Remote Transmission Filter

[4RrDriver]

There is no filter in our transmissions, only a screen and I'd like to add a filter.

I'm thinking of adding a remote transmission filter like this one

This has been covered before but my question is regarding the filter. I was planning on using a regular, quality oil filter. However, on another forum someone called Wix and asked if an engine oil filter would work. The Wix rep said specifically to not use an engine filter. Rather, only use a "transmission" filter.

I'm guessing this is due a few things:

-filtration rating, micron rating of the transmission filter from Parker is down to 6 microns. For sake of comparison, Purolator advertises their PureOne as being 99.9% efficient at 20 microns.

-Auto transmissions pump at a higher pressure and flow rate through the cooler than a typical engine oil filter is built for. I read somewhere 80 to 120 psi is normal. The Racor Transmission filter is rated for 8 gallons per minute. I'm not sure how that compares to an oil filter.

I don't want to starve my transmission by restricting flow or create excessive pressure. In particular, winter temps in my area reach -40, and this leads to significant pressure.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this transmission, how much fluid it pumps and if a filter like this should cause any issues? Another option is to use the spin on transmission filter for the Alison transmission in GM pickups - although it's small, it's designed for fairly heavy duty applications and likely would be sufficient for my 4Runner - unless there's something unique about our transmission?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Not that your idea is a bad one, but you really don't need an external transmission cooler on these vehicles. I mean maybe if you're doing heavy duty towing, but at that point you should be using a larger truck really...

The Factory "Screen" is a high quality metal mesh that does a good job. From what I have seen and many technicians have seen, most of Toyota's modern transmissions do a pretty good job filtering junk out.

Now if you're dead set on using an external filter, I can't speak to flow or pressure. But you'll have to recheck/reset the fluid level going by the WS procedure to ensure proper fluid level with the new filter installed as these transmissions can be sensitive to fluid level and have an almost unnecessarily complicated fluid check process.

 

[4RrDriver]

I'm not looking to add a cooler, I think the cooler inside the rad is sufficient for my purposes.

But the fluid on the end of the dipstick has some grey residue on it, not an abnormal amount, but I would like to get that out of the pan. If I can wipe it off the dipstick, then it's suspended in the fluid and can be sucked up through the screen and circulated through the transmission.

Filtering the fluid to remove particles from it certainly wont hurt the transmission, as long as there's no increase in pressure to the pump or restriction in flow.

 

[blackfc3s]

If you have a dipstick you are a lucky one. Just drain and fill to get the nasty residue off.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I'm not looking to add a cooler, I think the cooler inside the rad is sufficient for my purposes.

But the fluid on the end of the dipstick has some grey residue on it, not an abnormal amount, but I would like to get that out of the pan. If I can wipe it off the dipstick, then it's suspended in the fluid and can be sucked up through the screen and circulated through the transmission.

Filtering the fluid to remove particles from it certainly wont hurt the transmission, as long as there's no increase in pressure to the pump or restriction in flow.

Oh, you have a dipstick tranny. I was working under the assumption you had a WS ATF "Sealed" transmission; so don't worry about the fluid level crap I was spouting.

Honestly, its up to you on the external filter. But I would just drop the pan, do a good cleaning, and flush the tranny really well.

If you're going to go with an external filter, you're probably going to have to mock it up on the vehicle via the cooler ports and measure pressures and flow yourself as I don't think anyone on this forum has done this particular mod yet.