Other Ways To Fill Rear Diff?

[Tanzimur]

Alrite guys, was trying to do a rear diff fluid exchange on the 2001.5 a4 1.8t daily. And come to realize the p.o. might have tried to get at it or he did get it off but stripped the damn 10mm allen plug. So i try pblasting it and then flathead screw driver and big hammer didnt get too far but heard it sort of break free.

Right now i have a 10mm allen socket, jb welding overnight to see if i can get at it that way.

But i was wondering is there another way perhaps about going to add fluid? Like through the axle flange? P.s. did not drain diff yet but on a tight work schedule!

not my picture...

[wolfe2118]

You could pull the axle then pull the flange. I personally had to use a chisel and hammer on one before.

[Tanzimur]

You could pull the axle then pull the flange. I personally had to use a chisel and hammer on one before.

Thanks for the reply! ye if the jbweld method does not work out, i will undo the 6 bolts to the flange, push the axle aside and undo the 6mm allen and pull flange off correct?

and also replace the seal and fill with 1.8 qrts!

[Wrath And Tears]

That sounds like the right procedure, although if the jb weld works you should also get a new fill plug, although I guess you don't have too.

Another method we use in the shop is filling the rounded out bolt / plug / nut so that it has some definition of sides, and then pounding in or on the next size socket or allen key. That being said a 11mm Allen is not exactly standard so I think using jb was the right way to go. I really hope it works. JB is awesome stuff, I've used it to repair gouges on leaking camshafts so that the seal actually seals again, as well as using it to resurface pitted engine blocks so water pumps and the like seal properly.

[Tanzimur]

That sounds like the right procedure, although if the jb weld works you should also get a new fill plug, although I guess you don't have too.

Another method we use in the shop is filling the rounded out bolt / plug / nut so that it has some definition of sides, and then pounding in or on the next size socket or allen key. That being said a 11mm Allen is not exactly standard so I think using jb was the right way to go. I really hope it works. JB is awesome stuff, I've used it to repair gouges on leaking camshafts so that the seal actually seals again, as well as using it to resurface pitted engine blocks so water pumps and the like seal properly.

THanks for the reply as well, and ye just got home from the shop around 8 then started on it, shops close around 9 and all my tools are in my box at work lmao only had a10mm and below but i will see!

[Wrath And Tears]

Damn I don't even have an 11mm allen in my box. What in the world do you work on that uses an 11mm!? That being said after buying my "apprentice" kit I've just been getting things as I need them for certain jobs and so far I haven't done a job that uses an 11mm allen.

[Tanzimur]

Damn I don't even have an 11mm allen in my box. What in the world do you work on that uses an 11mm!? That being said after buying my "apprentice" kit I've just been getting things as I need them for certain jobs and so far I haven't done a job that uses an 11mm allen.

lol ye i was thinking the same idk, i texted a few buddys at work to see what they said...

[walky_talky20]

I helped my brother remove the fill plug from his diff a while ago. It was wanting to strip out, so I used a hammer and chisel on it WHILE he put some tension on the allen. Tried to keep tension at the "threshold" of max torque without stripping it out. Worked pretty well. Even just the percussive impact on the plug while giving it some torque is really helpful. So if your JB Weld actually works, give it the best shot by having an assistant smack the thing with a hammer/chisel while you are trying to loosen it.

[JoshDub]

If the JB weld doesn't work try hammering a torx bit in there.

[Tanzimur]

WIll try so walky!

And ye Joshdub first thing i tried lol shes got 200k on her and that plug looks real bad i only have a migwelder where i can weld steel or metal to metal if i had a tig i could weld a allen ino the hole and get that ****** out!

[Seerlah]

Can't recall, but I think it's 7/16" that is closest to 11mm (not in the mood to google and confirm). Picked this up in a speed wrench to add to my other metric speed wrenches, and worked on an oddball hex I had before.

[seanf86]

Can't recall, but I think it's 7/16" that is closest to 11mm (not in the mood to google and confirm). Picked this up in a speed wrench to add to my other metric speed wrenches, and worked on an oddball hex I had before.

I think you are correct with the 7/16 as 3/8 is just shy of 10mm.

I had this problem on 2 of my b5s, both were already rounded, I hammered in a large torx bit and heated the axle case with a mapp gas torch and hit the side of the plug with my air hammer, after much cursing and torching it was out.

[Silverstreak98]

I have the exact same problem! Mine is currently stripped, and have tried a torch, air hammer, & JB weld to no avail.

Best of luck with it, let us know if you succeed!

[getslideways]

this is why it is ALWAYS important to ensure you can remove the fill plug BEFORE removing the drain plug when dealing with diffs, transfer cases, and transmissions

[Wrath And Tears]

Yeah I almost learned that lesson the hard way once.

[MetalMan]

But i was wondering is there another way perhaps about going to add fluid? Like through the axle flange?

not my picture...

You could pull the axle then pull the flange.

i will undo the 6 bolts to the flange, push the axle aside and undo the 6mm allen and pull flange off correct?

and also replace the seal and fill with 1.8 qrts!

It may be tough to get a proper fill if filling through an axle flange opening. The drain plug of course enables a proper fill.

[Tanzimur]

It may be tough to get a proper fill if filling through an axle flange opening. The drain plug of course enables a proper fill.

ill just fil it with 1.8qrts exactly

[seanf86]

I have the exact same problem! Mine is currently stripped, and have tried a torch, air hammer, & JB weld to no avail.

Best of luck with it, let us know if you succeed!

remove the axle flange and remove the side of the diff cover and take it to a machine shop to have them remove the fill plug, that is what I was going to do had I not been able to extract my stripped fill plug

[Tanzimur]

remove the axle flange and remove the side of the diff cover and take it to a machine shop to have them remove the fill plug, that is what I was going to do had I not been able to extract my stripped fill plug

Ye that was my initial plan, but due to time limit i went ahead and did the axle seal and so forth. But now its taking an hour to do a half a quart... through the axle passage... i see the little hole up top is this the vent? or can i stick a small tubee through there and get it to go inside the diff??? Or should i try throught the center bolt hole????

[Tanzimur]

alrite nvm i got it lol you just hover the hose over the hole in the center connecting the diff with the driver side and your mint! thanks for the help guys! hope this helps others when their drain plugs fucked, only took 30 mins to take everything apart.... oem seals with 197k on em diff was still full and brand spanking new!