I have a few maintenance questions. I searched the forums and got different results so want to know what is right. ------------------- For the differential fluid it seems that Motorcraft 75W-140 full synthetic with four ounces of friction modifier is the way to go unless you go with Royal Purple then its 80W-90 with no friction modifier. I cant find a consistent amount for how many pints/quarts are needed though. Ive heard 4.25 pints and 3.75 pints Do you fill until it tops off? ------------------- For the transmission gear oil I'm going to stick with the Dextron 3 like I did last time but don't remember the fill amount. I remember it was a little less than the factory recommended amount. ------------------- For the serpentine belt it seems that the Gator belt is the way to go. Is this what Ford uses from the factory? If not is there a part number for it? Thanks
As for the belt... the Goodyear Gatorback belt part # is 4060935. It's 93.5 inches long. Motorcraft belts are what Ford puts in from the factory. Myself and most people on Stangnet will recommend the Gatorback. As for the differential fluid it is 75w-140. Mobil 1, Amsoil, Royal Purple, Motorcraft. As long as its synthetic some dont require an extra friction additive. Its somewhere close to 3.75 pints. The manual calls to fill the fluid 1/4"-9/16" below the fill hole. There is a great how to article from a Bullitt website on how to drain and fill. http://www.bullittarchive.com/1005.htm
Is the Motorcraft 75W-140 pretty common or should I hit up the dealer? What about the friction modifier?
Any Ford dealer stocks the 75w-140. I havent seen any Motorcraft differential fluid at a Wal-mart/Autozone. A Ford dealer is your best bet. I dont believe you need any friction modifier with the Motorcraft brand. Autozone should carry the 75w-140 in Mobil 1 if you wanted to use that. Here soon I'm going to drain and refill my differential. It doesnt seem that hard, its just a matter of getting everything together to do it. I wouldnt hesitate to use the Motorcraft brand just for the fact its factory filled and its also synthetic.
My friend says he can suck out the old oil so we dont have to take the cover off. Has anyone done this and is there any negative side to doing it this way?
No take the cover off and clean it out well. Actually for a 2003 do not even bother with the diff fluid. Unless your axle has been under water or you have more than 75,000-100,000 miles on the car... Consider changing your brake fluid instead. This probably needs to be done more than the diff and will make a difference you may be able to feel.
Are you still trying to think of more things you can do? You could paint your rotor hats. It makes the wheels and brakes look much better...
Im trying to cover the routine stuff for when I take a long drive in a few months. I just got the pleasure of replacing my fuel pump and was thinking of what stuff I needed to do before my trip. Im going to do plugs, trans, diff, serpentine belt and whatever else needs to be done before hand.
How many miles are on it? Its real easy to change the shocks and struts and if you are going on a long drive it will make it much more enjoyable. You would be surprised how cheap you can get Gabriel or Monroe shocks and struts at AutoZone. And they are very easy to change.
