LSD Service Bulletin - Oil Update

[kevantics]

Nope still not resolved. I think Im on #3 or 4.. not sure, and not much point at looking at the paperwork as either # is too much.
LSD#2/3 included the transfer case replacement and had to get new staggered tires, else no warranty. I am still not happy about that.

LSD#3/4 will be new and with now with equivalent 3rd party oil. Presently trying to figure out a oil that will work WITHOUT adding additional FM, but everything I have found has been all over the map and is not 100%.

The dealer been good through all this, but I hate that they are the only pressure point to get this resolved. Kia Canada is pretty much useless.

Presently have this for info (because no-one seems to follow up, and may help someone else);
3/4x LSDs that have had 300-1000+ km for grinding to become noticeable (becomes more audible as the km accumulate). ~1200 -1500 km will be audible @ ~20km+ in stop light 90° turns, with HVAC/Audio going (reasonable levels). Standard driving, no burnouts, drifts, racing etc.

What I have found so far, for compatible lubricants;
***Doesnt Work***
Mobil 75w-90 LSD - does not correct grinding/whining sounds
Valvoline 75w90 LSD - does not correct grinding/whining sounds
OEM 75W85 LSD GL5 - does not correct grinding/whining sounds

***Works***
Redline GL-5 75w90 - seems to work as is
Amsoil sever gear 75w90 - seems to work as is. Some add F.M. on top
Royal purple 75W90 LSD - seems to work as is
Lucas Synth 75w-90 - seems to work as is

Valvoline 75w90 LSD + Trans-X Posi-Trac LSD additive - Seems to work

***Additives***
Mopar LSD lubricant
CRC Trans-x
Amsoil Slip Lock

This list isnt 100% and is based off Stinger/G70 forum comments and have minimal to no followup confirmations. So.. take it with a grain of salt. Let me know if you have had experience and any data to back it up (Lubricant info, FM info (if added) and km/miles when done, km/miles since install, and any issues noted since)

Thanks for the update. I had my just replaced and drove it home a changed the fluid to Amsoil 75w85 without any additional F.M its been only one day so have to drive it more to see if I start hearing any noise. My first drive after fluid changed had no noise but seems I need to drive it more based on your experience.

 

[Volfy]

...because no-one seems to follow up, and may help someone else);
...This list isnt 100% and is based off Stinger/G70 forum comments and have minimal to no followup confirmations. So.. take it with a grain of salt. Let me know if you have had experience and any data to back it up (Lubricant info, FM info (if added) and km/miles when done, km/miles since install, and any issues noted since)

No one seems to follow up? Minimal to no follow-up confirmations. Really?! That is a little harsh, don't you think? Quite a few of us have posted countless times on this very topic, listing extensive service histories on what we've done and experienced. A lot of your compilations are based on what we posted. Still not enough info for you?

I don't post any more, cus honestly I think folks might get tired of us posting the same spiel over and over again. If it works... it works. You'll hear about it if it don't.

FWIW, we have 2 Stingers and 1 G70, all on factory LSDs. 1 Stinger has probably 20k now on Valvoline 75w90 with Tran-X. Another Stinger has 15k on Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90. G70 just got Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90, probably less than 3-4k ago. All daily drivers, all have seen AutoX/Track duty. None have problems. Somehow, I'm gonna guess that'll still be inconclusive.

 

[user6985743]

No one seems to follow up? Minimal to no follow-up confirmations. Really?! That is a little harsh, don't you think? Quite a few of us have posted countless times on this very topic, listing extensive service histories on what we've done and experienced. A lot of your compilations are based on what we posted. Still not enough info for you?

I don't post any more, cus honestly I think folks might get tired of us posting the same spiel over and over again. If it works... it works. You'll hear about it if it don't.

FWIW, we have 2 Stingers and 1 G70, all on factory LSDs. 1 Stinger has probably 20k now on Valvoline 75w90 with Tran-X. Another Stinger has 15k on Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90. G70 just got Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90, probably less than 3-4k ago. All daily drivers, all have seen AutoX/Track duty. None have problems. Somehow, I'm gonna guess that'll still be inconclusive.

