Oils

[wristpin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wristpin]

I've searched across several forums and other sites and have found no info on transmission oils.

What do people use in their diffs, gearboxes & transfer cases??

I have a 2001 TX Prado with the 1kz turbo deisel. I do my own engine oil changes.

It's high time I changed out the trans oils.

Whats the cross section doing for oil brands, grades & quantities??

How often do people change their trans oils??

Bob

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Oils

well is it auto or manual, if its a manual i use 80/90w gearoil for gearbox/transfer for and front and rear diff i use lsx 90 castrol. mines a 120 1kz 5 speed

[wristpin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wristpin]

Re: Oils

It's a manual...............

[wristpin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wristpin]

Re: Oils

BTW do you use different oils for the diff, rear being LSD, front being regular...??

Bob

[dhula Member Find all posts View Profile Close dhula]

Re: Oils

The rear diff being a LSD needs a oil that is friendly to the clutch packs etc. I've been using castrol LSX90 since the first time it was changed.
The front diff and t/case need gear oils to certain specs (can't recall them off the top of my head).

While some may say I'm a bit crazy for doing so, I've been suing LSX90 in the rear diff, front diff and t/case for almost 100,000kms so far without any problems. I change the oils at 20,000km intervals tho so that may have a bearing on it.

Can't comment on the MT as I have an auto so use DX3

[williade Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close williade]

Re: Oils

The rear diff being a LSD needs a oil that is friendly to the clutch packs etc. I've been using castrol LSX90 since the first time it was changed.
The front diff and t/case need gear oils to certain specs (can't recall them off the top of my head).

While some may say I'm a bit crazy for doing so, I've been suing LSX90 in the rear diff, front diff and t/case for almost 100,000kms so far without any problems. I change the oils at 20,000km intervals tho so that may have a bearing on it.

Can't comment on the MT as I have an auto so use DX3

I don't think there is anything wrong with using LSD oil in the front diff.

Re LSX90 in the T-case: Yep, you're crazy :lol:

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Oils

i use lsx90 in the front diff as well i should have added, we use lsx90 in our vehicles at work and they are lsd rear std front, lsx 90 has been in my front diff now for 100k now, just saves buying 2 different grade oils.

this is straight from castrols website

Castrol LSX 90
Mineral gear oil recommended for cars and commercial vehicle axles operating under higher frictional loads, especially limited slip differentials and those experiencing clutch chatter. Meets Mack GO-J quality thermal stability requirement. SAE 90, API GL5.

[wristpin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wristpin]

Re: Oils

Just for reference, I have Max Ellery's Prado manual EP.T034..
After reading up the specs the manual says the diffs take 2.8 litres of API GL-5 SAE 80W-90. Look for a suitable grade for the LSD

Gearbox will take 2.2 litres of SAE 75W-90 API GL-5
Transfer case will take 1 - 1.2 litres of SAE 75W-90 API GL-5

I bought Castrol LSX-90 for the diffs & Castrol EPX 80W-90 for the gearbox & transfer case.

For interest I measured the quantities I drained from each housing.

Rear Dif 2.8 litres
Front Diff 1.35 litres
Gearbox 2.2 litres
Transfer Case 900ml

I replaced oil in each one until oil flowed from the fill plug hole. The quantities I put back in were pretty well what I drained out. Going by the measure markings on the side of the Castrol oil containers.

Manual lists three gearboxes. G52, W56, & R150F. have no idea which one I have. Transfer cases listed are VF2A & VF3B, also have no idea which is which.

Reading across various lists about changing oils a common comment was the condition of the drain or filler plug hex and that some mongrels out there have taken cold chisels to the plug hex's.

Both drain & fill plugs on the front diff had hex inserts for a 10mm allen key. The fill plug has an 18mm thread and was in good condition. The drain plug has a 24mm thread and maybe because the thread diam was much larger than the filler plug thread, but the hex had been chewed right up. I was lucky to get the plug out. The drain & fill plug on the rear diff were both 18mm threads with a 24mm hex head for a 24mm socket, ringy or open ender. Both these were in good condition and came out relatively easily.
The drain plugs on the gearbox & transfer case were 18mm thread with 24mm hex head likewise for a socket, ringy or open ender. Both these came out relatively ok. A bit tight, but no drama.
The fill plugs on both the gearbox and transfer case were frozen solid. I tried everything. Ring spanner, open ender and socket. The height of the nut is only a few mm, the top of the nut is dished allowing a very poor bite for the spanner. Theses were as new when I started, but depite every care, they rounded off very easily. The front drive shaft blocks direct access to the gearbox fill plug, so it was impossible to even get stillsons onto the hex. The transfer fill plug is in very close proximity to that rubber thingy, so no joy there. I'm a fitter by trade and have this challenge of removing frozen bolts thrown my way more than once in a week. Out with the trusty cold chisel. Bang bang bang, still no joy. I was going nowhere fast and only doing damage, so before going anyfurther I got on the phone to ensure I could obtain new fill plugs. The local Toyota dealer had the front diff (24mm thread) drain plug only. Could order the other two Monday. This was a Saturday morning job in my work's workshop. I needed this fixed now. Called the local 4WD boys, who sympathised with me straight away saying they had aftermarket items on the shelf with decent hex heads and how many did I need. Shot around and grabbed three and back to the cold chisel. Supplemented by a bit of heat from the oxy around aforesaid frozen plugs and a couple more hits with the cold chisel and they were out.

