[TW44LR]

Hey all 99% sure I’ve got the strawberry milkshake literally days before I planned to replace the radiator.
Backstory: Saturday morning I drive 30 mi birth mostly freeway to a flag football game. After the game walking out to the truck noticed a lot of fluid on the ground under the 4runner so I popped the hood and sure enough, fluid was every where, it started somewhere on the drivers side and was everywhere from the radiator to the suspension/tire which flung it on the door and back almost to the transfer case. Checked oil, oil looked fine. Checked coolant and it looked like it had oil in it or something else not mixing right in the overflow reservoir which was filled to the top. Got it towed home and just started tearing into it today, on Friday I just got the final tool I needed to do the TB and everything associated with it, including a new radiator. When I got home I noticed that there was a puddle of the same fluid on the driveway that I must not have noticed in the morning before I left. I’m not sure how or when it happened but maybe the night before the two got mixed and then caused the radiator to overflow into the reservoir and then out of there. So I’ve driven 30 mi on it like that and it didn’t perform any different all though right when I parked it, it seemed a little slow to switch into reverse but nothing that alarmed me enough to even think about it again. Today as I tore into it, the radiator fluid looked good at the beginning but by the time it was done draining it was a brown kind of color. Same stuff that came out of the transmission after I drained that, so I am going to do the timing belt and all of that along with putting in the new radiator. Only thing I’m wondering is what to do about the transmission I’m not sure what condition it’s in but when I drained it the drain plug didn’t have any metal or debris on it, just the nasty fluid came out and very little came out. It’s already drained so I was planning on just filling it and then doing a couple more drain/fills until I consistently got good-colored fluid IF the transmission is still working fine. Is there a better thing to do that gives me a better chance at saving the transmission like a drop and clean and then fill or a flush? Just wanting any and all info/opinions haha.


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[Devbot]

Draining the trans pan only takes out about 1/3 of all the fluid. If there is moisture in the trans then a flush is absolutely, 100% required at the bare minimum - no if, ands or buts about it. Unfortunately it's impossible to know the condition of it without a full teardown, and I have a feeling the most you can do is replace all the fluid and hope for the best. The good thing is you would have caught it very early so there's still a chance it can work decently but if it did milkshake I would be searching for a new trans regardless.

[TW44LR]

Originally Posted by Devbot

Draining the trans pan only takes out about 1/3 of all the fluid. If there is moisture in the trans then a flush is absolutely, 100% required at the bare minimum - no if, ands or buts about it. Unfortunately it's impossible to know the condition of it without a full teardown, and I have a feeling the most you can do is replace all the fluid and hope for the best. The good thing is you would have caught it very early so there's still a chance it can work decently but if it did milkshake I would be searching for a new trans regardless.

For a flush do you think a home flush would suffice? Just exchanging fluid in/out through the supply and return lines that usually go to the radiator? Frustrating I was so close to changing it out and avoiding this exact situation but what are ya gonna do.


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[brillo_76]

Originally Posted by TW44LR

For a flush do you think a home flush would suffice? Just exchanging fluid in/out through the supply and return lines that usually go to the radiator? Frustrating I was so close to changing it out and avoiding this exact situation but what are ya gonna do.


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I would exchange it.. then in a week or so exchange it again to verify you
got all of it you possibly get out. :-)

That's how i do it.
Brillos_Bucket_Transmission_Fluid_Exchanger

Just don't make the mistake of buying too big of a oil pump...

[thegipper]

Originally Posted by brillo_76

I would exchange it.. then in a week or so exchange it again to verify you
got all of it you possibly get out. :-)

That's how i do it.
Brillos_Bucket_Transmission_Fluid_Exchanger

Just don't make the mistake of buying too big of a oil pump...

^This

I would do at least two full fluid exchanges. Use the cheapest compatible fluid you can find since you'll just be throwing it away anyways.

After the second fluid exchange, check the fluid every other day or so and if you see any signs of cloudiness in the fluid, flush it again.

Since you didn't drive it far, you may be able to save it. I would change out the fluid as soon as possible also. The coolant breaks down the adhesive on the clutch packs which causes them to fail.

I'm assuming the truck never overheated so that's a good thing.

In the end, you may be able to save it but keep in mind, most pink milkshakes end with the transmission failing. Some last a few weeks, some a few months and others are still on the road today.

Good luck from a former milkshake victim (my tranny lasted about a year before it shit the bed).

[phattyduck]

Is either fluid milky colored, or just brown and icky?

The trans fluid by itself should be anything from a nice clear red to dark brown.

The coolant should either be a clear red or green (or possibly other colors) to brown-er version of those.

When they mix with each other (oil and "water") they get milky (lighter in color) and opaque. If they are both dark, you might just have a leak.

Pictures would really help...

