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

[haro]

about to hit 113,000 2003 6v limited 4wd original owner and never change trans fluid. still ride like new, never notice any difference in gear change.

 

[rando]

My rig is at 88k miles, I've changed the AT fluid twice since it was new. It was black both times.

 

[theladyviola]

I'm at 153K. Just drained tranny the other day. Pretty sure the fluid had been changed but there's no way in hell they did the filter at the same time. Pan was funky.


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[razzman1]

OK, I have so many tabs open now related to transmissions, I have lost track. I have an 03 V8 with a transmission dip stick. All I want to do is the drain and fill. Is there a write-up specifically on that? Am I simply going to remove the filler neck for easier access, drain out what I can from the pan, and top off?

Thanks

 

[theladyviola]

OK, I have so many tabs open now related to transmissions, I have lost track. I have an 03 V8 with a transmission dip stick. All I want to do is the drain and fill. Is there a write-up specifically on that? Am I simply going to remove the filler neck for easier access, drain out what I can from the pan, and top off?

Thanks

In a nutshell, that's it. Little more to it with a filter change but not much more.
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/maint...on-service-4th-gen-toyota-4runners-prior.html



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[razzman1]

Ya, after reading everything, I think I'll pass on a flush and/or filter replacement. I'll just do a couple of drain and re-fills.

Can I add fluid through the tube?--does it just make it easier to add fluid by removing the filler tube?

 

[theladyviola]

Ya, after reading everything, I think I'll pass on a flush and/or filter replacement. I'll just do a couple of drain and re-fills.

Can I add fluid through the tube?--does it just make it easier to add fluid by removing the filler tube?

I just filled through the dipstick tube. At some point you'll need to do the filter. I was surprised how dirty my pan was on my '03.


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[flippedman]

Original owner here with just over 200k on my 2006 Limited V8. I've never changed the transmission fluid. Diffs I do every 50k or so.

I tow the occasional trailer here and there but generally drive very conservatively.

 

[Bigshankhank]

Currently at 165k on my '08, original ATF. I bought this rig at 88k two years ago, very little towing but lots of driving all over Florida. I think I will be flushing the fluid at 175k miles now that I am driving less.

 

[camp332]

78K 2nd owner. Thinking about doing it this summer.

 

[dasx86]

2005 v8

Not on my original fluid anymore. Stopping in to drop off some info, perhaps it will help someone like all of the useful information I've found here!

177k miles on my 2005 V8 Limited. Bought a case of 12qts of Toyota WS. Basically used this thread as a guide: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/195074-atf-exchange-using-cooling-line.html

Did not drop the pan at all. Intercepted the output line of the transmission cooler (top hose is the output) with 3/8 inner diameter tubing. Like so (pic stolen from http://www.toyota-4runner.org/maint...on-service-4th-gen-toyota-4runners-prior.html, thanks user riverwolf):

Fired it up, let it pump out two quarts, kill it. Fill two quarts to transmission. Rinse and repeat until 10 quarts were changed. Somehow didn't break my cheap Advance Auto hand pump. Fluid looking fairly pink after 10qts pushed out, so I stopped there. Got it at the proper temperature (see thread at top) and open the fluid level check drain.

Not noticing any difference in performance or behavior, but glad I did it!

Thanks to all the informative users on here!

 

[AuSeeker]

Original owner here with just over 200k on my 2006 Limited V8. I've never changed the transmission fluid. Diffs I do every 50k or so.

I tow the occasional trailer here and there but generally drive very conservatively.

I think you're taking a very BIG gamble no matter how conservative you drive, it clearly states in the service maintenance guide that if you tow a trailer at all that you should do a transmission fluid change at 30,000 miles and every 30,000 miles after that, I also personally think it should be done around 100,000 even if you have never tow anything, there is truly no such thing as a "Lifetime" fluid when it comes to transmissions.

Anytime you tow a trailer the temperature of the transmission fluid rises past the maximum recommended for any transmission and as such shortens the life of the transmission, the only way to avoid the temperature rise is to have a good transmission fluid cooler and also a way to monitor the transmission temperature level, if it's get close too or definitely above 200 degrees for any extended length of time you're risking or more than likely have done damaged to the transmission and another or bigger cooler is required to avoid the damaging temperature levels.

I speak with over 45 years of experience of doing mechanical work on cars, big rigs and heavy equipment.

 

[jfry008]

I think you're taking a very BIG gamble no matter how conservative you drive, it clearly states in the service maintenance guide that if you tow a trailer at all that you should do a transmission fluid change at 30,000 miles and every 30,000 miles after that, I also personally think it should be done around 100,000 even if you have never tow anything, there is truly no such thing as a "Lifetime" fluid when it comes to transmissions.
.

I think it's every 60k towing

 

[03v8raleigh]

I just filled through the dipstick tube. At some point you'll need to do the filter. I was surprised how dirty my pan was on my '03.


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Arg. I did already purchase a new filter&gasket but really don't want to do the pan drop and filter change because of all the horror stories about broken pan bolts AND the fact that I have to move the exhaust out of the way which has rusty old bolts that I know are going to break on me. Trying to convince myself that a couple simple drain and fills will be okay, since I have the dipstick. Fluid in there is still fairly red.

I've done the filter change on a 2000 4runner and a 2004 Sienna and it was easy peazy other than getting all the old gasket material off. But I know with my luck I'm going to run into a bunch of broken bolts and shit and I'm not prepared to deal with that haha

 

[AuSeeker]

I think it's every 60k towing

Thanks, yes you're correct it's 60,000, my fingers didn't type what my head was telling them to type.

 

[theladyviola]

Arg. I did already purchase a new filter&gasket but really don't want to do the pan drop and filter change because of all the horror stories about broken pan bolts AND the fact that I have to move the exhaust out of the way which has rusty old bolts that I know are going to break on me. Trying to convince myself that a couple simple drain and fills will be okay, since I have the dipstick. Fluid in there is still fairly red.



I've done the filter change on a 2000 4runner and a 2004 Sienna and it was easy peazy other than getting all the old gasket material off. But I know with my luck I'm going to run into a bunch of broken bolts and shit and I'm not prepared to deal with that haha

It's a b!otch for sure, but a necessary evil. Just watch torquing the bolts back. I'm camping and can't remember the in-lbs but it's not very much. I used Blaster in all the exhaust bolts for days before I attempted it. In the end some of my exhaust nuts/bolts were chewed up but they all fixed up with a tap and die. And it's done.


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[jonathansdotson]

Just changed mine for the first time (to my knowledge) at 123,000 miles using this write-up: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/195074-atf-exchange-using-cooling-line.html.

Super simple, not nearly as scary as you might think.

 

[theladyviola]

Just changed mine for the first time (to my knowledge) at 123,000 miles using this write-up: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/195074-atf-exchange-using-cooling-line.html.



Super simple, not nearly as scary as you might think.

Not exactly the same as the non-sealed tranny and still doesn't address the filter, magnets, gasket. There's no way my magnets could have even picked up anything because the pan didn't look like it had ever been dropped, filter replaced, or magnets cleaned. Non-sealed also doesn't require WS fluid.


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[flippedman]

Now I really want to do it. Thank God for this thread!

 

[jonathansdotson]

Not exactly the same as the non-sealed tranny and still doesn't address the filter, magnets, gasket. There's no way my magnets could have even picked up anything because the pan didn't look like it had ever been dropped, filter replaced, or magnets cleaned. Non-sealed also doesn't require WS fluid.

You are correct. I was just putting that out there for any lurkers who do have the sealed tranny, such as myself.