Fluid Change Woes

[NewbieMcNewster]

Alright guys. I’ve been stymied by the basics again. Changed my oil and air filter today, no problems. Actually used an extractor for the oil, but popped the drain plug just to be sure and it was bone dry. Apparently I got every drop out with the extractor, so yay.

Where I’m stuck is the rear diff (waiting to do front until it’s knuckles time) and the transmission, but in different ways.

On the trans, I’ve drained it all out (looks like a LOT, like much more than 3.5L, but I haven’t pulled out the drain pan to check yet), but the supposedly compatible crush washer I ordered off Amazon has a bigger inner diameter than the 14mm drain plug’s head. So it obviously won’t work. What happened here? Is this the wrong part number (see bottom right of the bag’s description - 90430-18008)? Is my drain plug weirdly small? Other ideas?

Next question - can I just use any right sized crush washer from an auto parts store that I can pick up tomorrow, since I currently have a lot less trans fluid in the car than I should? What size would I get?

As for the rear diff, well, that’s much simpler. The fill plug won’t budge. At least I tried that one first… I’ve hit it with PB Blaster, and am gonna let that sit overnight, but any other ideas? Just try to leverage the s*** out of it with a breaker bar or what?

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

By the way, if anyone is interested in using an oil extractor, it’s a bit weird. It was pulling nothing when I had it jammed as far down the dipstick tube as it would go, which was the whole length of the plastic tubing. I assumed it wasn’t long enough, but when I went to pull it out it suddenly started flowing. A little tough to find the exact point where it is in the right depth, but once you do it’ll all come out.

 

[robnicko]

just use an OEM washer for the sump plug, they usually give them (non metal fibre type) for free when buying filters from Toyota, i have reused the same one for many many moons

Diff plugs, be sure to use a 6Pt socket and not a 12pt as they can round out easily

lastly, metal crush washer for the diffs and for the transfer case aluminium crush washer (again Toyota OEM)and adhere to the torque specs!

 

[Kernal]

I type too slow (^^^beat me to it^^^)

Use the correct OEM drain/fill plug gaskets and you won't run into problems with the correct fit/function. Toss the Chinesium kerapp parts.

Some methods to try (for an axle housing drain/fill plug)

Use a half inch drive six point impact socket and long 1/2" drive breaker bar for the (stock type) Diff fill/drain plugs if they're stuck. If the lip or working edge of the socket is too tall (causing less engagement of the drain plug hex) you can grind that rounded lip (chamfer) flat. Remember to press inward against the socket with one hand while pulling on the breaker bar with the other. Try tightening then loosening also. You could apply heat to the axle housing immediately around the bolt head with a propane/mapp gas torch then spray penetrating oil on it, repeat, repeat; the heating-cooling cycling may help break the rust bonds.

If you have an impact wrench you could try that if you have a snug fitting 6 point socket, push the tool inward very hard so it stays on the head of the drain plug (risk of rounding it off). After that, you can weld a nut on the drain plug. The heat from the welding will break it free (assuming it's not cross threaded).

 

[CJF]

Not on my LC, but on my used to own Cressida wagon I got the diff plug off by soaking with PB blaster (like you've done) and then the next day putting a socket and breaker bar on it, and then a jack under the end of the bar. Slowly jack it up, and viola.

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

I type too slow (^^^beat me to it^^^)

Use the correct OEM drain/fill plug gaskets and you won't run into problems with the correct fit/function. Toss the Chinesium kerapp parts.

Some methods to try (for an axle housing drain/fill plug)

Use a half inch drive six point impact socket and long 1/2" drive breaker bar for the (stock type) Diff fill/drain plugs if they're stuck. If the lip or working edge of the socket is too tall (causing less engagement of the drain plug hex) you can grind that rounded lip or edge flat. Remember to press inward against the socket with one hand while pulling on the breaker bar with the other. Try tightening then loosening also. You could apply heat to the axle housing immediately around the bolt head with a propane/mapp gas torch then spray penetrating oil on it, repeat, repeat; the heating-cooling cycling may help break the rust bonds.

Next try giving the drain plug head a few direct taps with a hammer and brass punch, enough to set up vibrations in the plug (not enough to puncture the axle housing). If you have an impact wrench you could try that if you have a snug fitting 6 point socket, push the tool inward very hard so it stays on the head of the drain plug (risk of rounding it off). After that, you can weld a nut on the drain plug. The heat from the welding will break it free (assuming it's not cross threaded).

Some good ideas here, thanks! If it gets to the point of torching and welding, I’m beyond my abilities and taking it somewhere, but I’ll try the rest!

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

Not on my LC, but on my used to own Cressida wagon I got the diff plug off by soaking with PB blaster (like you've done) and then the next day putting a socket and breaker bar on it, and then a jack under the end of the bar. Slowly jack it up, and viola.

Damn. This guy torques…

 

[Broski]

In the future never drain the oil first !! Always pull the fill plug first.
That way if you run into issues you can take it it somewhere to have it done.
At this point it not drivable

 

[jonheld]

For the diffs I use a 1/2" 6 point 24mm that I ground off the chamfer. Works wonders.

