What's the best tranny fluid to use on a 3rd gen 4runner?

[Joshv4runner]

I personally run Vavoline Maxlife in my 4runner. I personally would not take a gamble on flushing your tranny, instead go ahead and drain the 4 qts, fill it back up and drive for about 3k miles, drain and fill up again. I did the draining/refilling for about 3 times and my fluid is bright red and now worries for the next 60k miles.

 

[PCF4runner]

I personally run Vavoline Maxlife in my 4runner. I personally would not take a gamble on flushing your tranny, instead go ahead and drain the 4 qts, fill it back up and drive for about 3k miles, drain and fill up again. I did the draining/refilling for about 3 times and my fluid is bright red and now worries for the next 60k miles.

Thanks! [MENTION=76742]Joshv4runner[/MENTION]

 

[lilsid112]

I'd personally stick with the OEM fluid. My dad bought the truck new and it currently has 260k on stock trans. We do a basic drain and fill every 30k and not a single complaint.

 

[diverscale]

I used Mobil Super ATF D/M which meet the dexron IIIH spec.

Got it at 50$ for 20 liters (5 gallons) on special. Pretty cheap tranny oil change, and, even though this is not synthetic, it is a very good (Mobil) product that will last me for the next 60k miles.

 

[cashmoney]

225k on the original trans and original fluid. Oh ya. I like to live dangerously.

 

[PCF4runner]

Ask a question like that on this forum and the various answers you get can be quite darn confusing
But i'm very appreciative of all the kind advices and i think i made up my mind: i'm going with the Toyota brand of ATF i don't think i can go wrong with that. Thanks again guys!

 

[lilsid112]

Guess we could say at the end of the day our trucks don't really care what type and/or intervals we use.

 

[jeremyc74]

Ask a question like that on this forum and the various answers you get can be quite darn confusing
But i'm very appreciative of all the kind advices and i think i made up my mind: i'm going with the Toyota brand of ATF i don't think i can go wrong with that. Thanks again guys!

The fact is that no one here really has the data to know the answer to your question. Modern fluids have to meet very specific requirements to get SAE certifications, so the quality differences between the major brands are so minimal that there's absolutely no way an owner can tell if one's better than the other in the real world.

To really make a determination you'd have to have multiple transmissions who's components were all measured before assembly, and then run them under tightly controlled circumstances with different fluids in them for an extended period of time in simulated real world use. Then you'd have to tear them down and measure the components using high precision measurement equipment to determine difference in wear.

Bottom line is use a major brand that meets the SAE specs the truck calls for, and it will be fine.

 

[jeremyc74]

Guess we could say at the end of the day our trucks don't really care what type and/or intervals we use.

Or that the fluids are all so good it doesn't matter.

 

[PCF4runner]

The fact is that no one here really has the data to know the answer to your question. Modern fluids have to meet very specific requirements to get SAE certifications, so the quality differences between the major brands are so minimal that there's absolutely no way an owner can tell if one's better than the other in the real world.

To really make a determination you'd have to have multiple transmissions who's components were all measured before assembly, and then run them under tightly controlled circumstances with different fluids in them for an extended period of time in simulated real world use. Then you'd have to tear them down and measure the components using high precision measurement equipment to determine difference in wear.

Bottom line is use a major brand that meets the SAE specs the truck calls for, and it will be fine.

Agree!

 

[PCF4runner]

Or that the fluids are all so good it doesn't matter.

Could be!

 

[ToyotaBrah]

I drained and filled my trans when I bought the truck at 207K. The 4-5 qts that came out was straight black muck. Can't believe the truck was shifting as smooth as it was with that junk.

Since then, I have drained and filled it 2 more times and it's now ruby red!

 

[PCF4runner]

I drained and filled my trans when I bought the truck at 207K. The 4-5 qts that came out was straight black muck. Can't believe the truck was shifting as smooth as it was with that junk.

Since then, I have drained and filled it 2 more times and it's now ruby red!

Thanks for your input [MENTION=112124]ToyotaBrah[/MENTION], i plan on draining my tranny this weekend also replacing my radiator and hoses, looking foward...

 

[ViaPhoenix]

ATF WS is the that should be used for the Gen3s? Not AFT T-IV right?

 

[spartacus]

ATF WS is the that should be used for the Gen3s? Not AFT T-IV right?

Toyota atf t-iv is backwards compatible with atf t-iii and not atf ws

What ATF to use for Toyota?

 

[Capnemo]

I was at my local Toyota dealer parts dept and asked what to use in my Gen 3 automatic transmission, oddly enough he brought out a bottle of NAPA Dexron.