 1 liter (or until it runs out of the filler hole) of 85W90 or 90W hypoid gear oil.

Make sure you are able to loosen the fill plug before you drain the differential. I was unable to loosen mine, and had to take it to my mechanic. If I had drained the fluid first, I would have been in a bind. He charged me $35 dollars for the job which was well worth it, saving me a lot of aggravation.

I use about 1.3 quarts in the diffs I've worked on.
1 never seems to fill it.

So diesel giant couldnt have filled his with just one quart of the Amsoil ha!!!
2 quarts im buying today, thanks Gang.

Filling an old differential with synthetic is only going to possibly cause leaks, plus you will gain no benefit from doing so.

To fill the proper amount of oil, the car must be on its wheels - not with the rear wheels hanging.

280 ex what brand would you recommend for my w116? and weight??
If rear is up in the air will it take a lot more fluid than needed?

Collect and measure what came out if you want to know if it was low. I couldn't get the fill plug to budge with a 1/2 " breaker bar and couldn't add a pipe for more leverage because the car was not high enough off the ground.. I supported the end of the breaker bar with blocks of wood and lowered the the jack to put the cars weight on it and it loosened.

if the car is level, just fill til it runs out the fill hole. don't worry about over filling or anything just do it.

Are you guys using a pump to get the new fluid in? any suggestions on how to fill the diff??

I used a $3 syringe from Walmart. Took about 15 shots.