Changing Differential & Transfer Case Fluids - Pics Included

[F4injected]

Maybe, but if you're sure it took the full 3 quarts I still wouldn't worry about it.

But if it's going to worry you, just get level and add some until it flows out and then let it run to a trickle.

Yep, I'm sure that I got all three quarts in there. I squeezed all 3 bottles till they were bone dry.

Hahaha I'm just being cheap cause ordering one more quart from amsoil is $25

Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[CarlWheezer]

Changed my diffs and Tcase this weekend. Used Royal Purple Max Gear 75/90. I had a quart left over from when I did my Tacoma, so I used it in the 4R too. I was able to get 15% off by ordering online at Advanced Auto and picking it up in the store. My grandfathers GoldenRod quart oil pump with hose comes in handy for doing these jobs!

 

[wadle5]

Changed my diffs and Tcase this weekend. Used Royal Purple Max Gear 75/90. I had a quart left over from when I did my Tacoma, so I used it in the 4R too. I was able to get 15% off by ordering online at Advanced Auto and picking it up in the store. My grandfathers GoldenRod quart oil pump with hose comes in handy for doing these jobs!

Been using Advanced Auto a lot lately. Great discounts weekly/daily. And if ya talk to someone live online they will give ya more codes...like for 20% off.

 

[NuclearN8]

I did this service this weekend per this post... It was straight forward with no surprises... easy day, will do again in another 25K or so... Thank you to the thread originator.

 

[leje0306]

Great post! Since I will be doing the same soon I appreciate it. I got the Amsoil 80w90 for the rear because that is what is in the book. I'll use mobil1 75w90 or Valvoline Syn 75w90 for the other two.

I recently performed this service on my '12 Limited and used the Mobil 1 75w-90. I did notice a slight drop in mileage, about .2-.4 MPG. I asked my dad, who does a lot of business with Schafer's what the deal was. He reached out to an engineer at Schafer's who acknowledged the issue and explained that it is not the viscosity of the oil that drives the MPG loss. Rather, Toyota has additives put in the oil that make the difference.

Have you noticed a drop in MPG?

 

[leje0306]

Thanks for the quick response, but so I am 150% sure. . .this will work?
Buy Mobil1 Synthetic Gear Lubricant LS 75W-90 (1 qt.) 104361/98W573 at Advance Auto Parts

I used this stuff and noticed a slight drop in MPG.

 

[Virtual TWiT]

I've had my 4Runner since June 30, '12 and I don't think the gear oil was ever changed and the rear diff fill plug has a slow seep so it's time to bite the bullet. It's at about 60K miles.
I just ordered the crush washers. The $12 shipping on $9 of washers was ridiculous but it's still cheaper than a 55 mile round trip to the parts counter.
The question is, do i have a 24mm socket... :doh:

 

[bob3dsf]

I recently performed this service on my '12 Limited and used the Mobil 1 75w-90. I did notice a slight drop in mileage, about .2-.4 MPG. I asked my dad, who does a lot of business with Schafer's what the deal was. He reached out to an engineer at Schafer's who acknowledged the issue and explained that it is not the viscosity of the oil that drives the MPG loss. Rather, Toyota has additives put in the oil that make the difference.

Have you noticed a drop in MPG?

I'm not saying you're not seeing a drop in mpg or that any additives could play a part. But, I seriously doubt that your calculations are precise enough to catch a difference of 1 or 2/5ths. Daily temperature, humidity, and other weather fluctuations, not to mention the variability on how you drive on any given trip around town is likely to have the most influence on the mpg's rather than the gear oil. Now if someone were to put in a significantly different viscosity, then you might see something but I'd be more worried about how that were affecting the wear and service life of the gears. And I changed my gear oil with the Mobile 1. I don't see any change in mpg's.

 

[leje0306]

I'm not saying you're not seeing a drop in mpg or that any additives could play a part. But, I seriously doubt that your calculations are precise enough to catch a difference of 1 or 2/5ths. Daily temperature, humidity, and other weather fluctuations, not to mention the variability on how you drive on any given trip around town is likely to have the most influence on the mpg's rather than the gear oil. Now if someone were to put in a significantly different viscosity, then you might see something but I'd be more worried about how that were affecting the wear and service life of the gears. And I changed my gear oil with the Mobile 1. I don't see any change in mpg's.

Considering I drive to and from the airport every week at the same time on the same days with cruise control set at the same speeds and do a VERY limited amount of driving outside of that, I would argue I either eliminate or reduce the impact of the variables you are referring to. But, if you know my driving patterns better than I do, or know oils better than the engineers at Schaeffer's, I would love to see more of your insights.

 

[Virtual TWiT]

Duh

Well, I feel stupid.
:ybrick::redbrick:
I wasn't paying attention to my 4Runner being level and just filled the Xfer case and rear diff till they overflowed a bit and then I counted how many bottles I'd put in and my head thought, "oh (bleep)". The back was way too high and there's an extra quart, somewhere. I'll get her level tomorrow and pull the fill plugs and see what comes out.
Note to self: Go get a 1 gallon plastic pitcher next time and do it right the first time. :der:
Yeah, I knew better. I just got in a hurry.

