Can i change transfercase oil? 2001 Tundra 174k light miles 1 owner.

2001 standard cab 8ft bed v8 4wd pristine example. Painted jade mica if it helps . As stated, truck is a grocery getter. Grandpa's old boat hauler, now mine. Has like maybe 300 miles hauling 2000 lbs total. So light haul usage) Maybe 50 miles in 20 years in 4wd. I have no idea if the transfer case was ever changed. Been wrenching on it for the last few years. Yet to come across a seized bolt thanks to texas weather. What am i in for with this transfer case. Engine and transmission have received 6000 mile/ 6 month 30000 mile oil changes religiously since purchased. Transfer case isnt slipping. Goes to work every time. I just know i cant leave it be.

 

Give it a shot. Remove the filler plug first and see how the oil looks. I've never seen my t case oil dirty.

 

Welcome from Texas. How many miles do you have on it? Post of picture too if you can, we loves us some truck pitchers.

Relatively easy job. Go down to “service manuals” and “owner manuals” in this link (https://www.tundras.com/threads/so-you-wanna-buy-just-bought-a-1st-gen-tundra-eh.115928/), download yours, and you’ll get everything from fluid types to volumes, to torque specs for the drain plug.

 

Change it. I can't see any reason why you shouldn't. I would do all the fluids. Front/rear diff, brake, power steering, transmission.

 

Change it. It's the rear diff you need to be concerned about, if it's LSD, but only concern is fluid type.

Meanwhile, read that thread @Jason.C linked, from end to end. It'll equip you with the knowledge you need to keep the truck running and functioning as more than just a boat anchor.

 

I just drained the oil out of both my front diff and transfer case a couple days ago. there’s currently about 220k miles on my truck. My brother-in-law bought the truck when it had about 180k miles on it. He isn’t that mechanically inclined so i’m pretty sure he never serviced them. Maybe somebody changed the fluids in the past, but both were REALLY clean in mine!

 

Toyota 75W is crazy expensive so many use Ravenol 75W. Get two crush washers for the 24mm drain plugs. Loosen fill plug first before draining. Fill to just dripping out of fill hole. Torque value is 27 ft-lb. Easy

 

So is the consensus that Ravenol 75w the right fluid for the transfer case on a 06 double cab. Or do you guys recommend OEM?

 

I did valvoline synthetic 75w90. You'll get all kind of answers here. That worked for me in all 3 spots. If you have an LSD rear you gotta treat it to the right stuff or it'll complain about it.

 

Mobil1 75w90 full syn here. And LSD rear, so naturally 80w90 Lucas.

 

I did the right Lucas oil for the rear. I already have oil for the front differential. Just making sure I get the right stuff for the transfer case

 

I used same M1 synthetic in TC and front diff.

 

Did the change. Oil was light brown. No issues since. Thanks all.

 

A couple things...
It seems like an engine oil change every 6k is quite a stretch...but then again oil change frequency recommendations are probably like having an oil thread on a forum.

I do like the idea of changing the transmission fluid every 30k. I have done this with my mother’s 2008 Odyssey that she bought brand new. I also flush her power steering fluid at the same time.

Your transfer case shouldn’t ever slip...like ever. There’s nothing inside our t-cases that has clutch plates.

 

To be fair, the 6k is a call back to when i was ignorant and fell for the old wives tale of " it needs conventional". A little research told me pennzoils high mileage synthetic blend was fine. That being said, $77 every 6 months isnt really a hassle. Diff/tcase change went well, but front diff oil was black. Idk what to think about that.

 

I wouldn’t worry about the front diff oil being black....unless there was a WHOLE bunch of ferrous fuzzies on the magnetic oil drain plug.

 

When I bought my 02 RCLB earlier this year I changed EVERY fluid (Engine, ATF, Coolant, Power Steering, Brake fluid, Front Diff, TC, Rear Diff). Good insurance, especially when there's no maintenance records...

 

Or you could be like mine, here are pics of rear/tc/rear drains for me: https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-1549#post-3084622

Saving you a click for thefront diff photo, this is what came out of mine for the first few seconds ... I have my suspicions the PO had never had a drain/fill done on the front diff. But the magnet didn't look bad (pics of magnet sludge are one reply down in that last link).

Needless to say ... the important thing here is just that you're changing fluids, and using the right fluid for the job. Oh, and changing these fluids, plus lubing the drivetrain, is probably one of the first things you should be doing when you get your 1st gen.

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My god...

 

Had I found lots of shards on the magnet, or it drained this color the whole time, I'd have been concerned. I wasn't happy with that initial sludge, but what followed was a bit more normal. I am happy the fluids are refreshed, and I'm interested to see what comes out next change.

 

That’s actually the color i was expecting to come out of my tundra‘s axle. But someone must have changed it not too many 1000’s of miles ago. Pretty much all of my jeeps (both CJ and YJ), dodge cummins, old fords, ect have all had oil that color.

 

Literally the same. Magnet sludge and all. No real shards though.