Transmission flush or drain?

[Smhx4]

2003 SR5 V6 4x2 118k miles. Service has never been performed.


The dealer recommended a flush. Firestone said at this point do a drain and refill only. Is too risky to flush the system, could cause problems.

Dealer also recommended power steering flush, Firestone said they never need flushing.


Also I've always used synthetic oil but the previous owner didn't. Can I switch, should I bother?


I appreciate any advice. Thanks, Sandra

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

Drain & fill. Transmissions are very picky on having them flushed. Power steering is your choice and synthetic is too. I use synthetic myself personally.

 

[4runnin83]

Drain & fill. Transmissions are very picky on having them flushed. Power steering is your choice and synthetic is too. I use synthetic myself personally.

I agree, with the amount of miles on your tranny, doing a complete flush could shock the system, just drain and fill. Now if you get the pink milkshake, you'll have to flush, but at that point, thats the least of your worries.

 

[BOSMECH]

Flush it for sure, it is the correct and right thing to do, thats a no brainer.

 

[MikeInNH]

Flushing on many transmissions can cause problems. There are some newer safer methods. But it depends on who's doing it.

Does this tranny have a filter like the 2005 does? If so then is the dealer going to replace the filter when they do the flush?

As for power-steering wheel fluid. No need for a flush. Might want to replace it. But a flush isn't needed. You can replace it easily yourself. Get a Turkey Baster and remove old fluid..then add new fluid. Check your owners manual for the right fluid.

As for synthetic oil......Depends...99% of the time it's NOT needed. You can switch anytime you want. Or switch back anytime you want..or just both at the same time. Doesn't matter. Is it worth it??? Well that's another debate.

 

[BOSMECH]

You want to flush it, it will acuate the valve body and clean it that is the most important part and then your tranny runs smoother.
Done

 

[malu]

Good thing that I have a 2008. I don't have to do any thing to the transmission because it's sealed off you don's have to add new oil. I did change my power steering and brake fluid but I don't think I had to. It was my choice.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I would advise against a flush, unless you have service documentation indicating that the fluid has been changed regularly in the vehicle. Even the company who maintains our transmission fluid flush machine says if its over 90k without a flush, to drain and fill as it could cause problems.

A simple drain and fill should do fine, if you're really worried, do a couple drain and fills until the fluid looks nice and clean. You can switch to synthetic no problem, it should not cause issues.

In regards to a comment made about Toyota transmission filters, so far no one at our dealership has replaced a filter as part of a service. It bothered me that we didn't do this, upon some research I found that Toyota utilizes a metal mesh filtering medium unlike many other cars that "does not need to be serviced." I put that in quotations because I'm sure at some point you'll have to pull the filter off and scrub it, but there isn't any info on that.

As for power steering fluid, theoretically it never needs to be flushed (Hey, WS fluid theoretically doesn't need to be flushed too,) realistically it picks up bits of metal, gets cooked, and wears like any other fluid in the car. If the fluid is black as crude and smells burnt, I would go ahead and do a flush or two, maybe even look for possible leaks letting contaminants in. Otherwise, its its golden to dark amber colored, its fine. (This is assuming your using a P/S fluid that is golden in color to begin with.) It doesn't hurt to replace it regularly (60-90k is what I do myself) but it won't hurt to not do it either.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Good thing that I have a 2008. I don't have to do any thing to the transmission because it's sealed off you don's have to add new oil. I did change my power steering and brake fluid but I don't think I had to. It was my choice.

This is untrue, Toyota states that the WS Fluid is "lifetime fluid," but if you look at your owner's manual and Toyota's service information, the fluid must be changed at 60k if you do towing or use and then goes on a 30k interval for flushes.

I've stated many times in multiple other threads my disbelief in anything labeled as "lifetime fluid" especially transmission fluids. For those of us driving normally or moderately in our 4Runners a 100k flush & fill is probably a good idea. Our dealership even recommends it as a service item around that mileage.

Toyota like other manufactuers who use these "magical lifetime fluids" have conflicting literature in there service information. For example:

T-SB-0006-11

States in one line; World Standard (WS) Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) was introduced to reduce maintenance costs and increase the mileage between scheduled maintenance checks. Here are some important tips when working with ATF-WS in Toyota vehicles requiring its use.

Yet further in the TSB it also states; 100,000 Mile Maintenance Interval - Inspection only; ATF-WS does NOT require any flushing or changing during the life of the vehicle.

 

[Presta24]

i wouldnt flush if its never been done......drain and fill, run for a few k miles, than drain and fill again....if you want

 

[cabowally]

Even the company who maintains our transmission fluid flush machine says if its over 90k without a flush, to drain and fill as it could cause problems.

Why?

What is it about a fluid flush that can "shock" a transmission?






.

 

[Merle]

Good thing that I have a 2008. I don't have to do any thing to the transmission because it's sealed off you don's have to add new oil. I did change my power steering and brake fluid but I don't think I had to. It was my choice.

You should. I have the 2008 and if anything I planned on keeping my vehicle. So off to the dealer she went at 100,000. There are posts about how to do it yourself, but I saved myself the hassle of 4+ hours and just read a couple days of the WSJ.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Why?

What is it about a fluid flush that can "shock" a transmission?

A quick note of what happens in your transmission, the fluid holds the duty of being a friction enhancer, lubricant, coolant, and hydraulic fluid. Over time small bits of the metal clutch discs and the friction material wear off, mixing with the fluid and turning into deposits on the inside of the transmission like you would find with clogging drains in a house.

When you perform a fluid flush you are often using a machine to force fluid through the system, our unit uses the transmission itself, but often those pressures can loosen deposits. You see this more with a "backflow" method that provides pressure against normal flow to break off deposits.

