What do you diesel gurus recommend? I'm having a bad axle replaced, and the differential has to be drained. I want to make sure what I'm putting in will ensure long differential life and smooth operation.
-Joe

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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate

Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later!
-German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123.

Just put regular old 85W90 in it.

Good luck,

Mmmmmmm I love the smell of 90 weight

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Rob M
Norwich, VT USA
1980 240D Euro delivery 4 speed manual silver/blue
~160K miles

Mobil 1 75w-90

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Hatterasguy is right.. use M1 75W90

I had a "wheel bearing" type noise that my mechanic and I couldn't figure out. We actually ended up even replacing the bearing.

One day I changed the diff oil with M1 75W90 and the problem went away. That was 2 years ago, and no noise since!

Notice the funny noises that happened on cold mornings went away also. Between that experience and putting M1 in a Miata gearbox (couldn't shift into 2nd gear when cold until the M1 was installed!!), I'm converted for life.. It's not worth the $5 savings to skip M1 and put some cheaper fluid in!


Neal

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)

I smelled it too when we got some Mobil 1 Synthetic recently for the diff's. It smelled a whole lot like natural gas to me!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)