Front Diff and Transfer Case Oil Change Howto

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Is the oil pump needed for transfer case or just the front diff? Seems like there us enough room go get bottle up there

 

You could try a "squeeze bottle".

 

Ok was just trying to avoid pump at all cost. Now that I think about it im sure they make better ones these days or maybe i just so happened to use two horribly messy ones in a row with bad seals or something. Thanks

 

I know. Everyone ive used has been crap too.

 

Easily got enough angle with mobil1 quart spout type bottles for transfer

 

Hello everyone, I completed the rear, front differential & transfer case oil change and everything went smooth (thanks to the detailed posts provided by forum members). After a few days of driving, I noticed that my truck has a vibration/shimmy as I reach about 35 mph from a stop. It's brief and as I increase speed, it goes away. It feels as though it's coming from the front of the truck but I can't be sure. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the anti-slip additive that I decided not to use based on input from others or if it has nothing to do to all with the oil change I performed. Any help will be appreciated.

 

I have a question on the rear end differential for a '07 Tacoma pre-runner 4X2, 4.0L V6.

Currently I am at 104k miles. I know it seems kind of low I am original owner and I haven't driven Any great distance except Disney and Georgia a few times , and I live in Florida. Anyhow, not remembering ever doing the differential Oil change, and not remembering if Toyota did it when they changed out my driveshaft for some U joints. I decided it was time that I did it. Now the truck wasn't making any noise and or vibration. This was just purely preventive maintenance .

So after some videos on YouTube and reading this thread here, I thought well this is not that hard. So I went to my local Advance Auto parts and I picked up oil pump, and according to the guy behind the counter six quarts of Synthetic 75w-90w LSD, GL5 compatible oil. No it was the auto part brand but seeing how It was synthetic I didn't see how it could be that bad. Ordered the crush washers from Toyota. And I was ready.

On the day everything went pretty easy.I first opened the fill plug like everybody says to do just in case you can't get get it off after. After that I open the drain plug, drained the rear differential. Cleaned out the magnet , little bit of slimy Junk, but no metal pieces or filings. The oil was dark amber color maybe with a little bit of reddish tinge to it, but not brown or black. Replaced the drain plug with new crush washer. And started filling the oil with oil pump. Now before I forget I did have the rear end jacked up on stands , But not the front so I was at an angle. When I got to the very end of my fourth Quart. The fill plug started leaking back so I stopped, and call Napa and another auto part local store, to verify how many quarts needed NAPA told me 3.6 quarts , And New Jersey auto told me 3.7 quarts.

Since I was at the very end of my fourth Quart. I said well I guess I'm good. Ever since then the truck will rumble or make a low humming sound from the rear end only at very low speeds, and turning. Not grinding not clicking not whining just like a little murmur or thrumming if you will. And only at 0 to 10 miles an hour once over 10 miles an hour all noise cease and truck runs fine.

I have since gone back and drained some of the excess oil down to a quarter inch below the fill plug or roughly removed half a quart from the four I had put in.

Still making the low murmur rumble. Kind of pissed because it did not have the noise before the repair almost seemed like a waste of time to change the oil.

Should I drain all of the oil again and start with namebrand stuff like Lucas?

 

I hate to be that person who posts their issues when the answer is glaring them in the face, but I'm at my wits end with this problem. As I mentioned, I changed the front/rear diff and transfer case with Mobil 1 gear oil for the first time at 100k. I thought everything was going perfectly until after a few days the truck vibrated at about 35mph. I read some of the posts that mentioned the culprit is likely a worn needle bearing. The truck still does the vibration when I place it in 4H. I also recall reading somewhere that Tacoma's respond differently to various types of gear oil used. But would gear oil such as Mobil 1 make such an impact to cause the truck to vibrate? I want to avoid having to take the truck to the dealership and have them tell me parts needed to replaced unnecessarily. And I don't want to explain the problem time and time again to mechanics I know who don't really know the truck like a experienced Toyota tech would. I'm also concerned that I've been driving the truck for about a week with this vibration worry all the while that I'm making the problem worse. Sorry about the lengthy explanation, but I wanted to make I covered it all. This forum has been great with all the maintenance I 've done in the past and I hope someone can give me some advise on this issue before I have to take that dreaded trip to the dealer...many thanks.

