thoughts on this diff plug (sierra) - metal filings

[Miker7]

I've been certain my diff is a little noisier than at the start of the year. Figured I should check the oil level (which I didn't do at the winter service).

 

Thoughts on this diff plug. No idea when it was last cleaned as I bought the car in Jan. I did use a screwdriver to pull the bits up that were all further down inside the plug magnet.

 

To me it looks very bad.

 

Edit to add, diff drained and had plenty of oil in it.

Edited Thursday at 07:20 by Miker7

[ScottR400D]

Hard to tell. Are those ‘flakes’ solid pieces or do they rub down into a fine ‘paste’ between your fingers?

in other words how big are the bits? 

[Geoff Brown]

If they are in use finings they will as described above rub away between the fingers. If they are chunks then you may have trouble. Really depends on the age of the diff as to whether one should worry too much.

Obviously an open Sierra diff ?  If it was a BMW TITAN I might be a tad worried........

[Miker7]

It is a sierra open diff. Having gone back to the blue paper rag i used to clean up the diff plug I can't find any lumps of metal. Yesterday when i first saw the plug I was sure there were some but on checking back I can't see anything.

Plan is to refill with Comma EP 80w90 GL5 from Halfords (bought with club discount). Run for a little bit, drain, check and then decide what I'm going to refill with. The  Ford EP90 (based on previous threads on here that this is the bee's knees) would be ideal but what I can find has no reference to being EP or GL5. The fact its marked as diff oil implies EP.

[Geoff Brown]

On 06/09/2024 at 16:06, Miker7 said:

It is a sierra open diff. Having gone back to the blue paper rag i used to clean up the diff plug I can't find any lumps of metal. Yesterday when i first saw the plug I was sure there were some but on checking back I can't see anything.

Plan is to refill with Comma EP 80w90 GL5 from Halfords (bought with club discount). Run for a little bit, drain, check and then decide what I'm going to refill with. The  Ford EP90 (based on previous threads on here that this is the bee's knees) would be ideal but what I can find has no reference to being EP or GL5. The fact its marked as diff oil implies EP.

Your precautionary fill, run, drain is a good thing to do. Obviously try to check the new drained oil for any suspicious lumps. 

I would suggest as above that in use finings were on the plug & maybe again once you have run & drained the new oil.

My 2013 6 speeder has run on Halfords EP80w90 GL5 since build with an oil change at the 10 year/23000 mile point. IMO a bit late as I should have replaced probably at year 5. Found only in use finings on the plug after all that time.

I put Halfords 80w90 GL5 back in, which incidentally is more than likely produced by COMMA.

[John Vine]

56 minutes ago, Geoff Brown said:

I put Halfords 80w90 GL5 back in, which incidentally is more than likely produced by COMMA.

I think you're correct.. The technical helpline number on Halford's motor oils is indeed COMMA's own.

JV

[Miker7]

Strangely the COMMA oil was a little cheaper than the identical Halfords own brand.