Transmission oil change?

Hey everybody,
I just picked up a 2012 Tacoma TRD, 5 speed AT, V6 with 85,000 miles on it. It's in great shape and has all service receipts from the dealer, every 5000 miles. It's been in Alabama it's whole life and hasn't towed any heavy loads on a regular basis. It's never had the transmission fluid changed. I've read two great DIY posts on here about changing the transmission fluid. One post just drains the fluid in the pan (4 or 5 quarts). The other post drains the pan as well as the transmission oil cooler (full flush - 13 quarts). Which one do you recommend I do? Will I shock the system to bad if I go with the 13 quart method?

Thank you!!

 

I changed my 2nd Gen at the dealer at 75K on the clock. They called it a Transmission Fluid Exchange. (Not including the filter replacement.) This is the only item I take my my truck to the dealer for. I promise! It was like $245.00. Welcome! If you go this route your truck will smell like chemicals about 2 weeks after they do it. It the sealer they use finally gets hot enough and you'll think something is wrong but its OK. I had the wife's Corolla done at 75K too and it smelled the same way about a week or two after we drove it.

 

Drain and fill. Especially if the fluid is found to still be a nice red and smells fresh, not burnt.

Do it again at 100k, then it's easy to be on 50k cycles.

 

DIY? Drain and fill is simpler. If you have the time and drive do a complete flush. Your next question will be WS or Valvoline MaxLife.

 

Keep in mind the dealer flush I recommended is under pressure to get more fluid out of the system. Most people at home don't have access to a pressurized system. That's why I took mine in. FYI!

 

@gearcruncher

 

I don’t want to speak for GearCruncher.
But he pretty much covers that on post 75 and 78 here.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/transmission-drain-and-fill-vs-flush.566992/page-4

You should drop the pan. And a full fluid exchange is best IF POSSIBLE and done CORRECTLY.



Now, I’ll go ahead and tell you, I did NOT exchange all my fluid.
I did not drop the pan.
I did a Drain and Fill.
I did mine at 100k.
(Don’t do what I did)

I kind of knew I should have done it “early”.
But that was BEFORE I knew that WS Fluid not exactly “too good or best”
Had I known, I’d probably done this at 60K. (Better off going with Valvoline Maxlife)

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-get-it-out-of-your-transmission-now.331521/

 

How does Maxlife and Toyota WS mix if you are doing just a drain and fill?

 

Sorry that I'm a newbie here. So above Gearcruncher replied simply with @gearcruncher. I don't know what to do with that. I think he has some wisdom I want to read. What do I do with a reply @gearchruncher?

 

When you "@" someone, it tags them. So it gives them an alert in the top right of the page when they log on. @DogIsCharlie

Gearcruncher hasn't responded to this thread yet. That was someone else tagging him

Im curious about the answer though. I plan on doing my first D&F over Christmas (85k on my truck). The Valvoline MaxLife stuff is compatible with WS, so Im sure it wont matter, but that little OCD voice in the back of my head is making me wonder if I should do a full flush

 

FWIW, I just did this service on my '06 a few weeks ago.

I did a fluid and filter change, not a system flush, used Valvoline MaxLife. Its compatible with the WS, check the label on the back of the quart or gallon.

The task is simple. Drain, remove pan, remove filter. Clean pan, install new filter, smear a little grease on the pan lip to hold the gasket, install gasket (or use the "gasket in a tube" method), install pan, replace drain and fill plugs. Pump the fluid in. Engage the A/T temperature check, verify fill level.

I know, I left out some details but all the How To is in sticky Maintenance section.

In all, the job took me about 2 hours. The time was split with several other maintenance tasks. Its not a difficult job, only a little messy.

When Spring arrives, I may do a fluid change just to dilute more of the old fluid that was in the torque converter.

<edit> Doing the work myself saved a pile of sawbucks. Dealer quoted $650 for the service. My DIY cost was just short of $60. <endedit>

 

Ok, I drained the fluid for the first time ever at 86,000. Fluid doesn’t look terrible. Dropped the oil pan, looks good, magnets covered in a paste like coating of extremely fine metal. Reassembled and left empty.
Trying to decide between valvoline maxlife and Toyota WS. Will fill pan and drain the rest of the system tonight.

 

Did you change the filter when you had the pan off???

 

Well of course. Curious about the filter install. It never really snapped in place but the bolts went in just fine and snugged up tight. Did I miss something?

 

nothing.....unless you missed the o-ring on the filter neck.

 

Full fluid change at high mileage is a bad ideal unless you enjoy walking. Read what ATRA (Automatic Transmission Rebuilders Association) has to say about this they are independent nothing to gain. I was a rebuilder for many years I did all of the standards and automatics as needed I personally have seen the results generally in short order.

 

I thought it was a terrible idea to do tranny flush on a car that had already accumulated some miles unless it was something that had been done rather frequently....something g about knocking boogers off that clog up valve body and small passages?

 

No pressurized swaps.

Follow the DIY to do it right and use the pump within the transmission to swap out ~2 quarts at a time.

 

The clutch packs build up material that actually protect them, fresh new fluid is highly detergent it washes that stuff off and about 2 weeks later you'll be walking. I have only seen this a few dozen times but give it a try if you like.

 

I had a local well know trans shop do mine. For $199 they drop the pan, replace the filter, clean the magnets and add new fluid. At 70k on my Tacoma he advised against the full flush.

I can 100% say my truck shifts better and much smoother. It literally was night and day difference.