Quez
Member
First Gear Oil Change Done on the New Setup
I just completed the first gear oil change for the new setup. For anyone curious, the initial break-in period is around 300 to 500 miles, and then you do your first fluid change. I drive a ton, so I hit that break-in window pretty quickly. I was already heading out from Nashville to Knoxville for a Big Dawgs Toyota Tuning event, and with that round trip I easily knocked out the mileage in a two day trip.
One of the biggest misconceptions I had before researching the 74Weld portals was that the maintenance was going to be a hassle because of how often people talk about servicing them. After i dug deeper and did the first change, I'll gladly admit I was wrong. Once you get past that initial break-in service, you can go 3,000 to 5,000 miles before needing to change the fluid again. Obviously, you still want to check things over regularly and make sure everything is tight and secure, but beyond that, it really is not a big deal.
I’m a big believer in 5,000-mile oil change intervals, especially with a turbo engine. So in my mind, when you go in for an oil change, it makes sense to spend a little extra time and just do the portal gear oil too. The process is simple: two plugs per portal, drain it, and refill it. That’s it. I honestly don't know where the whole “they’re too much maintenance” thing came from. Cost-wise, it is not bad. A gallon of gear oil is around $75, and each portal only takes 10 oz. That works out to about four changes per portal from one gallon, or roughly $18.75 every 5,000 miles. Really not bad at all.
You can see the metal shavings in the last couple pictures. Nothing crazy, and pretty much what I expected after a long trip during the break-in period. I just had to be mindful with how I drove it and make a few stops here and there. Unfortunately, I didn’t get photos of the front two during the fluid change because the freaking funnel broke in my hand while it was full of gear oil. Huge mess. At that point I'm just pissed off lol especially since it came from AutoZone and was clearly as good as hotdog water.
Overall though, the first service was straightforward, and the maintenance on these portals has been way less of a hassle than I originally expected.
I just completed the first gear oil change for the new setup. For anyone curious, the initial break-in period is around 300 to 500 miles, and then you do your first fluid change. I drive a ton, so I hit that break-in window pretty quickly. I was already heading out from Nashville to Knoxville for a Big Dawgs Toyota Tuning event, and with that round trip I easily knocked out the mileage in a two day trip.
One of the biggest misconceptions I had before researching the 74Weld portals was that the maintenance was going to be a hassle because of how often people talk about servicing them. After i dug deeper and did the first change, I'll gladly admit I was wrong. Once you get past that initial break-in service, you can go 3,000 to 5,000 miles before needing to change the fluid again. Obviously, you still want to check things over regularly and make sure everything is tight and secure, but beyond that, it really is not a big deal.
I’m a big believer in 5,000-mile oil change intervals, especially with a turbo engine. So in my mind, when you go in for an oil change, it makes sense to spend a little extra time and just do the portal gear oil too. The process is simple: two plugs per portal, drain it, and refill it. That’s it. I honestly don't know where the whole “they’re too much maintenance” thing came from. Cost-wise, it is not bad. A gallon of gear oil is around $75, and each portal only takes 10 oz. That works out to about four changes per portal from one gallon, or roughly $18.75 every 5,000 miles. Really not bad at all.
You can see the metal shavings in the last couple pictures. Nothing crazy, and pretty much what I expected after a long trip during the break-in period. I just had to be mindful with how I drove it and make a few stops here and there. Unfortunately, I didn’t get photos of the front two during the fluid change because the freaking funnel broke in my hand while it was full of gear oil. Huge mess. At that point I'm just pissed off lol especially since it came from AutoZone and was clearly as good as hotdog water.
Overall though, the first service was straightforward, and the maintenance on these portals has been way less of a hassle than I originally expected.
