Transfer case oil for Borg Warner

I called Borg Warner and talked to an engineer, He told me Borg Warner recommends LF 75 made by Exxon, as break in fluid. Toyota mandates Warner to use the Toyota LF 75 as breakin fluid . He also said call Toyota for recommended replacement .
I then called Toyota parts and asked price on 75 LF the man said they don’t use it. The fluids they use are in Bulk for service dept. and are
GL 4 and GL 5 oils in 75 90 and 80 90 viscosities. So forget about 75 LF and 75 85 LX fluids Toyota dose not use them. So that means 75 90 GL 5 quality oil is for Differentials .
80 90 GL 4 is for transfer case .
You can buy LF 75 for 60. $ a quart on line..
but Toyota dose not use LX or LF in service departments . They use 7590 gl5 and 80 90 GL4 only . 75 90 &80 90 GL 4&5 are superior oils
These oils are superior to the LX LF fluids
And FYI the Toyota 75 LF is an Exxon Mobile product. So I use Mobile product

 

Not sure why you think Toyota uses the wrong oil. Toyota sells 75W oil for this transfer case. Just because one dealer is too lazy or cheap to stock and use the proper oil does not mean it is a good idea to throw a different weight oil in the t case and assume everything will be fine. There is a reason Borg Warner spec’d 75W. When it’s time for mine to be changed, I will shell out the $ for the correct oil.

 

Right ... your filter is interpreting wrong.
I never said Toyota is using wrong oil?
Let’s break it down for you.
Borg Warner told me the oil Toyota told them to use is 75LF. It’s a break in fluid to help in gas mileage. When you have your tundra serviced at Toyota they put 75w 90 GL 5 in differentials not LX 75 85
And Toyota puts GL4 80 90 in transfer case because the Warner tr case has soft metals and GL 4 uses less sulfur and less deterioration . No dealer sells or keeps 75 LF or LX 75 85... now if you want to pay 58 dollars a quart for no reason .... Go for it ..

 

I'll just use the weight oil that is spec'd in the manual. Do you know why Toyota would print an owner's manual indicating the t case takes 75W when that isn't what an owner should use?

https://www.tundras.com/threads/tranfer-case-lubrication-requirements-2014-and-above.10129/

 

I have a manual..but Toyota dose not use these products in service departments so Toyota wrote that manual. And Toyota didn’t use LF or LX in serving tundras...

 

Again, your local dealer service department is NOT Toyota. They probably don't want to stock ten thousand dollars of expensive 75LF fluid so they cut corners.

 

Again... pay more money it’s your wallet...
75 85 is water it’s bull shit oil when you change your diff oil it’s black and there is loads of metallics sand on magnet.. 75 90 is a much better protection
Tundra has the worst MPG of any truck.. that’s why they used that crap.
Also the 75 LF is so thin and it’s basically Vegetable Grade 30 oil it’s Bull shit too.
And for MPG and environmental costs and monopoly on service profits .. 80 90 GL4 is much better and you will see how easily 4x4 H/ L shift there’s no comparison ... If you bring your tundra in for 30.000 they will put the fluids I stayed in your components ... why pay Toyota of Japan for crap oil

 

My dealer isn't allowed to touch my truck after how badly everything was over-torqued from the free Toyota Care service. BTW, I do agree with you on using 75-90 in the diffs. After seeing the oil analysis of the 75LF fluid, it contains a ton of additives and is not a "normal" oil according to Blackstone.

 

OK. I did use the same stuff for the differentials in the transfer case. It started to have problems disengaging, the truck also pulled to the right under acceleration. Switched back to 75W and everything is working properly.

 

Ok I went to my checkers flag Toyota service dept I talked to service manager. He told me Toyota of Japan instructed all service departments to use 75w 90 GL 5 in Differentials and Borg Warner transfer cases.
The 80 90 GL 4 is for colder climates. I am using mobile 75 90 GL5 in all components when I shift to HI on the fly it couples very smoothly . I Repeat Toyota sent a bulletin to Toyota service departments to start using 75 90 GL 5 in Differentials and Transfer case.

 

Can you get the number and date of the bulletin?

 

Look it up.

 

Can't find something that doesn't exist! @14burrito - you are the one that got Toyota to contact dealerships and tell them to STOP using 75-90 in 2014+ T-cases, correct?

 

So mature are you still living at home?
As I said Toyota uses 75 90 GL 5 in all Diff and transfer cases . I was told that by the service manager. And Toyota dealers only stock 75 90 and 80 90 gear oil for all service you won’t find LX or LF gear oil in any Toyota service dept. make 3 rd grade joke all you want ... it won’t change the facts... but you go on using 60 dollar a qt garbage ... until the supply runs out and then you can apologize

 

So just have the service manager you spoke with provide the TSB number. What is so hard about that? It would be very helpful to the forum.

AND, the service interval is 90k so I can afford to use the correct oil for the two times I might have the truck long enough for this service.

