Desert Travel/Fuel service?

[JKJenn]

Hi all,

So, I took my JK for its inaugural trip to SE UT and CO in September. I think my dealer is still getting over the fact that girl drives my JK, but whatever. gavet I took the JK in for an oil change and tire rotation after asking if I took it off road and if I drove through any water they said I needed to change my differential fluid and have my fuel line serviced. Altogether they quotes me somewhere around $350. It is starting to get a bit chilly here in SW PA, so my inclination to try to work on my Jeep has diminished since my Garage was built for a Model T and I can barely squeeze the JK inside.

I understand the differential fluid should be changed after a water crossing. I am reluctant to think mine can be all that bad, but I would rather be safe than sorry. I crossed Onion Creek in Moab (not deep at all and the Fremont in Capitol Reef, which was about 20" or so. I was careful when I crossed the Fremont not to create a wake (fear of hydrolocking).


Onion Creek Crossing by Jenn Grover, on Flickr

Capitol Reef was quite dusty the whole way from Baker Ranch Rd until we crossed the Fremont. I knew the air filter would need to be changed. Does the entire fuel system need to be cleaned as recommended by the dealer or are they trying to make a fast buck off of me? The whole dust and sand issue is not something we run into in W PA as we get more rain than sun.

Trip was great. Still need to do a trip report.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

My common sense tells me that you can change your gear oil, air filter, and throw a bottle of injector cleaner in the gas tank all by yourself in the same afternoon. And please proofread before posting.

 

[jaxs1984]

Jeep does recommend changing the differential fluid after X amount of miles. I haven't heard of changing the fuel lines. On my yearly trip to the South West , depending on how dusty it was I usually have all the fluids changed when I get back.
I live in Chicago so round trip is about 5 K miles. I take it to the local shop and they do it all for about what you quoted. I do make sure they use synthetic oil.

I personally don't seem to mind paying about 300 a year , just to be on the safe side considering all the other money that's dumped in the jeep

 

[Weeds]

I changed my diff fluid at 12,000 miles on the recommendation of the dealer. I did it myself. That was the ugliest blackest fluid I had ever seen. Also the diff was overfilled from the factory. If there is water in the diff the fluid should be milky brown. Good Luck.

jk-forum has instructions

 

[Longtallsally]

Is the recommended interval 12k? I always have done 15k in the past for the tranny, T case, and diffs.

In my YJ owner's manual, it would show how to remove the fill plug for everything, stick your finger in there and see what the fluid looks like. As stated, anything other than golden is not so golden...

Changing the diff fluid can be a bit messy if you pull the diff cover. Also be mindful of torque specs on the bolt and the pattern to which you apply the torque.

 

[jscusmcvet]

I am not sure that the water in that creek crossing is really deep enough to constitue the need to change fluid. If that is really a water crossing deep enough to contminate your diffs, then every time it rains I will have to change my diff fluid!

I do not know about the fuel system, other than if you needed to change anything I think the jeep would not be operating correctly or throwing codes.

That being said, depending on mileage of the jeep and manufact. recommendations it is probably about time anyway. One of the mistakes some of us make (guilty as charged from time to time) is not dropping a realtive few dollars on our vehicles that we have invested tens of thousands into...

I agree whole heartedly with Black ZJ. These are things you can do yourself and is a great part of Jeep ownership. Barring that, find another shop besides the stealership. Rare to find one that embraces what we do with our jeeps.

John

 

[birdiecat]

Just wondering what can be serviced in the fuel system since the filter is in the tank and fuel lines are made of steel. I would get the full deal on this fuel system service/

 

[jeep-N-montero]

There is no real "fuel line" service, this is just the stealership's way of charging you $60 to pour a can of injector cleaner in the tank.