60K Service Choices Look Good & What Fluid Brand ?

Hi All...

Here's my list for 60k service on my 2023 ORP. Did I miss anything ?

*Note that I am doing drain and fill for transmission fluid because I bought at 50k miles and don't know 100% what driving was done before. Safer = better IMO

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Where to go and fluid type.

I have a dealer close by and also an independent shop that does a lot of Toyotas. The dealer to me feels like I am almost telling them what to do... The shop has knowledge but wanted to do fluid exchange and is telling me they use all Valvoline fluids and they are as good as or better than OEM.

Leaning dealer at this point. thoughts?

1. Oil and filter ow-20 change
2. Tire rotation
3. Inspect intake air, cabin and engine filters.
4. Grease driveshaft
5. Transfer case oil service
6. Front differential fluid service
7. Rear differential fluid service
8. Drain and fill transmission fluid (do not flush)
9. Check brake pads, tires, etc etc etc


Thank you!

 

Valvoline being equivalent -
That might be true on most fluids - but the Toyota OEM crankcase oil (which is Mobil1 with some additional additives) might be a better choice for the engine oil. There are lots of threads on that subject here on 4Runners so you might want to research that before you decide.

Personally - I'm staying with Toyota OEM crankcase oil on both my Runners, both are north of 60k and we plan on keeping them both forever. You'll see some mentions in several threads about online resources to get Toyota OEM crankcase oil from authorized Toyota dealers online at a discount - so it doesn't end up costing you any more than off-the-shelf oil like Valvoline, Castrol, Pennzoil, etc.

Good luck!!!!

 

I would use any name brand oil changed every 5k miles versus Toyota Genuine Motor Oil (TGMO) at 10k miles. If you insist on 10k oil change intervals, TGMO is a safe bet as long as you know the shop is actually using it versus bulk oil. Nothing wrong with bulk oil, but I wouldn’t push a bulk oil 10k miles under any circumstances. TGMO is a good oil, but I still wouldn’t push it 10k.

60k is a good time to baseline all the fluids as you outlined in the OP.

Personally, I use Toyota ATF-WS or Aisin WS. I know a lot of people use Valvoline without issue, and WS is not special sauce, but I like sticking with original fluids. You’re only changing 3-4 qts (about 25-30% of total fluid), and it’s one less variable to worry about.

T-case I use Redline MT-LV GL4. Diffs get Mobil Delvac1 75w90 GL5 (a heavy duty full synthetic gear oil). Front diffs might get Redline 75w85 GL5 next fill because they take less fluid and don’t see as much abuse. Rear diff fluid takes a beating and is changed at 25-30k intervals.

Driveshaft grease points get hit every 10-15k

Brake fluid every 2yrs/30k miles.
Original brakes lasted about 50k miles

I just replaced the original coolant at 65k

The work outlined in the OP is probably close to $1000 at a shop. I do all my own work, my cost for maintenance is relatively cheap, so my service intervals are pretty conservative. It’s gives me a chance to keep a close eye on any needed repairs well before becoming a problem.

 

Engine oil: Literally any not-sketchy engine oil that meets spec. Toyota oil is a waste if it has a price premium. I get mine from Costco, whatever the shop has bulk will do.

Driveshaft: Any NGLI#2 specced grease.

Transfer Case: Toyota liquid gold, 75W-90, seen both used, I favor Redline MT-LV as an idea substitute to bending my wallet over.

Differentials: Any 75W-90 gear oil. you can even go heavier.

Transmission: Valvoline (assuming MaxLife) will be fine, Toyota WS will be fine, Aisin WS will be fine, Idemitsu TLS-LV is what I used.

I wouldn’t have a problem with an exchange being performed at this mileage and if it’s similar price, sure. Maybe go longer on the next change than the drain/fill schedule.

If you want to be particular, you can go find a shop that’ll use the fluids you bring, I’ve done that in the past.

Up to you to decide what you want to spend and where you want to go.

I’d also suck/fill the power steering. You can do a flush by pulling off the return line and it’s a pretty DIY friendly procedure either way. MaxLife will work. I use Valvoline’s Dex/Merc.

 

You sound to the reader, like someone who can and probably should do it themselves.

An anecdote, if I may: When I bought my '19 TRD Off Road Premium at 82,000 miles, the dealer had done an R + R of the brake rotors and pads, all around. This vehicle was never in salt, strictly a Tennessee grocery getter, and yet the shop sheared off all four of the index screws on the rotors - and just reinstalled the rotors and relied on the tension when the wheels were affixed to the hub assembly. How hard would it have been to apply some penetrant so the fasteners would free up enough to come off clean?

