Opening Toyota Transfer case oil can

UPDATE: Found a churchkey

So this is going to sound silly but being in my 30s, I obviously have never opened a can of oil. I dont think I even own one of those pointed openers that you poke a hole at each end with. Would it be okay to use a hand held rotary can opener or should a grab a metal poke one?

 

Use a p38

 

Screw driver, stab it like your breaking up ice

 

Hey Joe,

Some years ago, gear oil formulators evolved due to a consumer need for simplifying user experience. One of many bottling improvements I’m sure, was a hard plastic bottle and today companies like Valvoline offer their Flex Fill packaging technology. Take a moment to open and easy to get into your transfer case. Just took a 3,000 mile trip with this in my front/rear diffs and transfer case and couldn’t be happier, due to the packaging, I’ll be using this formula until something better comes along! Hope you get many miles on your truck!

 

Next time you’re out stop at the dolla tree

 

I use the same in my front and rear diffs but unfortunately the transfer case calls for 75w and you can choose between ravenol or toyota. When Toyota changed transfer cases (i forget which year) but you can tell by if your drain and fill plugs are 3/8 sockets or bolts. The older transfer case that took 75w90 had the drain plug under the little skid plate. I contemplated using the ravenol but had seen a couple bad reviews and seen some that used 75w90 post about rough transfers into 4wd. So after some careful consideration, I figure I only am doing it every 30,000, which is about 3 years for me. So I'll spend the extra money on the correct spec oil simply because I have super smooth transfers in and out of 4wd and would like to keep it that way. I do know that most have posted that even dealers use 75w90 and probably have no idea Toyota changed the spec.

 

Look what I just found in the back of my silverware drawer! No idea where it came from but sure glad I have it! Knickerbocker was discontinued in the 70s so this thing has probably been used to open an oil can before lol. Known as a "churchkey" for anyone curious.

 

I posted one of the "bad" reviews on Ravenol, based on the looks and smell of the oil when changing. But once the UOA got back, everything was all good. Almost 60k miles on it I believe. And it still had life left. I switched to HPL 75w.

Could you post a photo of what the Toyota 75w looks like in a clear container with your leftover fluid? I'm curious. I've heard different things.

 

Absolutely! Hoping to do the job next weekend, I'll post it in this thread afterwards with a side by side of the old and new.

 

What is HPL 75w, havent seen that one yet.

 

High Performance Lubricants
They make incredible oil, they're one of the site sponsors on BITOG, which says alot if you've ever been on that site, and see how some people tear apart any kind of boutique oil brand that isn't absolutely top tier. I called them and discussed my oil needs, and asked if they made a 75w, they said no, but they can definitely make a batch for me whenever I need it. Same price as their diff fluid too.

I've put it through many miles of offroading so far, and it's been fantastic. Quicker engagements than the ravenol and zero issues.

 

That would explain why nothing came up on google lol. They should definitely make it commercially available since right now theres only 2 choices, a third would be nice but I'm sure the market isn't not that big or else one of the larger brands would have already jumped on it.

 

I talked with him about it, and the demand for mass production isn't there. But if anyone needs it, he can make it for you.

 

Good to know, what was the cost if you dont mind me asking?

 

It wasn't alot. I bought like $500 worth of oil at the time. I'll have to look.

 

Thanks just curious were it stacks between ravenol and the toyota stuff, I paid $55 a can for the oem stuff and ravenol is $25.

 

Just checked the current pricing (not sure if it changed since I bought it) I bought 12 quarts, and it came out to 18.44/qt +shipping.

I tend to buy lots of oil at once to save on shipping and bring the total cost per quart down.

 

Ive actually got two of these in a box in the shed.

 

Here you go, just changed it today, old on the left new on the right. I'd say it has a similar color to motor oil and a similar smell to regular 75w90 gear oil.

 

Looks a bit darker, but that's normal for any oil. How did it smell?

 

Didn't smell much different than typical gear oil smell. That was 33k miles, I'm sure it was was still good to go but felt like changing it. There was some small metal debris in the pan but nothing too crazy for a first time fluid change.

 

That's good info.

 

Thanks for the picture!