Sounds reasonable to me. How much are you exchanging using your method?

There's a healthy discussion on changing trans fluid in the 4th gen forum.

How many guys are still on original transmission fluid? Come on in!

Your way will work.. I think you just read the FSM procedure wrong. It does not recommend leaving the fluid level port off while filling it. Only to set a baseline then you add the recommended amount (based on the procedure done) with the port closed.

When checking the level. you have to have the motor running with the temp at the proper level.

It's not that bad when you can just add in from the back of engine bay like he said and let gravity feed it in. You don't want to run the pump dry, that's why you only do 2 qts at a time

I never did a fluid exchange on a 4runner but GM with the dip stick that is very easy as I did this with the GM tranny fluid exchange..

so with this no dip stick you have to get a pipe connector to screw into the tranny fill hole and run tubing up to the engine bay .. using a clear container with accurate fluid marks 1 qt comes out add 1 qt.. when the fluid looks good as it come out then the fluid exchange is done..

then you have to let it cool down and do the fluid level check ..

much easier with dip stick ..

holy freakin awesome idea
hmmm

After reading the Taco thread on our shared transmission Transmission- 5 Speed automatic write up with pics for second gen 4 liter trucks | Tacoma World

I decided to do a full fluid exchange with a pan drop added in. The pan drop added a minor complication to the exchange but in most respects followed the 4th gen Transmission cooler line model.

Parts list can be found here (thanks to OP of referenced thread).
Beginner Fluid Maintenance

Steps:
1) Drain pan and measure amount of fluid drained (marked milk jugs were my weapon of choice).
2) Remove pan, clean screen, (replace or reuse filter seal), keep track of any additional fluid removed.
3) Locate 2 transmission lines going into radiator on Passenger side of vehicle. One will have a PINK mark and one will have a BLUE mark at the junction between the hard line and soft tubing.
4) For ease of access, I unbolted the AC bracket that is in the working area around the radiator.
5) Disconnect the BLUE transmission line soft tube from the BLUE hard line on the radiator.
6) Hook your Refill funnel to the BLUE marked soft tubing. Hook your 3/8 Transmission drain tubing to the Hard BLUE marked radiator tube.
7) Reinstall all items removed when you dropped the pan.
8) Add back the volume of transmission fluid you removed when you dropped the pan. This will be added to the Refill funnel attached to the BLUE marked soft tubing. The BLUE line will gravity feed back into the pan you just reinstalled. The new fluid will be taken up by the transmission in the next step.
9) Recheck your transmission exchange lines to make sure you will not be spraying fluid all over your work area.
10) Gentlemen (and Ladies) start you car and count to 10. Stop your engine and you should have between 1 and 2 qts drained out of your transmission via the BLUE marked hard radiator line. (I had 1 qt just about exactly)
11) Add new fluid to the refill Funnel in the amount removed (I kept track by pouring the old fluid into the empty new fluid containers with the Gallon jugs being a temp holding tank ). The pan acts as the reservoir for the uptake into the transmission during this process you can be a little over or under however the total amount removed must equal the amount added.
12) Repeat until 12 qts extracted and refilled. (At the end of my process I had filled up 12 qt containers with some extra in the milk jug, I poured this amount back into the refill funnel and thus balanced the amount I took out with what I had put in. )
13) Re attach BLUE marked soft tube to Blue hard tube.
14) Re attach AC bracket (if removed)

By replacing exactly what you removed you do not HAVE to do the temperature influenced fluid level check. You can if you want. My vehicle is running quite well with out the check.

I decided to use Lubeguard for the fluid. COMPLETE Full Synthetic ATF - Lubegard I will update this post in 4 years (30 k miles) when I replace it again.

Ok, so just so I know that I understand this, if I want to do a drain and fill on the transmission, would this be the correct procedure in summary?:

1) Open fill, overflow, and drain plugs. Allow pan to drain completely.
2) Replace drain plug, and add fluid via fill hole until it comes out of the overflow hole, then replace overflow plug.
3) Add 1.8 more quarts of ATF via fill hole, then replace fill plug.
4) Start engine, enter transmission temp check mode.
5) When ATF temp reached appropriate level (40-45° C), turn off engine.
6) Immediately remove overflow plug, allow excess ATF to drain (or fill to plug level if no overflow), and then replace overflow plug.

