DIY: Full Flush for Automatic Transmission

In response to your question “Do I need to replace the gasket and filter if I drop the pan?” I have yet to drop the pan on my Tacoma, but I have always replaced the gasket and filter when I drop the pan for every vehicle transmission I’ve serviced (except for a flush I did on my 2011 Nissan Altima SR V6 CVT). I agree that the filter doesn’t necessarily need to be replaced, but the gaskets are usually single use and should be replaced to avoid leaking after reinstalling the pan. I usually get kits that have rubber (as apposed to cork, because they tend to crease and crack in the box) and the filter together, because it’s usually just a couple bucks more to get the kit with the filter compared to just purchasing the gasket. Just my honest opinion and I’m by no means an expert, just another shade tree mechanic on a forum.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...atic-transmission.68462/page-19#post-10615066

 

I'm just changing my transmission fluid for the first time at 126k. When would be the next advisable time... 175?

 

Why not 254k? It worked the first time.

 

Guilty of having a Toyota service advisor tell me not to touch it until I did my TW research and told them to do it

 

Ok, the dealer did a flush even though I requested a drain and fill and not a flush. I even spoke with a service advisor after the scheduler to make sure they would perform a fill and not flush. He told me as far as he knew they’ve never even performed a flush while he’s been there. Paperwork says 12 quarts were used so it definitely was one.

What should I do as this is the first flush at 130k? Not worry or should I record a case with Toyota?

 

You shouldn’t do anything. You said you told them to do it.

 

If it was @ a dealership they got like $50K plus in tools back there. Plus the machines for everything - Dealership did mine last year for the 60K mile package. No problem - don't worry your baby will be okay!

 

What do you mean? I requested a drain and fill, not a flush.

 

ok, my bad.

 

No worries!

 

It's time to call in the law

 

Great step by step instructions here... I'll be sure to have this thread open on my phone for a reference point when I do this on my truck.

 

I just did this over the weekend and to answer @Micbt25 post above the correct line to pull out to drain old fluid out is the one on the LEFT (passenger side) of the transmission cooler. My truck is a 2012 but if anyone has a similar trans cooler, this is the line to pull out and hook up your drain line to (I used 3/8" clear tubing).

I routed a 1/2 inch clear tube down the back side of the engine down to the fill hole under the truck and attached the tube to a funnel up front where I can easily fill with new fluid. This was much faster than filling from the return line at the trans cooler since the fluid flows straight down into the fill hole rather than through the small hardlines with all the twists and turns coming from the trans cooler to the pan below.

I drained exactly 3 qts from the pan. Filled with 3 qts Toyota WS fluid. Pulled the trans cooler line, attached drain tube, started engine, drained 2.5 qts, turned off. Refilled with 2.5 qts. Repeat until clear red fluid came out. Took 11 qts 12 oz.

Hope this will help someone else who hasn't figured out which line to drain from with a similar transmission cooler. This method also flushes your transmission cooler rather than pulling the other line going into the cooler. Also, removing the front grill makes it so much easier to access. Enjoy!

 

Thanks, good to know. I’ll probably do mine in a couple weeks.

 

Many thanks ML, just finished flushing my AT 2013 2WD SR5 V6 with 100K.
I followed your post instructions exactly with the exception being using Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF purchased on Amazon, having had great results with Mobil 1 previously in three other vehicles.
The old Toyota ATF was discolored but didn't smell burned despite having 60K on it. Similarly to what others mentioned, I discovered the dealership only "drained and replaced" the original fluid on my last free (30K) dealer service despite calling it a system flush as the cooler lines and bash plate bolts had never been touched since new.
After draining the pan I replaced the new fluid amounts with precisely what I drained (3.2qts). I only flushed/replenished 2.5 qts as the flush fluid looked fairly clean/bright red after 2qts flushed. I reassembled/torqued everything using a small amount of Aviation Form-A-Gasket on the drain plug threads (aircraft mechanic technique) and R&R'd the service plug O-ring.
Upon removing the fluid level plug during the leak/fluid level test at operating temp, only a slight dribble came out, brilliant!

