Can't find synthetic SAE 90 gear oil

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hkeller said:
Dyno oil is made up of small chains of oil molecules. Synthic is made up of small groups or balls of oil molecules. (Note, this is not scientific terminology!)
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This is wrong. ;) Both are made of "small chains". Synthetics are just more uniformly made in the better lubricating forms without the contaminants that result from "ground sourced" basestocks.

The effective "cushioning" components are the anti-wear additives not the basestocks.

Try www.bobistheoilguy.com for better explanations from people who know more than me.
 
Straight SAE 90 vs 80W-90 vs 75W-110 is not about kinematic viscosity difference, SAE 90 has much better shear stability. In regards to kV numbers, those were changed for the grade at about the same time this thread was started (SAE J306 revisions). At the same time, the lubricants also evolved and improved, so, all recommendation above could be valid as long as you are not neglecting the maintenance.
If you sleep better with SAE 90 in your diffs, just get one. Lubrication Engineers or Motul products are among the best.
 
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@apdxyk since you woke the thread an seem to have a good understanding of lubes. Can you tell me anything about: LF Toyota Transfer case lube 75W? $60 a liter is nuts what is it? Is there a substitute/equivalent lube?
 
2001LC said:
@apdxyk since you woke the thread an seem to have a good understanding of lubes. Can you tell me anything about: LF Toyota Transfer case lube 75W? $60 a liter is nuts what is it? Is there a substitute/equivalent lube?
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No clue, sorry cannot help there.
 
royal purple synchromax claims to be a replacement. The factory LF oil seems to be more of a synthetic ATF than a gear oil

Syncromax_zpsmtbeugne.webp
 
Ok, here is the basics on what you need to know from a guy who used to sell bulk fluids to factories, car/truck/boat repair shops and dealerships of all kinds, including farm equipment and new/used cars and trucks...

What you need to worry about is the GL rating of the fluid you want to use, the higher the GL number the better.
Toyota LF (long life, and long life just means synthetic) is a mono grade V160 gear oil with a GL rating of 1, that is the lowest wear protection rating you can get.
API says ALL automotive products must meet a minimum requirement at protecting against wear in order to get their seal of approval. And all lubricants with their seal of approval must be compatible with all other lubricants that bear their seal of approval. In other words, all API approved fluids are compatible with all other API approved fluids, this goes for ALL API approved fluids.
If it does NOT have that seal it has NOT been rated by API for wear protection and compatibility. Royal Purple and AMSOIL are two of the best known brands that have NOT been approved by the API.
The current GL rating is 5, using anything lower than a GL rating of 5 is not recommended.

Oil Categories
 
Sorry my description was not percises. That part # doesn't match.

Here's the correct name: LF Toyota Transfer gear lube 75W.
  • Manufacturer:Toyota
  • Part Number:08885-81080
  • Part:Transfer Gear Oil LF 75W
I don't know if LF stands for Long Life, but others have also said it's a synthetic. Then I've had others say it stand for lite friction modifiers. @Spike555 do you have references material you can link to?

Toyota and Lexus LX, LT, LF, and LL80 – specialized transfer case and differential fluids

I've not seen back of the can, but Toyota does even not spec it as GL-5 or any GL in OM.

S0rry I should have spec this is for the 200 series transfer case.
 
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2001LC said:
Sorry my description was not percises. That part # doesn't match.

Here's the correct name: LF Toyota Transfer gear lube 75W.
  • Manufacturer:Toyota
  • Part Number:08885-81080
  • Part:Transfer Gear Oil LF 75W
I don't know if LF stands for Long Life, but others have also said it's a synthetic. Then I've had others say it stand for lite friction modifiers. @Spike555 do you have references material you can link to?

Toyota and Lexus LX, LT, LF, and LL80 – specialized transfer case and differential fluids

I've not seen back of the can, but Toyota does even not spec it as GL-5 or any GL in OM.

S0rry I should have spec this is for the 200 series transfer case.
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I was referring to the original post as I assumed that was just being continued, if I missed a change in topic I apologize.
The Toyota LF 75W is GL-5 rated. It says so right in the description in the link you provided.

The link I provided in my last post is to API and their rating system.
When you search for a lubricant it will say on the bottle what it is rated.
There is also a "S" rating, as long as you are using the most current rated lubricant you'll be fine.
Yes there are variables between brands and formulations, but all will (should) meet the minimum API rating.
Buying import lubricants online and you could very well be buying a product that is not API rated, Europe and Asia have their own rating system, I am not familiar with those ratings.

