I just did my final (for a few years) rear differential gear oil change.

I have a nice little torque wrench that easily fits in there to properly torque the plug.

The question is, how much torque? For the long haul I want it perfect so I don't have to baby-sit it, but I just can't seem to find the torque spec. Do any of you fine chaps know this?

 

This plug is nothing special..I appreciate your analness..But a good tight snug twist is all you'll need for this plug.

 

Thanks for the advise. I can practically crack off a lug nut with my bare hands, so, snug for me is often way too tight, which is why I'm such a torque wrench *****. :-)

 

Lubrication, for a plug that size, "snug" would be something in the neighborhood of say 40-50 ft-lbs. That will be plenty tight to get a good seal, but low enough that you are not going to damage any threads or add additional stresses to the rear diff.

 

It's an NPT plug so doesn't need a lot. Here's what I found on net search:
SAE Pipe Plug Torque Specs

 

Thanks for all the effort in responses!
So I need to go way tighter than 10ft lbs.

I was ultra careful because the transfer case only calls for 15ft lbs, and looks far sturdier, casing-wise.

I'd read multiple posts about people cracking the rear differential with too much torque.

 

While this thread's active, I'll ask one more question.

Have you guys had any issues (leaking seals, etc.) by filling to the plug? 1.2 litres is supposed to go back in, but I got about 1.5 quarts back in by filling to the plug. I hadn't checked the jtis yet before the fill, and went off of hear-say. Any issues?

 

Using the table that swingwing posted, it states that you can take the plug to 40 ft-lbs as the rear differential is made from cast steel. Granted, 15 ft-lbs is probably enough to get a good seal anyways. Up to you.

As for the amount of fluid that went back in, 1.5 quarts is about there. 1.2 liters is 1.3 quarts. So, you have a little extra there. This is more than likely due to the car being at a slight angle which placed the plug up a little higher than it should have been. But, I wouldn't worry about it. the extra fluid isn't causing any binding problems (you would have found this out already) and the extra fluid is going to help ensure that the heat gets transferred out of the differential that much easier.

 

+1 on Thermo's assessment.

 

Cool. Thank you. I'd thought the casing was aluminum, based on it's appearance. Steel? Slam that plug right in there!