Why not just have tranny fluid a Qt Low?

Dreaded shudder problem. Have tried almost everything. Decided to just drive it in 4 instead of "D" and then shift to "D" at highway speeds.

Since the fluid level check is such a PITA and the thing apparently has 13 QTS of $12 per bottle fluid in it would it really hurt anything if it was a QT low?

When I dropped the pan and replaced filter there was a little metal being collected by the pan magnets but seemed minimal.

I guess I should probably do the Oil Change & Trans. Fluid pan drop "add 3 QTS change" once a year but it sure would be nice to skip the whole rediculous jumper wire wait for temp. signal from the vehicle thing. (Why would they make it so stupid!!???? - Quickly shift back and forth in exact number of seconds ETC "RETARDED" No?

Yes I am lazy and hate vehicles. I have 4-5 other vehicles that I also could be doing sealed trans fluid changes on + house needs new roof bla bla................

 

8-12$ for a quart vs thousands for a trans.... you choose

 

Practice the temp check before you do anything makes one very smart.

 

Must be a Friday thread ........golly

 

Install a pan that has a dip stick.

 

its very simple for me to do. and its worth it to take care of your vehicle.

yes. do it properly.

and welcome to TW.

 

Running short on fluid can lead to overheating, poor or hesitant shifting or not shifting into OD.

Getting the truck into Temp Check Mode is not a difficult task. Sure it takes a little finesse and a bit of patience.

As stated, fluid is much less expensive than fixing or replacing a transmission.

A shop to do the work is always an option.......

Its your choice.

 

Pay someone to do it right. Sounds like you don't want to put in the effort.

 

Valvoline MaxLife is ~$20 a gal at Walmart.

 

Usually it was like this (on cars)...

-do around 40° C, so not hot as hell like car just finished driving. But maybe sat for a while. Because fluid expands when hot.
-add fluid. Idle in park. Lifted off the ground wheels spinning, 1st gear Drive for 10sec. Reverse 10sec. Then back idling in park.
Then adjust level

I never did one on a Taco so IDK if they made it any different or how,
but the above method is generally not that hard

 

Tacoma method is even simpler. No guessing about temperature.

Slightly overfill transmission via upper fill hole.
Find a piece of wire that you can use to jump some pins.
Turn on engine, then you toggle the shifter back and forth until you see the light turn on briefly, and then you wait for the tranny to warm up.
Remove jumper wire from pins since it allows the engine to idle more correctly.
Once the light is on solid, unscrew the overfill plug and let it thin to a "tricke" and then close the plug.

Best to do this procedure in the fall/winter/spring unless you live way up north. If you try to do this in the summer time in a hot garage, it'll heat up too fast and your window to set the level will run out quickly.

 

Jumper wire? That's so 2005. Snag an OBDII connector from Amazon for about $7. Mark the terminals and permanently jump them. Now you have a plug-and-play "jumper".



I've done 3 DAFs on my rig. Not difficult once you know the process. But if you don't like and/or aren't willing/able to do it....then it doesn't matter how easy it is.

 

Well you could also walk or ride a bicycle.

Trade it for a 2.7 liter Tacoma with a 4 speed and a dipstick. Easy as pie.

 

If 3 qts come out with a pan drain why can't you just put 3 more back in without going through check procedures?

 

That assumes the fluid level is/was originally correct.