MTFCA Forum

I should know this but I dont, I stuck my little finger as far as I could but didnt get any on it. Thanks in advance Tim

I believe the oil level should be 1" below the bottom of the filler hole. I made a measuring device out of a bent section of coat hanger wire.

Thanks Wayne I will try that. Tim

Open cotter pin to 90 degrees also works and we all those hanging around !

I prefer the bent wire / cotter pin method. It's more accurate, and cleanup is easier. If you want a sample of the lube, use a 6" length of clear plastic tubing. Insert one end into the housing and put a finger over the other end to withdraw a sample, or use a suction gun. It's best to do this after a drive. If the axle is loaded with congealed grease, I'd consider removing it and replacing it with gear oil, or at least adding some 80/90 gear oil, if there's room, and driving the car a few miles in warm weather, which might liquify the old grease and allow suctioning most of it out. Avoid overfilling the axle, which will probably cause oil to leak out the axle seals onto the brakes and wheels. Old, stiff grease may not reach surfaces that require lubrication.

Oil level will depend on the year of your rear axle. Early axles had the fill hole above the centerline of the axle, which led to over filling. Oil needs to be below the center line of the axle to keep it out of the axle tubes. Later housings (1920?) have the oil hole below center line. I usually fill those to where it just starts to run out.

Thanks for all the replies, mine is a 1914. I tried the bent wire method Wayne suggested and it was right on the mark, I don't know the condition of the oil or the rearend yet. the car was in a museum from 1935 till 1970 when it was sold in a auction,, the man that bought it painted the body and fenders but didn't do anything to the rest of it. it runs good but I only drive it around the addition I live in until I can pull the rear axle and go thru it.

Hi, What works really good to check the rearend level is a Q-tip, bend it in half and put it in, even us older people with bad eyesight can see oil on the white tip. Thanks, Bob.

thats a good Idea Bob, I will try that next time. Thanks Tim