Change Transmission Oil.

[anchorman]

Difficulty - Medium

Time - About an hour

Tools - A 24mm or 15/16AF spanner or socket, a 10mm hex socket or allen key for the transfer box and rear diff', a suitable draining container, a supply of rags and either an oil pump or at least one half litre oil bottle with a filler nozzle as shown in the photos.

Frequency - Every 20,000 miles or 2 years (every second service).

To get about under my car I put the front on the ramps and the rear onto some wooden blocks. Do not use brick or concrete blocks as they can crumble without warning.

It is not necessary to have the vehicle level (fill the unit to the level plug) if you measure the oil in and I find the best way is with those half litre bottles which have a scale on the side. The transfer box and the rear axle take 0.9 litres of oil. Don't beat yourself up about measuring this accurately as 0.1 of a litre is about a table spoon full. Try to get 2 half litre bottles in each one. You will find that it is easier to squeeze the oil out of a part full bottle than a nearly empty one so I order 2.5 litres and keep transfering fresh oil into a container noting how much is going in. It will make sense once you start!

In these pictures you will see the use of an oil pump but half litre bottles are just as good. It is often cheaper to buy oil in 5 litre drums so be sure to check the prices first. I have saved some old half litre bottles and decant the oil into them for measuring and filling.

Starting with the gearbox;

So 3.4 litres of API GL5 75W/90

You can remove the filler plug first to let the air in;

Then drain the oil into a suitable container;

Clean all the plugs carefully. Keep them to the same place they came from as some are magnetic to attract the debris.;

Here is that pump I was on about!

Only the !Removed! go to so much trouble!!!;

To do the transfer box approach the drain plug from the front and to get at the filler - under the drivers door;

0.9 litres of Hypoid API GL5 SAE 90 (very important to use this extreme pressure [EP] oil) goes back in;

This is a better view of the filler;

Now around to the back and drain the diff'. You need a 10mm allen key;

Add some more of the same oil as the transfer box - 0.9 litres;

[Nigebob Squarepants]

Another TOP in depth job from ANCS.

Who’s the cameraman / woman, unless you have three arms!

[anchorman]

Another TOP in depth job from ANCS.

Who’s the cameraman / woman, unless you have three arms!

Wollaston who will feature in the timing belt tutorial!

[Catweazle]

Wow Anchorman, that certainly beats the Haynes manual for clarity. Any chance of adding this to the pinned section so we can all refer back to it when we need to? I certainly will as I took my newly acquired RAV into my local independent Toyota garage the other week for a once over and he said then that it could do with a change of all the fluids.

Thanks again and keep on posting.

[Ravpete]

That's great clarity, thanks for taking the trouble to record it so well. Can I ask you a queation about auto box oil change?

I have a late 2003 4.2 XT4 Petrol/Auto 50k miles and wish to change the autobox oil. My Haynes (USA) manual advises that the autobox sump-pan should also be removed and the filter screen (or filter, they don't seem to be sure which is fitted!) be cleaned/changed.

Is this a normal or necessary operation?

I also see that Comma Oils now list their new MVATF oil (not the Dextron type)as suitable for this box. Has anybody used it? (Castrol still say Refer to Dealer).

I would be greatful for your advice.

Pete.

[saffron]

That's great clarity, thanks for taking the trouble to record it so well. Can I ask you a queation about auto box oil change?

I have a late 2003 4.2 XT4 Petrol/Auto 50k miles and wish to change the autobox oil. My Haynes (USA) manual advises that the autobox sump-pan should also be removed and the filter screen (or filter, they don't seem to be sure which is fitted!) be cleaned/changed.

Is this a normal or necessary operation?

I also see that Comma Oils now list their new MVATF oil (not the Dextron type)as suitable for this box. Has anybody used it? (Castrol still say Refer to Dealer).

I would be greatful for your advice.

Pete.

Anchorman,

Many thanks for this. Realy clear and easy to follow. Will have a go next weekend.

[anchorman]

Pete

I would only take the gearbox strainer off if the oil is particularly black, smells of burning or you have had some gearbox work/fault problems. It isn't a fine filter like the engine has, it's only a course strainer. If you do feel it necessary just wash it out with a solvent cleaner and wipe the sump pan clean. There is some info here on taking the pan off but don't fiddle with the valve gear;

auto box 2.pdf

..........and some info in DI10 section 5 for filling and checking but don't get bogged down with all the diagnostic stuff;

auto box 1.pdf

The Comma oil is fine for your vehicle;

http://www.commaoil.com/productsguide/vrm/6/8009/1

N.B. Topic pinned

[Ravpete]

That's great Anchorman, thanks very much. The autobox oil still looks clean so I will leave the filter alone and refill with MVATF.

Thanks again.

Pete.

