Transmission fluid change

..I mistyped that…it was 1/2 quart low

 

I’m glad I get to do my drain and fills every 20-30k from the start and call it a day. Every used truck I had to do the coolant line exchange method pumping 2-3 QTs in/out at a time to get it all out. It was a lot easier than doing 4 drain and fills in a row. I will try the Lubegard as well.

 

I'm at 60,000 miles and I just did three back to back spill/fills, used 7 quarts. I ran the truck for 2 minutes each time before draining again. Up to this point I just did the spill/fill every 20,000 and it was only around 2.5 quarts getting replaced. I never noticed any change in shifting before but this time it is noticeably smoother so I'm glad I went through the effort to change more fluid out this time.

 

What do you attribute the smoother shifting to?

I'm assuming it wasn't low on fluid, since this wasn't your first fluid swap.?

 

No it wasn't low before, I've done the temp mode check each time but I was low for the first change. I'm guessing it's just the additional clean/new fluid over the usual spill/fill I've been doing. After the change I took my normal route to and from work to test it out, the shifts during moderate accelerating seemed smoother. Maybe that was just a placebo effect but the downshifts while coming to a stop are not as nearly as sharp as before.

 

Yea, @ 60,000 miles, even if you'd never touched it, there shouldn't be any noticeable diminishment in shifting with original fluid.
Unless, of course, there's some underlying issue with the transmission itself..

 

There is a such thing as too frequent ATF changes, btw. The system actually needs *some* grit/contamination for friction in order to function optimally

 

^^ 100%
I've heard it from reliable sources that power braking the shit out of any new truck for four or five minutes as soon as it leaves the dealer is highly recommended.
Helps get some of that grit and contamination into the system that would otherwise take many thousands of miles.

 

Weird

 

Grit in the system ?



The goal inside the transmission is to try and keep any grit on the bottom of the pan or on the magnets

Hydraulic pressure squeezes the clutching together for the transmission to upshift to the next gear . The clutches and steels are smooth like a brake rotor and brake pad .
Old spent transmission fluid loses it friction capabilities .The reagents in the old fluid have depleted . Takes longer for the clutch to squeeze together causing shock loading .

When you service the transmission by adding some new fluid , you are restoring the friction modifiers in the fluid which in turn makes the transmission clutching squeeze smoother .
Trying to explain what happens , so everyone understands at the basic level

 

Is it clutch material that you want a bit of in there? Or is that a myth?

 

Going to say its a myth .
The clutches are super soaked in fluid during assembly . There is no grit on the clutches . The clutch steels are also very smooth .
Have a look at the clutches on this 2016 6 speed transmission . 13 minutes into the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs2P-uENGh0

 

Had local independent self proclaimed Toyota shop w good reviews do mine at 85K a month ago (2016). Had my first experience of harsh enough downshift to shake my truck and lost ability to shift out of 1st gear until it warmed up. So I'm pretty sure they under filled it and who know what damage that did? Once up to temp it's fine and have not had any issues other than this the month since they filled it. Was a big temp drop overnight and I did not drive it for 3 days straight. fluid was def dirty on flush. They listed 16 quarts consumed which smells like overfill actually. Doesn't this only take around 11-11.5 quarts if running tow package?

 

And just like that, there goes my grit pack sales I was just about to drop on the TW market.
Now what am I gonna do with 30 pounds of ground up clutch packs...

Thanks for nothing Scotty, you ugly bastard..

 

Professor friday

 

I too did 3 drain and fills and use the same lube guard platinum made big difference. Transmission temp stable at 185°F hwy 60mph , rolling 315/75/16, and stock gearing empty work commute. I towed our overland trailer over the weekend from western Washington to eastern Washington. Tranny temp hit 207°F at its highest. I'm running amsoil for tranny fluid .

The transmission service for just the fluid is a simple task . Before I went ahead and did it myself I had Toyota do it and they were charging me over $200 and I now do it roughly for $60 myself .

Now recently yeah I bout 9 bottles of amsoil and the lube guard but the results were worth it .

 

I've heard this as well but I've always heard if the fluid is over 100k to just leave it alone

 

Whats the purpose of the check procedure

 

To insure a proper fill level.

That is some Scotty Kilmer type horseshit.