Ok, so I decided to do my first oil change on my truck since getting it back in early September. Well I accidentally removed the transmission overfill plug bolt. I realized fairly quickly my mistake. It drained for maybe 10 sec, I was not able to measure since it went into pan with oil in it already. I guess I lost maybe a quart of tranny fluid. I can attest to the fact that the dealer did the job I paid for by the nearly clear, red fluid. They serviced it last month with a complete flush and fill, $250. What should I do? Refill it myself through the refill plug at proper temp, or just have it towed to dealer for them to check it out? The dealer is about 17 miles away from my house.
Oil change gone wrong, help!
- Thread starter summit21
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WXman
New member
Dear God, it's amazing how frequently this happens. At what point while under the middle of the truck do people start to wonder why the engine is in the front of the truck? :hand:
On a serious note, like they said just get you some WS fluid from the dealership and look up the detailed instructions on this forum on how to check the fluid and add more. Then you can be sure you have the right level. It's not easy on these trucks...but it's doable. Good luck man.
On a serious note, like they said just get you some WS fluid from the dealership and look up the detailed instructions on this forum on how to check the fluid and add more. Then you can be sure you have the right level. It's not easy on these trucks...but it's doable. Good luck man.
Greydog
Member
The trans pan is alot easier to see than the oil plug with the skid on, is my theory. Either way, it's an easy solution to add the WS back in.
One thought on doing this yourself is that you will want to do some drain and fills over the rest f your ownership time so getting a pump and being comfortable with the process is not a bad idea either.
Anyway, good luck and go drive it in some dirt, sand or snow !!
One thought on doing this yourself is that you will want to do some drain and fills over the rest f your ownership time so getting a pump and being comfortable with the process is not a bad idea either.
Anyway, good luck and go drive it in some dirt, sand or snow !!
RCs4Runner
New member
The other day I was changing my engine oil and I accidentally drained some of the rear diff oil. I thought I had a long block???? Get it, long........block. :drum:
If you can't differentiate between an engine oil drain plug VS a transmission oil drain plug maybe you shouldn't be changing the oil. Even being in a hurry you should know where the engine oil pan is in relation to the transmission.
If you can't differentiate between an engine oil drain plug VS a transmission oil drain plug maybe you shouldn't be changing the oil. Even being in a hurry you should know where the engine oil pan is in relation to the transmission.
Guys lets look past the mistake and address his question. We all make mistakes it is just part of being human.
OP - You have 2 options. Buy some fluid from the dealer, get it to temp and top it off per the manual. Or get the truck to the dealer and let them top it off and check it.
Either way works, if you do it yourself there are a few DIY's here with instructions and the fluid is ~ $20-30. If you take it to the dealer it will be more $$, but you will have the piece of mind it topped off and checked by a Toyota mechanic.
On a separate note, i don't use the drain plug. I use a Pela Oil Extractor and just suck it out the top. But i also have a v6 with the filter on the top, so for me this is easy and clean.
OP - You have 2 options. Buy some fluid from the dealer, get it to temp and top it off per the manual. Or get the truck to the dealer and let them top it off and check it.
Either way works, if you do it yourself there are a few DIY's here with instructions and the fluid is ~ $20-30. If you take it to the dealer it will be more $$, but you will have the piece of mind it topped off and checked by a Toyota mechanic.
On a separate note, i don't use the drain plug. I use a Pela Oil Extractor and just suck it out the top. But i also have a v6 with the filter on the top, so for me this is easy and clean.
What he said ^
4runnerAzGuy
New member
Yea just add some back in, it wouldn't drain it all that quick.
zopperman
Moderator
Diva. (I want one too)
In the above link the poster pumps the ATF into a cold tranny on his Tacoma. Is the temp check just for checking the fluid level or does it also have to be in that range before pumping the ATF in?
Check the level at the proper temp.
So after learning a lot from the forum and previous posts, I would argue the tranny is not as "sealed" as many like to assume. After I removed the bolt from pan, tranny fluid poured out solid like during an oil change. I am guessing had I let it drain, I would have got about 3-4 qts. out? It seems like you could do a 3X4 change using this method...that is drain 3-4qts, refill, and drive, then repeat times 4, eventually getting nearly all new fluid. Yeah the temp check thing makes it a little more difficult, but the tranny is far from sealed, IMO. You also don't have to worry about the flushing of sensitive parts with this method either. This process may still not be as easy as using the cooling return lines.
03_4x4Runner
Senior Member
It is hard to replace all the fluid with new doing the drain and flush as the new fluid is contaminated with the old fluid. Draining 12 quarts 3 quarts at a time and refilling then driving around mixes the old and new fluid. When you drain the fluid again you are also draining some of the new fluid you put in. I am not an engineer but it would take many drain and fills to replace all the fluid. Replacing 12 quarts 3 quarts at a time may be good enough if the original was not to bad though.
I agree you won't have 100% new fluid. It is actually an accepted method on my wife's Acura TL (3x3), due to the sensitive parts of the tranny vs. doing a machine flush/fill. Is a machine flush ok on the 4runner? If the concerns are similar the 3x4 method would result in at least 75-80% new fluid while avoiding the damge to internal parts via a machine flush.
