Transfer oil in front wheel drive car

[ruturaj1989]

I have a Mitsubishi Galant 2009, I bought it used last year. In my service manual Transfer oil change is recommended every 60,000 miles. Front wheel drive cars (or any single axle car) don't have a transfer case, right? What am I missing here?

Also, my engine sounds little rough, but not too rough. It has 110,000 miles on it and most probably no service other than oil change and front brake change was done on it till 86,000 miles. Will I need to get valves adjusted?

Edit: Apparently my car's manual if of no use. It recommends checking and changing transfer and rear axle oil when no variant of Galant has 4wd.

 

[Meghan54]

Understand that owner's manuals and service manuals tend to include usage instructions and maintenance requirements for every thing that could possibly be optioned onto that vehicle. For instance, my service intervals/requirements on my truck list all the service intervals for a 4x4, despite mine being a 2wd truck. So, if you don't have a particular "thing" that the service/maintenance manual mentions, don't sweat it. You just don't have that option.

 

[desy]

You are due for a full tune up and maybe timing belt if it has one of those instead of a chain, and a transmission flush if its an automatic. Now if you dont intend on keeping the car, or too broke, or just plain old willing to let something catastrophic happen and that's its demise due to needing a major repair, those are pretty much the options

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I have a Mitsubishi Galant 2009, I bought it used last year. In my service manual Transfer oil change is recommended every 60,000 miles. Front wheel drive cars (or any single axle car) don't have a transfer case, right? What am I missing here?

Also, my engine sounds little rough, but not too rough. It has 110,000 miles on it and most probably no service other than oil change and front brake change was done on it till 86,000 miles. Will I need to get valves adjusted?

110k, if you haven't swapped fluids out, you probably need to. Most spark plugs aren't intended to last past 100k miles either. Likely need a serpentine belt, too.

Possibly timing belt/chain. (I've had to replace a few of those as cars went past 120k.)

Take it to a local shop, not a dealership; have them make a list of things you need done, and prioritize it. Do the things as you have the money, keep up with oil and filter changes, and you'll get another 100k out of the car easy.

 

[XavierMace]

Is your service manual for 2009? They stopped making the 4WD VR-4 in 2006 so there's no reason for a 2009 service manual to have that info as there's no model with one.

 

[ruturaj1989]

Understand that owner's manuals and service manuals tend to include usage instructions and maintenance requirements for every thing that could possibly be optioned onto that vehicle. For instance, my service intervals/requirements on my truck list all the service intervals for a 4x4, despite mine being a 2wd truck. So, if you don't have a particular "thing" that the service/maintenance manual mentions, don't sweat it. You just don't have that option.

Is your service manual for 2009? They stopped making the 4WD VR-4 in 2006 so there's no reason for a 2009 service manual to have that info as there's no model with one.

Thank you for replying. The service manual sucks on my car. It also says rear axle oil (I think they mean rear differential oil) when my car is front-drive, they messed up the manual with their 4wd car I guess. I have an account on Mitsubishi.com and it says the same thing.

You are due for a full tune up and maybe timing belt if it has one of those instead of a chain, and a transmission flush if its an automatic. Now if you dont intend on keeping the car, or too broke, or just plain old willing to let something catastrophic happen and that's its demise due to needing a major repair, those are pretty much the options

110k, if you haven't swapped fluids out, you probably need to. Most spark plugs aren't intended to last past 100k miles either. Likely need a serpentine belt, too.

Possibly timing belt/chain. (I've had to replace a few of those as cars went past 120k.)

Take it to a local shop, not a dealership; have them make a list of things you need done, and prioritize it. Do the things as you have the money, keep up with oil and filter changes, and you'll get another 100k out of the car easy.

I got few things (new timing belt, pulleys, water pump, spark plug, drive belt, thermostat, valve cover gasket, struts, stabilizer links tires) done in November. (Should have also got valve clearance adjustment done when valve cover gasket was replaced).

Things to do on my list are:
1. Transmission fluid flush (mostly tomorrow)
2. Valve clearance adjustment

I started a new thread on, should I do the transmission flush or not.

 

[natto fire]

I assumed a bad translation from differential when I first read this thread. A FWD differential requires much lighter oil than a diff which makes the power change direction. Not sure what your manual specced, but every FWD I have ever messed with called for basic motor oil. RWD differentials called for heavy weight EP oil, and the transfer case of 4wd called for heavy oil without the EP additives.

 

[ruturaj1989]

I assumed a bad translation from differential when I first read this thread. A FWD differential requires much lighter oil than a diff which makes the power change direction. Not sure what your manual specced, but every FWD I have ever messed with called for basic motor oil. RWD differentials called for heavy weight EP oil, and the transfer case of 4wd called for heavy oil without the EP additives.

My car's manual has some wrong info in it.