Maybe its the way I read what everyone wrote and to me, its not 100%, that yes, this will work everytime. You can not like what I wrote, its fine, as I tried to compile what I found and how I read it, and even tried to state as much. I did so because, MAYBE, someone is in the same situation, and this could help.
Just like my dealer says the OEM oil used prior works (if we be pessimistic about it, ALL the owners that they serviced, didnt notice or say anything), and yet, I noticed it.

So who is to say who is wrong/right about it? If the information is muddled, gonna get muddled solutions. But given what you've mentioned, it does help, so thank you.

 

[Volfy]

Maybe its the way I read what everyone wrote and to me, its not 100%, that yes, this will work everytime. You can not like what I wrote, its fine, as I tried to compile what I found and how I read it, and even tried to state as much. I did so because, MAYBE, someone is in the same situation, and this could help.
Just like my dealer says the OEM oil used prior works (if we be pessimistic about it, ALL the owners that they serviced, didnt notice or say anything), and yet, I noticed it.

So who is to say who is wrong/right about it? If the information is muddled, gonna get muddled solutions. But given what you've mentioned, it does help, so thank you.

It's not about who's right or who's wrong. It's about how an owner goes about dealing with an issue. Some of us spend a Saturday morning changing out the LSD gear oil, and be done with. Others choose to let the dealer swap diffs 3-4 times.

At the end of the day, the only sure way to know if a gear oil with FM works is to try it on your own car. Unless you work up enough courage to do that, 100 owners can tell you theirs work, and you are still gonna fear you might be that 101st that doesn't.

 

[user6985743]

It's not about who's right or who's wrong. It's about how an owner goes about dealing with an issue. Some of us spend a Saturday morning changing out the LSD gear oil, and be done with. Others choose to let the dealer swap diffs 3-4 times.

At the end of the day, the only sure way to know if a gear oil with FM works is to try it on your own car. Unless you work up enough courage to do that, 100 owners can tell you theirs work, and you are still gonna fear you might be that 101st that doesn't.

Thats great that you work on your cars. I work on my cars as well. What I dont like, is working on them in the dead of winter if I dont have to. In this case, service came up, warranty still on, cold as shit, couldn't guarantee I was using correct fluid, so had the dealer do it. The OEM gear oil with FM didnt work - clearly, and I had paid for a service to not fuckup my car.

Maybe my experience was unique, because even when NEW, the OEM oil took time to damage the LSD, no sound, no grinding, nothing. When 300-1000 km rolled around, now comes the grinding/whining noises. Because I was refused oil samples, I cant even estimate how much damage was caused. I was searching for what worked. I took the time to try and find out what did work, to prevent the failure and came up with maybe's.
Most posts said 'insert X oil here' fixed the problem immediately. Well, that wasnt useful for me because the new OEM oil did the exact same thing. Why put something in, that when new, 'works', only to fail in again in ~1k km, while trashing the LSD to an unknown extent? I want to do it once, not continue dealing with it and in my case, I made my dealer deal with it.

You yourself, mention your situation (below) what oil, how many km its be used for, and EVEN better, mention thats its for 3 unique Stingers and G70s, with use in track conditions and daily. I didnt find this info before so just newly mentioned? or, maybe I missed the thread it was in?. One of your prior posts, only mentions Mobil, Valvoline AND a FM additive, for a LSD change... which I had discounted as inconclusive.

FWIW, we have 2 Stingers and 1 G70, all on factory LSDs. 1 Stinger has probably 20k now on Valvoline 75w90 with Tran-X. Another Stinger has 15k on Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90. G70 just got Amsoil Severe Gear 75w90, probably less than 3-4k ago. All daily drivers, all have seen AutoX/Track duty. None have problems. Somehow, I'm gonna guess that'll still be inconclusive.

From what Ive found (and youve also mentioned Volfy), using a LSD compatible oil, with a F.M. additive (unknown quantity), short of knowing exactly what DOES work, has the highest chance of having no issues.

Im not here to shit on anyone. Im just here to ask questions, try and get answers that hit my threshold of acceptance and do what needs to be done. If I can help others avoid the same guessing game I had, by making a list of 'X, Y, Z... oils work as is or with a FM additive' then Ill do that too.

Now. Anyone in the Niagara, Hamilton area have a OBD2 reader that can do fuel injection testing that I maybe able to rent/borrow on a weekend? Will need to work on a 18 Mazda cx5 2.0L.

