BlackWorksInc
New member
It shouldn't as the fluid level required to spill over the check tube is still same, you'll just need more fluid in the vehicle.
ATF Exchange (using the cooling line)
- Thread starter 46runner
- Start date
It shouldn't as the fluid level required to spill over the check tube is still same, you'll just need more fluid in the vehicle.
07V8
Member
I'll be doing this on Sunday. I ordered 16 quarts of WS fluid to ensure I have enough.
This will be my second full transmission service at 157k. I had the dealer back in PA do it at 90k because I knew they had a T-Tech WS machine. The Toyota dealers in Chicagoland are horrendous and I no longer trust them.
Going forward I'm trying to decide if I will do a full flush every 50-60k or drain and fills every 15k. I'd rather over than under service my transmission - there is a fair amount of stop and go in my daily commute.
This will be my second full transmission service at 157k. I had the dealer back in PA do it at 90k because I knew they had a T-Tech WS machine. The Toyota dealers in Chicagoland are horrendous and I no longer trust them.
Going forward I'm trying to decide if I will do a full flush every 50-60k or drain and fills every 15k. I'd rather over than under service my transmission - there is a fair amount of stop and go in my daily commute.
It was a pdf on club lexus. But it was for an 03 gx so I don't know if that matters.
ben550
New member
I have done two "high mileage" transmission fluid exchanges on a 2004 V6 with 134,000 miles and a 2006 V8 with 160,000 miles.
The 2004 was probably the first time the transmission fluid had been serviced. On the 2004 I did drop the trans fluid pan and replaced the filter. The filter is a metal mesh (screen) and did not contain any particles... It did not need to be replaced. The pan had two magnets on the bottom and a nice layer of very fine sediment especially concentrated around the magnets. I cleaned it out and wiped it down before replacing the gasket and reinstalling the pan. I used the Type IV fluid for the 2004 as per the manual. I bought the fluid from my local dealership.
The 2006 was the second time transmission fluid had been serviced. However the previous owner had his mechanic do a fluid exchange with non toyota transmission fluid. I did not drop the pan or replace the filter on the 2006. Getting the fluid nice and hot before doing the drain was good enough for me. I used the Toyota WS fluid for the 2006 as per the manual. I bought the fluid from my local dealership.
Both times I used 16-17 quarts of fluid. Both times I used the cooler return line disconnect method. Both times I drained 2-3 quarts at a time and refilled through the fill hole on the transmission with a manual pump.
It is a straight forward process. I only plan on doing this once for each vehicle. The fluid should last 60k-100k miles... I am very easy on my trucks. I only did the transfer because of buying used and not knowing previous history/fluid types. If I bought new, I would perform the transfer every 100k miles.
I would stick with Toyota WS fluid. It is designed for your transmission. The others would probably be fine but why not just use what they designed for your specific transmission. The dealership is the cheapest place to buy... Amazon also sells it. I bought a case (12 quarts) plus 5 quart bottles and usually the dealer gives a discount if requested.
I never had any issues with my transmissions after doing an exchange. The transmissions shift smooth and function as they should. The 2004 had a transmission fluid dip stick, the 2006 is "sealed" with no dip stick. I used the temp check mode on the dashboard to do the fluid level check on the 2006 and it was simple.
In my opinion changing out the transmission fluid on your new to you truck is a very wise decision. Exchanging the transmission fluid and the coolant should extend the life of your truck well into the 200k-300k range...
ben550
New member
If you do a full exchange, I would not touch it again for at least 60k miles with the use you are describing.
In my opinion the most risk to your transmission comes from getting the fluid level wrong... which is an issue regardless of doing a drain and fill or a full exchange.
Toyota WS is a great fluid and is labeled to last for 100k miles (in new vehicles). Let it work for you and go at least 60k miles before worrying about it.
Keep in mind you have the V8 with the external cooler so your fluid is probably less stressed (lower temperature) than those without the external cooler. WS fluid should be good for several years without worrying about it after you do a full exchange.
Thanks for the feedback.
