Transmission fluid

[nissanh]

I am planning to drain and fill automatic transmission fluid in my 97 4x4. Even when cold, the level sits above the max on HOT scale so I cannot determine how many quarts should go back in after the drain.

Can someone please let me know how many quarts usually it takes after a drain to reach the proper level?
Thanks

 

[stir_fry_boy]

I am planning to drain and fill automatic transmission fluid in my 97 4x4. Even when cold, the level sits above the max on HOT scale so I cannot determine how many quarts should go back in after the drain.

Can someone please let me know how many quarts usually it takes after a drain to reach the proper level?
Thanks

If you drain it while the truck is level, it's about 4 quarts. You can ruin the tranny if overfilled.

 

[T4R2014]

Measure what you drained out.

 

[98Base4R]

If it is above the hot mark, it is too full. There isn't a lot of fluid between the marks on the dipstick, so it could be only a few ounces too full.

I would take a milk jug and mark the side in pints (1/2 quart). Open the drain plug and catch in your usual oil change drain pan. Pour that in the milk jug and measure.

Replace the drain plug and get your long funnel out to fill it back up. Start by re-filling, but stop at about a quart below what you drained out. So if you drain out 4.5 qts, re-fill 3.5 qts.

Slowly add new fluid, a few ounces at a time, until you get to the correct level. Now you know how much your transmission takes for a drain/fill.

Drive it around to get it hot again, and do one more drain and fill. Re-fill with the amount you figured out the first go around.

Fluid should be clean and bright, and it should shift crisply. Write down the drain/fill capacity to save time when you do the job again.

 

[98Base4R]

You can pull the pan off to clean the screen and the bottom of the pan out. It is likely pretty clean, so this is optional. it certainly isn't necessary every time.

I put 3 super magnets on the bottom of the pan. When I drain the pan, I take the magnets off so (hopefully) the metal material drains out. This may be just wishful thinking, but it makes me feel better.

The crush washer part number is 35178-30010. Use the new one when you are finished with the drain/fill process, not for the intermediate steps.

 

[nissanh]

Good advice!

If it is above the hot mark, it is too full. There isn't a lot of fluid between the marks on the dipstick, so it could be only a few ounces too full.

I would take a milk jug and mark the side in pints (1/2 quart). Open the drain plug and catch in your usual oil change drain pan. Pour that in the milk jug and measure.

Replace the drain plug and get your long funnel out to fill it back up. Start by re-filling, but stop at about a quart below what you drained out. So if you drain out 4.5 qts, re-fill 3.5 qts.

Slowly add new fluid, a few ounces at a time, until you get to the correct level. Now you know how much your transmission takes for a drain/fill.

Drive it around to get it hot again, and do one more drain and fill. Re-fill with the amount you figured out the first go around.

Fluid should be clean and bright, and it should shift crisply. Write down the drain/fill capacity to save time when you do the job again.

How many miles between the first and second oil drain-fill?

Also the local dealer said 1997 (or older) models use a different oil than the newer toyota's. Is this true? Can someone please post a picture of the bottle so I can buy the same.

Is it necessary to remove the pan and install a new filter? I am sure, it is still the factory filter!. Yes, I have about 5 super strong magnets (from computer hard drives, if some one wants to find one easily) underneath the pan and will remove that before the drain.

Thank you guys!

 

[gamefreakgc]

Measure what you drained out.

He doesn't want to put it what will be drained out since it's overfilled.

It's not so much a mileage sort of thing with transmission fluid. It's more of a quality issue. The fluid, mentioned above, should be bright and red. No hints of brown, much less black. It's not like engine oil that it needs to be changed every "X" miles. This might help, just posted it in another thread (the shop I used to go to had it hanging on their wall). You always test by either wiping the dipstick (after wiping once to make sure it's not just dirty) or dropping a few drops on a paper towel.

 

[nissanh]

Good information

He doesn't want to put it what will be drained out since it's overfilled.

It's not so much a mileage sort of thing with transmission fluid. It's more of a quality issue. The fluid, mentioned above, should be bright and red. No hints of brown, much less black. It's not like engine oil that it needs to be changed every "X" miles. This might help, just posted it in another thread (the shop I used to go to had it hanging on their wall). You always test by either wiping the dipstick (after wiping once to make sure it's not just dirty) or dropping a few drops on a paper towel.

Thank you for the picture. I think I am going to do it now or early tomorrow morning.

Thanks!

 

[GHARP57]

00279-000T4-01 Toyota Transmission fluid Type-IV, also called T4. ask for a case discount it retails at just under 6 bucks a quart. 12 in a case

 

[nissanh]

The dipstick says dextron II and not T4. So I went ahead with dextron II, but before I go ahead, is this the right fluid?

 

[mattcampos]

im doing this this weekend :high5:

 

[ZionXIX]

I just did this today for the first time on this vehicle. I only drained out 2 qts. I checked the dips tick before and after. Before, it was at the upper edge of the cold mark (vehicle sat overnight). I filled with new fluid until it reached the same general level. It was right at 3qts. How are other people getting 3 or 4 qts drained out? Also that dipstick is absurdly difficult to replace. Sometimes I have a hard time discerning between fluid residue scraped off the side of the dipstick tube vs. the actual fluid level in the pan. Getting under the plastic step is kind of a chore for larger built people like myself. I'm just glad the fluid was red and did not appear burnt or even mildly dirty.