 

[Snowwhite]

Thats great that you work on your cars. I work on my cars as well. What I dont like, is working on them in the dead of winter if I dont have to. In this case, service came up, warranty still on, cold as shit, couldn't guarantee I was using correct fluid, so had the dealer do it. The OEM gear oil with FM didnt work - clearly, and I had paid for a service to not fuckup my car.

Maybe my experience was unique, because even when NEW, the OEM oil took time to damage the LSD, no sound, no grinding, nothing. When 300-1000 km rolled around, now comes the grinding/whining noises. Because I was refused oil samples, I cant even estimate how much damage was caused. I was searching for what worked. I took the time to try and find out what did work, to prevent the failure and came up with maybe's.
Most posts said 'insert X oil here' fixed the problem immediately. Well, that wasnt useful for me because the new OEM oil did the exact same thing. Why put something in, that when new, 'works', only to fail in again in ~1k km, while trashing the LSD to an unknown extent? I want to do it once, not continue dealing with it and in my case, I made my dealer deal with it.

You yourself, mention your situation (below) what oil, how many km its be used for, and EVEN better, mention thats its for 3 unique Stingers and G70s, with use in track conditions and daily. I didnt find this info before so just newly mentioned? or, maybe I missed the thread it was in?. One of your prior posts, only mentions Mobil, Valvoline AND a FM additive, for a LSD change... which I had discounted as inconclusive.



From what Ive found (and youve also mentioned Volfy), using a LSD compatible oil, with a F.M. additive (unknown quantity), short of knowing exactly what DOES work, has the highest chance of having no issues.

Im not here to shit on anyone. Im just here to ask questions, try and get answers that hit my threshold of acceptance and do what needs to be done. If I can help others avoid the same guessing game I had, by making a list of 'X, Y, Z... oils work as is or with a FM additive' then Ill do that too.

Now. Anyone in the Niagara, Hamilton area have a OBD2 reader that can do fuel injection testing that I maybe able to rent/borrow on a weekend? Will need to work on a 18 Mazda cx5 2.0L.

What you’re looking for is going to be hard to find. Most people change their LSD oil once every couple of years and keep on driving with no issues. Few daily driver owners have the time to be researching and testing different LSD oils every few months with UOAs to come up with a conclusive list. What several of us have told you is that we’ve used several different brands and types of LSD oil with success, which we measure as no noise and no grenading LSD units.

Your dealer clearly has no clue what to do with an LSD, as the stinger is likely the only car Kia has ever sold with one.

 

[joe1234]

Im looking for some anecdotes from those that have changed their own rear differential oil, specifically if it was a stinger LSD. I had my stinger in for a diff fluid change at my mechanic's shop (he has no prior experience with stingers) and when attempting to crack the diff drain plug he noted it needed a little more force then he expected. This is the first time the diff has been touched as everything is all original from the factory. Once he did crack the plug free free the first few turns were not smooth, almost like it was binding a little. I saw him doing it, it was all by hand (no air tools) and he didn't do anything crazy but he noted something felt a little "off". He mentioned to me that he would expect to be able to spin it off freely by hand and he was worried it may have been over tightened at the factory or something and didn't want to strip the threads just in case. He tightened everything back up and suggested I take it to the dealer for the diff fluid change in the event the threads were stripped, at least it would be warranty repair and not on my dime.

My question to you all:

• Does what I describe seem normal for the stinger? or do you think something is up based on your experience with it?
• I see mention but no solid evidence that the diff drain plug may be installed with a red sealant on the threads? Maybe this is why it wasn't smooth backing it off?
• Should I bring it back to him to try again or should I over pay at the dealer because something seems wrong here?

 

[Volfy]

• Does what I describe seem normal for the stinger? or do you think something is up based on your experience with it?

With experiences on 2 Stingers and 1 G70, all basically the same LSD, I've had no problems.

• I see mention but no solid evidence that the diff drain plug may be installed with a red sealant on the threads? Maybe this is why it wasn't smooth backing it off?

All 3 of ours took a lot of torque to break loose, but relatively easy after that. Maybe not turn-by-hand buttery smooth, but nothing I would suspect crossed threads or anything close to that.

• Should I bring it back to him to try again or should I over pay at the dealer because something seems wrong here?

Without first hand knowledge (pun intended), I can't answer that for you. It's your call.