 

[dapslappy]

I recently performed this service on my '12 Limited and used the Mobil 1 75w-90. I did notice a slight drop in mileage, about .2-.4 MPG. I asked my dad, who does a lot of business with Schafer's what the deal was. He reached out to an engineer at Schafer's who acknowledged the issue and explained that it is not the viscosity of the oil that drives the MPG loss. Rather, Toyota has additives put in the oil that make the difference.

Have you noticed a drop in MPG?

So Toyota brand oil has additives that result in nominally better mpg?

 

[dapslappy]

PBB + Hammer

Well I attempted mine this weekend. The t-case was simple. The differentials were impossible.

Rear diff fill plug would NOT come out. Tried a huge 1/2" drive ratchet with 24mm socket, no dice. Tried a 15/16 6-point socket, no dice. Tried a box end wrench, no dice. Tried a chisel and hammer, no dice. So, didn't even attempt the drain plug. I will order new plugs from the dealer and when I get them I'll have to cut the existing plugs out somehow.

Front diff drain plug would not budge. There are markings on it from where somebody in the past used a chisel and hammer on it to attempt to break it free. I'm not sure if they had any luck or not. But the area around the drain plug is leaking slowly and I was able to get the fill plug out enough to top off the differential fluid.

What a P I T A. I guess the diffs are one of Toyota's weak points. Never seen anything like this in my life. :bash:

I know this post is from March.
Re stuck bolts/plugs. I use the PB Blaster + Hammer method. Spray PBB, whack head of bolt/plug with a hammer 5-10 times. Don't beat on it, whack it. You need not hit it hard enough to deform the head. Spray, Whack, let soak for a few minutes. Spray, Whack, let soak for a few minutes, etc.
The Whack jolts the bolt just a tiny tiny bit, but this allows the PBB to start penetrating the threads. Maybe you need to spray/whack let soak for 15 minutes, lather rinse repeat. Maybe do this 3 or 4 times then then try again the next day. Once the PBB breaches the threads that first little bit, it can make its way deeper down the threads. Patience and follow through.
Regarding the front diff hex head plugs: the hex hole can get packed with grime and oil. The hole is partially filled with this crap and the hex wrench cannot seat in all the way. Spray PBB blaster, WD 40, anything in the hole and scrape out the muck. Get that hole clean bc that hex wrench/socket needs to be fully and squarely inserted.
I used a brand new hex wrench with a small pipe as an extension for extra leverage.
Using a torque wrench when reinstalling drain bolts makes them tight enough to hold without making them so tight you cannot undo them.

 

[Brownfaux]

Just did my front, after a weekend battle a while ago with my axle seals and cv boots.

Would not have been as messy if the pump I bought didn't leak all over the damn place. Fluid looked dirty , not sure if it had ever been done before, 04 with 146k. Thanks to those who posted on the subject, I had the new washers ready to go , and bought a good 10mm hex socket and it went without a hitch!

 

[Brownfaux]

Finally finished all 3. Turns out someone has changed the rear diff before, the drain plug was in the wrong spot. Glad I found it. Thanks for this thread!!

 

[pattycakes]

Added magnet (fill plugs ) to the rear and magnet fill and drain plugs to the TC 12000km ago , this is the rear fill , Caught a bunch of stuff , and also keeps the drain plug magnet from reaching its metal holding saturation point as fast ,especially good if you are extending change intervals with synthetic oils , I clean the fill plugs every oil change or level check etc ...

 

[pattycakes]

 

[ntrail]

Double-check differential work

Okay, I wanted to just double-check my approach....

I have a 07 2WD V6 4Runner, and I plan to change the rear differential fluid (don't have to worry about a TC or front, being only 2WD) this next weekend. I will use the Mobil 1 synthetic 75W-90 (104361) fluid (requires just over 3 US quarts). The crush washer is P/N: 1215710010, and both the fill/drain plugs are torqued to 36 ft-lbs. Any issues or errors in there?

Also, if I went to install another magnet in the fill plug, are there any recommended magnet parts/suppliers to get it from (would probably bond it with some EC2216 epoxy)?

Thank you!

 

[pattycakes]

if your gona do what I did just go to Toyota and buy another magnetic drain plug and put it in the fill hole .

 

[MarieDJ]

I have a 2006 4Runner SR5 4WD - I went to have the front,rear, and transfer case fluids changed at a local auto shop - I had brought in my own Schaeffer Oil 75W90. I had gotten a case but only expected 7qts to be used. When the job was done, they had used 9! I was confused. I was told 3qts were used per section. I referred to the manual to check levels - called the owner. The owner told me they used the extra fluid to flush the old one out.

Can this be possible? I am just upset. Sounds wrong. My only worry is if there's a possibility of overfilling and something going wrong.

 

[Brownfaux]

Well, I wouldn't worry about overfilling , it can only be filled up to the fill plug anyway. When I did mine is used less than I expected. They must have flushed a ton!

I could be wrong though , wait for someone else to chime in before you listen to me.