 

To give everyone an update on my issue, I went out and drained the Mobil 1 from my rear differential and replaced it with Valvoline 75W90 conventional gear oil with 4 oz of the CRC friction modifier last night. I gave it a test drive and sure enough, the vibration was still there. I also put the truck in 4H and still experienced the vibration at 35-40 mph. It feels as though the vibration is originating toward the front of the truck. Should I be replacing the Mobil 1 in the front diff and transfer case as well? Or is my problem beyond the oil type?...Thanks all who can give some advise.

 

Update:

Been about a week since I started having my problem with the differential oil change. And I actually found my answer in a tundra website.

They say that the oil from the dealer has an additive put in it, and I could buy that additive inside my local auto parts store. Which I did. 7 ounce bottle of trans X. Limited slip/ positron additive . I put that in Sunday morning, and just rolling out of the driveway and went back to original factory, been three days and not to sound, chatter, murmur, nothing.

Happy as a pig in mess

 

Update:

Apparently my problem has absolutely nothing to do with the front/rear diff oil change...it was just a coincidence that my vibration started just a few days after I changed the gear oil. A friend of mine took it for a drive and told me it felt as though it had something to do with the transmission and referred me to a reputable transmission shop. Long story short, a complete transmission flush with an anti-shudder additive solved my problem. No more vibration. Cost me $250 for the complete transmission service...well worth it as the problem was driving me insane. Strangely, I called my local Toyota dealer to get an idea of what they would charge for the same service, and was told that the transmission is a "non-serviceable" item. He explained that the fluid in the transmission is engineered to last a lifetime. My issue proved them completely wrong. I hope other members on this site find my experience helpful in troubleshooting similar issues.

 

a guy on the mercedes forum I frequent was having serious drive train vibration problems on his early 1990s 300E class MBZ... they did EVERYTHING (flex disks, center bearing, even a complete replacement drive shaft from another car (which made it worse), then realized some of the bolts that secured the center driveshaft bearing holder to the chassis were missing. replaced those bolts, and voila, car was as smooth as silk, like it was supposed to be.

 

I still can't believe that a simple transmission flush resolved my issue...it's been a week now and no vibration at all, and the Toyota service guy telling me that a transmission flush is "non-serviceable"...meaning you shouldn't have to do it. If I had gone to the dealership from the onset, they would likely have replaced my entire transmission and try to convince me that was the only way to fix it.

 

The auto tacoma 4.0 non 4x4 only has a rear diff correct?

 

Yes, two wheel drive automobiles only have one differential.

 

I found a complete set of the gaskets needed for the front and rear differentials and transfer case on Amazon. I just replaced the fluids on all three. Thanks for write-up (six years later).

$15 GENUINE TOYOTA GASKET KIT FOR TRANSFER AND DIFFERENTIAL SERVICE

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017V4BAXI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

That's awesome. I pieced together a part list for my dealership, but we missed the copper one. Front diff fill plug, I believe.

Stinky stuff, huh?

 

yep, toxic stuff

 

Did my rear and transfer case last week and went as expected. Finally did my front diff today and it was a little milky, surprising as have never done any water cossings and the '15 has the breather in the engine compartment.
Just one question, most differentials that I have changed, when adding the required amount of gear oil, the right amount put in causes it to start coming out the fill plug. That did not happen with the front differential. Is this normal? Added another 100 ml in case my bottle markings weren't right and still did not get no overflow, did not add any more than that because I did not want to overfill.
Is this a problem? Possibly just how my truck was sitting in the drive?