# V10 TDI Diff oil change.



## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

Today i changed my front and rear diff oil as preventative maintenance. I was going to change the transfer box oil too but could find a drain plug or a filler plug so i can only assume that it shares oil with the gear box (I would appreciate it if someone with elsa win could check for me)

This is the oil that i used.


The rear diff was easy to do. The oil wasnt that dirty but I changed it anyway as I only saw it when it was draining lol.


The front diff was a but more tricky but still straight forward to do. It doesn't have a drain plug so i syphoned the old oil out and pumped the new oil back in until it started coming out of the hole. In the pic below the plug is out and the pipe from the syphon pump is in the hole. The Plug is located on the drivers side near where the drive shaft meets the diff.


As you can see from this pic the front diff oil was rather dirty.



Here is a pic of the transfer box for anyone who is interested.


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## Paximus (Aug 26, 2011)

*V10 drive fluids*

Hi Raz,

Front differential (Front Final Drive):
-- Fill from empty is 0.85 litre
-- VW say it's SAE 75W90 synthetic, part no. G 052 145 A1 (0.5 litre) and G 052 145 S2 (1 litre). 
-- ZF say it's Castrol SAF-AG4.

Transfer box: 
-- Fill from empty is 1.15 litre
-- VW and ZF agree that it uses the same spec oil as front differential

Rear Differential 08Y 500 043A:
-- Fill from empty is 1.1 litre
-- VW say it's the same oil as the front differential
-- ZF say it's SAF-AG4 Q (having 4% FM additive compared with the front oil)

I am personally very cautious about oil specs for differentials, since on two occasions my regular 4X4s have damaged their differential seals after having the fluid changed or topped up by a local garage, presumably using a low-cost refill oil instead of oil with the proper OEM spec (expensive). It's no fun sourcing rebuild kits for foreign limited slip differentials and finding a shop that can work on them with confidence. I only mention this by way of conversation, I am not commenting on your oil choice!

The Service Schedule in the vehicle wallet makes no reference to changing differential fluids or ATF. However, ZF state that ATF should be purified (changed) at between 50k and 75k miles or 8 years if the vehicle is used under severe operating conditions such as frequent highway driving at high speeds. It seems logical to apply that to the diffs as well, in the absence of more firm advice, other than to wait for them to fail.

The ZF quotes are from their 2013 document TE-ML11. The above comment is just my opinion. 

Chris



*Location of 6HP32A Front Final Drive (2) & Transfer Box (1) plugs* (drive the car, attend to the oil, drive the 
car, top up second time, finally replace the two plugs with new ones when the level is 
stable. Remove RHS drive shaft noise insulation part for access. Fill slowly, take 5 mins)









image (c) volkswagen


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## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the info on the plug location. Item 2 is where I drained and filled the front diff from. Item 1 looks like its part of the gearbox so would share oil with that? 

Raz


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## Paximus (Aug 26, 2011)

I think the front of the Torsen differential housing is open to the rear of the 6HP32A transmission housing so it shares its oil with some elements of the front power feed, perhaps item 6 in the schematic below. I don't know these things for a fact, I am interpreting the diagrams. 

But its oil reservoir (accessible through filler cap no. 1) is separate from the ATF so the oil is a different specification from the ATF.

Chris



*Schematic diagram of the 6HP32A power distribution*


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## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

Thanks Chris I will have a look and see how accessible the plug is next time the car in on a ramp.

Raz


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## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

Quick update I managed to change the transfer oil today (Thanks to Chris) I could only removed 500ml with my syphon pump no matter what i tried thats all i could get out. So thats all i could replace. I think there must be a drain plug somewhere 

Here is a pick of the fill plug its on the drivers side of the car near the ZF tag on the gear box


Raz


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## snapdragon (Aug 8, 2006)

Well done, what tool did you use? I took a look but didn't even bother to get my tools out as I couldn't imagine getting it out. We have just bought two lifts at the college where I work, so things are looking up. I'll have to get friendly with that department


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## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

I used an 8mm hex head socket on a long ratchet bar. There was what looked like a drain plug on the bottom of where the transfer case meets the gearbox but i didnt have the nerve to open it in case the gearbox oil leaked out lol.

Ps nice ramp 

Raz


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## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

Quick update for anyone wanting to change there transfer box oil there is a drain plug located where the gearbox meets the transfer case it needs a 5mm hex head or allen key to open.


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## snapdragon (Aug 8, 2006)

Thanks for the update.


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## twgin (Apr 25, 2012)

At this link:

http://www.zf.com/media/media/document/corporate_2/downloads_1/usa/passenger_cars/6HP19A_Catalog.pdf

41 pages of info on the 6HP19A, including some pics of drain plugs, capacities, and so on...

It mentions the Torsen differential filling with an (unclear, to me) photo of fill plugs...

Seems like a complete job would be 4 locations - rear diff, front diff, Torsen, and the shaft running along the side of the tranny (labeled #6 in the schematic posted by Chris ?

I'm frankly getting confused as different sources use different terminology, i.e. final drive, differential, transfer case, etc.

Also amazing is that this tranny, filled, is only 165 lbs.

Many years ago I changed the "DynaFlow" transmission in my mom's 1955 Buick Special; the Dynaflow was about 350 lbs for about a 250 hp V8. Of course early Dynaflow trannies were tried out in the Hellcat Tank Destroyer before they found their way into the Buick Special...

Terry


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## Lord bass (Aug 3, 2012)

Thanks for the link. But the transmission in V10 TDi is a 6HP32A which could have different drain and fill locations to the 6HP19A

Raz


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