3rd Gen Differential and Manual Transmission (6MT) Fluid Change

For Auto rear diffs is everyone staying with toyota recommended fluid or redline, amsoil, other?

 

There's no reason to do anything interesting with the diff lube. I used M1

$28 75W-90 Synthetic Gear Lube - 1 Quart (Pack of 2)

75W-90. Be sure to do the front diff at the same time as it has less capacity and the spiders are always spinning in there even though the ring and pinion are not. See this post for pics:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...6mt-fluid-change.481719/page-17#post-18959044​

 

Appreciate you brother..

 

You're welcome!

 

Do the t case while you're at it.

 

His money is burning a hole in your pocket...ain't it...lol

 

Not worth doing short of 90k.

 

Tony is the fun police! Someone arrest the man!

 

Hahaha! You know me!

 

Guess it depends on the owner and how they use it. Just did a full four-wheel drive service on a 4Runner 2 days ago that definitely didn't need it, but the owner insisted because they're out on their property several times a month. Did a Highlander that probably only ever used it's all-wheel drive whatever it snowed and the fluid coming out of the front diff and the t case definitely needed to be replaced... At 60,000 mi.

There are a myriad of possible causes but I suggested it because the T case uses the same oil as the differentials and since you're already under there... What's another quart and a half? Lol

 

I use the 2LM almost daily and get in a decent amount of wheeling. Both times that I swapped it, the fluid looked virgin.

Per the manual, the 3rd Gen T case fluid is different. I would not give advice against that.

 

I'm just giving the Toyota rm advice from Toyota Information Systems, where the dealerships have access to all kinds of technical info.

Perhaps it's just the middle of the pack (as Toyota are wont to do) information.

If I could afford it, I'd run exclusively amsoil, as my one time changing all fluids with their stuff went swimmingly.

 

TiS says 75w-85 GL5 when the OM says 75w LF? Again, it's one thing to do what works offline. Another to recommend to someone else.

 

Yup. GL5 covers additive requirements for the T case.

75W LF, Toyota has a "branded" oil specific to this, costs a bit. Says Toyota on the package.

Otherwise.... Your guess is as good as mine. (Toyota also probably can't be bothered to rewrite manuals, since next to nobody reads them anyways lol)

 

That's the thing. The T case fluid is a change from the 2nd Gen.

I got hosed on something like that in the past. OM had an old spec listed (ATF for PS fluid / had to buy some). Tossed that in. The spec changed to Pentosin, which I already had on the shelf. Not long after, the rack cracked. The error was in the manual for the whole generation.

I was doubting myself about the failure until someone else had the same issue.

So, I kinda take changes to heart.


The LF T case fluid cost isn't too bad if ran for 90k. That said Ravenol worked well for 40k.

 

This PS thing is on your current truck? I just swapped out the fluid with ATF.

 

No. It was a car ages ago. Sort of a painful lesson.

Yeah. The Taco is generally easy.

 

Yeah I’d say. Trying to follow OEM and it still goes wrong.

Had me worried on the Tacoma for a minute.

 

I hear you there.

Pentosin kinda sucks because you have to flush every so often. And, it is pretty pricey for PS fluid.

 

Whew. I mean that sucks, but you had me worried, since we still use ATF for ps top offs and such lol