Front and Rear Diff fluid change

[2016 4Runner SR5]

that anecdotal information contradicts pretty much everything that’s ever been said about TGMO 0W20. read up on BITOG, for example. the only "ding" i’ve ever seen against it is speculation re: what group base stock(s) it may employ, but the fact is that Mobil 1 is widely regarded as the world's worst offender on that subject, having shilled Group III Mobil 1 as "full synthetic" in the domestic market for years while the ROW wouldn’t allow such shenanigans as it runs afoul of false advertising prohibitions.

feels like every "my dealer rep gave me the confidential, inside scoop on the 6th Gen 4Runner" thread ever to me. also, if you care about OEM spec in your transfer case, you’re absolutely ensured OEM spec in your motor using TGMO despite whatever the Mobil guy may have to say.

OEM Toyota 0-20 is made by Mobil. It is not Mobil 1, it is their lower end synthetic. There is absolutely nothing special about it, it's a bottom of the line synthetic. I personally won't spend more for "Toyota" 0-20 than the higher end Mobil 1 0-20 costs at Walmart. I will however continue to use the OEM Toyota filter.

Think of it this way. Mobil rep was speaking for their own products stating they would not provide the 10,000 mile protection that Toyota says they will. What did they have to gain? They aren't bashing someone else's product to push their own right. I would NEVER run engine oil for 10K miles regardless of what anyone says or claims so really doesn't matter to me but it was still an interesting conversation.

 

[sandcrawler]

OEM Toyota 0-20 is made by Mobil. It is not Mobil 1, it is their lower end synthetic. There is absolutely nothing special about it, it's a bottom of the line synthetic. I personally won't spend more for "Toyota" 0-20 than the higher end Mobil 1 0-20 costs at Walmart. I will however continue to use the OEM Toyota filter.

Think of it this way. Mobil rep was speaking for their own products stating they would not provide the 10,000 mile protection that Toyota says they will. What did they have to gain? They aren't bashing someone else's product to push their own right. I would NEVER run engine oil for 10K miles regardless of what anyone says or claims so really doesn't matter to me but it was still an interesting conversation.

read up more re: Mobil 1. seriously.

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

read up more re: Mobil 1. seriously.

Nope, can't be bothered. My engine oil is dropped at 5K miles, period. Absolutely nothing will ever convince me to run it any longer. $50-$60 is super cheap peace of mind for me. Same goes for the diffs, first service was at 11K which was really to long for my liking. They will be serviced every 30K moving forward. Transmission and transfer case every 50K for the life of the truck. Overkill? Maybe, who cares. Clean oil is worth every penny.

 

[sandcrawler]

Nope, can't be bothered. My engine oil is dropped at 5K miles, period. Absolutely nothing will ever convince me to run it any longer.

you see, the truth is that any hand-wringing and FUD-slinging re: motor oil is ultimately useless in light of this fact anyway.

 

[CutthroatSlam]

you see, the truth is that any hand-wringing and FUD-slinging re: motor oil is ultimately useless in light of this fact anyway.

Oil OCD, it goes with the fear of the unknown.

I have a friend who was a fleet manager and he said that they never changed differential fluid on their light trucks. They'd drive them 150K miles and turn them in.

For the record, I'm changing the differential and transfer case oil at 50K. Just did the round at 150K on a 2014.

 

[1000MPH]

Seems like way too much fear mongering on this thread and now we’re getting into motor oil? The funny thing is we had some of this talk when the 5gen first came out. Now most of those paranoid owners who overchanged fluids are long gone on to their next vehicle.

 

[catrains]

Haven't done my transfer case yet since I'm only at 13K miles. When the time comes, I will use the same style hand pump I use on the quart bottles of gear oil. Just don't use the same pump otherwise you risk cross contamination as minimal as it may be.

I called a few toyota dealerships service managers. they said they put in the diffs and transfer cases mobil 1 synthetic 75-90wt. now the book says to use toyota 75-85wt on diffs and the tranfer case uses the transfer case oil .. this is the toyota transfer case spec test sheet

notice the high levels of additives used to provide the proper lubrication . I asked it they had this oil in stock they said no had to get a CAN from the distributor warehouse .

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

I called a few toyota dealerships service managers. they said they put in the diffs and transfer cases mobil 1 synthetic 75-90wt. now the book says to use toyota 75-85wt on diffs and the tranfer case uses the transfer case oil .. this is the toyota transfer case spec test sheet

notice the high levels of additives used to provide the proper lubrication . I asked it they had this oil in stock they said no had to get a CAN from the distributor warehouse .

Exactly my you should not use 75-90 in the transfer case. Doesn't even come close to meeting the spec of Toyota 75w oil. Dealers are the last place I would look for proper service advice. They generally can't even handle a simple oil change without screwing something up.

 

[MTN4RNR]

I called a few toyota dealerships service managers. they said they put in the diffs and transfer cases mobil 1 synthetic 75-90wt. now the book says to use toyota 75-85wt on diffs and the tranfer case uses the transfer case oil .. this is the toyota transfer case spec test sheet

notice the high levels of additives used to provide the proper lubrication . I asked it they had this oil in stock they said no had to get a CAN from the distributor warehouse .

Yep, made the "mistake" of following one half of the group here on T4R that uses 75w-90 because at the time when I called the dealership to order they had ZERO idea what I was talking about. So I figured that if the dealership doesn't know about it, then it can't be THAT crucial. Swapping in the OEM this week when it gets here after 24k of 75w-90 Redline in the tcase.

