Transmission and Transfer Case 5th Gen 4Runner

I always read about people changing their diff and transfer case oil, but never the transmission oil. Does our 4Runner have a transmission oil that we have to change as well?
Or the transfer case is the transmission? Sorry this is my first 4WD vehicle so this all new to me.

 

This is my opinion of course...I have driven 4 Wheel drives 50 years...Bronco's, Jeeps and now my 85 4 Runner...first and foremost if you bought it used...change them all...engine oil, filter, transmission, transfer case and differentials...you never know what Bert and Ernie did with your new 4 Runner before you got it (ran through 3 feet of water or worse...got stuck in 3 feet of water) Changing will tell about previous maintenance and will help eliminate a plethora of potential failures!!! I also...from a previous post on my 85 4 Runner changed every thing to Red Line lubricants...yes it's expensive but you will notice a difference in shifting and differential noise...please let me know if you do and let me know if you see a difference...your going to love your 4 Runner...they are AWESOME!!!!

 

I changed my 4runner transmission, transfer case, front and rear axle fluids when I hit 15k miles and I would say that the transmission oil and rear axle fluid needed replacement. After owning an FJ for over 11 years and 200k miles this is will be maintenance I will be doing on my 4runner. Transfer case, front and rear axle fluid change every 30k miles and transmission fluid change every 15k miles.

 

I should have mentioned all of my 4 wd were manual and lock out hubs...I am not an authority on the newer versions at all so maybe Red Line is not the best for automatic transmissions or transfer case...differentials I still stand by Red Line.

 

Change it as required or rather instructed in your owners manual if you have any concerns follow the "extreme maintenance" intervals which will be sooner. I'm not "changing the crap" out of all the fluids real early but then again I'm probably keeping mine 4-6 years and it's going. I'm not looking to go 200,000+ miles.

 

the rear diff does need changing at 5K miles on the first engine oil change. the rear diff has a breakin on the gears so it created a high temp.. after breakin then the diff will not cause a gear oil problem unless you tow or haul to the max.
I did my change @3K miles just before winter hit .. fluid was dark and gray colored I check the drive train fluids on my oil changes so only the rear diff required oil replacing.

you have to use the proper fluid in the transfer case .. has special additives ..
the transmission fluid is a special fluid. if the fluid looks improper drop the pan and clean up the debris then use the correct toyota fluid. the transmissions on these with owners not replacing the fluid had problems @150K miles.. they had a shudder issue. then they did the transmission fluid procedure to run the engine at idle and added the fluid as the old fluid came out the transmission line. fluid transfer procedure .
if you use the 4wd a bit do the transfer case @30-40K miles .. check the fluid if it looks good then it is OK.
GREASE THE DRIVE SHAFTS !! do not over grease them . 2-3 pumps..U joints and the splines.

 

I, personally, recommend a complete fluid change at 100k.

No drain 3 quarts, add 3 quarts BS. A good Toyota dealer will have a machine to completely flush all fluid.

 

I hope this question isn't too off topic. On the 2016 4R, there is no trans dipstick. So how does one check the trans fluid? How does the dealer check the fluid to tell you that it needs to be changed?
Thanks

 

Do any of you guys know if the Filler Plug for the transmission has an O-Ring in it? I already ordered the crush washers for the drain plug and overflow plug part number: 35178-30010.
I can't find a part number for the filler plug.

 

Boy I have removed the transmission filler plug many times and I don't believe it has a o-ring. On my FJ and my current 4runner I have never changed any drain or overflow washer to date and I have never has a leak. Sold my FJ with almost 200k miles on it. Just my experience with this.

 

The dealer uses a scan tool to check the temp of the fluid. There are drain and fill holes under the vehicle.

 

Thanks. I was wondering if one could tell if it's a fill plug or some random hex head looking thing. I guess nowadays it could be rubber or plastic.
Also not doubting you but, how can a scan tool tell if the oil needs to be changed or is it a tech thing that goes beyond the smell test.

 

proceedure to exchange tranny fluid; Transfer Case Fill Gasket 90430-18008
Transfer Case Drain Gasket 90430-18008
Front Differential Fill Gasket 12157-10010
Front Differential Drain Gasket 90430-24003
Rear Differential Fill Gasket 12157-10010
Rear Differential Drain Gasket 12157-10010

Transfer Case Drain Plug 90341-18006
Transfer Case Fill Plug 90341-18006
Transfer Case Breather Plug 90930-03172
Rear Differential Drain Plug 90341-18057
Rear Differential Fill Plug 90341-18006
Rear Differential Breather Plug 90930-03031
Front Differential Drain Plug 90341-24014
Front Differential Fill Plug 90341-18032
Front Differential Breather Plug 90930-03136

torque on the front diff should be:

