Glittery differential oil

BIG_KID · 07-11-2023, 06:43 PM

I was changing my new to me 2014 rear diff fluid and noticed it was a little glittery (85K miles) and doubt it’s been changed before. Is a little glitter normal or should I be worried…

Opie55 · 07-12-2023, 08:31 AM

Glittery is never good. It should just be the color of pancake syrup instead of clear, but not really glittery. I would just monitor it for weird sounds. It may last a long time yet.

BIG_KID · 07-12-2023, 09:58 AM

My friend works at a junk yard and he has two F25’s and today we drained some fluid from the rear diff and BOTH had some glitter in the oil. So i will monitor and see what happens…

383vett · 07-12-2023, 11:09 AM

Glitter in gear oil is normal. The teeth wear and mesh after time. The resulting metal is dispersed in the oil. Now glitter in motor oil is not normal.

bmwPower99 · 07-13-2023, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG_KID

I was changing my new to me 2014 rear diff fluid and noticed it was a little glittery (85K miles) and doubt it’s been changed before. Is a little glitter normal or should I be worried…

Please check your front diff oil. It's close to more heat sources and gets cooked!

My rear diff looked brand new (no glitter) but the front was disgusting, still no glitter though. Done at 55k miles.

BIG_KID · 07-14-2023, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwPower99

Please check your front diff oil. It's close to more heat sources and gets cooked!

My rear diff looked brand new (no glitter) but the front was disgusting, still no glitter though. Done at 55k miles.

That got changed too.
Wasn’t that bad and no glitter…

Dekero · 07-14-2023, 02:50 PM

Might I suggest ordering the replacement drain plugs from FCP euro that have the magnets on them, I've used them now for over 100k miles and all that extra glitter accumulates and stays put so it's not adding to wear and tear... Just wipe it all off when changing fluid which I do every 50k miles...

BIG_KID · 07-14-2023, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dekero

Might I suggest ordering the replacement drain plugs from FCP euro that have the magnets on them, I've used them now for over 100k miles and all that extra glitter accumulates and stays put so it's not adding to wear and tear... Just wipe it all off when changing fluid which I do every 50k miles...

Ya, good idea. Thanks

07-11-2023, 06:43 PM	#1
BIG_KID Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 290 Posts Drives: 2011 X3 28i Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Northern indiana iTrader: (0)	Glittery differential oil I was changing my new to me 2014 rear diff fluid and noticed it was a little glittery (85K miles) and doubt it’s been changed before. Is a little glitter normal or should I be worried…
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07-12-2023, 08:31 AM	#2
Opie55 Colonel 1195 Rep 2,907 Posts Drives: '15 650i Convertible Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: US iTrader: (0)	Glittery is never good. It should just be the color of pancake syrup instead of clear, but not really glittery. I would just monitor it for weird sounds. It may last a long time yet.
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07-12-2023, 09:58 AM	#3
BIG_KID Second Lieutenant 68 Rep 290 Posts Drives: 2011 X3 28i Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Northern indiana iTrader: (0)	My friend works at a junk yard and he has two F25’s and today we drained some fluid from the rear diff and BOTH had some glitter in the oil. So i will monitor and see what happens…
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07-12-2023, 11:09 AM	#4
383vett Major 626 Rep 1,044 Posts Drives: 2018 X3 M40i, 2012 X3 Xdrive35 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Moraga, California iTrader: (0)	Glitter in gear oil is normal. The teeth wear and mesh after time. The resulting metal is dispersed in the oil. Now glitter in motor oil is not normal. __________________ 2016 Z06 Vette, 10.53@132 1984 Vette, 406, 10.23@131 2021 SQ5
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07-14-2023, 02:50 PM	#7
Dekero Private First Class 36 Rep 114 Posts Drives: 2013 BMW X5 35I Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Memphis TN iTrader: (0)	Might I suggest ordering the replacement drain plugs from FCP euro that have the magnets on them, I've used them now for over 100k miles and all that extra glitter accumulates and stays put so it's not adding to wear and tear... Just wipe it all off when changing fluid which I do every 50k miles...
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