Rear diff. Fluid change

Hello all. 2006 DC 2wd. Owned since new. 130,000 miles
All I’ve done is change oil. Plugs/valve cover gaskets
this past year and new timing belt.
I’ve heard that I should leave the tranny fluid be, but wondering if I should change out the rear differential gear oil. Or anything else I may want to do. Planning on giving truck to son who starts driving soon…..
Maybe

thanks.

 

yessir. Make sure you have an LSD or dont. On the pumpkin itself it will have a sticker that says "LSD"

Recommended oil viscosity:
Front SAE 75W−90
Rear Standard differential Synthetic oil SAE 75W−140
Limited−slip differential Above −18C (0F) SAE 90 Below −18C (0F) SAE 80W or 80W−90.

 

Wait, you've never changed the diff fluid? Holy cow. You may want to change the breather on top of the diff while you're in there.

I assume yours will have the LSD. Lucas 80w90 is what you'll want to use if so.

 

Pretty easy job and fairly cheap oil. I would replace it. You're probably already aware, but its a good idea to make sure the fill plug can be opened before you drain the fluid out. You wouldn't want to drain it out only to realize you can't open the fill plug.

 

The drain plug also has a magnet on it so you'll probably see quite a bit of metal shavings stuck to it if its never been changed.

 

Is there any way to tell if this is a LSD or not ?? No markings….
I’m assuming the gear oil would
Be different ???

https://i.imgur.com/Swwj7pd.jpg

 

Go to Toyota owners website and check the specs on your VIN. The differentials look the same from the outside. Yours looks clean and I see no sign of the sticker leaving any mark. So my guess is that you don't have a LSD.

 

go to Toyodiy.com and it'll give you the specs on your specific vehicle

 

This is one of those misunderstood urban legends. You really should change it. If you want to be conservative do a drain and refill -- which will refresh about 4 quarts. Do several of them over time and you'll have slowly refreshed most of the fluid.
What I would recommend (and what I did on mine) is to do a drain and refill, then pull the trans cooler line, run the engine to pump out two quarts, stop and add two quarts. Repeat that three more times (for a total of 3 gallons) and you've pretty well refreshed all the fluid in the system.

 

this is called a fluid exchange.
this is risky, but can be done. I'd recommend having a friend.

https://youtu.be/DPXF-iQZb9o?si=e_5SJx8BbTe_NIDf

 

I always open my drain first.

 

I probably should check mine then.... at 180,000....I'm playing catchup on my TLC

 

Sometimes the LSD sticker can accidentally be pressure washed off...just like the one in that picture. You can remove the fill plug and take a look see with a flashlight at the carrier. The open diff and LSD look different.

 

It does not appear that I have the LSD. So is the correct fluid 75w-90 or 75w-140
Thx

https://imgur.com/a/Kk1t29v

 

Depends, synthetic or conventional?

Last Toyota tech here in ATL I talked to said they've stopped using 75w90 and moved to 75w140 for rear diffs on all vehicles (only using Toyota fluids), and he knew what I drive. Granted, he also told me M1 full syn would be OK for my LSD, which wasn't true, but that's another story. Main reason I asked is b/c someone on this forum mentioned his technician told him the same and I was skeptical.

So if you're 100% positive you don't have LSD, safe bet is 75w90 synthetic in your preferred flavor, but it sounds like, in our warm weather climate, 75w140 is what dealerships have moved to using? I personally stick with what's been working for folks.

** BUT ** full disclaimer, in the 1st week or so of running it, listen/feel carefully for unexpected vibrations/pulsing/skipping sensations, especially when backing up while turning (like out of a parking spot) specifically, i.e. chatter. If you feel chatter, you've got an LSD and you need to swap fluid ASAP.

And if you're not 100% sure you don't have LSD, or know you have LSD, go with a conventional oil that's proven to work without slip additive. Lucas 80w90 and Motul 90w are both proven not to cause chatter in the 1st Gen LSD. If you find you have chatter with those, add 3-4oz of slip additive.

Finally, if you've never changed the little breather nub, the eraser-looking thing that's poking up (usually) from the 10 o'clock position of the diff housing (looking at the side with the fill plug), you should do that too, as cheap insurance. Especially for other guys in rusty climates.

I wouldn't personally trust what the Toyota Owner's site says about my truck. It's had quite a few discrepancies in the past with other members. Visual check is ideal. But as with everything, if you put incompatible fluid in your diff, and you have LSD rear, you're going to feel chatter within a day or three, likely while backing out of parking spaces that require you to reverse and turn at the same time, at slow speed.

 

Thx for the thorough response.
Can’t say I’m 100% positive no LSD but wouldn’t it be listed in the specs I posted? I guess I could call the dealer I purchased it from.

 

My 2000 AC non-LSD manual says 75W140. Local dealer tech told me they use 75W90 from a bulk container in all their vehicles. Can’t recall if it was syn or Dino.

 

I called the dealer today where I purchased. He didn’t even look up the vin but said all 2wd’s in that year range have limited slip diffs…..

 

Go with Lucas 80w90 or Motul 90w. Should work w/o additive, no chatter. It's also what ECGS recommends after extensive testing. I wish I'd have listened to them the first time, it would've saved me $$$.

 

90930-03031.

is this the breather your referring to?.

 

Where'd you get that part number, it doesn't match the one I looked up using this parts system? Mine was 90930-A3001.

 

Well on a Toyota site, both mine and your part number a says it’s not a fit for my 2006 2wd

I tried the site you posted but I don’t know my frame number that it asks for…..

 

Or do the breather mod

$7 Toyota Genuine Parts - Union (90404-51319)

Amazon.com: Toyota Union - 90404-51319 : Automotive

$6 Dorman 924-284 Front Differential Vent Breather Compatible with Select Lexus / Toyota Models

Amazon.com: Differential Vent Breather : Automotive

 

Follow the instructions in the thread: Start by putting your VIN number into the search box at that site and it auto-picks the correct frame number.

 

Shifty, looks like a sub for the same part number.



Mamba, I could go that route but maybe overkill for my 2wd that rarely goes off the road….

 

I would still check the part number at that EPC-DATA site to confirm, if you haven't. I do believe they're all the same for a long span, over 15-20 years, but always best to spend 5 minutes now than spend $10-15 more later.

 

Nonsense
https://www.tundras.com/threads/wha...-gen-tundra-today.2558/page-1867#post-3486347