 

[FrenchToasty]

PS - When you guys change your fluids using the OEM 1 liter cans, what do you use to "pour" the oil back in the cases? Do you just use the hand pumps that are made to fit quart bottles?

I used the cans when I changed mine, go buy the cheap orange fluid transfer pump at harbor freight, it's got a inlet hose and outlet hose and a hand pump. Open the can with a triangle can puncture thingy and then just insert hoses in the proper holes. And toss the pump in the trash, best 7 dollar tool for the job

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Nah...My dealer doesn't even use it, probably most don't.

"*: “Toyota Genuine Transfer Gear oil LF” is filled in your Toyota vehicle
at factory fill. Use Toyota approved “Toyota Genuine Transfer Gear oil
LF” or an equivalent of matching quality to satisfy the above specification.
Please contact your Toyota dealer for further details"

Apparently even Borg-Warner Engineers disagree with their recommendations...
https://www.tundrasolutions.com/for...186-transfer-case-and-differential-gear-oils/

The best post:

Below is an email response received from an engineer at BorgWarner.

"The factory fill is straight 75w. The previous 2013 service fill of 75-85w may have been based on what was available in the Toyota service system at the time. Since it is a part-time transfer case (no clutches), it really should matter if they use 75w, 75-85w or 75-90w as long as the first number is 75. This controls the viscosity of the oils cold performance. As far as mixing oils and weights, that normally is not an issue, but it can be in rare cases, since different oil manufacturers us different add packages and we can’t guarantee the interaction between different add packs. However minor amounts, of different oils, such as top off, shouldn’t cause problems. The BorgWarner recommendation is to use the vehicle manufactures recommended fluid. If that is not possible, use the recommended weight oil from a good name brand supplier. Bottom-line, follow the service manual recommendations if possible."

We have 150K miles on a 2014 SR5 and over 100K of those miles are on Mobil 1 or Valvoline Synthetic 75w90. It's the lower number that matters, within reason. So don't go putting in 75w140.:thumb3:

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

I just can't understand why so many people are dead set on not using the 75W oil? Why is that? It's proven the additives in the OEM 75W far surpass anything else available anywhere. You would think that's enough to convince even someone with zero automotive knowledge that it's a superior oil and designed like that for a reason.

 

[<<<<]

Price. People have trouble paying $59 per can while you can get one for $10. I don't have issue with OEM price because it wont need to be changed too often and price per years of service just some five or six dollars a year versus one. Not a big deal plus those OEM Tin cans are awesome, looks like they were made to go to the moon all sealed up solid.

 

[1000MPH]

I just can't understand why so many people are dead set on not using the 75W oil? Why is that? It's proven the additives in the OEM 75W far surpass anything else available anywhere. You would think that's enough to convince even someone with zero automotive knowledge that it's a superior oil and designed like that for a reason.

I’m sorry, what’s been proven?

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

I’m sorry, what’s been proven?

Um, have you not see the spec sheets for the additive package in the OEM 75W oil? Find me another oil that meets or exceeds those specs. I'll wait...……...

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

Price. People have trouble paying $59 per can while you can get one for $10. I don't have issue with OEM price because it wont need to be changed too often and price per years of service just some five or six dollars a year versus one. Not a big deal plus those OEM Tin cans are awesome, looks like they were made to go to the moon all sealed up solid.

I look forward to the first blown up transfer case. Spend $35,000-$50,000 on a truck but won't spend $60 on the correct fluid. Same guys using Walmart brand oil in their engines. Just makes no sense to me at all.

 

[1000MPH]

Um, have you not see the spec sheets for the additive package in the OEM 75W oil? Find me another oil that meets or exceeds those specs. I'll wait...……...

That's just a VOA, not specs but elemental analysis. Anyway, who cares if the Toyota fluid is "superior". What does "superior" mean in a Transfer Case?

I look forward to the first blown up transfer case. Spend $35,000-$50,000 on a truck but won't spend $60 on the correct fluid. Same guys using Walmart brand oil in their engines. Just makes no sense to me at all.

WM SuperTech is a perfectly fine motor oil that meets actual API and Dexos "specs".
As a matter of fact, Supertech Gear Lube 75-90 is API GL-5 certified and would be fine for the 4R T/C.

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

That's just a VOA, not specs but elemental analysis. Anyway, who cares if the Toyota fluid is "superior". What does "superior" mean in a Transfer Case?


WM SuperTech is a perfectly fine motor oil that meets actual API and Dexos "specs".
As a matter of fact, Supertech Gear Lube 75-90 is API GL-5 certified and would be fine for the 4R T/C.

Yeah, we'll just agree to disagree. Walmart garbage will never find it's way into any of my vehicles, not even a vehicle I plan to sell. Good luck

 

[1000MPH]

Yeah, we'll just agree to disagree. Walmart garbage will never find it's way into any of my vehicles, not even a vehicle I plan to sell. Good luck

No worries...and if you find the liquid gold at a more reasonable price please let me know, I may give it a go. :shocked:

 

[2016 4Runner SR5]

No worries...and if you find the liquid gold at a more reasonable price please let me know, I may give it a go. :shocked:

If $25.00 for a gallon of Mobil 1 0-20 is too expensive for you, I don't really know what to say. Walmart, best price. Absolutely no reason to ever run junk oil. You spent what, 35K - 40K on your truck? Don't treat it like a POS.