Drain:48ft/lbs
Fill:29ft/lbs

Rear Diff:
Drain and Fill:36ft/lbs

Oil Pan Drain Plug 90341-12012
Oil Pan Drain Plug Gasket 90430-12031 Drain plug gasket - Toyota part # 35178-30010


TRANSMISSION PLUG GASKETS
Drain plug gasket - Toyota part # 35178-30010 NASHUA $2.50
Overflow plug gasket - Toyota part # 35178-30010
*** Fill plug gasket [O RING] REUSEABLE - Toyota part # 90301-15004 ***

http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/345 WEB INSTRUCTIONS

Transfer Case Fill Gasket 90430-18008 27 Ft-Lb 24mm socket
Transfer Case Drain Gasket 90430-18008 27 Ft-Lb 24mm socket
Front Differential Fill Gasket 12157-10010 29 Ft-Lb 10mm hex
Front Differential Drain Gasket 90430-24003 48 Ft-Lb 10mm hex
Rear Differential Fill Gasket 12157-10010 36 Ft-Lb 24mm socket
Rear Differential Drain Gasket 12157-10010 36 Ft-Lb 24mm socket
Engine Oil Pan Drain Gasket 90430-12028 27 Ft-Lb 14mm socket


SCANGAUGEII
XGAUGE CODES

GAUGE : TFT/Transmission FLUID Temperature


TXD : 07E021D9

RXF : 032180000000

RXD : 2810

MTH : 00070064FE70

NAME : TFT

Notes : DEGREES F 110-114 F tranny temp at the Tranny check port that has the O ring on it .


Torque Convertor
TXD: 07E02182
RXF: 046105820000
RXD: 3808
MTH: 00090005FFD8 (00010001FFD8 for Celsius)


Pan
TXD: 07E02182
RXF: 046105820000
RXD: 2808
MTH: 00090005FFD8 (00010001FFD8 for Celsius)


Transmission PAN Temperature (2010+-ALT) 07E12182 046105820000 2808 00090005FFD8 TFT Degrees Fahrenheit[FROM SCAN GAUGE].

 

Transfer cases typically don't loose oil unless the seals are bad...internal or external seals...the way to check is to remove the plug and if oil runs out...it's full! Same for transmissions and differentials...I always make sure when I remove the fill plugs a small amount of 90 wt oil or what ever yours calls for should run out...not mass amounts just a little...if not add to it until it does. I hope this helps.

 

No leaks here. Dealer tried to up sell me an automatic transmission fluid flush & fill, for $280. Nay nay I say.
I only wanted to know if an above average nut twister (me) can drain a refill the A/T.

 

It's plugged into the dash and measures the trans temp at a certain interval. Takes about 45 minutes. Some have hex some not.

 

If it is BS why does the transmission pan have a drain plug? I have done a transmission pan drain and fill, using only Toyota WS Transmission oil, every 15k miles on my 08 FJ for 11 years and never had a shudder with the transmission for 200k miles when I sold her to get my 4runner. I drained my 4runner's transmission oil at 15k and it was dark purple and not red.

 

To drain fluid?

 

I do my trans every 15K while I have the skids off for doing the 3 diffs.

There are 3 plugs (drain, check, and fill) and you want to make sure the transmission is fully cold when you start the process. Pull the fill plug, pull the check plug, then the drain plug (in that order, again you don’t want to drain it first then find out the check or fill plug won’t come out or it’s stripped or whatever). After it drains put the drain plug back in with a fresh crush washer. Put the check plug back in with the old drain crush washer and use a fluid pump to dump 5 qts of Toyota WS fluid in the fill hole and put the fill plug back in. Start it cold, shift through park, reverse, neutral, drive, then pack up through the gears to park and repeat a handful of times, just a couple seconds in each to help circulate fluid. Then let it idle in park and monitor the trans temp (scan tool or something like OBD Fusion app with the Toyota enhanced diagnostics and a Carista dongle). When trans temp reaches 105-110 degrees pull the check plug back out while its idling and let the excess drain out the check hole. Once it slows to a drip put the check plug back in with a new crush washer and you’re done. Simple drain and fill. The fill plug has a reusable rubber o-ring. The check plug is the 5mm hex one on the pan, “CHECK” is actually stamped into the head of the bolt. I believe the recommended interval is 60K for heavy load usage, and I don’t thing they recommend a fluid change for normal usage. It’s not a full system flush, the system as a whole takes 11.3qts if everything is dry and all the fluid is out of the torque converter. With a drain and fill you’ll get 4-4.5 qts of fresh fluid in it. Don’t worry about pulling the pan to change the “filter”, it’s a just a metal screen.