Synthetic Trans Fluid Drain and Fill?

[VanPattyCakes]

Hey guys. First time poster long time lurker. I'm getting ready to do a trans fluid drain and fill over the next couple weeks. I don't know what kind of trans fluid is in the Runner now. Without knowing whats in there now is it okay to drain and fill with new synthetic trans fluid? Sorry if this is a silly question. I suppose we all start somewhere. Cheers.

 

[ajonesnv]

Hey guys. First time poster long time lurker. I'm getting ready to do a trans fluid drain and fill over the next couple weeks. I don't know what kind of trans fluid is in the Runner now. Without knowing whats in there now is it okay to drain and fill with new synthetic trans fluid? Sorry if this is a silly question. I suppose we all start somewhere. Cheers.

As long as the fluid you put in is compatible to the transmission you're fine. You will have blended fluid for a awhile, as it takes many drain and fills to dilute the old fluid with new.

 

[shootmymime]

someone back me up on this if im right. iirc we take merk 3 or 4

 

[LittleCaesar]

Dex III. Maxlife, Castrol Import are two good ones. Amsoil ATF is as well, but harder on the wallet.

 

[Justin727]

I used Mobil Multi Vehicle ATF last exchange I did.

 

[VanPattyCakes]

As long as the fluid you put in is compatible to the transmission you're fine. You will have blended fluid for a awhile, as it takes many drain and fills to dilute the old fluid with new.

Thank you sir. So assuming the PO had the recommended Dex II or III in the trans and I drain and fill with synthetic, it'll be okay being blended for the (hopefully) short amount of time it takes to do enough drain and fills to get most of the old stuff out? I guess while I'm here I'll also ask for everyones preferred trans fluid. I use Mobil1 full syn motor oil so I just figured I'd go with synthetic in the trans.

 

[VanPattyCakes]

Dex III. Maxlife, Castrol Import are two good ones. Amsoil ATF is as well, but harder on the wallet.

Would ya look at that. Got to it before I even had to ask. Thanks for the input!

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Hot you will remove about 1 gallon. Since mine was nasty I just bought 5 gal of SuperTech. Then every couple days it got dumped.

I will use the pennzoil multi-vehicle synthetic.

 

[slides]

Couldn't you just it in one day? Drain and fill go drive a few miles and repeate?

 

[amalik]

Couldn't you just it in one day? Drain and fill go drive a few miles and repeate?

Or you could do a full flush and not worry about a headache like that.

 

[VanPattyCakes]

Couldn't you just it in one day? Drain and fill go drive a few miles and repeate?

Work Schedule doesn't really allow for it. Though it probably won't take the couple weeks I mentioned before. I'll probably do a drain and fill in the mornings and then at night after work for as many days as it takes to get the old stuff out. I just wanted to make sure that a possible synthetic/whatevers in it now blend would be okay in the meantime.

 

[aeroneer1]

I dropped pan and refilled with Royal Purple synthetic. (Safe to mix)

Then a cuople days later I drained and refilled again. That stuff is like $10 a quart, so that got expensive quick.

I will probably do it once more when the weather gets nicer. I'm not confident enough to the full flush where you turn it on and get the remaining fluid out of the torque converter. Too afraid I'll break something.

 

[djskorch]

A full flush is very easy and not all that time consuming if you have a 2nd person to help. Basically you just unplug the feed line into the bottom of the radiator, have someone start the truck until it pumps out a quart or 2, then turn it off, refill and repeat. After 10-15 minutes of this, you will see the new clean fluid coming out and then your done.

Edit, I guess this may not be called a "flush" as it is not using pressure to flush every bit of old fluid out of the lines but this will get 98% of the old fluid out in one shot. I did this with Amsoil full synthetic and haven't looked back since.

 

[Justin727]

A full flush is very easy and not all that time consuming if you have a 2nd person to help. Basically you just unplug the feed line into the bottom of the radiator, have someone start the truck until it pumps out a quart or 2, then turn it off, refill and repeat. After 10-15 minutes of this, you will see the new clean fluid coming out and then your done.

Edit, I guess this may not be called a "flush" as it is not using pressure to flush every bit of old fluid out of the lines but this will get 98% of the old fluid out in one shot. I did this with Amsoil full synthetic and haven't looked back since.

Theres a guy on youtube that did his 01 with a small electric pump.

 

[Brveagle]

A full flush is very easy and not all that time consuming if you have a 2nd person to help. Basically you just unplug the feed line into the bottom of the radiator, have someone start the truck until it pumps out a quart or 2, then turn it off, refill and repeat. After 10-15 minutes of this, you will see the new clean fluid coming out and then your done.

Edit, I guess this may not be called a "flush" as it is not using pressure to flush every bit of old fluid out of the lines but this will get 98% of the old fluid out in one shot. I did this with Amsoil full synthetic and haven't looked back since.

+1. Doesn't take too long and is a easy way to "flush" the tranny fluid

 

[gamefreakgc]

I was told by the shop I go to for larger/messier repairs that they stopped doing power flushes since they learned that it can actually damage the transmission. They only do drain and fills now since it's not worth the risk for them.

I guess it can pick up shavings and such and put them back through the transmission, causing some nasty problems.

 

[VanPattyCakes]

I will probably do it once more when the weather gets nicer. I'm not confident enough to the full flush where you turn it on and get the remaining fluid out of the torque converter. Too afraid I'll break something.

I feel ya on that, aeroneer. By the way you've got a great truck. Checked out your build and its very tasteful. I think you guys have convinced me to drop the pan. Any "wish I would've done this instead" advice as far as this little project goes? Are you just using RTV when the pan goes back on? Thanks for all the insight, guys.

 

[acr_ted]

I also use the Valvoline Max-Life -seems to be fine.

And welcome to the forum!

Ted

 

[Nunyabiz]

Best thing to do is to take it to a T-Tech machine and have about 13 Quarts of a good Synthetic ATF with you when you go.
That will use the trucks own pump to push out the old and push in the new so you should get about a 95+% change of fluid.

Doing a drain & fill is a waste of good Synthetic ATF.

You can do about the same thing yourself although it easier if you have someone to help.
Also if you have never seen the inside of your trans pan it would be a good idea to drop the pan and check out the magnets and see the overall condition of everything.

 

[VanPattyCakes]

Also if you have never seen the inside of your trans pan it would be a good idea to drop the pan and check out the magnets and see the overall condition of everything.

Yeah, the more I think about it the more I'd like to get in there and see how everything looks.