Metal Shrapnel in 3rd Gen Manual Trans Oil Change

I drive a 2017 TRD S, Manual Trans with 92k. Toyota schedule first tranny oil change is @100k. I’ve done 3 already (16k, 40k, and 92k) AMSOIL 75/90 GL4.

At the first oil change at 16k, the book says tranny holds 2.6q. (1.75 drained out, shy of 1q low from factory and not topped up at PDI). Complaint was made with Quality Assurance Manager at dealership. Comment made is ‘not ideal but I have a good warranty’.

(Rear diff oil was low by 1q, front diff low by .2q, transfer case was fine)

Changed oil again @40k and now again @92k. The oil drain pan is always cleaned out after every change when I put it away. This time after changing the transmission there were 4 pieces of metal in the bottom of the pan!

I sent a sample of the oil and the metal pieces to a lab in Calgary to be analyzed. A 14 page report came back on the metal pieces as being 94% Nickel, 6% Iron.

In transmissions:
NICKEL is found in, Steel Alloy from Roller Bearings
and Shaft.
IRON is found in, Gears, Disk, Housing, Bearings, Break Bands and Shaft.

I realize I may not have break bands but I do have Bearings and Shaft which are found having both metals.

Anyone else look at their oil levels and see what lies at the bottom of their drain pans?

 

I checked at about 500mi and added half quart. Just changed it at 4000, no shrapnel just black oil with fine metallic (left bucket in pic) Used Redline MT-90 75W90, shifts very smooth.

 

Did you do any heavy towing with low MT oil levels?

 

No towing. Here’s the colour of my tranny fluid after 52k.

 

This morning I had the report explained to me. Simply put, I was told the metal pieces I found in the oil pan were not produced by the transmission but were put in there at assembly. The data produced from the oil sample from the transmission shows there is no wear taking place to suggest these metal pieces are a result of gears and bearings are having a malfunction.
The individual explaining the report also bought a 2017 4 Runner. His first oil analyst of the engine showed a high level of glycol from the factory. Antifreeze levels remained normal. Oil was drained then new put in and driven. 2nd oil analysts showed no glycol. These are just the facts.

 

That metal looks like aluminum, probably from the transmission cast housing. If it ever came in contact with them forged hardened gears inside the tranny nothing would happen I'd think.

Also literally no difference in the mechanical integrity or performance of the truck would be noticed by simply sitting on your ass and not changing any gear oils whatsoever until 150k+ miles. But uhhhh have fun I guess??

 

The day I drove mine home I checked the Tranny, Front and Rear Diff Fluids, all were low.
I purchased extra fluid from the dealership parts department at the same time I picked up my truck.
The dealership said they wouldn't pay the shop time to check those fluids despite reports of them being low in some automatics.

Trust no one. lol

 

if he has a magnet handy he can check in a second if its aluminum

 

Also, when people say the fluid was "low"...cool, but how precisely low was it? I mean did you drain the case 100% without even one drop of oil sticking to the inside? And if the manual says X amount of oil, isn't there some variability associated with this before anything bad can even happen. +/- 0.1%? +/- 20% ? I would think as long as oil is being moved over the gears sufficiently, nothing bad can happen.

 

Wasn’t aluminum because I first tested it with a magnet and it stuck to it. Secondly the lab test shows it being 94% Nickel, 6% Iron. No aluminum.
As far as ‘levels low because not everything drained out...’ What went back in was what the book called for. What came out vs what went back in determined “low” levels.
Some people will care about this, others won’t. I try as best I can to care about these things because I always have and was brought up that way and I’m also paying for it.

 

You sound exactly like me when comes to oil.
Read religiously about all the oils out there on ash content, viscosity etc. When I used to rebuild 13B rotaries, the ash carbon caked on the rotors were enough to drive me nuts on a 5k motor breakdown .
Since then, removed oil injectors and went to Amsoil 2 stroke mix . Oil changed over to Amsoil and on 10k breakdown, almost 0 carbon on rotors.
I've stuck with Redline and Amsoil since.

 

My Rear Diff took 700ml before it started coming out of the fill hole.
My Manual Transmission took 300ml before it started coming out of the fill hole.
My Front Diff took 300ml before it started coming out of the fill hole.

FSM says 5mm below fill plug and higher is acceptable.
On the rear diff I estimate I had to reach well past 5mm to touch fluid.
On my Transmission I couldn't reach the fluid level but it requires reaching at an awkward angle.
On my front diff I could not reach the fluid level with my finger.