DIY: Full Flush for Automatic Transmission

So, with a drain and replaced...basically those first 14 put me back to where I started.

The only 2 extra were what I put in in the end.

Is it possible for a truck from factory to be more than 2qts low??

 

Yes , sorry , meant to say " check "

 

Yes , the factory could have sent the vehicle out low on transmission fluid but there are other possibilities as well . Could have been something done to your truck at the dealer that required removing a transmission cooline line or rad , trans fluid can drain into the transfer case etc etc .
Your truck is an 09 . When was the last time you properly checked the trans fluid ?
Under normal operation , you should check trans level once a month .
This is why these transmissions need filler tubes with a level indicator . The trans is overlooked because of the difficulty involved to properly check the trans fluid .

 

I have never checked it or fooled with it since I bought the truck. It just now hit 66,000 miles. Havent had a reason to check it yet, but now I guess is the time.

 

I thought that the idea of a sealed system is that it is maintenance free. I don't see to check the Trans fluid on Toyota's scheduled maintenance page.
30,000 miles is the first I see mention of transmission fluid. Then again at 60,000 miles.

Source: http://smg.toyotapartsandservice.com/guides.php

 

I wouldnt go more than 2 months without inspecting my transmission fluid level .
Gotta remember that these transmission can still leak and do leak .
These are not " sealed transmissions " They are the same as any automatic transmission without the filler tube .
30 , 60 , and 90 are the recommended service checks to be performed by the dealer . I wouldnt want to drive with my transmission low on fluid for 30,000k . Checking the level every couple of months is your best bet .

 

Ever talk to a dealership?

That's all well and good. Unless it's leaking, which you would notice 2+ quarts in this case, there is no reason to check every month. Really we should check and fill missing when the truck is new/"new to us" and have piece of mind until there is a leak.

 

Damn, I thought I was OCD I hate these "sealed transmissions" as much as the next DIYer, but a visual check every now and then should be enough to ensure that there are no leaks in the system. Drips in the driveway, and leaks from the transmission itself should be very obvious. No need to check the level every 2 months by getting it into ATF temp mode IMO.

BTW, the girlfriends 1996 Isuzu Trooper has a "sealed transmission"....

 

In a perfect world I agree 100% .

As an example ,I have seen 2+ quarts of transmission fluid leak into the transfer case. The driver never knew the leak was there . Then there are those of us who tend to never pay attention to the oil spots on the ground .
Maybe the lube system only leaks when its running .

 

Ahh yes the dreaded Isuzu 4L30E . I have repaired a few . They are not a sealed transmission. they are like the A750E and have no filler tube .
Toyota as well as other manufacturers call transmissions " sealed units " when there is no filler tube .

 

I put two more quarts in. Im waiting on my trans to cool down enough so I can do the correct temp reading. When I start it and try, the AT Temp just wants to flash saying its too warm to check.....so we wait.

 

if you use this link/source?
read on to the definitions of "checking the transmission"

Maintenance Definitions
2005 Tacoma
30,000 Miles - 36 Months

Automatic Transmission Fluid or Manual Transmission OilInspect or replace at specified intervals. When performing inspections, check each component for signs of leakage. If you discover any leakage, have it repaired by a qualified technician immediately.


seems as though the 30,000 fluid inspection is checking for leaks..... although I don't have the owners manual in front of me... but I also recall 100,00mi interval for checking as you-all are suggesting now... at correct operating temp, with the over-fill drain plug....

 

Mines an 06 it must be different for your 05. Kidding.

 

so, the 2 extra quarts did it...kinda confused though. This time i came pouring out the check plug...almost the two quarts I put in..haha...i let it drain til it was a drip out the check plug. Should be good to go on my change now. Runnin Valvoline Maxlife.

 

My sincere thanks for taking the time to put this together. I did mine this past Saturday, went through 14 1/2 out of 15 qts. of Toyota WS. Changed filter out and put more magnets in the pan. There was a coating of dark grey clutch film on everything in the pan. Used the rest in the power steering. I am waiting for some pics to upload on photobucket and then I will post them here.

My tranny was about 1/2 - 3/4 qt low from the factory. 40,491 miles on the factory fill and I wish I would have done this at 24K. I don't drive that hard but my fluid looked like iced tea, I did an old vs. new color comparison just like the OP. I will let pic's speak for themselves. If you found this how to, don't wait, do your tranny now, I like the way mine shifts now, feels like a much more confident shift. I plan to do an annual drain and refill now to keep things fresh.

 

Hmm...

I didn't drain mine till almost 100K, the fluid color wasn't all that different, and I can't tell a difference in shifting (it's always kinda banged the 1-2 shift).

 

Did you have to replace the pan gasket or place a thin film of RTV on the pan's lip to seal it up? Any leaks?

Well done, BTW!

 

Wait a minute, unless I am reading this wrong, you drained and refilled 3 times, right? And was this all at the same time, or how much time elapsed in between said drain/refills? If you just kept doing it over and over, then didn't you only change what's in the pan 3 times? And waste a lot of new ATF in the process?

 

Thanks, it looked better internally in some ways and worse in others once I got it opened up. I used a new OEM pan gasket (Fel-Pro gasket looks identical, have one for the below 4Runner project) with no sealer and followed the service manual torque spec's for everything. Pan bolts are 39 INCH POUNDS...there are 20 and I did them in 2 stages, 25 then 39 in/lbs. I started in the middle and went clockwise and made I think 3 rounds to stabilize the torque before the next step to 39 in/lbs and made 4 rounds at 39 just to make sure. Probably overkill but WTH. No leaks, and I check every morning and evening. That picture of shavings is from inside the factory filter, I uncrimped the edges to get a look inside...curiosity and all. Not nearly the metal we used to find in the older GM tranny's - T350, 400, and 200-4R O/D in particular. I wanted to keep this truck a while so this was the last 36K checkup action to perform. I ordered the high heat neodynium magnets from KJ Magnetics, maybe spent 40 bucks or so.

I'm going to help my future son-in-law with his 4Runner pretty soon, he doesn't have the courage to do this on his own, or maybe it's the free labor, food & adult refreshments! Anyway, thanks for everyone's efforts in putting this together. I didn't have any issues with anything while in process.

 

you read it wrong. The drain process is not from the pan, draining is done at the return line. Effectively the new fluid is pushing out the old fluid, although yes some of the new fluid is wasted.