I'm replacing the oil in the manual transmission, transfer case, and differentials in my '01 Tacoma 4x4. Bought it used and this is the first time I'm changing the oil. The manual calls for API GL-5. Any brand that meets this standard ok to use? I'm looking more to reduce frictional losses rather an increasing the time between changes. Thanks.
This gear oil is supposed to be lifetime. The only real reason for changing it is if you have been grinding gears or otherwise abusive on the tranny.
If you're going to change it, go with a synthetic. Castrol is generally good, and will have equivalency on the bottle.
errrr, no, oil is not lifetime !!
i use Valvoline synth.
synth's are better performing in the diffs, and makes a clutch shift easier in colder weather.
and what's with the canned reply "i couldn't believe my eyes" ??
Ha, if not changed it is lifetime ---just cut a little short. I too use Valvoline. Some swear by Amsoil but it is hard to come by and costly. I'd just as soon go with a big name company (as long as its not Chrysler, Ford or GM!)
Any frictional loses will be minor. I use synthetic, and Mobil 1 is excellent and available. You will also get increased oil life from any good synthetic.
No, not all oils rated GL-5 are the same. Buy one of the better brands.
Ken
Hmmmm...in 1990 I called my Toyota Service Dept for a maintenance. I told the guy (who, incidentally, I bought the car from) that I wanted this checked, and that checked and the other thing checked, and change the gear oil in the Transmission (Corrola GTS, 5 Speed). "Why do you want to change the gear oil? It's lifetime" was his response. BTW, the car was 6 years old at this time. "Because I heard my wife trying to put it in reverse without using the clutch". Short pause on line, then "Change...Gear...Oil..."
*ALL* the manual transmission cars and trucks I've ever owned have said right in the manual (quoting from Volvo 1800ES, 1973) "The transmission is filled at the factory with a robust gear oil and does not have to be changed for the life of the car". Toyota manuals used to say something similar, with a note to top off as required.I always thought you needed to change it too, but all the mechanics I know (and they are not fly-by-knights) say leave it alone!
Well, ya know how yours says "On %d in %g, %n said:"(or something similar)? I altered mine, because most of the time I *can't* believe my eyes!
There. I changed it.
Hint: in your setup, you have a "reply" string. For most readers, %i is the message id, %n is senders name, %a is sender's name and email, % d is date, %g is group, etc. SO, you can alter your reply to to read,
On %d, in %g, %a wrote in %i:
Which would come out
On Sunday, December 8, 1941 18:00:00 -0500 in alt.speeches.congress FDR wrote in PAN2004.02.1.12.7.1941.172332:
*I* don't need that much info....and half the time, I *can't* believe my eyes!Or, you could say:
On September 11, 2001, in alt.foo.bar, JabbaTheHut burped up and spit out the following jewels:
Or whatever.
Are you any relation to Celica Dude?
Nope.
brand that
frictional losses
You will need different viscosity grades of API GL5 oil for these. A
75w/80 or straight 80 for the main and transfer boxes and an 80w/90 or straight 90 or even a 90w140 for the axles. Check the specific required specs. for your area in the operators manual. No one knows better. Brand really is NOT important as long as it actually does have a brand [as opposed to so-called 'greenbarrel' brandless oils]. Whether an oil is synthetic or not is unimportant at anything like 'normal' oil change intervals.If any of these factors were important they would be flagged up as such in the operators manual. They are not.
Huw
That can be looked at two ways - Is the "lifetime" limit on the gear oil about the longevity of the oil, or the transmission it is in? If the oil gets contaminated, kills the gears, and now you need a full transmission rebuild, that oil certainly did last for the "lifetime of the transmission", did it not? ;-)
I would change a "Lifetime" item like gear oil /under normal driving conditions/ every 3 to 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.
If you go off-roading a lot dirt and dust conditions, playing in mudholes and fording streams (or letting clueless wives, kids or employees drive your car in the "Grind 'em and Find 'em" mode) I'd change all the gear oils a LOT more often, annually or at the 15,000 service.
Even if it is overkill, it is also cheap insurance. Gear oil costs a whole lot less than a transmission or transfer case overhaul, or an axle gear and differential replacement.
Synthetics have advantages for much less long term wear - planning on keeping the car for a few decades? But you are probably going to have to special order it in the weight you need, it's rarely stocked at your local parts house. It's 'Warehouse Stock' time.
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