@46runner

I do not have my own pics but here are some at another thread.

Pics at post-18 and post-23 of this thread
Advice-Drop the Pan or Dealer Flush?

The pics show an external cooler. I do not have an external cooler on my (friends) 4R. My cooler is integrated into the radiator. My trans cooler lines are connected onto the radiator and can be seen on the drivers-side of the radiator. Look in-between the radiator and the car battery and you will find them.

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Before doing anything, get the engine hot, then do the flush.

My plan is to disconnect the cooler line (the top-one) on the radiator and extend this hose with some raw tubing, and place this hose into an empty bucket, -the bucket will be tick-marked so I can see and measure the amount of fluid that comes out when I start the engine.

Connect some raw tubing onto the (top-one) cooler nipple and add a very large funnel. Keep funnel filled with new fluid. Start car and old fluid comes out (goes into the bucket) while new fluid goes into the cooler via the funnel. Keep funnel filled with new fluid.

Turn off the engine when you see the trans fluid coming out changes color from old-dark to new-red color.

Compare "measured amounts" of how much came-out verses how much went in. Remove the overflow/level checking plug and check that some fluid comes out, to ensure it is properly filled.

I do have the external transmission cooler in addition to the transmission lines in the radiator. My transmission lines attach to the radiator on the passenger side. I will take pics in the next week or so and post them up with notes.

Excellent write up. Just for posterity sake, anyone who is curious about using fully synthetic ATF made from an ester base, rather than mineral oil base:

Redline D4 is designed to replace Toyota Type 4 ATF (T4)

Redline D6 for a Toyota that uses WS Fluid (World Standard ATF)

Iv'e been running D4 for years in my 2003 4-speed, with no ill consequences.

Thank you for the writeup. I did mine last night. Mine was a bit easier since I have a transmission dipstick under the hood. Even then, I'm pretty sure that I overfilled it slightly. I'll check again when I get home.

I also took the opportunity to replace the metal transmission fluid cooler lines under the radiator. They were pretty badly corroded.

It shifted pretty smooth before, but seems even better now.

Any potential problem with having it overfilled for a couple of days?

Do you have Part #s for the metal trans fluid cooler lines? I am planning on doing the ATF exchange soon. What is the procedure for replacing the lines?

Actually, yes. I can't promise that it's the same part for all years, though. For my 2004 SR5 V6 4x4, the part was 32907-60070. My dealer gives me shop prices because I'm always in there and the shop price for the lines was $71.50.

As for the procedure to replace them, it's very straight forward. Just unbolt the old set of lines from the frame, disconnect all 4 rubber hoses (I marked all my hoses to make sure I attached them all to the right nipple), reconnect the rubber lines to the new metal lines, bolt the metal lines to the frame.

I broke off one of the two bolts that held the old set of lines in place. I had to drill it out and retap the holes. I'd recommend replacing the bolts while you do it since the new part doesn't come with them and the bolts themselves will be in about as good of shape as the lines that need to be replaced. They are M8 bolts with 1.25 thread pitch. They cost me $.69 each at the local Ace Hardware for the hardened ones.

Also, the spring clips that hold the rubber hoses to the metal lines were completely shot. I had a hard time getting them off because the tabs that you compress to release the spring tension just broke off. I replaced all 4 with new hose clamps.

Thanks for the response. I will have to take a look to see how bad mine are but I am assuming they could use replacing with 125,000 miles on the OD. I have an 04' SE (w/ dipstick) so the part number above should fit. Just to confirm the part number 32907-60070 comes with two metal lines (one for inlet tube and the other for outlet tube)? TIA

Yes. Both tubes are welded to a bracket that bolts to a crossmember under the radiator.

Lats question (I hope), how much fluid did you lose while replacing the lines? Did you catch the fluid in a pan or container so you could add the same amount back in? Or is the amount of fluid negligible?

I drained my pan first and got 5 quarts. It just kept coming. I then pulled the lines while the drain plug was still out of the pan. Very little fluid came out of the lines. I used a catch pan just to keep from making a mess. I doubt there was 1/4 quart lost during the line replacement.

This is correct, it's the same for all Toyotas... Transmission fluid always enters the top of the oem integral radiator coolers and exits the bottom to flow back to the transmission.

This is opposite to any auxiliary cooler that would be installed. For example if installed on it's side, all aux cooler manufacturers tell you to make the bottom port of the aux cooler the inlet and top the outlet. So if installing an aux trans cooler (after the oem integral cooler in the flowpath) the line from the bottom of the radiator (outlet) should go into the bottom port of the aux trans cooler to serve as the inlet, then top port of aux cooler should be conneted to the transmission hard lines to feed back to the transmission.

Attached Images

coolers-user-guide.pdf (589.6 KB, 420 views)

the vehicle shifts smoother with new fluid, yes. Adding an aux cooler simply keeps temps lower (all other things being equal, which in turn increases time period between required fluid flushes) in mountainous areas and/or when trailering. Generally speaking on flat land (unless you live in the middle east or routinely see temps above 120F) an aux trans cooler is not needed as the transmission is hardly working on flat land... having cruise control on over mountains, towing and accelerating like you just stole the vehicle, are all actions that put heaviest strain on a transmission and therefore cause temperatures to rise the fastest.

Do you know how effective the external cooler actually is? I'm curious how much cooling it actually does.

I've been pondering this for the last couple of days ever since I did my fluid exchange. My thinking is that the main radiator that is used to cool the fluid is huge. Lots of surface area and a huge fan in front. How much difference would a much smaller but dedicated inline radiator do?

I'm sure that it couldn't hurt, but are we talking about 5% better cooling? 10%? 50%?

I'm not being argumentative or anything. I genuinely want to know.

I have couple more questions for anyone that has used this method. FYI I am doing this on 04 V6 with dipstick (T-IV fluid)

1. Would there be any benefit to jacking up the front end for the initial draining of the transmission pan in order to try to get the most ATF out?

2. Should I get the engine up to operating temp before pulling the transmission pan drain plug?

Thanks in advance

1. Not necessary and little benefit in my opinion
2. Best to drain cold, when all of the ATF is at the bottom of the pan.