1992 3930 rear axle dipstick - F or L ?

[3930dave]

Ok, I'm often easily confused.... Let's call this Dipstick 101, or maybe more like 001.

I have a 2wd with stick (manual calls it 8x2). Axle is rated for 45.7L or 12.0 US gallons.

The axle dipstick has a bounded SAFE area, just above that it says FULL.

So, is it full when you hit "F", or do you take it up to the second "L" ? (There is no high limit arrow, bar, hash zone that I can see).

All the Operating Manual says is ".... check that the oil reaches the upper mark on the dipstick".

I'm going to change the axle fluid shortly, and plan to refill it back to the top of the SAFE boundary.

I'm not concerned in the short term as it is flat land use at the moment. Hill use on a remote property will come later, that's when I'd prefer to know what is going on here with "F".

(Yeah, re-read that a few times, just to make sure I wasn't using my default expression).

Rgds, D.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Ok, I'm often easily confused.... Let's call this Dipstick 101, or maybe more like 001.

I have a 2wd with stick (manual calls it 8x2). Axle is rated for 45.7L or 12.0 US gallons.

The axle dipstick has a bounded SAFE area, just above that it says FULL.

So, is it full when you hit "F", or do you take it up to the second "L" ? (There is no high limit arrow, bar, hash zone that I can see).

All the Operating Manual says is ".... check that the oil reaches the upper mark on the dipstick".

I'm going to change the axle fluid shortly, and plan to refill it back to the top of the SAFE boundary.

I'm not concerned in the short term as it is flat land use at the moment. Hill use on a remote property will come later, that's when I'd prefer to know what is going on here with "F".

(Yeah, re-read that a few times, just to make sure I wasn't using my default expression).

Rgds, D.

The top of the SAFE area should be bounded by a line on the dip stick. You say there is not line so I would think the the F in Full is the correct place. This is a good question for your dealer.

 

[3930dave]

Thanks for the note Jerry. I agree, for now I'm shooting for "just up to the F".

The SAFE area is bounded by a top line, but the FULL label above that is very ambiguous.

Seems to be a common issue with this model (which I like much), I went through a similar problem with the gearbox dipstick too. A kind person who owned a 3930 cleared that confusion up on TBN here.

Good point about the dealer, I guess I've been conditioned by car dealerships (start talking about most anything over 5 years old, and their eyes start glazing over). Will try them too.

If I can get a decent pic of what I'm talking about, and can figure out how to attach the file, I'll put it up here.

Rgds, D.

 

[banjodunn]

G'day the line above the SAFE area is the full mark the line at the bottom of the SAFE area is the low mark ( add oil ) anywhere in between the lines (the area bound by the safe mark) means that it is safe to operate. Hope this helps




Jon

 

[3930dave]

Thnx again Jon (you last helped me out with my fuel filter).

Finished in the dark tonight, I might be a litre or 2 too high, I'm just over the line you're talking about. Hit 22C today here (unusual), so that level will probably be about right for -30C this winter.... glad I finally got this done !

Nothing really different about this oil change, just a bit different scale than I'm used to !

Noticed the manual calls for 1200 hours, or 1 year interval on this axle fluid - guessing at 45L/12 gallons or so, most aren't changing this every year.....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Just closing the loop here, but probably will only prove I take lousy pictures - camera phone is all I got to work with...

The rated 45L added in, took it to the line at the top of SAFE.

(aka, Another Note to Self.....)

D.

 

[banjodunn]

No probs Dave glad to help. Good to see you got it worked out.
As a side note don't take for granted what the book capacity says is right I have seen some books be out as much as 10lt:confused2:. I recently had the trans apart in a 5088 IH and the book stated it should hold 142lt, the most i could put in was 128, but after running it was on the full line



Jon

 

[3930dave]

I hear you Jon, I've had similar experiences with messed up quantities vs. dipstick levels vs. available documents.... compelled me to tap the keyboard here.

You'd think it would be a simple thing, getting a fluid level correct, but it seems far more challenging than it should be sometimes.

I'm no hydraulic wizard, not even close, but I do know that overfull can be a headache. Once saw a GM 4 cylinder car engine that was really noisy, top end. Turned out, the crankcase was waaayyyy overfull, the engine oil was aerating (sp ?, I mean entrapped air), and the hyd. valve lifters weren't pumping up properly.

Like my friend used to say "All I wanted to do was....".

Rgds, D.