How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission

OK... found the "fill" hole (looked at the Tacoma manual)..... It's on the passenger side just above the pan....to the rear... I'm talking about the 4x4.... cuz it has a transfer case right behind the tranny....

I gotta go and get a 24mm socket for that sucker., I don't think anything else will work up there........

 

thanks for the write up easier done then read

 

Yeah - tight fit on my 4runner as well. Can't fit any extensions or anything in there either. My breaker bar was like to long as well.. Luckily my torque wrench itself did the job for me.

 

Have any of you folks had any issues with their transmission ever since doing this flush procedure ? Any feedback would be appreciated

 

I considered doing this, but I decided 1 dead transmission is enough, and I opted to instead watch the Toyota service tech like a hawk to make sure everything was done properly and with genuine Toyota WS fluid. She runs like a dream now

 

Just did it and the truck is shifting smooth. Thanks to the OP for this informative and simple write up. Why the paranoia? It's like an oil change or fluid change in the diffs. Simple

 

It is... but automatic transmissions have always been these mysterious boxes full of voodoo.

 

great write up fortech. I like to read threw stuff and kinda go threw this mental procedure in my head before actually getting under the truck and performing this maintenance. Once i got down there it was cake thanks to you. Took me a couple hours cause i was inspecting other parts of my truck and taking my time. I appreciate the time you took to help us all out here. Thanks again dude!

 

still getting second thoughts of doing it or not......

Well my truck is shifting normal now at 132k miles with the original fluid so I feel like, why screw up a good thing.

Any feedback from you folks that used the Valvoline Maxlife fluid instead of the Toyota WS....ie issues? any?

 

Subd. Thank you

 

Just did this on my 05. I just bought it used this summer with 122k on it and it's always been maintained at the dealer but no record of this being done. Truck shifted perfect before and the fluid actually looked just fine. But I plan on keeping it for a long time so I did a drain and fill. Super-easy with this procedure and for those scared to do it this is no tougher than an oil change. I'll do it again in the spring and probably again next fall. When you do a drain and fill like this you're probably only getting 1/3 to a 1/2 of the fluid out. So after a few drains/fills it should have all pretty fresh fluid in it. I did the diffs and t-case while I was under there too. Might as well.

Just drove it about 25 miles. Can't believe it but it actually shifts noticeably better. But I think it was a little low on fluid. I drained about 3 quarts out and put 4 in, then about 1/2 a quart came out when I checked the level once warm.

 

Who said anything about being scared? We just need feedback before doing it to avoid mistakes upfront. Besides we are talking about doing the complete flush (12 quarts), not just drain and fill the tranny Pan like you did, that's easy to do. IMO why spend over 100 bucks and 2-3 hours of your weekend replacing something that does not need to be replaced. Mine has over 130k miles and still shifts normal as it did when I first got the truck at 40k miles.

 

When Toyota built your truck (and mine) they said this fluid never needed to be replaced. Then they said you should do it at 100k miles. Then they updated that to say it should be done every 60k miles. Perhaps they are learning from other manufacturers who are now doing the same thing with their "lifetime fill" fluids. What's the lifetime of the fluid really mean? The lifetime of the vehicle or the lifetime of the component it's used in? Probably the latter. And when it comes to an automatic transmission they tend to last a lot longer with regular fluid changes. I would never hook up a 125k mile truck to flush machine but drain and fills like I did or a flush using the cooler lines is fine. You may think it shifts perfectly fine. I thought mine did too. But it actually shifts noticeably better even with only 3.5 quarts out of probably 10 changed out.

 

So....I imagine if when I went to the Toyota dealership today and got the required fluid for my 06 Tacoma, 4.0 Auto Tran that when he gave me ATF Type T-IV he screwed me. I had an old bottle sitting around from last time, ATF WS, and caught the difference as I was about to start refilling. Part numbers are different as well.

Toyota did not change the name/type of oil to put in our tranny did they? I would assume (the mother of all f'ups) that the parts guy at toyota would have given me the right stuff but didn't.

Thanks, Pete

Oh, it's Saturday and they are closed now, I have to wait till Monday morning to go back, and I already drained it!

 

Yup... he gave you the wrong stuff.
T-IV is for the 2.7, WS is for the 4.0.

In general, if a Toyota transmission does not have a dipstick, it takes WS. If it does and it's newer than 1999, it's going to take T-IV.

 

I may be mental to think this but if your going to flush the system why couldn't you have 2 pails, 1 empty and 1 with 12quarts of new fluid in it. Unhook both cooler lines, put the line out of trans to cooler in empty pail and the return line from cooler to trans in the full pail. Run the engine and pump out old fluid and suck in new fluid. Then do the fluid check procedure when done.

 

Sounds reasonable as long as the correct fluid level is always maintained in the tranny. I am not sure if breaking the fluid pressure seal while pumping will do that. The pump may slow or surge if its suction line is not connected. I would just be very careful about trying that.

 

It won't suck in the new fluid.
The return line simply drains into the pan... that's why you begin a full flush procedure with a pan drop, clean, and refill.

Shop trans fluid exchangers measure the fluid coming out and pump new fluid into the return line at the same rate. The tech should then check the level when the job is done.

 

I've been trying to find something that can at least mimic this. There's gotta be something we can buy or make that'll "pump" the same amount of fluid back in. I've been trying to think simply.. A cylinder full of new fluid with a plunger in the middle, old fluid is pumped in one end pushing the plunger to push new fluid out the other end..

 

It's really not that hard to just change the pan, then run the engine to pump out 2qts, shut down, add 2qts, restart, add 2qts, etc....

But honestly, doing fluid changes every 30k, we're more than good just doing a pan drain and replacement unless you've overheated the trans and burned the fluid.