Transmission flush intervals
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Yes. It is a good time to consider a drain-and-refill. Personally, I think a complete flush may be overkill at this point
The original spec (circa-2004) for our A750F transmission as originally used in a Tundra was to perform a complete flush / fluid-change every 30,000 miles in "severe service", which included using a roof-top carrier
Or towing. Or city driving. The transmission hasn't changed in the past 20+ years, but Toyota now labels it as "sealed / lifetime fluid". You will be seriously disappointed if you trust this label.
For my 2021 TRD Off Road, I drained about 1/3 of my ATF at 50,000 miles, after some modest travel-trailer-towing, offroading, city-driving over the years, and it was tawny-coloured. (basically remove the drain-plug only, but leave pan attached). It was ready for this partial fluid-change. I refilled using a hose-and-funnel from the engine-compartment, using Red Line D6 (fully synthetic) for the partial re-fill. I'm happy with how it all turned out - shift-quality was restored.
I opted for a drain-and-fill, rather than a complete flush. Firstly, my local dealer wanted C$600 for the flush, and that was over 2x what we did pay them for a flush-and-refill on my 2015 Rav4 with WS fluid. My top-tier Red Line D6 cost me about C$100 for 5quarts (more than enough), in comparison, and the partial-change seemed appropriate given the fluid colour (used, but not seriously degraded) and mileage (80,000km / 50,000miles).
I'm a fan of Red Line products, but there are many other options that seem well-regarded too: Toyota WS fluid (boo!), Valvoline, Amsoil, etc. Toyota WS can serve the purpose, but it's a Group III base (dead-dino), and no-where near the quality (oxidation-resistance, shear-stability, viscosity-index, heat-tolerance, etc) of modern Group IV / Group V synthetics. If you do change your fluid now, and you continue to do so relatively often, the Toyota WS will be fine and probably more wallet-friendly.
The original spec (circa-2004) for our A750F transmission as originally used in a Tundra was to perform a complete flush / fluid-change every 30,000 miles in "severe service", which included using a roof-top carrier
Or towing. Or city driving. The transmission hasn't changed in the past 20+ years, but Toyota now labels it as "sealed / lifetime fluid". You will be seriously disappointed if you trust this label.For my 2021 TRD Off Road, I drained about 1/3 of my ATF at 50,000 miles, after some modest travel-trailer-towing, offroading, city-driving over the years, and it was tawny-coloured. (basically remove the drain-plug only, but leave pan attached). It was ready for this partial fluid-change. I refilled using a hose-and-funnel from the engine-compartment, using Red Line D6 (fully synthetic) for the partial re-fill. I'm happy with how it all turned out - shift-quality was restored.
I opted for a drain-and-fill, rather than a complete flush. Firstly, my local dealer wanted C$600 for the flush, and that was over 2x what we did pay them for a flush-and-refill on my 2015 Rav4 with WS fluid. My top-tier Red Line D6 cost me about C$100 for 5quarts (more than enough), in comparison, and the partial-change seemed appropriate given the fluid colour (used, but not seriously degraded) and mileage (80,000km / 50,000miles).
I'm a fan of Red Line products, but there are many other options that seem well-regarded too: Toyota WS fluid (boo!), Valvoline, Amsoil, etc. Toyota WS can serve the purpose, but it's a Group III base (dead-dino), and no-where near the quality (oxidation-resistance, shear-stability, viscosity-index, heat-tolerance, etc) of modern Group IV / Group V synthetics. If you do change your fluid now, and you continue to do so relatively often, the Toyota WS will be fine and probably more wallet-friendly.
Last edited:
CutthroatSlam
Senior Member
Shift-quality was restored? At 40,000 miles? I’m calling BS on this.
The recommendation is to do a complete fluid change at 60,000 miles. It’s not hard to do.