-Charlie

[TW44LR]

Thanks for the replies all, yes here’s some pics I forgot to attach. I’ll start to plan/budget for a new trans then if it’s only a matter of time. I wanted to do a manual swap so I guess this kind of pushes it to more of a need haha

Only picture I got while draining it from the trans.
Bucket of coolant or whatever came out of the radiator, same stuff came out of the transmission send and return lines of the transmission. I wouldn’t say it’s super milky but I’m pretty sure that they’ve mixed. Where the upper and lower radiator hoses attach to the motor it was definitely more milky and kind of had a deposit of sludge I would say.


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[brillo_76]

Originally Posted by TW44LR

Thanks for the replies all, yes here’s some pics I forgot to attach. I’ll start to plan/budget for a new trans then if it’s only a matter of time. I wanted to do a manual swap so I guess this kind of pushes it to more of a need haha

Only picture I got while draining it from the trans.
Bucket of coolant or whatever came out of the radiator, same stuff came out of the transmission send and return lines of the transmission. I wouldn’t say it’s super milky but I’m pretty sure that they’ve mixed. Where the upper and lower radiator hoses attach to the motor it was definitely more milky and kind of had a deposit of sludge I would say.


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IF the transmission fluid is the exact some color as your coolant very good possibility of mixture. As neither should look milky. But they both go from Red to Dark brown in time. Provided the coolant is Toyota Red instead of green.


Its really close to 3 gallons of transmission fluid to exchange it. There were numerous threads on here about if it damages the transmission or not. I have seen folks that just caught it save the transmission. I have also seen it destroy the clutches and the transmission is done.

How I prevent it is changing the radiators every 10 to 15 years. Others just bypass the radiators internal cooler and bolt in a external transmission cooler to prevent the milkshake. :-)

[Honda pc]

I follow this method...bought the ebay or amazon elecric pump...cheap $20 or so.... and dump the fluid flush...one end drain to whatever container...and supply hose to the new transmission oil jug... I used about 3---1 gallon jugs of walmart valvoline maxlife atf fluid... simple and fast...

in this case....maybe flush more then once and again...

was the radiator original toyota...what year...???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WngXE_7vg-Q&feature=youtu.be

[brillo_76]

Originally Posted by Honda pc

I follow this method...bought the ebay or amazon elecric pump...cheap $20 or so.... and dump the fluid flush...one end drain to whatever container...and supply hose to the new transmission oil jug... I used about 3---1 gallon jugs of walmart valvoline maxlife atf fluid... simple and fast...

in this case....maybe flush more then once and again...

was the radiator original toyota...what year...???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WngXE_7vg-Q&feature=youtu.be

The cheap pumps kept burning up on me.. So that's how accidentally got my monster 1 inch pump.

Very good point to use Valvoline max life atf. As the these transmissions use either Dexton II or III or higher equivalent fluid.

[TW44LR]

Was about to change the radiator myself to prevent this very thing, was waiting on my belt tensioner from Amazon which came Friday, 1 day before it happened. I was waiting on that so I could do the timing belt and water pump and new radiator at the same time which I’m in the process off right now. 4Runner is a 2000 bought it almost 1.5 yrs ago was in a front end accident at some point so the radiator would have been changed then but PO was vague and didn’t have much service records other than he “kept up on it.” Looking back I got a bit shafted on the “deal” he gave me, knowing what I know now about the car’s value I shouldn’t have paid that much but I’ve enjoyed the car and it’s been fun to learn how to wrench more on.


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[Devbot]

Originally Posted by TW44LR

Looking back I got a bit shafted on the “deal” he gave me, knowing what I know now about the car’s value I shouldn’t have paid that much but I’ve enjoyed the car and it’s been fun to learn how to wrench more on.

You and me both brother lemme f*ckin tell ya Easily overpaid by $1000, knowing what I do now

[TW44LR]

Originally Posted by Devbot

You and me both brother lemme f*ckin tell ya Easily overpaid by $1000, knowing what I do now

Hahaha I need to hear it. Mine was a rebuilt title that he wasn’t upfront about and I somehow forgot to ask about it. It was a trade for my tacoma that I had so he assumed the loan and valued it at $6k which was a stretch for it in the condition it was in let alone with a rebuilt title. Oh well though you live and you learn


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[phattyduck]

Definitely a milkshake. Good luck saving it! Lots of cheap Dex-III fluid to start. Keep checking on the condition of the fluid - It'll show contamination even after the first full flush.

-Charlie

[TheSaturnV]

Sorry that your deal went down this way, and your story sure lit a fire under me. I was in the same scenario where I had stockpiled all the parts for both a radiator swap and a transmission drain/filter replace, but kept putting it off. I only drove the truck if it was absolutely necessary and towards the end even moving it around my property was starting to feel iffy.

Last night I just dove in and did both in one session, and sure am glad I did. Pulling the top radiator hose, the fitting on the old rad just crumbled. The rest of the plastic couldn't have been far behind for a 21 year old part.