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Differential Fluid Change Info

575K views 524 replies 256 participants last post by  Rdawg 
ATF in the differential?

I don't own an Element yet so obviously, I don't have the owner's manual. I'm interested in the vehicle and forums like this are a good place to learn about the "nitty-gritty" issues that one won't see in road tests or brochures.

I hope that someone can shed some light on why Honda uses ATF in the differential rather than gear oil as most OEMs do because ATF is not a particularly good lubricant for a differential. Is it just to simplify maintenance?

My inclination would be to drain the ATF out and use a proper gear oil if there's no specific reason not to.
 
The next question . . .

Having read the information about the AWD and having learned about the hydraulic pump, I can now see why an ATF type fluid is used. Now I'm going to try and find out if there's a difference between the ATF and the Honda lubricant. I wouldn't mind using the Honda stuff except that in very cold conditions, dino fluids don't work very well. I'd want to use a true synthetic ATF if at all possible.:smile:
 
Differential oils

:twisted: Diff oils always smell nasty but they don't smell like death warmed over. Anything that smells that bad is definitely bad. That's why I am going to find out, if possible, what this stuff Honda sells really is. It might simply be an ATF to which an LSD friction additive has been added. Since the Element, if I understand correctly, uses clutches to engage the rear wheels, that might be the only real difference.

The synthetic ATFs are much more durable and they maintain their performance at much lower temperatures than dino oils. This is especially important in the conditions where AWD would be employed such as in the snow. I've read one post here that seems to indicate that this can be a problem.
 
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