How To: Reduction Gear Oil Change

[HRTKD]

Also note, didn't change mine until 66K miles, so it's possible it didn't really gain efficiencty, but just returned to what it was new since the stuff was very dark and dirty when I changed it, plus a lot of the metal fragments seen in the pictures posted here when others changed their gear fluid.

ATF gets nasty looking when it's not in a transmission. There's no filter in the Leaf gearbox, just like a transfer case on a 4x4 has no filter. There's no cooling mechanism in a transfer case. So the fluid tends to get dark. Modern synthetic ATF is hardy stuff that can handle some fairly high temperatures. Like well above 250° F.

It would be interesting to have the used fluid tested to see how the viscosity compares to new fluid.

[knightmb]

I'm about to go change another family member Leaf (2015) gear oil, I can save some from the change, they have 70K miles on their Leaf. I don't have the instruments to measure the viscosity unless someone has a "poor man's" way of doing the measurement?

ATF gets nasty looking when it's not in a transmission. There's no filter in the Leaf gearbox, just like a transfer case on a 4x4 has no filter. There's no cooling mechanism in a transfer case. So the fluid tends to get dark. Modern synthetic ATF is hardy stuff that can handle some fairly high temperatures. Like well above 250° F.

It would be interesting to have the used fluid tested to see how the viscosity compares to new fluid.

[HRTKD]

I'm about to go change another family member Leaf (2015) gear oil, I can save some from the change, they have 70K miles on their Leaf. I don't have the instruments to measure the viscosity unless someone has a "poor man's" way of doing the measurement?

Blackstone Labs (https://www.blackstone-labs.com) does used oil analysis. They'll ship you a test kit (basically just a bottle for the sample and another container for shipping) for free.

[knightmb]

I'm about to go change another family member Leaf (2015) gear oil, I can save some from the change, they have 70K miles on their Leaf. I don't have the instruments to measure the viscosity unless someone has a "poor man's" way of doing the measurement?

Blackstone Labs (https://www.blackstone-labs.com) does used oil analysis. They'll ship you a test kit (basically just a bottle for the sample and another container for shipping) for free.

Hmm, glad I saved a big sample.

Edit, ordered (2) test kits because I have a family member I am about to help change next week, I'll collect their sample as well.

[Oilpan4]

I would be interested in seeing a Blackstone test on leaf oil on leaf oil with a crap ton of miles.
I should have done mine but just dumped it into the ICE used oil container.
Guess I could change it again and test it this time. Mien leaf has only had 1 oil change and that was about 16,000 miles ago.

[knightmb]

Here is sample #1 from my Leaf (67K miles), and yes it did look that bad coming out

[Oilpan4]

Hey if still have that and you send some off for analysis to Blackstone labs and post the results I'll paypal you $20.
I changed mine for the first time at 68k and it looked like that.
When I did mine I dumped it in with the used ice oil and didn't even think about an oil sample till the moment it was all out of the car.

[knightmb]

Hey if still have that and you send some off for analysis to Blackstone labs and post the results I'll paypal you $20.
I changed mine for the first time at 68k and it looked like that.
When I did mine I dumped it in with the used ice oil and didn't even think about an oil sample till the moment it was all out of the car.

I'm waiting for (2) test kits to come in I ordered, so yeah, I will be glad to take any donations to help pay for the $30 analysis fee.

[Oilpan4]

I'll cover $20.
Then I'll do mine at around 20,000 to 25,000 and see how it looks. Got almost 17,000 on there now. So it will probably be the middle of winter when I hit 20,000.

[Learjet]

I'll bet there is nothing wrong with that fluid