How to flush transmission - 4th Gen 4runner V6

[radlynx]

Here's a more detailed instruction. (You'll need around 16 Qts of ATF).

1. find a 1 gallon milk container. measure and mark the 1st qt to 4th qt.
2. drain the pan and remove the pan and clean both pan and filter.
3. measure the atf you drained using the milk container. (need this later when refilling).
4. reinstall the clean filter and pan (use new gasket and torque to specs)
5. disconnect the atf line from top of radiator (driver side) - find out which one is the return line and line from pump.
6. get a hose (clear hose) that will fit inside the hose coming from the pump (seal it with teflon tape, then direct it to the milk jug all the way to the ground.
7. connect another hose to the fitting in the radiator and use it to fill the transmission with oil. (only use the amount of oil that you drained out from step 2) - this may take a bit longer unless you put pressure
8. once refilled, start engine and watch the milk jug until it's filled up to 2 qts and stop the engine.
9. refill it with atf again with another 2 qts and proceed with step 8. continue until a reddish color appear on the hose and don't do step 8 anymore.
10. remove the vinyl tubing and reconnect the hose to the radiator and the clamp.
11. YOU FINALLY FLUSHED YOUR TRANSMISSION. NOW IS THE TIME TO TEST DRIVE IT. :driving:

 

[fullspeed1]

transmission flush

Radlynx What size clear vinyl hose(s) did you use? Also, how hard is it to fill the 2 qts. into the radiator port? Thanks

 

[ridefast]

I don't know how many times I've posted this link on this site but here is the correct way to change your aft from the toyota FSM. Flushing is not nor ever recommended by any mechanic unless they want $4k from you 5000 miles later for a new tranny! Make sure you use toyota ws tranny fluid. Nothing else is approved by toyota so don't try to save a few bucks here (literally a few bucks)!
Do this process 3 or 4 times with 200 mile intervals untill the atf looks good. Then drive another 100k :bigok:

I'm not bashing, I just trying to spread the good word! Also tw has a way better technical section (t4r is still awesome) than this site and most everything can apply to our trucks!
:bravo::jump:
How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission - Tacoma World Forums

 

[radlynx]

i don't remember the size of the tubing. i just used gravity alone which takes a lot of your time. you can use something that you can attach on top of the atf bottle and feed it to the radiator and squeeze the bottle to speed up the oil flow or a small pump.

Radlynx What size clear vinyl hose(s) did you use? Also, how hard is it to fill the 2 qts. into the radiator port? Thanks

 

[08T4R]

I don't know how many times I've posted this link on this site but here is the correct way to change your aft from the toyota FSM. Flushing is not nor ever recommended by any mechanic unless they want $4k from you 5000 miles later for a new tranny! Make sure you use toyota ws tranny fluid. Nothing else is approved by toyota so don't try to save a few bucks here (literally a few bucks)!
Do this process 3 or 4 times with 200 mile intervals untill the atf looks good. Then drive another 100k :bigok:

I'm not bashing, I just trying to spread the good word! Also tw has a way better technical section (t4r is still awesome) than this site and most everything can apply to our trucks!
:bravo::jump:
How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission - Tacoma World Forums

This is in no way a flush! I don't understand why people feel it is. You are simply using the pump in the transmission to exchange the fluid. I have done this several times on several different vehicles and there has never been a reprocussion. I wouldn't use a powered machine to flush the fluid out, unless you did it every 30k miles or so, which would be overkill. This is almost the same as your drain and fill method, except you're not mixing the old with the new. I personally probably wouldn't even open the transmission. Just drain, fill and pump out the old/exchange as described above.

 

[ridefast]

It's not my method, it's toyotas. The truck is programmed to do this service. I don't see why people would deviate from this procedure when it comes to a transmission. It's an easy procedure, there's no sense in changing it.

 

[08T4R]

It's not my method, it's toyotas. The truck is programmed to do this service. I don't see why people would deviate from this procedure when it comes to a transmission. It's an easy procedure, there's no sense in changing it.

I've never seen a shop manual that states to do repeated drain and fills every 200 miles..if I'm wrong, show me so I can be better educated. Not trying to be an asshat, or hard to get along with, but why do the same thing numerous times mixing old and new when you can allow the transmission to do its normal thing and pump out the old while adding new one time? Makes much more sense to me..and you're not using any pressure, so it wouldn't disturb any sediment that *might* be in the transmission.

