Rear differential oil capacity

[Willy]

I finally replaced the oil of the rear differential. I had the new oil for about 3 years, so I thought
it would be about time to use it :o
On the other hand, although the car is 10 years old, it has only 65.000Km on the clock, so I
don't think there was a problem.
What puzzles me is the amount of oil I used to refill.
I got 400mL out, not all that much, but I wouldn't risk a stuck tube.
After filling until the oil came out the filler hole I removed 100mL as per Vida instruction.
The thing is that I only had 350mL left in the 1L bottle, where it should have been 600mL,
a difference of 250mL! No oil was left in the pump or the tube.
This could mean that, if the full capacity is about 700mL, the differential wasn't filled properly
before. There are no signs of leaks.
I wonder if anyone has experienced something similar?
Willy

[Xheart]

It is between 650 - 700ml.
After servicing the Final Drive on the bench it was empty.
The VC gets the fluid from the FD, once installed, the filling started to drip close to 680ml with some still in the tube.
The car was on 4 jack stands, ran it for a few minutes for the fluid to get into VC.
Passed all 700ml through it.
Maestro said to let it drip for a while.
Great feeling of done right.

[vtl]

Same thing on 2005 XC70. 5k miles since change, car is still able to move :)

[howardc64]

VIDA for 01 says approx 0.7L. VIDA for 03 says approx 650mL/fill until drip+remove 100mL.

[Willy]

Fill, drip and then remove 100mL, that is what I did.
Although I don't think overfill is a risk after the removal of 100mL,
I wonder if it is possible to cause damage when too much oil is in the differential.
Vadis shows a bleeder nipple (#14), see pdf. Perhaps this item will prevent
pressure to build up in the housing and on the seals.
However, this doesn't solve my math-problem :o
Did the Haldex fluid later today. I used the same procedure as for the differential,
about 170mL more went in than came out. That's less than what I found for
the differential, but still more than I would have liked to find.

[Voldog]

I understand this is an old thread. But this is exactly what I experienced. Plus no one can really see where the end of the extraction tube is when inside the differential. I refilled it to the bottom of the fill tube. The dealers does the same thing.

[Astro14]

The dealers also used bulk 5w30 conventional oil that failed to meet the ACEA oil specifications for Volvo and caused tens of thousands of owners to have PCV and seal failures.

Which they wouldn’t warranty.

So, “the dealer does it” might mean that that procedure is good.

Or it might mean that procedure is a total cost-cutting, amateur mistake that leaves owners holding the bag.

[Voldog]

Ok

[dejanaleksov]

I changed mine on a V70xc awd 2001. I wasn't able to push the pump hose all the way down,so I extracted about 550-600 ml, and filed it until it's dripping with Champion 75-90w gl-5 gear oil. Strange thing is after maybe one year later I drove the car flat out (200kmh) on Highway on 40c for about 10 km, and parked the car immediately after the ride in my garage. The next morning there was a leak on the floor from the rear differential. A little puddle maybe 50-100 ml were forced out from the top of the diff. I guess from heat,the oil expanded?. So bottom line is extract 100 ml as vida suggest. Probably that's their margin for excess pressure, those 100ml.?The leak was from a bleeding vent probably?( if anyone can confirm that there is a bleeding valve?)It was coming from the top of the diff. Washed the diff no leaks 2 years after,and no more 200kmh driving:-(

[Willy]

I think it is indeed best to follow the more recent Vadis instructions that call for removing 100mL after a complete fill.

[dejanaleksov]

The dealers also used bulk 5w30 conventional oil that failed to meet the ACEA oil specifications for Volvo and caused tens of thousands of owners to have PCV and seal failures.

Which they wouldn’t warranty.

So, “the dealer does it” might mean that that procedure is good.

Or it might mean that procedure is a total cost-cutting, amateur mistake that leaves owners holding the bag.

The second one, applies more often sadly... Cost cutting,or amateur leaving the owners to pay the price in long term

[Voldog]

Does the differential of these cars have a relief valve?

[vtl]

All diffs should have one. Ours has a hole near one of bolts, which could be a breather hole. Noticed it recently when was replacing EVAP diagnostic pump, it's on the right side near the center line.

[Willy]

Taking a look at the pdf I posted in #5, I am not sure there is a relief valve.
Perhaps item 14, the bleeder nipple (although the name suggests something elso to me)?
I repeat myself when I say that Volvo must have had a reason to call for the removal of some of the fluid,
according to a technician I know well this was the result of problems, more specific blown seals.
The 2010 version of Vida for a MY2004 XC70 calls for removal of 100mL.
Of course one is free to follow the recommendations of the manufacturer or to choose not to do so.

[vtl]

Right, #14 and #13 (filter) look like it.

Seals will leak unless some oil amount is pumped out.