Think of it like gasoline, you know that all gasoline sold in the US meets the federal minimum quality requirements, but you still buy from a branded Top Tier gas station because you know they're following the rules and they go through extra scrutiny and have more/better detergents and is better for your car.
 
Spike555 said:
I was referring to the original post as I assumed that was just being continued, if I missed a change in topic I apologize.
The Toyota LF 75W is GL-5 rated. It says so right in the description in the link you provided.

The link I provided in my last post is to API and their rating system.
When you search for a lubricant it will say on the bottle what it is rated.
There is also a "S" rating, as long as you are using the most current rated lubricant you'll be fine.
Yes there are variables between brands and formulations, but all will (should) meet the minimum API rating.
Buying import lubricants online and you could very well be buying a product that is not API rated, Europe and Asia have their own rating system, I am not familiar with those ratings.

Think of it like gasoline, you know that all gasoline sold in the US meets the federal minimum quality requirements, but you still buy from a branded Top Tier gas station because you know they're following the rules and they go through extra scrutiny and have more/better detergents and is better for your car.
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GL-* in above link I posted is referring to LT & LX, NOT the LF.

There is no rating for "Toyota Transfer Gear Oil LF 75W" FOR S, GL, API, ILSAC on the bottle.

Toyota just states in OM ask your local dealer, which I did and they don't know!.

Perhaps I should take this discussion elsewhere.
 
I guess I have totally misunderstood you.
My apologies.
 
Page 2 has a table where it says that majority ( 80 to below 90% ) of it is highly refined paraffin [oil]. Monogrades don't have to be synthetic.

(line three says under 1% of ester oil) You can also do your own search on the CAS Numbers in that table.

Page 7 has viscosimetric properties, if it helps.
 
I’ld like to resurrect this regarding toyota LF 75w and 100 series transfer cases. I’ve just put in a direct replacement for that spec put in my transfer case (redline MTL-LV; 2006 lx470) and am wondering if that was a mistake.
 
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Craptaztic said:
I’ld like to resurrect this regarding toyota LF 75w and 100 series transfer cases. I’ve just put in a direct replacement for that spec put in my transfer case (redline MTL-LV; 2006 lx470) and am wondering if that was a mistake.
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Off of the top of my head:

MTL-LV is a GL-4-spec gear oil, it's fine for the transfer case. Note that the front and rear diffs call for a GL-5, so don't use it there.

My 2007 LX470 calls for 80w90 in the diffs and 75w90 in the transfer case.

Since I use Redline 75w90 (GL-5) in a number of my vehicles, I buy it by the gallon and use it in all three diffs of my LX with zero problems (just like many if not most posters here on Mud who use various brands of 75w90 in all three). My drain/fill interval is 30k miles.
 
To add on to a post above regarding GL-5 being "better" than GL-4, this is not always the case, mainly due to the effects of sulphur on yellow metals and lubricity requirements.

I'll refer anyone looking for technical information on this matter (or anyone who likes to overthink this stuff like I do) to this excellent tech article linked directly below.

The Difference between GL-4 and GL-5 Gear Oils, by Richard Widman (Revision 6-2020)
 
I've been using Mobil 1 75-90 in all gear boxes. Which is LS (limited slip), is a GL-5.
Except: the 2010 up LC & LX transfer case (TC). Toyota change recommendation to GL-4. Which is not LS.

LS (GL-5) has sulfur, which can damage yellow metal (brass). Seems Toyota added brass, in 2010 or 2011 TC. Those, I just use the $100 a liter Toyota TC lube.
 
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Lol, I gave up.. the MTL-LV was a 70w/75w oil as a direct replacement for Toyota LF Transfer Case oil... I think I must've been looking at 80-series tech forum when I ordered it. Not specifically recommended for the 100-series. My manual asks for a GL4 or GL5 75w-90 as does the service manuals. I went ahead and drained and filled with redline MT-90, a GL4 75w-90. It's not a hypoid gear oil but then again there's no hypoid gears in that transfer case. Nor is there a clutch pack. There may or may not be brass/bronze in the transfer case, someone thinks there was a change in 2010/2011 and brass/bronze was added?

FYI- the MTL-LV came out very clean, only had maybe 150-200 miles on it. Magnet was just as clean as when I put it in.
 
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