The recommendation is to do a complete fluid change at 60,000 miles. It’s not hard to do.
gomiami
Member
I'm going to follow a 50,000 mile interval but I'm not expecting to get any improved transmission performance. I'm not sure a complete fluid change is the way to go, just a drain and fill.
Regardless, we are all much better off doing something as opposed to the folks who buy into the lifetime fluid nonsense.
My shift quality had become a little harsh, and especially uphills the downshift was a bit more-delayed than I liked and also harsher than I liked when I did occur. I had found I was driving lightly on the throttle in order to soften the upshifts ... I really wasn't enthralled with the overall shift-quality at 50,000 miles with my tawny / worn fluid. A drain + refill was enough that I'd say my shift-qualtiy returned to 5/5 from immediately prior 3.5/5
No BS. Actual Factual when I use the term "restored"
No BS. Actual Factual when I use the term "restored"
gomiami
Member
Well, then that's a good thing.
Argyle Edison
Member
I have a flush performed every 100K. I have over 300K on the 2010. I don't really notice much a difference...and I drive this thing like i stole it.
Talyn
New member
ATF is .. the weirdest thing.
You either manage it regularly, or dont. You can't mix and match.
However, essentially what you're doing on the 50k interval partial swaps is getting the proper detergents and additives back up to snuff.
I really have no idea how, but it feels like ATF never really breaks down oil wise, it breaks down chemical wise.
Look at manual transmissions, We use it in there. I've had it in my ZF5 for.. 100k miles? .. no thats not true. I put freshy in when I swapped the clutch 30-40k ago.
But still. That stuff comes out like its got life in it.
So when you dont change on the auto's, you might loose your chemicals that keep the seals/clutches working. but stuff like the clutch material gets suspended into the fluid which is the only way those things are working at that point, because the fluid has the friction part in it.
I do honestly wonder why higher intervals are not a thing on auto transmissions. like, why are we not doing 30k intervals on auto transmissions? That seems more reasonable, but it's considered excessive.
Of course now I'm in the position of having my first automatic in... 30 years?
My work van was an automatic, but.. that wasn't "mine."
I can tell you about E4OD stuff, and 4R100 stuff.
But. This transmission really seems like giving it a fluid spruce up every 50k wont hurt you.
Just doing a pan drain I mean. Not a full flush.
I do hate these newer transmissions though. like. fuck, why are there all these complications. Wtf happened to dipsticks???
I was working with my fathers f150 that has a similiar tranmission to these it seems as it gets some of the weird shudder issues. How is the TQ lock up and TQ shudder issues so common now?
You either manage it regularly, or dont. You can't mix and match.
However, essentially what you're doing on the 50k interval partial swaps is getting the proper detergents and additives back up to snuff.
I really have no idea how, but it feels like ATF never really breaks down oil wise, it breaks down chemical wise.
Look at manual transmissions, We use it in there. I've had it in my ZF5 for.. 100k miles? .. no thats not true. I put freshy in when I swapped the clutch 30-40k ago.
But still. That stuff comes out like its got life in it.
So when you dont change on the auto's, you might loose your chemicals that keep the seals/clutches working. but stuff like the clutch material gets suspended into the fluid which is the only way those things are working at that point, because the fluid has the friction part in it.
I do honestly wonder why higher intervals are not a thing on auto transmissions. like, why are we not doing 30k intervals on auto transmissions? That seems more reasonable, but it's considered excessive.
Of course now I'm in the position of having my first automatic in... 30 years?
My work van was an automatic, but.. that wasn't "mine."
I can tell you about E4OD stuff, and 4R100 stuff.
But. This transmission really seems like giving it a fluid spruce up every 50k wont hurt you.
Just doing a pan drain I mean. Not a full flush.
I do hate these newer transmissions though. like. fuck, why are there all these complications. Wtf happened to dipsticks???
I was working with my fathers f150 that has a similiar tranmission to these it seems as it gets some of the weird shudder issues. How is the TQ lock up and TQ shudder issues so common now?