 

[radlynx]

this is pretty much mixing old fluid with new fluid which will be more time consuming since you'll have to drain and fill multiple times. when i drained my atf from the pan, it didn't remove all the fluid from it. when i removed the pan, i got around 1 more qt of fluid and was able to clean the pan and filter thouroughly.

my method is using what's available. since the car already has a pump, i used it to get the old fluid out. though there's a bit of fluid mixing somewhere but easier i think. for as long as you measure how much fluid you take out and pour in, you are ok. i'm not sure though what the fluid level be if it's hot and if it's cold. I might have to test this how high a cold fluid be and how higher a hot fluid be. but i guess, not too much of a difference. Anyone tested this yet?

I don't know how many times I've posted this link on this site but here is the correct way to change your aft from the toyota FSM. Flushing is not nor ever recommended by any mechanic unless they want $4k from you 5000 miles later for a new tranny! Make sure you use toyota ws tranny fluid. Nothing else is approved by toyota so don't try to save a few bucks here (literally a few bucks)!
Do this process 3 or 4 times with 200 mile intervals untill the atf looks good. Then drive another 100k :bigok:

I'm not bashing, I just trying to spread the good word! Also tw has a way better technical section (t4r is still awesome) than this site and most everything can apply to our trucks!
:bravo::jump:
How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission - Tacoma World Forums

 

[PR Fiebru]

i read and read and i dont seem to find what i am looking for.

I have a 04 sr5 . it has a dip stick .

i changed radiator and added a transmission cooler in top or radiator cooler.

I drained transmission and tomorrow plan to drop transmission pan and maybe also change transmission filter. I hear filter is reusable but if its cheap enough i might just buy it.

my question is. what tranny fluid is it the one it requires.
is it toyota type iv

how many quarts will i need. I can obviously measure with the dip stick once it reaches normal temp. but i would like to know so that i know how many quarts to buy.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

To the OP:

You need to also account for how long your hoses are and the volume in your hoses if you want to be accurate; these sealed units can be very touchy and even a quarter of a quart can be too little/too much according to Toyota (haven't honestly determined how detrimental it is... But it was enough for Toyota to make a partially useless SST for techs to "get the level right" )

This is in no way a flush! I don't understand why people feel it is. You are simply using the pump in the transmission to exchange the fluid. I have done this several times on several different vehicles and there has never been a reprocussion. I wouldn't use a powered machine to flush the fluid out, unless you did it every 30k miles or so, which would be overkill. This is almost the same as your drain and fill method, except you're not mixing the old with the new. I personally probably wouldn't even open the transmission. Just drain, fill and pump out the old/exchange as described above.

Toyota doesn't want us using any machines, that being said a simple fluid exchanger that just uses trans pressure to exchange fluid had been successfully used by techs and shops and shouldn't hurt the trans. The machines that are not recommended are the back flushers and chemical flushing units. But you need to check fluid level afterwards to verify its done properly, again this has to do with the extra fluid volume in your lines and inaccuracy of the process that in a normal transmission you'd just top off at the dipstick. (Almost EVERY machine exchange I did I still needed to "touch up" the level to some degree.)

It's not my method, it's toyotas. The truck is programmed to do this service. I don't see why people would deviate from this procedure when it comes to a transmission. It's an easy procedure, there's no sense in changing it.

I don't remember seeing anywhere in the literature about the 200mile thing... you have a reference?

i read and read and i dont seem to find what i am looking for.

I have a 04 sr5 . it has a dip stick .

i changed radiator and added a transmission cooler in top or radiator cooler.

I drained transmission and tomorrow plan to drop transmission pan and maybe also change transmission filter. I hear filter is reusable but if its cheap enough i might just buy it.

my question is. what tranny fluid is it the one it requires.
is it toyota type iv

how many quarts will i need. I can obviously measure with the dip stick once it reaches normal temp. but i would like to know so that i know how many quarts to buy.

If it has a Dipstick its Type IV trans fluid, I don't have the specs in front of me, but usually a good flush (drain and fill and repeat a few times) is about 8~12qts.

 

[PR Fiebru]

I dropped pan replaced filter and added 5 quarts of type iv fluid. My 2004 had a dip stick. How do i accurately measure it using dip stick?