 

[alumarine]

Are you checking it with the motor running?

 

[mtbtim]

I guess I should have looked at how old the original post was before responding but I think the below information is good for anyone visiting this thread.

Dextron II is not made anymore. It was replaced by Dextron III at some point, to then be replaced by Dextron 1V, etc. What you want to find is a fluid that is compatible with vehicles calling for Dextron III. I've personally been using Mercon V.

Here's a pretty good information sheet regarding transmission fluid types:Techtips - Selecting the Proper Automatic Transmisison Fluid

I've changed my trans fluid several times and consistently get around 5 quarts out when I just remove the drain plug on level ground. Start by refilling with 4 quarts. Start the engine, switch the trans between all the gears and then see if the fluid is within the cold marks on the dipstick. If not, fill to the upper line on the cold level. Take it for a drive long enough to heat up the trans fluid and recheck to see if it's within the hot marks.

There can be a large disparity depending on how hot the trans is. If I heat my trans to around 150 degrees, the level on my dipstick will be at the top line of the dipstick. I drove it up a mountain road where I reached 190 degrees and the level was well above the top hot line. This year is the first time in my 34 years of driving that I've monitored trans temps in any vehicle. I would just drive the vehicle for a while, up and down the freeway a few exits, return to your house, and on level ground, recheck the fluid level. If you are monitoring trans temps, I'd make sure it's at least around 150 degrees when you check it.

I'm starting to think since there can be a huge difference between the level depending on how hot the trans is, a check when the trans is cold might be the most accurate. So, just make sure after you do the drain and refill that you start off with the trans level at the top of the cold and you should be golden.

 

[ZionXIX]

Are you checking it with the motor running?

Well after I filled back the 2 qrts, the level was at the top cold notch. I ran a couple of errands and came back home. My drive was about 10 miles with a couple of tallish hills to climb over. I parked on level ground and checked the fluid while idling. It was halfway between the top cold line and the lower hot line. Im sure the fluid was only "warm" not "hot". I dont know how I would be able to get the fluid hot without a trans temp gauge.

Before you ask me to drive a such and such distance I must inform you that currently I live on a tiny island in the Caribbean where there are lots of short drives, slow speeds (40 mph max posted speed limit), and braking for animals / pedestrian crossing the road.

I did notice on the first drive after the drain/fill a little slipping at 40mph. It happened again for a second or so later this morning.

My choices in fluid are rather limited on this island. Castrol seems to be king here. My only option available is to use Dextron VI or the Transmax import fluid. I went with the transmax import. Im fairly sure that is already in this 4runner. I am the most recent owner of 6 months.

I apologize if some of the provided information is unrelated to the topic.

 

[LittleCaesar]

St. Kitts is nice, though it has been 10+ years since I have been.

Just keep checking the fluid when hot and the engine running. Park on a level surface, with the brake depressed run through all the gears from P to L then back to P, then check the fluid level. If you are slipping my guess you are still low.

Castrol Import is just fine to use.

 

[ZionXIX]

Could the dipstick reading be wrong somehow? I noticed slipping every now and then before I did the drain and fill. I have no history on this vehicle beyond the PO and they never mentioned anything about transmission problems but were all students. Most of them just drive these island cars until they die cuz we are only here for like 2 years. Not a lot of time to spare for the vehicles between studying and so forth unfortunately.

 

[ZionXIX]

Update:

Not much driving today. I checked the Fluid level cold before starting and driving. Curiously the level read at the low end of hot. I was parking on an incline where if anything the level should have read too low. I checked it 3 or 4 times and every time it read low end of hot. But know I drained and replaced 2 qrts 2 days prior I decided to run quick test drive and stop at the store real quick. It was only a 5 min drive there and back. I parked on level ground, cycled all the gears slowly. Checked level while idling and it read almost to the upper end of the cold area. Previous suggestions had theorized that i am low on fluid and that is causing the intermittent slipping. I added 4oz of fluid and did not notice any change on the dipstick. I guess I will drive it around like that tomorrow and add another 4 oz at a time until I feel it is at the correct level.

thought?

 

[WallyWest]

I checked the Fluid level cold before starting and driving.

Can't do that, the reading is useless. It will always read way high in that situation.

Has to be read when the engine is running, after you run through all the positions on the shifter. Even then, a cold reading just after starting is unreliable.

 

[ZionXIX]

Today I decided to take a nice Sunday stroll and try to get that transmission fluid hot. I even managed to get her up to operating temp. I took a 10 mile drive out to the Peninsula and 10 miles back with 3 or 4 steep Hills to drive up. She was running 30mph @2500 rpm on the 2 steepest Hills. I still don't think the fluid reached the upper end of hot but I can't prove it without a temp gauge of some kind. I prayed on level ground after the drive. With the engine idling, the dips tick read 3/4 of the way between upper cold and lower hot. Oddly during this trip, not once did I experience slipping. The only thing different is that I added 4oz of fluid to the transmission yesterday. Perhaps it was enough? Perhaps I'm just thinking wishfully. The slip has been really intermittent. I'm thinking of adding another 4 to 8 oz after the engine cools. Anyways I'm pretty happy. It was a good drive.

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