Would about 4 quarts of ATF WS be appropriate to buy for this? That's how much the dealer charged me for when they did this the last time.

I wouldn’t do it that way. I did what catrains said and add back what you took out with the check plug in place.
When starting with a cold vehicle:
Loosen the fill plug located on the passenger side.
Loosen the check valve just to make sure you’ve got the correct tool and it will open. Get your container(s) ready.
You will need a 5 qt container.
Loosen the drain valve and drain.
If you don’t have a 5qt then you can do what I did.
I got two 2-1/2qt paint mixing buckets from Home Depot because they were out of 5 qt.
Open the check plug and you will get about 1.5 qts.
When that stops dripping, open the drain plug and get the rest, about 2 qts.
Replace the check plug and drain plug. Use the old gaskets. Flat side against the screw head.
Fill the transmission with the same amount you pulled out.
Now you’ve got a choice:
- Call it good
- Do the temp check and level adjustment
- Start truck, go through the gears as outlined in the trans fluid circulation procedure, and do the drain and fill procedure 1 or 2 more times.

Many recommend three to four drain and fills is pretty good.
I would definitely recommend setting the level correctly at the end.
Replace the gaskets with new ones on the last drain as well.

Recommended:
Get a Motive power fill.
...or make you own from a Home Depot garden sprayer.
I just made one of these and tested with water but not yet with oil. I’ll be using it for diffs.
Here’s a vid on how to make one.

How To : Make a Pressurized Fluid Dispenser - YouTube

This is a very thorough vid on changing the fluid.

How to Service a Sealed Toyota Transmission - YouTube

Transmission fluid drain and fill.
Torque specs:
Drain plug - 15 lb-ft (14mm)
Overflow plug - 15 lb-ft (5mm hex)
Fill plug - 27 lb-ft (24mm or 15/16")

Parts: (I pulled this info from someone else’s post. Sorry I can’t remember who’s.)
4 to 12 qts Toyota ATF WS fluid - Toyota part # 00289-ATFWS
Drain plug gasket - Toyota part # 35178-30010
Overflow plug gasket - Toyota part # 35178-30010
Fill plug gasket (rubber O-ring) - Toyota part # 90301-15004

Oh, the fluid in the pics has 111,000 miles on it. It’s dark but smells fine and is not gritty at all. Nothing much was left at the bottom when I dumped it.

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I have a scan tool that tells me the temp of the trans. I always drain it, put 4 quarts in, shift through all the gears, leave it running on the lift until it's up to temp, then pull the check plug and it always seems to get down to a trickle after about 1/2 a quart comes out. Put the check plug back in and done. I've been doing it this way on my past 2 tacomas and on this 4Runner. Never had an issue. I do it every 25-30k just for good measure. I'm at 70k on mine now and I bought it with 35 and did it at about 40 so I'm due again on my preventative schedule. The last tacoma I had I bought with 112k and did it 3 times in a row. What came out didn't look bad at all but I change everything in all my vehicles when I get them. Ran that truck to almost 200k doing it 3 more times and I never had an issue.

I think this is a good way to do it and will probably go this way from now on.

Hi all! Long time lurker, first post!
I am changing the transmission fluid and filter in our 2015 4Runner. I accidentally loosened the 10mm bolt right next to one of the filter bolts and am hoping someone knows the torque it needs to be re-tightened to. It’s the one in the attached pic with the red arrow. Thanks!

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Did you check the FSM?
TOYOTA 2016-2019 4Runner Repair Manual RM27F0U

That bolt assembles the detent spring and detent spring cover. The torque is 7 ft-lbs (84 in-lbs) per the following image.

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Thanks so much!!


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Thanks for the part numbers 1000MPH, I’m getting ready to do this and the only thing I was having a hard time getting was that rubber O-ring part number.