 

[manofthewoods]

In the future never drain the oil first !! Always pull the fill plug first.
That way if you run into issues you can take it it somewhere to have it done.
At this point it not drivable

To be fair, he did say he started with the fill plug, and that's where he's stuck.
If it were me. 6pt air impact. Off in 3 seconds.
As our Australian friends say...
No dramas

 

[mudgudgeon]

For the diffs I use a 1/2" 6 point 24mm that I ground off the chamfer. Works wonders.

View attachment 4120378

This is almost essential.

A standard socket is chamfered in the inside, which makes it easier to locate them on a bolt head. For a fill plug with a very flat low proifle head, the chamfer means the socket will barely have any contact with the sides of the fill plug.

A socket like above and a breaker bar has always worked for me, even if a previous mechanic has rounded the corners off a little

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

To be fair, he did say he started with the fill plug, and that's where he's stuck.
If it were me. 6pt air impact. Off in 3 seconds.
As our Australian friends say...
No dramas

Thank you kind sir, and that is correct. I absorbed this wisdom previously from the Mud forums.

I mean, it is not driveable right now, but that’s because of the transmission fluid, not the diff, hahaha

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

This is almost essential.

A standard socket is chamfered in the inside, which makes it easier to locate them on a bolt head. For a fill plug with a very flat low proifle head, the chamfer means the socket will barely have any contact with the sides of the fill plug.

A socket like above and a breaker bar has always worked for me, even if a previous mechanic has rounded the corners off a little

This does seem like it would be helpful, and I might ask a neighbor to help square off the end if I can’t get it today… that plug head is SO low profile it’s ridiculous!!

 

[Broski]

Thank you kind sir, and that is correct. I absorbed this wisdom previously from the Mud forums.

I mean, it is not driveable right now, but that’s because of the transmission fluid, not the diff, hahaha

Sorry my bad I got confused

 

[Malleus]

Alright guys. I’ve been stymied by the basics again. Changed my oil and air filter today, no problems. Actually used an extractor for the oil, but popped the drain plug just to be sure and it was bone dry. Apparently I got every drop out with the extractor, so yay.

Where I’m stuck is the rear diff (waiting to do front until it’s knuckles time) and the transmission, but in different ways.

On the trans, I’ve drained it all out (looks like a LOT, like much more than 3.5L, but I haven’t pulled out the drain pan to check yet), but the supposedly compatible crush washer I ordered off Amazon has a bigger inner diameter than the 14mm drain plug’s head. So it obviously won’t work. What happened here? Is this the wrong part number (see bottom right of the bag’s description - 90430-18008)? Is my drain plug weirdly small? Other ideas?

Next question - can I just use any right sized crush washer from an auto parts store that I can pick up tomorrow, since I currently have a lot less trans fluid in the car than I should? What size would I get?

As for the rear diff, well, that’s much simpler. The fill plug won’t budge. At least I tried that one first… I’ve hit it with PB Blaster, and am gonna let that sit overnight, but any other ideas? Just try to leverage the s*** out of it with a breaker bar or what?

View attachment 4120254

View attachment 4120255

You will never get all the oil out of the transmission circuit, without flushing it out. Do not believe anyone who tells you differently, they're wrong.

There is oil in the pan, the case, the torque converter, the cooler lines (plural), the bottom of the radiator and the oil cooler itself. Draining the pan is a waste of time, unless your goal is to remove the transmission. You can do it if you are planning to flush the transmission circuit, notice I keep saying "circuit" and not "transmission", but it only speeds up the process by a minute or two. I did it the first time I flushed a transmission, but I don't bother anymore.

Flushing a transmission, using the transmission oil pump, under engine operation, is completely safe and the only way to remove all the oil you'll ever get out. And, FWIW, you'll never get it all out; the torque converter is a miser. Even after you remove one, the only way to completely drain it is to cut it open.

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

Since I know people are dying for updates - I got some crush washers at O’Reilly’s, which will have to suffice until the next drain and fill (Malleus, I’m planning on doing 3 drain and fills, I know it won’t get everything but it should change out most).

On the rear diff, after soaking in PB Blaster overnight, I managed to break the fill plug loose with a breaker bar on a non-modified 24mm socket, promptly punching myself in the forehead as the seal broke loose.

NOW THE PROBLEM is that the rear diff DRAIN plug can’t get a socket on it because it appears I or a previous owner mashed the housing against something hard enough to occlude the space around the plug. So I can’t get the socket on at all. Any ideas here? Do I need to take a grinder to it to try to remove the metal blocking the socket head?

 

[jonheld]

That metal is soft. Hammer and a small chisel will make quick work of it.

 

[BTLSHP]

I had similar and ground it off with a chain saw sharpening bit that is too big for my chainsaw. It was pretty straight forward.

I am surprised by your result with the oil extraction. When I tried, I could not get the tube into the lower half of the pan and had to pull the plug to drain that section.

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

I had similar and ground it off with a chain saw sharpening bit that is too big for my chainsaw. It was pretty straight forward.

I am surprised by your result with the oil extraction. When I tried, I could not get the tube into the lower half of the pan and had to pull the plug to drain that section.

I was also surprised when no oil came out the pan. Like I said, there’s a weird sort of middle ground spot to have the tube where the oil flows out. Like the dipstick tube actually passes through the bottom of the pan and then back up somehow…

 

[NewbieMcNewster]

That metal is soft. Hammer and a small chisel will make quick work of it.

Interesting… so just bang out outward like with a screwdriver or something?