But in both cases it can loosen a large amount of deposits that can clog up the filter and or the valve body of the transmission impeding proper operation. That's why for transmissions that have not been serviced in 90k are often not flushed.

 

[wadle5]

I would advise against a flush, unless you have service documentation indicating that the fluid has been changed regularly in the vehicle. Even the company who maintains our transmission fluid flush machine says if its over 90k without a flush, to drain and fill as it could cause problems.

A simple drain and fill should do fine, if you're really worried, do a couple drain and fills until the fluid looks nice and clean. You can switch to synthetic no problem, it should not cause issues.

In regards to a comment made about Toyota transmission filters, so far no one at our dealership has replaced a filter as part of a service. It bothered me that we didn't do this, upon some research I found that Toyota utilizes a metal mesh filtering medium unlike many other cars that "does not need to be serviced." I put that in quotations because I'm sure at some point you'll have to pull the filter off and scrub it, but there isn't any info on that.

As for power steering fluid, theoretically it never needs to be flushed (Hey, WS fluid theoretically doesn't need to be flushed too,) realistically it picks up bits of metal, gets cooked, and wears like any other fluid in the car. If the fluid is black as crude and smells burnt, I would go ahead and do a flush or two, maybe even look for possible leaks letting contaminants in. Otherwise, its its golden to dark amber colored, its fine. (This is assuming your using a P/S fluid that is golden in color to begin with.) It doesn't hurt to replace it regularly (60-90k is what I do myself) but it won't hurt to not do it either.

So I have owned mine for about 5 months and am coming up on 80k. Past owner/dealership have no past paperwork on it, so would you recommend a flush or what? 2006 SR5 v-6

 

[MikeInNH]

This is untrue, Toyota states that the WS Fluid is "lifetime fluid," but if you look at your owner's manual and Toyota's service information, the fluid must be changed at 60k if you do towing or use and then goes on a 30k interval for flushes.

Is this a change for 2008 and later. Because my 2005 owners manual specifically says it does NOT need changing unless the tranny temp light came on. Makes no mention if it's used for towing or not.

I do change my tranny fluid every 50k miles. It's cheap insurance. The filter gets cleaned..and not replaced. But in order to do this you have to drop the pan. And flushes usually don't do that.

 

[cabowally]

A quick note of what happens in your transmission, the fluid holds the duty of being a friction enhancer, lubricant, coolant, and hydraulic fluid. Over time small bits of the metal clutch discs and the friction material wear off, mixing with the fluid and turning into deposits on the inside of the transmission like you would find with clogging drains in a house.

When you perform a fluid flush you are often using a machine to force fluid through the system, our unit uses the transmission itself, but often those pressures can loosen deposits. You see this more with a "backflow" method that provides pressure against normal flow to break off deposits.

But in both cases it can loosen a large amount of deposits that can clog up the filter and or the valve body of the transmission impeding proper operation. That's why for transmissions that have not been serviced in 90k are often not flushed.

Makes sense, thanks.

But then could one not just drain the fluid, drop the pan and shouldn't all those deposits be attached to the magnets?

I suppose after doing that you've basically flushed the system, no?

 

[Atlanta_man]

Pan drain does not get the majority of the fluid - the torque converter has a lot in it.
Some of the material floating around in the oil (clutch plate, etc) is not magnetic and whiz right by any magnets that may be on duty.

 

[JB.]

History shows this transmission to be very robust and long lasting.

That being the case, the first question I ask myself is what could screw that up. That means never touching the fluid at all is one option. I use my truck pretty hard, though, and am not quite comfortable with that one. The next most conservative approach is drain and fill which is what I've done. I see no need, especially with this transmission, to risk a flush.

 

[radlynx]

not really. i did a complete flush. i removed the pan, cleaned the filter and pan, reinstalled it, fill it up, disconnected the hose on top ofthe radiator, directed it to a container, started the car until the just half way full, added more fluid, and did this a couple of time until a reddish color is starting to show. i used up around 16qts for this.

make sure to measure how much oil you removed from the pan and refill it the same amount.

Drain & fill. Transmissions are very picky on having them flushed. Power steering is your choice and synthetic is too. I use synthetic myself personally.

 

[radlynx]

Here's a more detailed instruction.
1. find a 1 gallon milk container. measure and mark the 1st qt to 4th qt.
2. drain the pan and remove the pan and clean both pan and filter.
3. measure the atf you drained using the milk container. (need this later when refilling).
4. reinstall the clean filter and pan (use new gasket and torque to specs)
5. disconnect the atf line from top of radiator (driver side) - find out which one is the return line and line from pump.
6. get a hose (clear hose) that will fit inside the hose coming from the pump (seal it with teflon tape, then direct it to the milk jug all the way to the ground.
7. connect another hose to the fitting in the radiator and use it to fill the transmission with oil. (only use the amount of oil that you drained out from step 2) - this may take a bit longer unless you put pressure
8. once refilled, start engine and watch the milk jug until it's filled up to 2 qts and stop the engine.
9. refill it with atf again with another 2 qts and proceed with step 8. continue until a reddish color appear on the hose and don't do step 8 anymore.
10. remove the vinyl tubing and reconnect the hose to the radiator and the clamp.
11. YOU FINALLY FLUSHED YOUR TRANSMISSION. NOW IS THE TIME TO TEST DRIVE IT. :driving:

not really. i did a complete flush. i removed the pan, cleaned the filter and pan, reinstalled it, fill it up, disconnected the hose on top ofthe radiator, directed it to a container, started the car until the just half way full, added more fluid, and did this a couple of time until a reddish color is starting to show. i used up around 16qts for this.

make sure to measure how much oil you removed from the pan and refill it the same amount.