Transmission flush or drain?
- Thread starter Smhx4
- Start date
jdkilroy
New member
Soooooo ...
Just curious. All you folks doing these fluid changes at home, what are you doing with the old fluids? I'm reading of up to 4 gallons of ATF needing to be disposed of in some cases.
I do all my own oil changes because I can take all my waste oil to the recycling center but I know of no place where I can take ATF or other vehicle waste fluids without paying $$$'s in disposal fees.
What are you guys doing? (not sure I want to know)
Just curious. All you folks doing these fluid changes at home, what are you doing with the old fluids? I'm reading of up to 4 gallons of ATF needing to be disposed of in some cases.
I do all my own oil changes because I can take all my waste oil to the recycling center but I know of no place where I can take ATF or other vehicle waste fluids without paying $$$'s in disposal fees.
What are you guys doing? (not sure I want to know)
LTDSC
New member
most dealerships should take the other fluids as well.
Zuke
Member
FYI all Jiffy Lube locations will take any motor vehicle fluid except gasoline/diesel fuel.
I have dropped off used motor oil, gear oil, ATF, P/S and brake fluid. Every time they have even come out to my truck and taken away for me (I have the jugs of used stuff boxed up).
I have dropped off used motor oil, gear oil, ATF, P/S and brake fluid. Every time they have even come out to my truck and taken away for me (I have the jugs of used stuff boxed up).
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How would they flush it if it's sealed? Do they take the whole panel off? Like on older model cars, truck you have a entrance port for transmission fluid and an exit plug like for oil. I have not seen things. I don't tow that much. I once towed a 5000lb excavator and a trailer with a bike at one point also 2000lb of cement mix twice. But over all 95% of the time I owned the Runner it's been a mix of highway and regular road driving.
Zuke
Member
Flushing is usually done from the tranny cooler lines. Also "Sealed" doesn't really mean sealed. There are drain and fill holes/bolts/port just no dip stick.
jdkilroy
New member
Great to know ! Is this true even if you don't have any work done there ?
BlackWorksInc
New member
Toyota specifically states to do a Drain & Refill, not a flush on any of our "sealed" transmission as do the manufacturer's of the flush machinery.
There is a drain & "level indicator port" on the bottom of the transmission, you drain the fluid out and them pump in WS Fluid usually by a hand pump like you would a manual trans or differential. Then you bring the trans to a specific operating temperature and check the drip tube for fluid flow... Its pointlessly over complicated, but there is a procedure and many members have posted the information before.
ridefast
New member
don't flush its not recommended by toyota! If you do 4 drain and fills with 500mile intervals using the toyota ws fluid you will be perfect! Read the manual it states only to use toyota ws fluid. Here is the process for the tacoma, its prob the same for t4r. can a toyota tech verify.
How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission - Tacoma World Forums
2018 Edit: I used the Timmy the tool man method Transmission fluid flush
How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission - Tacoma World Forums
2018 Edit: I used the Timmy the tool man method Transmission fluid flush
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Zuke
Member
I have never had any work done at any Jiffy Lube but my local one knows me pretty well from all the fluids i bring in. They are usually more than happy to take it all.
I have 2009 T4R V6 4WD with about 55000 miles. When I contacted my local dealer to get an idea of how much it would cost, they quoted me $75 for drain and fill but recommends a flush to replace all fluid. The cost for flush is $152.
I am curious what's the source for "Toyota specifically states to do a Drain & Refill, not a flush" on our vehicle? As they recommended flush for me?
wadle5
New member
Resurrecting an old thread, as I wasn't quite sure if the answer was directed to me. But I have an 2006 V-6 with now 85k miles. There is no previous owner paperwork/trail showing that they did anything with transmission fluid and such. I called the dealership even after mentioning the possibility of "shocking" the system, and doing a drain and fill instead, they said they would do a flush for $240+tax. If I am reading correctly would you guys all advise against that, and just do a drain and fill on my own? I want to do this soon as it worries me not knowing what the previous owner did or did not do and I have a trip in Colorado coming up in the next couple of months that I would like to be worry free.
Thanks in advance!
-nick
Thanks in advance!
-nick
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truckmike26
New member
Thanks for resurfacing this thread. It's comming up to four years on the 'Runner (only 25,000 km) but it's getting close for a tranny service. Has anyone acutally done an old-school drain and refill on a non-dipstick 4Runner? Meaning, draining what's in the sump and re-filling through the hole (like changing the oil on a diff?). All the Alfred Nobels out there, stop now; yeah, we know it dosen't get all the fluid out of the transmission (converter, etc.) but I hate going to the the dealer and godferbid a corner garage. A few old-school changes over a few years is still the best and least invasive option IMO, using WS or equivalent fluid of course.
Atlanta_man
New member
Lots of corner garages like to give you the BG chemical flush machine treatment. Moneymaker for them and some risk for you if the trans is old enough and if they do not manage the refill properly (it can be tricky).
WXman
New member
Good thread. I just picked up a 2004 V8 with 105,000 on the clock. Toyota owners' website shows that at 97,000 or so, the previous owner had a full service done on this vehicle. The technician put into the system that the transmission fluid was part of the service...however, in the parts and materials list that's on the website it does not show any transmission fluid being used. There's a big list of fluids and filters, etc. but no trans. fluid shows up. So now I have no idea whether the trans. was serviced in this one or not.
I don't know what to do. If I do drain and refill...I'd have to do it multiple times to get all the old stuff out which is a PITA. If I pay for a flush I'm risking having problems. If I do nothing at all I'm risking having problems. Argh!!!!!
I don't know what to do. If I do drain and refill...I'd have to do it multiple times to get all the old stuff out which is a PITA. If I pay for a flush I'm risking having problems. If I do nothing at all I'm risking having problems. Argh!!!!!
JB.
New member
If you're intent on getting all the old stuff out, you have no choice.
My perspective, based on regular reading of this forum for 8 years, is that the two drain and fills I did at 100k plus the one or two I will do every 50,000 from here on out will let this transmission live forever.
I assume you have the sealed trans (no dipstick) with the synthetic lifetime fluid.
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BlackWorksInc
New member
Make sure that you get an accurate definition of what they mean by "flush" a lot of guys (myself included) will use drain & fill and flush interchangeably for the process of emptying the fluid pan and refilling the trans multiple times.
Toyota has come out as well as a few of the manufacturers of the transmission flushing machines and said they DO NOT want you to machine their sealed (WS Fluid Using) transmissions and transaxles as it could cause damage. The proper method is to drain and fill (the service literature says one to two times, but I recommend until the majority of the fluid is close in color and consistency of the new fluid, usually 3-4 flushes)
If you have a Sealed Transmission ('04+ for V8's and '05-ish+ V6's) you will need to do a drain and fill. If you have a dipstick (non-sealed) it takes T-IV ATF and can be flushed by a machine.
Toyota has come out as well as a few of the manufacturers of the transmission flushing machines and said they DO NOT want you to machine their sealed (WS Fluid Using) transmissions and transaxles as it could cause damage. The proper method is to drain and fill (the service literature says one to two times, but I recommend until the majority of the fluid is close in color and consistency of the new fluid, usually 3-4 flushes)
If you have a Sealed Transmission ('04+ for V8's and '05-ish+ V6's) you will need to do a drain and fill. If you have a dipstick (non-sealed) it takes T-IV ATF and can be flushed by a machine.
