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Yukon Dana 44 oil capacity more than 2Qt?

keymonkey

Newbie
Joined
Feb 5, 2020
Messages
42
I just serviced my Dana44 and decided to swap out the factory cover for a Yukon heavy duty and a new LubeLocker gasket. Install and all went just fine, but when I went to fill it back up it took 2 quarts of oil and still had not reached the top hole. Is the top hole not the correct measure for full on the Yukon? Does the cover change mean the capacity of the diff is now larger? I don't want to over or under fill, and could not find exact info in any manual or online guide specific to the Yukon.
 

904Bronco

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Sep 28, 2004
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San Martin, CA
There was a thread about this... They were losing fluid out the vent. Come to find out that it was an aftermarket diff cover and it held more fluid, which when warmed and used made the fluid expand out the vent.

Keep the cover, but don't add any more oil than is recommended by Ford. Or change back to the original... would be my suggestions.
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,833
Do you still have the original cover? Compare them side by side.
The good thing is oil level isn't an exact science. There is generally a pretty fat window between too little and too much.
 
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keymonkey

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Feb 5, 2020
Messages
42
Do you still have the original cover? Compare them side by side.
The good thing is oil level isn't an exact science. There is generally a pretty fat window between too little and too much.
They are actually the same depth, but the factory only has a center fill hole, where as the Yukon has a bottom drain and two fills on the front face. I was filling to the top fill hole, but realized after putting in 2 quarts I was over the recommended by about a pint. Figure I will leave it as is and go with the 2 quarts as a good level fill.
 

tirewater

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Jan 28, 2011
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They are actually the same depth, but the factory only has a center fill hole, where as the Yukon has a bottom drain and two fills on the front face. I was filling to the top fill hole, but realized after putting in 2 quarts I was over the recommended by about a pint. Figure I will leave it as is and go with the 2 quarts as a good level fill.

I thought the two fill holes were for standard pinion & high pinion differentials. It's less about how many quarts, but how high the oil is in the case. For standard pinion, fill to the lower hole.

Heh, given that one fills a high pinion with more oil, does it matter if the standard pinion is overfilled by that same amount? Probably not. :)
 
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keymonkey

Newbie
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Feb 5, 2020
Messages
42
I thought the two fill holes were for standard pinion & high pinion differentials. It's less about how many quarts, but how high the oil is in the case. For standard pinion, fill to the lower hole.

Heh, given that one fills a high pinion with more oil, does it matter if the standard pinion is overfilled by that same amount? Probably not. :)
Hmm...good to know. Given that 2 QTs is so close to the recommended and leaves me with no partial open bottles, gonna stick with it.
 
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