[Dick Hawkes]

Just read your article on transfer box oil. Thought i ought to warn you and anyone else about attitude towards this by Toyota in the Uk. My RAV4 xt4 is just on 3 years old and it only has 16000miles on the clock. I have it serviced regularly by a Non Toyota garage. this guy is very good and being an ex mechanic myself I do know what I am talking about. i always have a full service once a year. His instructions are to do whatever extra work he feels it needs. However he didnt change the transfer box oil at the 2 year mark. So when the car went in for a transmission whine under warranty the garage repaired it (or tried to!!) then gave it me back wore than before. When the car was taken back they tried to tell me it was a different noise!! I ave been around motor cars a long time I know the noises they make. Anyway after a few heated words they said the would look at it again. This resulted in them asking me to prove it had been serviced properly. No problem I thought! that is until Toyota refused to do the work under warranty because i couldnt prove that the oil in the transfer box had been changed. So be warned if its under warranty change it even though we all know that gear oil last for ever or at least a very long time more then 16000 miles. By the way has anyone else had a transmission whine at around 40mph cruising?? I would love to hear from you if you have.

[anchorman]

The usual one with the 5 speed boxes is jumping out of 5th. Somebody recently mentioned a whine - was that you?

The service book says that as long as the vehicle is serviced according to the schedule they will underwrite the warranty no matter who has done it. In my case I keep a spreadsheet of the work done and all the receipts. If you buy the parts from a Toyota garage that is another good record. I also take it back every 12 months for them to do their "safety check" and it gives them the chance to check the oil is clean and the transmission plugs have been out.

[Sensei]

Achorman; the sixth picture where it says "To do the transfer box approach the drain plug from the front (...)", isn't that the rear differential?

I just completed all three oil changes, what a mess it can be getting that goo back in!

Tip: Don't buy a cheap pump that squirts in both ends. You end up getting soaked in stinking gear oil when pulling the handle back!

[anchorman]

No if you look at the 7th photo you will see I crawled in from the front.

For filling the various boxes, Roadwrangler recently alerted me to a new Sealy product which I ordered immediately;

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Sealey-1-Ltr-Mini-Pump-For-Oil-Fluid-Cleaner-TP6804_W0QQitemZ390265447488QQihZ026QQcategoryZ30917QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Sensei]

No if you look at the 7th photo you will see I crawled in from the front.

Sure, 7th photo is the transfer case. Both drain/fill-plugs on transfer case can be worked with 24mm wrench/spanner, and the drain plug is on the side of the transfer case. On the 6th picture it looks like you are working with an allen/hex and the drain plug is on the bottom. Also, it looks like that's the tow hitch with connector I see hanging down in the background.

[anchorman]

Quite right! I never noticed that. I will amend when I get the chance!!!

[trm1]

Hi

Do you know the transmission oil capacity for the 2.0 litre Rav4 D4D xtr (Manual 5 speed box) 2005

Thanks.

trm1

[anchorman]

All the capacities are listed in the Service Data Sheets in the technical hints section at the top of the RAV page;

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=109888&hl=%2Bservice+%2Bdata+%2Bsheets&fromsearch=1

[junebug1701]

Excellent article as usual, Anchorman!! The only thing I would recommend is to loosen the filler plug BEFORE removing the drain plug. I've heard horror stories of people that have drained the oil only to find they can't get the filler plug loose. Or strip it out, especially those hex (allen) head plugs.

[anchorman]

They can certainly be tight. Not a bad idea folkes, make sure you can fill it before you render yourself stranded!

[Len7]

Hi this is a really helpful thread and very clear explanation

Is it Ok to use fully synthetic transmission oils please?

[anchorman]

As long as you use GL5 oil Laurence it doesn't really matter.

[Len7]

Many thanks Don much appreciated

[brav]

maybe is it a silly question, but the rav4 crossover's gearbox total capacity is it 2.1 liter? Thanks in advanced.

[anchorman]

Correct but don't forget the transfer box is seperate.

[LeeADAB]

Thanks Don for this "HOW TO" info.....

I am planning to do this soon and need to buy the oils in advance. Did I read somewhere recently that you can now use the same oil in all three boxes?

If so what type? Hypoid? 75W90? GL-4 or GL-5? What oil would anyone recommend?

If it can all be done with the same that would mean I can just get 6 Litres which would be good.

Cheers,

Lee

EDIT:

Just read this post again....http://www.toyotaown...8;#entry1254159

As mine is a GX model (although a year newer) it may not have a rear diff? So i would have just the Gearbox and Transfer Box to change the oils in?

I presume I will need new seals and if so are they all the same part number or just o-rings?

[anchorman]

If yours is 4X4 you definitely have a rear diff'

You could use 75W/90 GL5 all round but personally I would get the proper 80W90 GL5 in the transfer box and rear diff'.

The plugs have quality copper washers so no need for new seals.