When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I got the rear differential done but am having a hell of a time finding the front. This looks like the front differential drain plug but I didn't think the 2010 had a drain and fill plug. If it is, I can't find a fill plug. Any idea?
Thanks, Scott
That's is it,,, the plug is a 6MM torks socket, to remove drain plug, I just did my front did drain an hour ago on my 2009 W204 C300 4 Matic now you need to get a set up to pump 1 "full" liter or quart back up into the drain plug hole and cap it, take your time and do it on a lift preferably to balance the hose and pump w/o dripping all down your arm, use Mobil 1 75w90 synthetic hypoid gear oil
Do this asap! The 1st drain hardly anything came out! @ 30,000 miles and it was black w/metallic sediment in it! do it a second time I just did 14,000 miles later to find the oil full of very fine metal mixed in, the oil was clear but contaminated, so I drained and replenished w/ new gear oil. a lot of front bearing failures due to not servicing front diffs,,, the oil ends up dissolving or dissipates both my W204's 1st drain hardly anything drained out! I couldn't believe it!
There isn't a fill plug unfortunately. Only way to refill is to either remove an axle (lots of work) or pump it back in through the drain hole which could be difficult.
It looks like a little of a pain and maybe a little messy but not hard. I've developed ways to fill diffs and transmissions(manual) with minimal effort.
That hex bolt is on the very bottom, there is no way to refill it using that location, it will pour out as fast as i pump it in.
I haven't done this service yet, but what about using a check valve near the drain hole when pumping the fluid back up and then quickly closing the drain with the bolt?
I am getting this done on my 2008 soon. Too bad no drain plug on a 2008 so it must be done by removing one of my front axles which is a bummer since the dealership wants $500 CAD.
That's is it,,, the plug is a 6MM torks socket, to remove drain plug, I just did my front did drain an hour ago on my 2009 W204 C300 4 Matic now you need to get a set up to pump 1 "full" liter or quart back up into the drain plug hole and cap it, take your time and do it on a lift preferably to balance the hose and pump w/o dripping all down your arm, use Mobil 1 75w90 synthetic hypoid gear oil
I was only able to drain out 18oz, putting in 28oz seems like a lot.
Sorry to bring back such an old thread. I just had a quick question. So everyone saying the manual says to put in 32 oz. What i drained from the front differential through the plug was 2/3rd's of that. I figured it lost enough along the way of driving the car. This car has lots of oily parts on the under carriage and i think it leaks in places.
long story short... i put in a full quart like everyone says and then added some extra to have it level at 1.16 us quarts (bottle was 1.06) like the dealer told me it holds.
turns out it filled the thing up to the top. These differentials have a breather hole on top. I had some oil leak out from there. Does this mean the car will leak more oil and lose its level if i drive it?
is it safe to drive?
i didnt know the recommended level is to the full capacity of the front diff can hold at max?
anyways... going to test ride the car in the morning. Hope all is well. Bottom mark is what i drained. Top is 1 quart and mark above it is with the extra i added.
i used a electric pump for the job. Works very well 👍
Sorry to bring back such an old thread. I just had a quick question. So everyone saying the manual says to put in 32 oz. What i drained from the front differential through the plug was 2/3rd's of that. I figured it lost enough along the way of driving the car. This car has lots of oily parts on the under carriage and i think it leaks in places.
long story short... i put in a full quart like everyone says and then added some extra to have it level at 1.16 us quarts (bottle was 1.06) like the dealer told me it holds.
turns out it filled the thing up to the top. These differentials have a breather hole on top. I had some oil leak out from there. Does this mean the car will leak more oil and lose its level if i drive it?
is it safe to drive?
i didnt know the recommended level is to the full capacity of the front diff can hold at max?
anyways... going to test ride the car in the morning. Hope all is well. Bottom mark is what i drained. Top is 1 quart and mark above it is with the extra i added.
i used a electric pump for the job. Works very well 👍
These differentials hold 600ML of gear oil so if you put a full quart, you will have a leak that will come from the top breeder so do not be alarmed. I recommend using the transmission filling adapter, it fits right onto the differential drain and makes the filling process much easier (Pump in about 700ml to compensate what you will lose putting the drain back on.
These differentials hold 600ML of gear oil so if you put a full quart, you will have a leak that will come from the top breeder so do not be alarmed. I recommend using the transmission filling adapter, it fits right onto the differential drain and makes the filling process much easier (Pump in about 700ml to compensate what you will lose putting the drain back on.
yes, i find that adapter very useful. I add it onto a small dc12v pump and it does the work for me. I already did the transmission with that adapter, torque converter and transfer case. Drove a little then got back in there to level it off because i wasnt sure if pumping back in would fill in all the areas i drained from initially. The rear differential needed a 14mm hex socket which i also had to buy but did that one pretty easy.
The front differential was the only one that leaked on me. Not sure why everyone saying to pump in a full quart if it will leak a lot of it out anyways? Am i the only one who had that issue?
yes, i find that adapter very useful. I add it onto a small dc12v pump and it does the work for me. I already did the transmission with that adapter, torque converter and transfer case. Drove a little then got back in there to level it off because i wasnt sure if pumping back in would fill in all the areas i drained from initially. The rear differential needed a 14mm hex socket which i also had to buy but did that one pretty easy.
The front differential was the only one that leaked on me. Not sure why everyone saying to pump in a full quart if it will leak a lot of it out anyways? Am i the only one who had that issue?
No you are not. One dealer told me the front differential holds the same amount as the rear (1.1L) which is false. I filled t up and I thought my axle seal was leaking because I was doing that job at the same time. Called another dealer only to learn that the differential holds almost half that amount..
No you are not. One dealer told me the front differential holds the same amount as the rear (1.1L) which is false. I filled t up and I thought my axle seal was leaking because I was doing that job at the same time. Called another dealer only to learn that the differential holds almost half that amount..
hmm... maybe i should have got several dealers opinions to fact check. I thought my axle seals were leaking at first too. Big scare.
so if its to hold half of that, will it be an issue to drive it with the oil level topped off as high up as it is?
hmm... maybe i should have got several dealers opinions to fact check. I thought my axle seals were leaking at first too. Big scare.
so if its to hold half of that, will it be an issue to drive it with the oil level topped off as high up as it is?
I would just drain it again since it will be overfilled, not everything will come out of the breeder and it can't be too good to have an overfilled differential for the long term. You have to get under there and clean whatever dripped out anyways so might as well do it right.
2009 C300 4matic here. In the middle of major work on it and came to filling front diff and I don't know what to think about capacity. After reading this thread and seeing even the owners manual(1.1liter) and WIS(.55l) at odds with each other, who knows how much it SHOULD take. I do know however the way to fill it per the WIS(through the side of the diff with passenger CV axle removed) so I will measure how much it takes a make a followup post..
2009 C300 4matic here. In the middle of major work on it and came to filling front diff and I don't know what to think about capacity. After reading this thread and seeing even the owners manual(1.1liter) and WIS(.55l) at odds with each other, who know how much it SHOULD take...
The front differential capacity is 600ml. If you put 1.1L, it will start leaking from the vent and you will think there's a leak when it's just overfilled. You can use the same adapter that fills the transmission and just pump in 650ml, the little extra is to compensate for what will be lost when putting back the drain. The fill plug is impossible to access on these cars so that is the best way to do it. Good luck.
03-28-2017, 08:05 PM
