I thought I would post some pictures for changing the diff oil, easy as.
I like seeing pictures because it make the job look easier when I understand the pictures.




1) Remove the lower tie plate - 14 bolts - It would have been sooooo much harder if this plate is not removed. No springs to kill you so remove with confidence....Oh and clean it!


2) Find the fill plug located at the back of the diff... and loosen it, no point dropping your diff oil if you can not undo the fill plug. I needed to add a pipe to the socket wrench for added leverage.
There is not a lot of room for my extension and socket wrench, I had to find a short extension and used the 1/2inch end to fit in to the plug hole.






3) Clean around the fill plug before removing so no crap falls in to your diff.

4) So know the plate is removed, the fill plug has been loosened and the area around the fill plug cleaned it is time to remove the drain plug. Get a container that can hold about 2l.
Oil capacity is about 2.25 quarts / 2 litres. Remove the drain plug and see what your oil looks like.




Do not forget some tread tape to stop oil creep, the last person that filled the diff did not and it constantly had a small drip.
Drip is now gone!

 

If you use a slightly longer extension you can get the ratchet in the back of the cage to undo the fill plug and then you don't have to drop the lower tie plate.

 

Time to fill the diff... 75W - 90 is what I was told. Must be suitable for Diff Lock cars, or the oil will stuff your diff... again from what I have read.
I found Penrite Pro Gear - Full Synthetic 2.5l and I rang them to see if it was for Doff Lock.. I had to order online due to Cover 19.
25% discount !!!




Time to fill - I used a oil bottle pump I had for a boat outboard leg. But the same were available at Super Cheap Auto.
Find a bottle that fits, fill it up, I used a pile of wood to rest the bottle on and cable tied the hose in to the fill hole.
I had to re fill the bottle a couple of times, and angle the bottle on its side to pump as much oil as possible, the hose did not come out the hole at all so this worked perfectly.
Once oil starts to flow out of the diff in to the drain container it is full. I waited 15min for the oil to settle and pumped again.
Once happy refit the fit the fill plug... do not forget the thread tape.... drip drip





Refit the tie plate and job done.

 

Agree but don't you have to remove the spare wheel?
Battery drill and the plate is off in a few minutes plus its easier to clean..

 

No, I was able get get the ratchet between the rear of the cage and the spare wheel well. Looks like there is a little less clearance on your car, but I was able to come in from the side and there was just enough space to slip the ratchet in.

 

I did my first diff oil top-up recently. After looking underneath the car, I thought the diff must surely be designed to be filled from the boot (trunk). I mean, who would put a big plate in the way of the diff, hold it on with fourteen bolts, and give half of those bolts non-captive nuts?
Anyway, I took the spare tyre out and got the little 'access covers' off. You can see the brake discs (arrowed).

I couldn't get the filler plug out this way with my fairly limited tools, so I had to go back underneath the car.
I also didn't have the right combination of extensions to get at the filler plug from behind the cage, so I had to take that big plate off.
I topped up the diff using LSD diff oil from a squeezy bag pack, specially designed for filling diffs from underneath cars.
Thread seal tape wasn't a concern - more oil comes out from other places than from the drain plug.

 

Nice write up dukejag. Those photos and description will be a big help to people new to these cars.

 

Cheers Brinny ...
I thought I would add a picture of the extension length.
60mmm - over all anything longer and it would have been to long.
I did not have a short extension so I used to size adaptors.
1/2 - 3/8 and 3/8 -1/2