HOw often does the lube (differential?) need to be changed? I usually change oil and filter myself, but it occasionally goes to the mechanic for routine check up and tune-up. I know they do new lube at that time, but is it ok that I don't do the lube at my oil changes? Is this ok? What is the lube for exactly? How difficult is it to change for an avg. DIYer?

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Check owners manual. If the rear end has not been opened up or worked on, check the level by removing the fill plug. Your vehicles are not really that old, but if you feel compulsive, you can certainly drain and change the diff lube. This is there to keep all the gears, bearings bushings happy and slick.. Not sure, but between 30,000 and 50,000 miles is an OK interval. But, again check your owners manual for specifics..

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Jeff Lawrence
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE
No matter what you fix, there will always be something else to fix..
"Warranty" is just another way of postponing the inevitable.

Hottee,

It is better for the differential to change the oil once to many...I change the oil of my differential (and manual transmission) every 50.000km (30.000miles).

It is easy to do it yourself as long as you have a your car lifted up. There are 2 plugs in the differential. The upper plug is to check the oil level and fill the differential. The lower plug is to let of the oil.

greetingz,

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1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

If you opt to change you gear oil in the rear diff, be sure to remove the fill plug (upper) first. Reason being, if the upper plug is stuck/stripped and you cannot remove it, but have already removed the drain plug (lower), you now have no way of replacing the oil. Very simple procedure:

Pull upper plug, position drain pan under the diff, pull lower plug. If the rear diff is warmed up, it will drain out in about a heartbeat or two. If stone cold, it may take a minute or so. Allow to drain as long as you can (an hour or more,even overnight [right Larry] if you're not in any hurry), then replace lower plug and top off with 2 quarts of your favorite hypoid gear oil.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.