Finished the oil change and fitted new you beut plug. The hex heads on the original plugs are nothing short of pathetic. I recomend anyone doing an oil change on the transmissions to grab a few of these aftermarket plugs and change them out. At least the hex heads are a decent height so your spanner will have half a chance of getting a good bite and doing no damage.

It was 42 degrees C in the workshop this Saturday in Newcastle NSW Australia. Only consolation was a slight westerly (hot!!) blowing through the doors. Better than the few previous days when there was no wind at all, just hot........

Bob

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

Re: Oils

I didn't have any troubles with the gearbox/transfer plugs, but that front diff filler plug has me stuffed. I used a large allen key from the start, no good. Added a ~400mm bar extension and it's just deformed the allen key hole. :cry:

[wristpin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wristpin]

Re: Oils

If it's the same layout as mine, it's in a really difficult spot. The fear is, destroying / rounding out the hex, making the allen key useless. This is waht happened to the external hex nuts on my gearbox & transfer case. Next step is try and get on the edge with a cold chisel. Do you have axcess to oxy equipment? Put some heat on the case directly around the nut. If your hex is still good, have the allen key already inserted, tap it in with a hammer to ensure your using the complete depth of hole. have your cheater tube handy. Stick the heat into the case then get on the cheater tube right away. If you get the nut out replace it with one of those after market external hex nuts and use some never sieze on the thread when you put it back in. Hope you didn't drain the oil first..........

best of luck
Bob

[glen_ep Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close glen_ep]

Re: Oils

Nah I didn't drain the oil out yet. I learnt that one the easy way - from other peoples mistakes :-P
Thanks for the tips. I might have a go with the heat treatment next Sat.

[Rainman Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Rainman]

Re: Oils

Rear Dif 2.8 litres
Front Diff 1.35 litres
Gearbox 2.2 litres
Transfer Case 900ml
Bob

Interesting figures quoted here. By coincidence I did all my transmission oils on the weekend and used the handbook as a guide to quantities which vary slightly from those listed above.
Rear diff: 2.6 litres
Front diff: 1.1 litres
Gearbox: 2.2 litres
Transfer case: 1.2 litres

Before starting I bought a complete set of aftermarket plugs to replace all the originals. All the new ones came with a magnet, unlike most of the originals so I guess that was an added bonus. They cost around $70 all up, but after laying on the main street of Leonora trying to undo a rounded front diff plug I thought it would be a wise move to replace all the plugs the next time I drained the oils.

One thing I found out, I tend to overtighten when I do things up ops:

[williade Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close williade]

Re: Oils

Does anyone know what the OEM plugs are made of? If they are brass or copper, there is the option of soldering a steel allen key to the plug. No such possibility for an aluminum plug though.

[Bounder Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bounder]

Re: Oils

On my 90 the plugs are steel. The drain has a magnet the fill doesn't, but it has a funny sort of dished top.
Mine came undone OK, a little tight but nothing like what you guys are describing.

[wristpin Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close wristpin]

Re: Oils

All are steel. I've seen other sump type plugs with a large nut welded to them. I thought about this, but as the nuts are only a few mm in height and are dished / recessed as well, making them thinner I discarded the idea, not much parent metal to get a decent weld onto, especially when I found the much better aftermarket items were available. Mine didn't have magnets and were nineteen dollars something for three.

Going by the colour of the old oil, I'd say the oils had not been changed for a while. All the hex nuts were without previous scarring. Only the front diff drain plug in-hex had seen obvious previous attempts at undoing it as the in-hex was badly damaged. Point being it looks a long time since the fill & drain plugs had been undone, I don't intend to leave it for so long untill the next time the oils are changed, so hopefully the plugs will be a lot easier to get undone.

Bob