Changing differential fluid - A step by step "HOW TO"

Without reading through 70 some pages, I picked up the diff oil from the dealer and they insisted that I needed 2 crush washers when i did this myself. Is this true or did I just get Stealershipped? You can see crush washers taped to top of oil lids

 

They just have them to me for free. I used them.

 

Just fill till it barely drips out

 

Bastards! Fo free!!

 

Crush washers are a good idea...more importantly on the drain plugs. The last time I did my diffs, I re-used the old ones and didn't have any issues with leakage.

This time...I went to the dealership to buy 2 gaskets for front & rear diff drain plugs. He gave me two of the same sized gaskets. I can't remember which, but the two drain plugs are different sizes and I had to re-use the old one again. I think it was the front one that was bigger.

 

My STEALERship doesn't give ANYTHING for free!!! crush washers are $0.89 each

 

Ok, I have been reading and reading but want to be positive I get the right fluids before I screw something up. I think im confusing myself. Both vehicles have over 60,000 miles and has never been changed. Can someone post what I will need for each vehicle? Thanks

2008 TRD Sport 4x4 DCLB
2009 TRD Sport 4x4 DCLB

 

read the first post in the thread - has everything listed there

 

So Im done. But.... Metal shavings. Normal? 31,000 miles?

 

NOT normal to see chunks/shavings like that.
Metallic dust - yes.
Metallic shavings - No.


I would take the truck to the dealership (and bring 'samples' of the shavings) and force them to open up the diff. That's under 'drivetrain' warranty which should be good until 60K or more. That is not good.

 

Not nice..... Sent Yota an Email with these pictures. Will see what BS they come back with.

 

Go to dealer , bring oil and shavings, have them open it and check as a warranty work. Write down the name of everyone you talk to at dealer, dates and time. If they don't help you send all that info Toyota as a customer complaint. Those shavings do not look good at all. Good luck bro.

 

Yeah I'd take it in under warranty.

 

Even oil drain plug gaskets? My am dealer pops one gasket in each filter I buy box.

 

Good thing you did it not the dealer. The tech wouldn't see that.

 

Depends on the dealership. One dealer gave the oil drain plug gaskets to be for free, the other charged me for every one of the gaskets for the diffs fluid change and x-fer case.

 

Yup, even those. Have to pay for them

 

I placed truck level and unscrewed the filler plug, to let out any excess from my 3.8 QTS in, and very little came out, less than 0.1 QTS, so my guess is that truck level to the bottom of filler plug is between 3.5 and 3.7 QTS plus 4oz of friction modifier. I'll give an update on the castrol gear oil after several thousand miles of use or breakdown whichever comes first. Lol

 

Any other symptoms noticed such as a grinding noise?

 

Nope.