hard to shift after drain and fill

I did a drain and fill on my transmission fluid today; took a little over 4 quarts to fill it back up. Afterward, it was very hard to shift into drive, low and 2nd gears but went back into park easy. I used dexron 3 fluid and was wondering if this was normal? Will it get back to normal as the fluid works its way back through the system? Any info would be appreciated.

 

Drain and fill should be only 2.5qts. or so. If you put 4 in it....it's probably over filled. Not sure if this can cause your symptoms though. If you pulled pan and replaced filter as well, then it'll take 4 to refill.

On the dipstick there is a "Cold" fluid indicator level and a "Warm" level. Make sure you didn't add new fluid to the "Warm" level.

 

I drained out about 4.2 quarts just from removing the drain plug, I did not drop the pan. I then refilled it with 4 quarts thru the dipstick. The fluid level seemed to be right where it was supposed to be. This is the first time I have done this so I was going by the info in my Haynes manual and all the info I read from this site.

 

No other thoughts on this? Nobody else experience anything like this? I guess I'll find out if it smoothes out over the next couple of days.

 

Seems strange because I don't see how draining the fluid could effect the shift lever movement like that.

 

Double check your owner's manual and the dipstick to confirm that Dex-III was the correct fluid.
Toyota started using T-IV around 2000, but not on all models.


Do NOT trust the Haynes manual for anything beyond very basic, general guidelines.
Haynes/Chilton are frequently incorrect, generally when different things apply to different models of the same vehicle (such as 5spd auto vs 4spd auto). They are assembling manuals for thousands of vehicles, and mistakes frequently slip through editing.

 

Dex-3 is the right fluid for your truck. What kind did you put in? Was it synthetic?

 

Are you saying it was hard to physically move the shift lever? If so I would check and see if maybe you somehow messed up the shift cable. A fluid change won't affect the way the actual lever moves. If it's slow to actually engage once in gear that could be related to the fluid though. I know on my 05 the shift lever itself had a plastic sliding plate under the console that would warp in the sun if I let it sit a few days in really hot weather. That would make it hard to move the lever for a few times until it went back into shape.

 

Okay, first off the dipstick itself has Dexron 3 written on it and I did put it in the right dipstick area. The lever itself was physically hard to shift but after drivint to work today, when I got ready to head home, the shifting was alot easier. I assume the fluid had to work around the system?

 

Fluid has nothing to do with the lever itself. Unless you kinked or dislocated the cable getting under there to drain it. Or it has some kind of a climate-related stiff shifter issue like my last 05 did.

 

When i completely drain and refilled my whole trans i underfilled it slightly and the lever was very easy to move. I noticed it right away. Very little resistance.

But yes, the first few shifts after the drain and fill arent good measures. It has to be driven around a little.

 

Op do you have a way of knowing for sure what fluid was in already, t-iv or III? it could be either, but im pretty sure they can't be mixed.

 

After driving it for two days now, the shifting is as smooth as it was before I did the drain and fill. It also seems (though it could be just wishful thinking) that my transmission itself shifts smoother. I have no idea what type of fluid was in it already but having bought the truck from a stealership, I assumed (bad idea probably) it was dex 3. I checked the level at lunchtime after it had been sitting for about 5 hours and the level was right at the cold mark on the dipstick. Oh , and thanks for all the advice and help; much appreciated.

 

Not to stir things up, but your vehicle, according to the year and model, should be running Toyota T4 trans fluid. I believe most Toyotas switched around late 90's/early 00's...

 

My 2002 3.4 4x4 TRD is Dex-111 as per owners manual .

 

To stir things back down, Dex-3 is recommended in Tacomas through 2002.

 

Thanks for clarifying! I get too caught up in "newer" model year vehicles as when I wrenched in the dealerships, T4 was the "standard" fluid, given the most common year vehicles that were coming in.
Thanks guys!

 

Mine is an 03 and uses T4 per manual. What would be reasoning for the difference just one year apart w/ same tranny.

 

Toyota probably decided they liked what the durability tests for T-4 were showing and decided to switch. Happens all the time with fluids. Most times you wouldn't even know it.