Help me figure out which fluid I drained

[truckowner750]

I have a 2010 Silverado Crew Cab and I just tried to do my first oil change. Unfortunately I did it wrong. Instead of draining the engine oil I drained some other fluid and I can't quite figure out which fluid I drained. I eventually did find the oil drain plug and got the oil changes, but now I'm down fluid in something else. The location of first plug I pulled is at about the same spot as the engine oil, except it's on the driver side. If I'm laying under the car staring up at the oil filter, my engine oil plug is on my right under the passenger seat and this other plug is on my left under the driver seat.

 

The oil that came out of the non-engine oil plug was clear/tan with a greenish tint. It was thicker than engine oil and drained much more slowly. My driveway is on a decline and the truck was pointed downhill slightly. This might have contributed to the slowness of draining. There wasn't alot of fluid that came out (it was a fraction of the amount of engine oil that came out). I drained it until it was just dripping.

 

Any ideas as to what fluid I might have drained?

[mxjunkie123]

i would say diff fluid, but cant say for sure

[gmtech4]

frt diff ,check owners manual for the oil type and fill it thru the plug above the drain plug

[jdubub]

front diff requires a 75w-90

 

and it only takes anywhere around 2 quarts +/- 1/2 a quart

[Z45]

Take a pic of the location so we are not guessing. Your description has me puzzled?

[TimmyG]

Pics would be helpfull, how would someone mistake the diff for the oilpan?

[Portdriver]

Pics would be helpfull, how would someone mistake the diff for the oilpan?

 

 

As the OP said - it was his first time. And govtech4 didn't slam him

[holty]

I guess i can see how this could happen to people. In my '08 and i'm assuming this guys 2010 the front end is not your standard looking differential with a pumpkin like the rear end, they are the auto-trac differentials and have no gasket or cover to remove/replace, just a drain plug bolt and a fill plug cap/bolt. If someone is not real familiar with these trucks, has little automotive mechanical experience, or is simply just not paying attention i can see how someone would mistake the front differential as the oil drain plug.

[txab]

Pics would be helpfull, how would someone mistake the diff for the oilpan?

 

 

As the OP said - it was his first time. And govtech4 didn't slam him

 

 

+1

[truckowner750]

I deserve it - it was a boneheaded mistake by someone learning how to change oil for the first time. I'm convined it's the front differential I drained, now the question is how do I put it back?

 

In one of the pictures, I circled where I think the fill plug is located. Is this correct? It's super tight compared to the drain plug below.

[1990ss]

Yes, the one you circled is where you fill the front differential.

[TimmyG]

Pics would be helpfull, how would someone mistake the diff for the oilpan?

 

 

As the OP said - it was his first time. And govtech4 didn't slam him

 

 

+1

I dont mean to slam him at all but if your not sure you should invest in a service manual so you know were things are and there torque specs

[truckowner750]

Ok I'm getting the hang of this. My manual says I should add 80W-90 to the front diff for a 4x4. 75w-90 would work in the front for a non-4x4. I have the fill plug off.

 

How do I determine how much oil to put in? I don't want to to over or under fill the fluid. The truck is cold.

[holty]

FIll it until it starts to run out of the fill hole, than close it up.

[redjewel2ss]

but you must be on level ground when filling it up! i notice you said your driveway was inclined.