 

Until Toyota sends me a TSB and states that the manual is wrong. I’ll continue to use 75W. Mine didn’t uncouple properly with differential fluid in it. I don’t see why they would put it in the manual and go against what the manufacture suggests, just to put the wrong fluid in. I stopped believing WTF a service manager has to say to me along time ago. They are going to justify whatever their service department does because they’re lazy, the old transfer cases required differential fluid. So I’m sure their techs are stuck on that and they don’t want to carry both fluids. Most service managers don’t know shit from my experience. The guy at Borg Warner recommended you call Toyota and ask for a recommended replacement. A parts guy told you that they don’t carry 75. This all sounds like a good idea but to only learn about it by talking to a service manager and a parts guy, makes me wary. I want to see it in writing from them what I should be putting in my transfer case. So far the only writing I have is in my manual and it calls for 75W.

 

my manual also says 75w. Until they send me a update that’s what’s going in my tundra

 

I just changed my T case oil with 75w Ravenol I got for $18 per liter on Amazon. It is what Toyota recommends in the manual. I am not sure why you'd use anything else. And I really don't know why the OP is being so belligerent, there is really no need. And you are spreading false information about Toyota service centers not stocking 75w transfer case fluid, my local dealer has cases of Toyota branded 75w, its very expensive (which is why I got the Ravenol) but it's available and it's used when they do a transfer case service.
This topic has been discussed over and over in several threads here and on other Toyota forums, with the same results, use the recommended 75w oil in your T case and 75w90 in diffs and you'll be just fine.

 

1. Toyota does not do any service.
2. Independently owned dealerships do service Toyota vehicles.
3. All dealers do not use the same oil or lube. Some only.use Toyota products and some go super cheap and others use decent stuff bought in bulk.

 

My dealer has it too...

 

To be fair, my dealer does not stock it but they know it is the correct oil for the t-case.
They are happy to order it for service or purchase.

 

I looked at the revenol but the Toyota number they have ends in 80 . Toyota 75 LF ends in 81. How dose transfer case sync easy ?

 

I agree with the argument that LF 75 is the oil Toyota patent. And borg Warner gave the oil specifications to Toyota. There fore no after market can reproduce a alternative .
But the 75 is hard to find anymore and it’s getting more and more expensive.
I had my tundra serviced at 30.000 mi 500 dollars to have the Diff and the transfer case serviced. I checked the levels when I returned home with my finger and the diffs and transfer case had gear oil distinctive smell.
that’s how all of this started. Since the diffs and T case are not suppose to be self service Toyota dose not sell these oils and Toyota will not put out a public bulletin it is only service departments. But I will contact the SManager again and ask for a copy of there bulletin.

 

I called my parts contact at the local dealership that I have a good relationship with. He told me that it shows LF 75 is the recommended oil for the transfer case in my 2016, and he can order it in for me and it would arrive next day. After my discount I want to say it was around ~$50/liter. I asked my service advisor what is the recommended oil for my transfer case and he told me the LF 75 is recommended for 2014+ Trucks with the Borg Warner transfer case.

This has been discussed a lot on this forum, using the incorrect oil in Borg Warner causes it to act funky. It does not surprise me that some dealer would rather use bulk gear oil for the transfer case service, it is cheaper for them vs buying the correct LF 75 oil.

 

I've been researching this myself....Most BW transfer cases use ATF. The BW TOD units typically specify LV ATF while the ESOF units use normal ATF. The antiwear agents in ATF are usually on the low side to protect against clutch plate slippage. The 75W toyota recommends has the viscosity between a LV ATF and a normal ATF and is much lower than 75w-90. The VOA I found on toyota 75W shows it to have just as much antiwear additives as a gear oil if not more. The VOA on the Revenol 75W is more inline with a manual transmission or ATF for antiwear agents.

So...There isn't really a replacement on the market yet for the Toyota 75W. It has the viscosity of an ATF but the antiwear agents of a gear oil. My plan is to keep the factory fill until I can fork over the money for the real thing.

It's pretty similar to their 0w-20 motor oil....low on vis but high on additives. Using 75w-90 will protect the unit but shifting may suffer. Revenol will make it shift well but may not protect it.

 

You’re complaining about the expense of oil that costs $50-60 and you paid $500 to have a service department use the wrong oil?? No wonder you’re pissed. I serviced both my diffs at 34k and it took $100 worth of gear oil and about 12 minutes. No doubt I’d be pissed if I paid $500 and they put plain 75-90 in the transfer case. When they can’t produce the bulletin make them put the correct oil in your transfer case.

 

Just checked with my cousin who is a Toyota tech at a dealer in PA, yes, 75w recommended for t-case, and they use 75w90 for diffs, but he has been putting in the 75w90 in t-cases as well. Has not had a problem in 25 years as a mechanic.

I also checked with my local dealer (So Cal). They said same thing. 75w is spec for t-case (Tundra and Taco), but he looked at me and said most customers won't pay for the $90 cans, and will just opt for the 75w90. The parts manager is not aware of any issues.

I found 75w through local parts store for $25/bottle. Bilstein GL4 gear oil, Amazon shows its unavailable, but my local shop was able to get it. 5 star reviews, so going to give it a try

 

The Toyota 75 weight TC fluid is different from other gear oil products, including those made by XOM. Either pay for the OEM stuff, or another 75 like Ravenol or Fuchs if your truck calls for it. In most conditions substituting another gear oil like 75w85 or 75w90 will likely be fine, but why risk a sticky Transfer Case?

 

The problem is, these transfer cases have only been in the tundra since 2014. I don’t see problems arising from the wrong fluid until later on down the road.

 

The 4runner and FJ guys have been dealing with this for longer and the general consensus is use Ravenol if you don't want to spend on OEM.