I am going to drop the pan and then flush the fluid with Valvoline MaxLife Synth. I spoke with a good friend of mine that works in transmission shop and although it is factory fill he does not hold the Toyota fluid in very high regard, his preference for these transmissions is actually Dexron VI, I asked about the Val ML and and any concerns. His response was "nope, that's a great fluid" also Valvoline states it meets WS spec in the white paper, which is good enough for me.
I am going to drop the pan and then flush the fluid with Valvoline MaxLife Synth. I spoke with a good friend of mine that works in transmission shop and although it is factory fill he does not hold the Toyota fluid in very high regard, his preference for these transmissions is actually Dexron VI, I asked about the Val ML and and any concerns. His response was "nope, that's a great fluid" also Valvoline states it meets WS spec in the white paper, which is good enough for me.
I like the one I bought at Advance Auto. Only gripe is that it does not fit the maxlife gallons. So I had to clean out a wiper fluid jug. So if you can find one that fits those, you are golden.
dkyleb
New member
I prefer these ones over the electric ones, as you can disassemble them completely and really clean them out.
JB.
New member
The pdf for 2003 4runner was the same -- 115 to 130 degrees. 97 to 115 started in 2004 and up.
There used to be talk on other forums about the transmission being underfilled from the factory and working better with an extra half quart or so. Pure speculation, but perhaps the two are related.
46runner
Member
I used a $5 pump from harbor freight. Worked great. And fast. Cheap enough. It's dedicated for ATF on all my cars. Just hold on to the output hose where it meets he pump. Otherwise it'll pop off, trust me
jfry008
New member
http://www.amazon.com/Plews-55001-L...nd pump oil&qid=1459392068&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
I've used this to exchange like 40qts of fluid and its still in good shape
07V8
Member
Well I completed the coolant line flush tonight. Let me be the first official report of a catastrophic failure from a fluid exchange on a A750F. I started the car after finishing, put it in gear, and the transmission fell out of the car……I really have no idea what happened, the transmission housing sheared right off the mounts.
Now that I’ve got your attention, I spent 4.5 hours last night completing the procedure outlined on the first page. I took an excessive amount of time doing everything and had to be extremely neat because I was doing it in my high rise’s parking garage.
I started by cleaning all the plugs with Simple Green, I wanted to ensure any grime/salt/debris was cleaned – especially near the fill plug. I then tested each plug by cracking it open. My 12 point socket was slipping on the 24mm fill plug so I had to take an Uber to Napa to grab a 6 point socket. While there, I also found a hand pump that screwed into the WS bottles: a huge find! The 4cc Plew’s pump from Amazon would have driven me insane because of how I was positioned under the car and the fact that any bottle movement would have resulted in spills.
When I drained the pan, a little less than 3 quarts came out. As it was draining towards the end I rocked the car back and forth to get as much as possible out. The fluid was brown/maroon-ish but really didn’t smell burnt or look too bad. Buttoned the drain plug with a new crush washer and proceeded to repeatedly flush the transmission out through the coolant return line.
All in all, I used 14 quarts of WS, I wanted to visually see new fluid coming out of the return line before calling it good. I marked up a gallon water jug and pumped 2-3 quarts out each time. I did my best to estimate how much to put back in, I spilled a little and the hand pump left a little bit in each bottle the volume in the hose. On the last cycle, I added an additional quart.
Lastly, I started the car, let it idle, and was so happy to have some fluid squirt out of the level plug. I used my SG II to monitor temps and popped the plug when it read about 100°F in the pan and the torque converter. About a half quart had drained out when it started to trickle. I replaced the plug with a new washer and tightened everything down.
All in all, it was an extremely easy job. The hardest part was the ergonomics working underneath the car. Luckily, the concrete cleaned up easily and brake cleaner worked wonders on any residual spilled product. Considering I have never done an oil change on my car, I’m extremely proud of myself for tackling this. I know it was done 100% correct with lots of TLC which is way more valuable and stress free than leaving it with the dealer.
Post fluid change driving dynamics are essentially unchanged. Overall transmission performance when cold (fluid <120°F) seems smoother, especially the 1-2 shifts; however, everything else is essentially unchanged. Most of what I think I feel is placebo. Going forward, I will do a drain/fill every 15k (two oil changes for me). I don’t see any value in dropping the pan. The filter (rather large metal screen) will only stop the largest of debris/shavings from being recirculated.