Thanks again for your post and to this site, AWESOME!
V/R
Smokey

 

Thank you all for great help.
Today I finished my Taco transmission fluid flush. Thought that I am going to give some warnings to people like me. First of all - I am driveway warrior, working on my truck after research in here and on Youtube. It is not much about saving $$ more like getting familiar with new to me Tacoma 08 double cab auto trans.
I purchased truck two months ago and records say that transmission fluid was changed in Mr.Lube 50.000 km ago. Time for action..
I decided to drop pan , look , clean and replace filter (screen) as well.
Purchased: 11liters of Toyota ATF WS , 2 crush washers , new plug (original was destroyed likely with airgun) , filter/seal kit from NAPA . 3x new pan screws M6/1.0 , hand pump , torque wrench
I had quick chat with Toyota rep and he told me under any circumstances I shouldn't be replacing filter or fluid , it is lifetime fluid/sealed transmission. I had to laugh.

Cost:
Dealer quoted me CAD$260 for full flush after I was demanding this service. They would not drop that pan for me, they would not change filter.
My cost:
$140 for oil/screws/crush washers , $60 for filter seal kit , $70 torque wrench , $12 hand pump - total CAD$ 282 + sweat equity

1. I drained tranny , plug and test screw was tied so bad I had to use little heat on test screw to break it loose and plug was hard to get out with thread destroyed
2. When I was removing screws holding pan three of them broke - I was very careful. I was very lucky to drill those broken screws out and do new threads- be aware and ready - this will likely happen to you as well
3. Pan was not so dirty , magnets had little bit of sludge on them so good news. - all cleaned
4. Replaced filter - old filter had bunch of aluminium chunks stuck inside - I was happy with my decision to replace it
5. Put it all together and followed religiously OP's list of steps.

All went very well (except broken screws), shifting is much smoother now. There was little kick coming from first to second gear when truck was warm before fluid replace.

QUESTION - what "little trickle" out of test hole looks like in real life. With temperature light ON , tranny in "Park" and engine running I removed test plug. First I had fluid coming out quiet a bit and after that some bubbles and smaller flow started to come out so I put test plug back in, I didn't want to wait till nothing would be coming out.

Found this great video on youtube: https://youtu.be/TF1EQc4A0Hk

Is it bad when there is little bit more fluid in tranny possibly now? I was carefully measuring fluid OUT and fluid IN and it is almost spot on. Maybe I used just 0.3 litre-ish more.

Pic of fluid below: Top is brand new from bottle , center is what is in tranny now , bottom fluid is what came out

 

Got tired of fucking with the “Temp Check Mode”. Took me about 10 tries, but i got in. Timing of how long you stay in neutral definitely makes a difference. Anyways, I went ahead and got a scangauge 2. The 115*F temp of the fluid from the scangauge is definitely much more warmer than the temp when the a/t light comes on. So which one is correct? I checked levels with the scangauge temp. If anyone in Tucson decides to do this flush on their own, let me know and you can def borrow my scangauge.

 

I’ve seen two different temperature ranges, 104F-113F and 115F-130F, for the automatic fluid level check. If I had to guess the a/t light comes on at the 104F-113F range. Unfortunately, I don’t have a definitive answer for you of the correct temperature range, like I said I’ve seen both. If you check it at 113 vs 115, there shouldn't be that significant of a fluid level difference...just my 2 cents.

 

@Micbt25 I forgot to mention that contrary to what another guy said earlier in this thread, the ATF fluid coming OUT of the trans cooler actually flows back into the transmission pan. It does not go into the radiator so pulling out the line I indicated in my post above will flush out all the old fluid from radiator AND the trans cooler. Just wanted to make that clear.

So for a better understanding, if you have a the towing package with the stock transmission cooler, transmission fluid will flow like this....

From Transmission > Radiator > Trans Cooler > Transmission Pan

I'm not sure if this is different with other gens or model years but on my 2012 this was the flow.