Manual Transmission Fluid Change

[NoVAphotog]

A full fluid change was one of the first things I did when I got this truck...felt a world of difference moving to Redline MT-90.

Have never had any issues. Even during the winter. Shifted and felt great. I use Redline fluids in the BMW as well. Awesome stuff. MTL in the zhp's case. I do notice that gets a little stiff in the winter, but that car hasn't seen winter driving since I got the 4runner.

Manual Transmission Fluid Change Post

 

[Timjtitus]

I have 4 quarts of mt90, is this enough to do the transmission and the transfer case?

 

[nissanh]

A week ago I did a M/T flush in my dad's hilux with Mobil GL-5. Here in Sri Lanka, finding the correct type is not so easy. Thankfully the hilux is still doing good. It is a 27 year old truck and drives like new. Until about 2010, Sri Lanka was using locally manufactured engine and gear oil. Other than the weight, locals had no clue about GL-4 or 5 etc., but all the M/T's used in back then is still running without even a rebuild.

 

[kjcprb]

One of the first things I did when I bought my '98 was change the diffs/trans fluid. I put Redline MT-90 in, and I did find shifting was a bit easier/less clunky but this is hardly scientific. I had only driven the thing for a few weeks before I changed it out. I would definitely be interested in seeing some sort of comparison, but that hard to come by.

To the OP, 4runner.org has gone up and down like a yo-yo over the past few years. I assume it's cause people like me read the site and don't donate to the hosting costs... But after the first time I noticed it went down I ripped the entire site. I attached a PDF print out of the write up your looking for.

Thanks! This is exactly what I was hoping to find.

 

[brisamh]

Any thoughts on Valvoline full synth? Couldn't find redline anywhere and it says it meets/exceeds gl-4 &5

 

[brisamh]

Super newb question but I'm trying to change my '00 5spd's gearbox oil and i can't for the life of me find my fill plug. I feel crazy. Can someone post a really clear picture that references the front/rear of the vehicle and where their plugs are??

 

[brisamh]

Can you post a pic of where these plugs are? i'm going crazy trying to find a diagram or something. Would really appreciate it!

 

[pluton]

1. I'd use the Valvoline 75W-90 GL-5 product if that was all that was available or affordable.
2. I don't have a picture because the online FSM PDF is for a 2002, after the 5-speed was eliminated, but it should be pretty easy to find. From memory:
Take your 24mm socket in your hand; look on the driver's side of the trans about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up from the bottom; find the hex bolt that fits the 24mm socket. That should be the one.

 

[clarkent5477]

Super newb question but I'm trying to change my '00 5spd's gearbox oil and i can't for the life of me find my fill plug. I feel crazy. Can someone post a really clear picture that references the front/rear of the vehicle and where their plugs are??

it's a large plug on the driver's side of the transmission. it's hard to miss. you can also see a PDF attached earlier in this thread by eanema (sp) that has pics. I'll be doing this later today and can take pics if needed.

 

[stecow]

Sorry to revive an older thread. I just changed my manual trans oil and when I undid the fill plug about 3/4 of a quart of oil flowed out and then stopped, I drained it and filled the transmission through the fill plug till it started to over flow out the fill plug. I had the 4Runner parked on level ground too. So was my trans overfilled or did I under fill it? Am I just overly paranoid?

My question comes because everybody just says to fill the trans till oil starts to come out the fill plug and you're good, so when I first opened the drain plug no oil should've come out however there was quite a bit that did. Hopefully question this makes sense

 

[alumarine]

Sorry to revive an older thread. I just changed my manual trans oil and when I undid the fill plug about 3/4 of a quart of oil flowed out and then stopped, I drained it and filled the transmission through the fill plug till it started to over flow out the fill plug. I had the 4Runner parked on level ground too. So was my trans overfilled or did I under fill it? Am I just overly paranoid?

My question comes because everybody just says to fill the trans till oil starts to come out the fill plug and you're good, so when I first opened the drain plug no oil should've come out however there was quite a bit that did. Hopefully question this makes sense

No oil, or very little oil should come out the fill plug when parked level.

I say a little oil as some people put a bit more in for some reason.

If you drained it using the drain plug and then filled it till oil just started to come out the fill plug you're good to go.

 

[stecow]

Thanks, I figured it would be okay, but just wanted to be double sure

 

[pluton]

It is a long established tradition, in shops as well as the shade tree realm, to goose the pump at the last few seconds when filling and then quickly screw in the filler plug, thereby getting "a little more in." That 'little more' probably amounts to a couple of tablespoonsful at most, but it's definitely a thing folks do.
Also, if your trans is warmed up when you drain it, the oil will have slightly expanded and a little more might come out when undoing the filler plug.

 

[Dementedfish]

One of the first things I did when I bought my '98 was change the diffs/trans fluid. I put Redline MT-90 in, and I did find shifting was a bit easier/less clunky but this is hardly scientific. I had only driven the thing for a few weeks before I changed it out. I would definitely be interested in seeing some sort of comparison, but that hard to come by.

To the OP, 4runner.org has gone up and down like a yo-yo over the past few years. I assume it's cause people like me read the site and don't donate to the hosting costs... But after the first time I noticed it went down I ripped the entire site. I attached a PDF print out of the write up your looking for.

So glad I found this thread. Thanks for the PDF!

 

[2003-4x4runner]

Change that transmission fluid.

 

[fathousecat_]

Anyone link the crush washers for the manual transmission? I am wanting to buy.

 

[psea17]

what's the recommended interval for changing a 5spd manual's fluids in the diffs, transmission and gear box? thanks!

 

[Team_Jake]

what's the recommended interval for changing a 5spd manual's fluids in the diffs, transmission and gear box? thanks!

Change the gear oil in the tranny, t-case, and diffs every 30k miles or so and you'll be good.

 

[psea17]

appreciate the response. can i use the same gear oil for all of them or are different weights/types required?

 

[Team_Jake]

appreciate the response. can i use the same gear oil for all of them or are different weights/types required?

You can, though I recommend using 75W-90 GL-4 oil for the transmission and 75W-90 GL-5 oil for the transfer case. Redline MT-90 is pretty popular for the transmission. Most GL-5 oils have reactive sulfers that can be harmful to brass found in the synchronizers of the transmission. Will it kill your transmission if you use GL-5 oil? Probably not, many people use it without issue. For the diff, the owners manual recommends 90W oil, which is not common, I use the same GL-5 75W-90 oil in both my transfer case and my diffs. Been doing that for years and my 4runner hasn't exploded yet.