 

[97hb]

Flat ground with everything at operating temp should be between the two top notches. I am right at 265k miles never done a flush just dump and refills. A340s are tough.

 

[BadBobFlorida]

Flush Transmission

NEVER flush your tranny! Why would you? If the trans is fine leave it! Myself and others in my crew have had to spend big money after someone talked us into changing tranny fluid. DO NOT. My '03 4Runner still has the factory fluid in it. 148,000 miles. Its not like changing oil, in fact today's oil lasts for 8,000 miles. BE CAREFUL.

 

[PR Fiebru]

I have to disagree. That is exactly what car manufacturers want you to do. Never change the fluid. Our Toyotas can las over two hundred thousand miles with any problems.

I changed all my toyota vehicle fluids and I have never had a problem. I have always performed a drain and fill. I also drop the pan and clean it from all gunk. The key is to only used the correct fluid right from the dealer. Do not go with cheap auto parts fluids. For transmission ONLY use the correct toyota fluid.

My 4runner shifts perfectly before and after fluid change. I will once again do a drain a fill to get more of the fluid out. I will get that done before the year is over. For now I will drain and fill both differentials and transfer case with new fluid.

 

[MikeInNH]

Transmission fluid as with ANY oil degrades over time. ONE person speaks up about how changing the fluid in their vehicle caused it to fail...yet it's not too difficult to find HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS of transmission failures due to neglect.

There are times FLUSHING a tranny fluid can cause damage. That's why you NEVER flush it. You just drain and replace. Flushing (especially power flushing) can cause problems with the valve body of a transmission.

This is the first automatic I've owned in years. But my wife has owned nothing but automatics. I changed the fluid about every 50k miles in all her vehicles...current vehicle ('07 Lexus has over 130k miles and going strong)....'96 Accord last sold it to niece when it have over 250k miles..and she sold he when she graduated pharmacy college...it had over 340k miles...Wifes 87 Accord..last I knew was approaching 500k miles...ALL WITH THE ORIGINAL TRANNY..AND FLUID CHANGED EVERY 50K miles.

 

[kman79]

I don't know how many times I've posted this link on this site but here is the correct way to change your aft from the toyota FSM. Flushing is not nor ever recommended by any mechanic unless they want $4k from you 5000 miles later for a new tranny! Make sure you use toyota ws tranny fluid. Nothing else is approved by toyota so don't try to save a few bucks here (literally a few bucks)!
Do this process 3 or 4 times with 200 mile intervals untill the atf looks good. Then drive another 100k :bigok:

I'm not bashing, I just trying to spread the good word! Also tw has a way better technical section (t4r is still awesome) than this site and most everything can apply to our trucks!
:bravo::jump:
How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission - Tacoma World Forums

I just did the method from the Tacoma World forums. I got about 2.5 quarts out and used Fluid Transfer Pump to transfer fresh ATF back. I put back in about 2.75 quarts with the oil just barely "dribbling" out.

How much is everyone else using to fill their transmissions? Just curious.

 

[hearno]

How much is everyone else using to fill their transmissions? Just curious.

I ordered 4 quarts and used almost all of it. Between spillage and the little that remained in the last bottle, roughly 3.5 came out and went back in.

 

[Johns06yota]

I ordered 4 quarts and used almost all of it. Between spillage and the little that remained in the last bottle, roughly 3.5 came out and went back in.

No one has posted here in a while but my 2006 4runner has about 149,000 miles and I don't believe the transmission fluid has ever been changed. I've replaced all other fluids though. I tend to relatively often notice when I come to a rolling stop and then press the gas it seems to stay in neutral for a second then move forward. Could this be caused by needing new fluid?

 

[radlynx]

No one has posted here in a while but my 2006 4runner has about 149,000 miles and I don't believe the transmission fluid has ever been changed. I've replaced all other fluids though. I tend to relatively often notice when I come to a rolling stop and then press the gas it seems to stay in neutral for a second then move forward. Could this be caused by needing new fluid?

you are way due for an atf change. i created this diy and the last time i changed my oil was around 65000 miles. i am now at 130000 miles and so far, i have not encountered any transmission issue. i will be replacing it again this summer using the same method.

i recommend you change all the fluid first but in your case, the fluid viscosity might be very thick and black. it might help fix your issue. if not, you might have some solenoid problem.

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