Do not hesitate to do this – especially on higher mileage transmissions. There really is no way you can damage anything so long as you remember to pump fluid back in the transmission. As a Machinery Reliability Engineer, I have to recommend you stick with the OEM fluid recommendation – especially since there is no real data on exactly what it is. Viscosity comparisons and MSDSs are phenomenally insufficient when deciding on a fluid for a critical rotating machine. Good luck!
Now that I’ve got your attention, I spent 4.5 hours last night completing the procedure outlined on the first page. I took an excessive amount of time doing everything and had to be extremely neat because I was doing it in my high rise’s parking garage.
I started by cleaning all the plugs with Simple Green, I wanted to ensure any grime/salt/debris was cleaned – especially near the fill plug. I then tested each plug by cracking it open. My 12 point socket was slipping on the 24mm fill plug so I had to take an Uber to Napa to grab a 6 point socket. While there, I also found a hand pump that screwed into the WS bottles: a huge find! The 4cc Plew’s pump from Amazon would have driven me insane because of how I was positioned under the car and the fact that any bottle movement would have resulted in spills.
When I drained the pan, a little less than 3 quarts came out. As it was draining towards the end I rocked the car back and forth to get as much as possible out. The fluid was brown/maroon-ish but really didn’t smell burnt or look too bad. Buttoned the drain plug with a new crush washer and proceeded to repeatedly flush the transmission out through the coolant return line.
All in all, I used 14 quarts of WS, I wanted to visually see new fluid coming out of the return line before calling it good. I marked up a gallon water jug and pumped 2-3 quarts out each time. I did my best to estimate how much to put back in, I spilled a little and the hand pump left a little bit in each bottle the volume in the hose. On the last cycle, I added an additional quart.
Lastly, I started the car, let it idle, and was so happy to have some fluid squirt out of the level plug. I used my SG II to monitor temps and popped the plug when it read about 100°F in the pan and the torque converter. About a half quart had drained out when it started to trickle. I replaced the plug with a new washer and tightened everything down.
All in all, it was an extremely easy job. The hardest part was the ergonomics working underneath the car. Luckily, the concrete cleaned up easily and brake cleaner worked wonders on any residual spilled product. Considering I have never done an oil change on my car, I’m extremely proud of myself for tackling this. I know it was done 100% correct with lots of TLC which is way more valuable and stress free than leaving it with the dealer.
Post fluid change driving dynamics are essentially unchanged. Overall transmission performance when cold (fluid <120°F) seems smoother, especially the 1-2 shifts; however, everything else is essentially unchanged. Most of what I think I feel is placebo. Going forward, I will do a drain/fill every 15k (two oil changes for me). I don’t see any value in dropping the pan. The filter (rather large metal screen) will only stop the largest of debris/shavings from being recirculated.
Do not hesitate to do this – especially on higher mileage transmissions. There really is no way you can damage anything so long as you remember to pump fluid back in the transmission. As a Machinery Reliability Engineer, I have to recommend you stick with the OEM fluid recommendation – especially since there is no real data on exactly what it is. Viscosity comparisons and MSDSs are phenomenally insufficient when deciding on a fluid for a critical rotating machine. Good luck!
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Nice attention grabber. My rig is at 125k miles now and have had the tranny "flushed" twice st Toyota (1st time for maintenance, 2nd time becuase the tranny was shuddering). Anyway, every 15k? Really? Don't you think that is excessive? I do plan on changing it every 50k miles.
Next time I may tackle this instead of heading to Toyota.
07V8
Member
Absolutely not. $40 for 4 quarts of WS and piece of mind is well worth it.
pjbrownva
New member
:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:
You had me, right up until the part about the tranny falling right out of the car.
We all know that it would start to drag on the ground and then fall out! What were you thinkin' :shrug:
He lives in Chicago. I am guessing that equals a lot of severe gear abuse.
07V8
Member
Yep. I'm OCD about watching temps and never really exceed 190F at the torque converter. Pan temps peak around 175ish depending on traffic and ambient temperature.
Like I said, fluid was dark maroon but didn't seem that bad overall. I'd rather over than under service.
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