dmatre

'02 k1500 Suburban, 3:73 with G80.
Haynes says 5/8 below fill hole, problem is there is a gear or shaft or something right behind hole, so very difficult to hook a finger inside to feel for oil and guage how far down it is. I put in 3 quarts, I think I am touching fluid about one knuckle deep, but the oil on my finger tip could be coming from the the shaft or case. Does 3 quarts sound right?
Thanks,
Don

kevinkpk

If your litle pinkey feels fluid, you good to go.

dmatre

I measured what I took out and it was only 2 quarts. I have only had the truck about two weeks. I wonder how long it was run a quart low?
I think the front was overfilled, when I took the drain plug out the oil shot out and went through the wheel slot, bounced off the tire and made a terrible mess.

RacerX

You fill it up until it drips out of the fill port and then you screw the plug back in.

dmatre

Not if you want the correct amount in it, but thanks for the input.

According to the dealer service writer, it depends on the size of the ring gear:

8.6" gear = 2.41 quarts
9.5" gear = 2.75 quarts
9.75" gear = 3 quarts
10.5" gear = 2.75 quarts
11.5" gear = 3.83 quarts

RacerX

Come on man, if you overfill it where is it going to go? What is it going to do? You really have the ability to measure .41 or .83 of a quart?

dmatre

No, I wouldn't worry about exactly .41 0r .83. But if it is overfilled by enough and it got hot enough it could build up enough pressure to blow a seal over time. I was originally worried about it being low, because I wasn't sure if I was guaging the distance the oil was from the hole accurately. So I wanted to know the amount it called for so I could determine if I was in the ballpark.
Thanks,
Don

RoTo

As RacerX has said it, just fill it up to the fill hole. Make sure the vehicle is level, and it will be fine. On the diff. the fill hole is pretty much the high mark.

WDChev02

what we did at the lube shop I used to work at was use a zip tie and bend the end over at the correct measurement that it was supposed to be under the fill hole stick it in and see if there was oil on it when it was pulled out

tech2

awake old thread.
yep that works.
and on the overfill question....don't overfill...its aerates the fluid.