Where is the rear differential fluid access plug? '73 convertible, Q-code automatic, 3.25 rear gears

[RC92234]

Am about to go crazy going searching the Ford shop manual and *not* finding it. Plenty on how to check fluid levels and what they should be, but nothing on where the opening is. I've been crawling around under the car and can't see/feel it to be sure.
Front or back of the differential? Near the top (likely) or bottom (much less likely)? Can I get to it without the car on a hoist?

Had to have it rebuilt a couple of years ago, and suspected a leak from that repair based on spots on the floor in the carport. I don't drive it that much, maybe 200 miles since the rebuild and I don't currently see drips coming off the case so either it's fine or lost fluids (long before me but it's what brought about the rebuild). But I don't want to go through that again.

 

[Sheriff41]

Front left side on the removable carrier housing. Uses a 3/8" square drive.

 

[Sheriff41]

You can see it in this photo:

 

[clevelandcoupe]

I have a carrier in my car now that does not have an access plug. I was lucky enough to find this out when I had the rear end out of the car. So, I just added a couple of threaded bungs with plugs for filling & draining.
Thanks, Jay

 

[Don C]

Some of the 9-inch housings had the fill plug in the back of the housing. I believe these were the earlier housings. The carriers that came with these did not have a fill plug on the front driver's side.
It's possible to wind up with a later housing and an early carrier and neither one has a fill plug.
The only thing you can do in that case is to remove one of the studs that is about even with the bottom of the axle tubes to check and fill the housing.

 

[73CobraJet]

Am about to go crazy going searching the Ford shop manual and *not* finding it. Plenty on how to check fluid levels and what they should be, but nothing on where the opening is. I've been crawling around under the car and can't see/feel it to be sure.
Front or back of the differential? Near the top (likely) or bottom (much less likely)? Can I get to it without the car on a hoist?

Had to have it rebuilt a couple of years ago, and suspected a leak from that repair based on spots on the floor in the carport. I don't drive it that much, maybe 200 miles since the rebuild and I don't currently see drips coming off the case so either it's fine or lost fluids (long before me but it's what brought about the rebuild). But I don't want to go through that again.

Mine has the access plug in the captains side of the carrier. I also have a q code auto conv!

 

[Stanglover]

Regardless of where the plug is, gear oil is like syrup and flows just as fast. Place your bottles of gear oil in a pan of HOT water for several minutes and the filling process will take less than half the time. Filling with the axle in the car can be a challenge, as is filling a 4 speed gear box.

 

[CandyRcode]

Remove the vent and put 2 1/2 quarts in. Use ford friction modifier if you have a posi that requires it (track lock)

 

[Stanglover]

Remove the vent and put 2 1/2 quarts in. Use ford friction modifier if you have a posi that requires it (track lock)

Yes, good point on the friction modifier. Just DON'T get any on you or your hands. Boy. does that stuff STINK!!!

 

[t.kohlmeyer]

T

Yes, good point on the friction modifier. Just DON'T get any on you or your hands. Boy. does that stuff STINK!!!

The friction modifier seems to smell differently to each person that smells it. To me it smells like fresh cut celery! Wipe your hands off with lacquer thinner. It takes pretty much anything off your hands.

 

[Stanglover]

T

Wipe your hands off with lacquer thinner. It takes pretty much anything off your hands.

Including your skin!!
We've all done it I'm sure, I certainly have, used lacquer thinner to "wash our hands" but that stuff goes directly through the skin, so not good.

 

[Stanglover]

T

The friction modifier seems to smell differently to each person that smells it. To me it smells like fresh cut celery!

Celery!! The Ford friction modifier I used (and recommended) sure didn't smell like celery to me. But then my sense of smell isn't too good these days either.

 

[t.kohlmeyer]

Including your skin!!
We've all done it I'm sure, I certainly have, used lacquer thinner to "wash our hands" but that stuff goes directly through the skin, so not good.

I use it to remove paint, dykem, and oily coal soot from my hands. I apply a nice coat of GoJo Orange right after. I never leave it on my hands long. Usually put it on a rag and wipe the paint off. Been doing it for 45+ years.

 

[Stanglover]

I use it to remove paint, dykem, and oily coal soot from my hands. I apply a nice coat of GoJo Orange right after. I never leave it on my hands long. Usually put it on a rag and wipe the paint off. Been doing it for 45+ years.

Me too. Actually I've used far worse stuff and so far, got away with it.
When I had my Norton 500 SS, I used to "steal' trichlorethylene degreaser from work to clean the chains. Now that stuff will take your hide off. Nasty stuff.

 

[t.kohlmeyer]

Me too. Actually I've used far worse stuff and so far, got away with it.
When I had my Norton 500 SS, I used to "steal' trichlorethylene degreaser from work to clean the chains. Now that stuff will take your hide off. Nasty stuff.

Yeah, I hear you. I used to run Methyl ethel keytone in a race go cart. The fumes were horrible. Don't breathe the exhaust fumes.

 

[Stanglover]

Yeah, I hear you. I used to run Methyl ethel keytone in a race go cart. The fumes were horrible. Don't breathe the exhaust fumes.

MEK is what you use to cure fiberglass resin!!
I used Toluene in my 4 stroke race go cart..... until I got caught. When I switched to 2 cycle, we could run Av-Gas. I've run the full Mid Ohio track. That's a fun track to play on.

 

[t.kohlmeyer]

Yep, I had to put viton seals in the carb. It melts plastic and dissolves rubber. Mean stuff, but I had this amazing blue flame visible in daylight coming out of the exhaust. Ran surprisingly cool but the aluminum cylinders didn't hold up well. LOL

 

[Stanglover]

Yep, I had to put viton seals in the carb. It melts plastic and dissolves rubber. Mean stuff, but I had this amazing blue flame visible in daylight coming out of the exhaust. Ran surprisingly cool but the aluminum cylinders didn't hold up well. LOL

I doubt the piston did either.
We got a tad off track again.

 

[t.kohlmeyer]

Agreed. We hijacked the thread...