Do we really know if the shop uses the stuff we bring 'em? The mechanics I know, don't wanna be micromanaged that way. If they don't know what fluids to use, they're unlikely IMO to step up and do a meticulous job. Unless you have never wrenched your own vehicles, you're better off doing it yourself. Otherwise you are probably gonna get "whatever" and I suppose a 4 Runner can last forever on "whatever". I just crave being under there to see what's going on and once you're under there, may as well do the stuff yourself.

 

Look at Ravenol for a more budget friendly 75w for the transfer case.

 

https://www.4runners.com/threads/5th-gen-maintenance-maps-torque-specs-and-part-numbers.31033/

This map is pretty good source of information.

 

Well said, nice post. I agree with you 100% about the bulk oil possibly being different from OEM qt bottles. I change my oil every 4-5k miles and use Penzoil Ultra Platinum. I buy the AISIN WS and AISIN coolant from rock auto and save a ton of money vs toyota. I swear i read that AISIN makes both for toyota. I use Redline for both my diffs and transfer case. I have a 2022 with 82k miles.

 

List looks good. The diagram/service map linked above is fantastic. I have used it since buying my 4Runner in 2021.

Consider changing your brake fluid if you have not already. I did mine at 50K and it improved brake feel significantly. This surprised me as I'd always believed the replacement was just to avoid gunk buildup.

I do the driveshafts when I rotate the wheels every 5K. Maybe overkill, but I've gotten in the habit.

For fluids, I use quality aftermarket stuff EXCEPT for using the Toyota ATF-WS which I got from the local dealer. When I've replaced the brake rotors and pads I've used the Toyota parts because the performance and lifespan of the originals was good and figured why mess with with a proven formula? Prices are reasonable/comparable to aftermarket parts.

I have four HEAVY DUTY over-sped'd jack stands (Werner?) and prop the truck up on all four for most services. Makes rotating the wheels easier and give better access. Plus, I take my 12yo son under with me to teach him and don't want any janky setups risking our lives.

Jason

 

I went down the rabbit hole of motor oil recently.
I am not an expert but just wanted to find a better oil than Mobil 1 for my situation.

My net conclusion is that the "best oil for you" depends on your specific situation.
The area of the country you live in, how often you drive the vehicle, your style of driving, and average drive time per trip - to name a few.

Here is the table I built (yup - I'm a nerd)


The cSt values are just data points at certain temperatures and dont provide good visibility across the entirety of the temp range (which would draw a curve).
However, we can use these to make a better informed decision.

For those that say TGMO is just Mobil1 in a different bottle with different additives, there is a measurable difference in all categories, especially in 100C Viscosity.
TGMO may be made by ExxonMobil but I have a hard time believing it is the same oil with a different additive package.

So how to select the right oil? - again, I am not expert
If you live in a cold climate, you want the 40C number lower so the oil can flow easier when you start the vehicle.
If you live in warmer temperatures, you want the 100C number to be a bit higher so the oil can do its job. However, there is a limit (although I don't know where that is).
Use the climate to set your baseline and move up or down until you are happy based on the other considerations
example 1 -A higher HTHS number is better as well as it measures shear strength at high temps. If you drive it hard, then increase this number.
example 2 - If you drive it very infrequently, you want to lower the 40C number to ensure oil flows properly at startup since more of it will be drained down into the pan.

For me PUP 5w-30 was a good choice. I live in the Houston area, its summer (HOT), I drive it almost every day, My drives average about 10-12 miles with a few long highway drives a month, and I drive it a bit harder than the average. I am very happy with this decision. It seems much happier than with the Mobil1 0w-20 I was using (placebo???)

Net is - There is no "one size fits all"

 

https://pqia.org/

Here's a fun rabbit hole regarding motor oil...

 

Why do you have to do that to me??? There goes my evening...

 

Thanks TrueTexas, appreciate the chart.

 

Good info in this post. I wanted to get into it, but didn’t want to devolve into an oil thread lol.

I also run 5w30, but mostly to give a wider safety margin in lubrication because my tires and lift put significantly more load on the drivetrain than stock.

that said, I’m totally fine with running Walmart Supertech oil. Lubrication technology has made some pretty big leaps in the past 15-20 years. Despite that, I still believe that 10k oil change intervals and “lifetime” fluids is a bad practice for 90% of cars on the road.