Automatic Trans Filling Advice?

S

stevec5000

New member
I just bought an '04 4runner with 136k miles that looks just like new. I was changing the engine oil and figured it's time to change the a.t. fluid too. I doubt that it's ever been changed but I can't find anything that tells how much to put in. The owners manual doesn't mention it at all and neither does the shop manual. My Haynes manual mentions something about it taking "2" but doesn't say if that's 2 litres, 2 quarts or what. I have the shop manual for an '86 model that says it takes 2 1/2 quarts so that's what I was expecting but when I drained it out I got 4 1/2 quarts!
So far I've put in 3 qts but it doesn't seem to be full enough, that just brought it up to the top of the "cold" mark near the end. It's hard to tell though because the reading is not very definitive, there is oil all the way up one side of the dipstick but the main fill line seems to be near the Cold mark on the other side. Anyone know how much to put in for sure? Thanks.
 
Register to hide this ad
Are you following the Haynes procedure and letting the engine idle? Try it that way both cold and hot and see if you get some consistency in the dipstick reading.
 
JB. said:
Are you following the Haynes procedure and letting the engine idle? Try it that way both cold and hot and see if you get some consistency in the dipstick reading.
Click to expand...

Yeah, checked it at idle both cold and hot but didn't really see any difference. It looks like 3 qts is too low, probably need to put in one more qt. BTW, I have a 2W drive model.
 
Last edited:
Hmmm. I am the v6 at 2.1 and the v8 at 3.2 for just a drain and fill.

Usually you only get access to what is the pan and most is in the actual clutch converter; which holds like 70% of your actual fluid. You usually need to turn on the car to get the pump to pump around the old fluid.

In a normal situation, you would drain what was in the pan and replace that. X for X if it was at the correct level when you started. Then, turn the truck on and cycle through all the gears... let it run a bit, even drive a bit. Then do this again.

I am confused how after draining 4 quarts out, putting 3 in you are showing 3 quarts low. Odd.

You didn't do oil by mistake? Been known to happen.
 
DC runner said:
Hmmm. I am the v6 at 2.1 and the v8 at 3.2 for just a drain and fill.

Usually you only get access to what is the pan and most is in the actual clutch converter; which holds like 70% of your actual fluid. You usually need to turn on the car to get the pump to pump around the old fluid.

In a normal situation, you would drain what was in the pan and replace that. X for X if it was at the correct level when you started. Then, turn the truck on and cycle through all the gears... let it run a bit, even drive a bit. Then do this again.

I am confused how after draining 4 quarts out, putting 3 in you are showing 3 quarts low. Odd.

You didn't do oil by mistake? Been known to happen.
Click to expand...

No, I drained out 4 1/2 qts. and put back in 3 qts. so far but it doesn't look like quite enough yet. It drives OK but only comes up to the cold mark on the dipstick.
Also, can type T-IV transmission fluid be found anywhere besides at the dealer? None of the auto parts stores around here have anything like that. It doesn't cost that much at the dealer but it's rather inconvenient to have to drive way over there just for a quart of fluid.
 
Last edited:
I added another quart of ATF fluid to make the total amount added 4 qts. That seems like a lot but it must be right since it brings the level up the to top of the cold marks.
 
If you drained out 4.5 quarts, then you need to add 4.5 quarts.

The owner's manual states both the total fluid capacity and the volume required for a drain-and-fill.

You shouldn't be relying on a shop manual for an '86 if you have an '04.
 
sonerick said:
If you drained out 4.5 quarts, then you need to add 4.5 quarts.

The owner's manual states both the total fluid capacity and the volume required for a drain-and-fill.

You shouldn't be relying on a shop manual for an '86 if you have an '04.
Click to expand...


Yea. While I am irritated that my Haynes is that far off (stating 2.1, when it appears to be 4)... it really does just boil down to X for X. Whatever you remove, you add.

If your transmission was at the correct fill when before you started, replacing X for X is nice and simple.
 
To be fair, doesn't seem that the current is any better. I swear, my Haynes, which has been right on everything else is telling me that a 03 v6 has a drain and fill of only 2.1 quarts.

This is your 2003 - 2009 4runner repair manual. It appears off by quite a bit. If I was doing a drain and fill and bought to the told spec, I would be needing some more as well.

It has been right on everything else, so that is really odd.
 
I agree a lot of people use Haynes manuals, but I'm just wondering here:

If your Haynes manual said to fill the engine with 2.1qt and you removed 6.5, what would you trust more? I'd probably put as much back in as I pulled out...
 
Actually, in the years of me tinkering with cars, this is the first of these I have encountered.

For the record. I used my Haynes to determine oil and diff oil amounts and they have always been spot on.
 
It lists the drain and fill amount in the service specifications section near the end.

It says 3.2 quarts for the 5speed trans and 2.1 for the 4speed (which I presume is yours because of the dipstick) but each time I drained mine (5speed) I got much more. Nearly 4 quarts the first time and more than 4 the second time with the front end jacked up. I plugged it before it was finished as I only had 4 quarts on hand. I wondered how far it would go so seeing your 4.5 number is interesting, but draining 4.5 out of the 4speed trans seems mysterious.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 339 (members: 3, guests: 336)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,307
Messages
3,554,054
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top