Hey. Quick question on gear oil..whats the correct weigh for the front and rear differentials and the transfer case for a 2015 V6 limited. I've always ran royal purple in all my vehicles, time to switch out the fluid in the dd.
Thanks
Thanks
Gear oil
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Hi Jason:
Your owner's manual will have this information. How many miles are on your D? Being a '15, it's new enough that FCA put synthetic oil in there at the factory. As far as the trans goes, same thing. The trans filter it built into the pan, and the fluid for it is quite pricey ($30-$35 a quart) if you go oem. Unless you have run up a bunch of hard towing miles, you should be good to go for a while longer.
IIRC, the front diff will be 75w90, and rear can be the same unless you tow a lot. In that case, I believe 75w140 is the ticket.
Don
Your owner's manual will have this information. How many miles are on your D? Being a '15, it's new enough that FCA put synthetic oil in there at the factory. As far as the trans goes, same thing. The trans filter it built into the pan, and the fluid for it is quite pricey ($30-$35 a quart) if you go oem. Unless you have run up a bunch of hard towing miles, you should be good to go for a while longer.
IIRC, the front diff will be 75w90, and rear can be the same unless you tow a lot. In that case, I believe 75w140 is the ticket.
Don
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IIRC, Dodge switched to the fuel saving 75w-85 synthetic gear lube for both the front and rear differentials awhile back. Can you use the slightly heavier weight 75w-90 or 75w-110, I suppose if that is your preference. Also IIRC, the single speed AWD transfer case found in the V6 Durango uses a fluid based on the MBZ 236.12 -> 236.14 / Shell 134 automatic transmission fluid specification and the ZF 8-spd transmission fluid is the ZF lifeguard 8 Shell M-L12108 specification fluid.
Now you maybe able to find an aftermarket fluid, like say Red D6 ATF for example, that meets both of these ATF fluid specifications and can be used in both, but you need to do some research to be sure first. Plus as noted above, changing the ZF 8-spd automatic transmission fluid filter is not cheap, nor is the fluid change procedure itself all that easy.
Now you maybe able to find an aftermarket fluid, like say Red D6 ATF for example, that meets both of these ATF fluid specifications and can be used in both, but you need to do some research to be sure first. Plus as noted above, changing the ZF 8-spd automatic transmission fluid filter is not cheap, nor is the fluid change procedure itself all that easy.
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The 2014 V6 Durango finally got some well needed TLC this past weekend. It's has +98k miles and needed all the drive line fluids changed. Admittedly this should have been done awhile ago. So this past Saturday I put her up on the QuickJack with the their Truck/SUV adapters and had plenty of room under there for me and the creeper. I did both the front and rear differentials (used Redline 75w-90 in both), the single speed AWD transfer case (used Redline ATF D6, it only has a one pint fluid capacity, really?!?) and the ZF 8-spd automatic (again used Redline AFT D6) all in one afternoon. Now I have a new transmission pan with the integrated filter. But the transmission holds 8-9 quarts (tow package has a thermostatically controlled cooler loop) and you only get 5-6 quarts out of it during a typical fluid change. So I just drained it (messy as hell) measured the volume that came out and filled it with the same amount, and yes I followed the correct fluid level check procedure as well. I will do the pan/filter with more fresh fluid in the near future after several drive cycles allowing the transmission to reach and hold 190 F to make sure I get the fluid in the cooler loop. No way to get close to an old style full fluid flush, unless you repeat the procedure say at least three times and this fluid is not cheap.
Here are some videos on the differentials;
There isn't a video for the single speed AWD transfer case found in the V6 models, but they due have one to the 2-spd unit used with the V8, but that uses a different fluid. Drain and fill procedures are similar. The single speed AWD transfer case has a very odd method to determining if the level is full. Read the manual as it is easy to over fill and its a sealed non-vented unit, unlike the 2-spd unit used with the V8.
Now the trick with the ZF 8-spd is that you have to check the final fluid level with the engine running and the transmission fluid temp has to between 90-122 F (very helpful that you can see that on the dash display). Several really good YouTube videos out there for the procedure. Here are a couple of them;
BTW, the only way to get the last 1-1/2 quarts into the transmission is with the engine running so that the circulating pump sucks up the fluid out of the pan and pumps it up into the transmission and torque converter. I will be the first to admit that it was not reassuring being under a running vehicle while trying to pump fluid into the transmission. Make sure to cycle the transmission through the gears as noted. Luckily there is enough room around the passenger side exhaust down pipe to get the job done without risk of serious burns. The QuickJack was very state, but I still had some extra jack stand under there (not shown in the picture) just encase. Also the remote starter feature on the FOB paid for itself again enabling this to be a rather quick one man job.
To report; no cuts, no burns, no busted knuckles and the Durango is happier with fresher fluids. Even with only half the fluid changed and less than 100 miles later, you can notice a difference in the transmission shifting characteristics, especially the 1-2 and 4-5 changes that seem to bother most folks.
Here are some videos on the differentials;
There isn't a video for the single speed AWD transfer case found in the V6 models, but they due have one to the 2-spd unit used with the V8, but that uses a different fluid. Drain and fill procedures are similar. The single speed AWD transfer case has a very odd method to determining if the level is full. Read the manual as it is easy to over fill and its a sealed non-vented unit, unlike the 2-spd unit used with the V8.
Now the trick with the ZF 8-spd is that you have to check the final fluid level with the engine running and the transmission fluid temp has to between 90-122 F (very helpful that you can see that on the dash display). Several really good YouTube videos out there for the procedure. Here are a couple of them;
BTW, the only way to get the last 1-1/2 quarts into the transmission is with the engine running so that the circulating pump sucks up the fluid out of the pan and pumps it up into the transmission and torque converter. I will be the first to admit that it was not reassuring being under a running vehicle while trying to pump fluid into the transmission. Make sure to cycle the transmission through the gears as noted. Luckily there is enough room around the passenger side exhaust down pipe to get the job done without risk of serious burns. The QuickJack was very state, but I still had some extra jack stand under there (not shown in the picture) just encase. Also the remote starter feature on the FOB paid for itself again enabling this to be a rather quick one man job.
To report; no cuts, no burns, no busted knuckles and the Durango is happier with fresher fluids. Even with only half the fluid changed and less than 100 miles later, you can notice a difference in the transmission shifting characteristics, especially the 1-2 and 4-5 changes that seem to bother most folks.
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Hey @DeaconBlue what do you think of the Redline D6 in the transmission after a couple months?
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Still impressed. But I still have to do the second drain and refill to get more new fluid in there as well as replace the pan and filter. Those jobs will have to wait until Spring, since winter weather finally showed up the last few days.
More notes here;
www.dodgedurango.net
More notes here;
Transmission Service on 2014 Dodge Durango 3.6
Hi All, I have about 102k miles on my Durango (3.6L V6) Limited. I want to service it and change out the fluid and the valve body/mechatronic sleeves (the sleeves/seals between the valve body and case. Not sure what they are called exactly), basically the 4x tube like seals and the single...
www.dodgedurango.net
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I still haven't done the second drain and refill yet, but I decide to add a vent tube to the MP2010 single speed AWD transfer case. The hose section is about 16" long and I secured it to the side of the transfer case via a "massaged" electrical conduit clamp. The hose doesn't dip down, its just an odd angle of the photo. The vent is just above the top of the case. I suppose you could run a longer tube up into the engine compartment if you planned to forge deep water.
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