MTFCA Forum

About how much 600W does it take to fill the rear end on a 1916 properly?

A 1916 is likely to have the filler hole at the pumpkin centre height. The oil level should be about an Inch below that. Use you little finger to fill to one joint below the hole.
Others may differ in their opinion.
Allan from down under.

Allan, which side of the rear end housing would that oil filler plug be on; the driver’s or passenger’s ?
BTW, your advice is spot on

How much oil? well the vendors sell it by the qt and list that only one is required.

On my 1916 the filler hole is on the passenger's side. Thank you for the responses.
I made a mistake when I stated it was on the driver's side. Another senior moment.

Usually a bit over 1/2 a quart Keith.

Keith, all the T's are the same, oil filler plug is on the right side housing so if you say yours is on the drivers side then you must have a RHD Canadian T.

I estimate my 17 takes about 20 oz - that puts the level about an inch below the filler.

This is from a 1920’s Texaco gear oil brochure. It shows just enough oil to cover the bottom of the ring gear.

Every body will offer a different opinion as to the amount and weight because originally it was two LBS of non flowing grease and in many manuals the "oil" plug is referred to as a "grease plug". There was never a "drain" plug because you could not drain the grease. I am not saying this was any better just saying how it was. The differentials came with no 'oil' seals only dust covers at the ends of the axles. With too much oil, it will migrate out the ends of the axles. There are accessory seals today some work and some don't.

I put in somewhere between a pint and a quart. The oil level is about 1 inch below the fill plug. It is difficult to know exactly how much I installed as the container is opaque.

I believe my ‘26 coupe took exactly one quart of 600w. When I replaced the oil, I had just fInished rebuilding the rear end and the pumpkin and gear cage was bone dry. If you are unable to completely remove the oil/grease from the pumpkin and from the gear cage, the amount of oil it takes will most likely be much less than one quart. Changing the rear end gear oil is one of the messiest and most undesirable jobs on the Model T. Jim Patrick

The pumpkin on my ‘24 touring has the plug below the midline of the axles and when I removed it to check the grease, oil gushed out and took a little while to drain down to the bottom of the hole. The oil was significantly thinner than gear oil, so I suspect engine oil is finding its way down the drive shaft tube. I suctioned all the remaining oil out and verified with a borescope that it was all out. It took just a hair over half a quart of 600W to refill to the bottom of the hole. I’ve driven it about 200 miles since then, and the oil leak at one of the rear hubs has dried up.

Tim Juhl is correct. 20 ounces or 1-1/4 pints.

The old Texaco ad above says it all. Don't forget the pre 1918 filler plugs are higher than after 1918.

Canadian T's had the lower filler plug as early as 1915.