Changing Oil/Fluids

Hey everyone, just bought me a 2007 taco with 192000km (120,000miles) automatic transmission. Was just wondering if it's wise to change all fluids upon buying a used vehicle from a private seller. at the end of the day can only take someone's word for their maintenance if they have minimal records. The oil is fine I know that, power steering is below the line and dirty I will be flushing that. coolant is good.

final question, it doesnt have a dipstick for tranny fluid. should I just play it safe and replace it anyways ? haven't noticed any gearing issues , only thing is sometimes the shifter itself seems sticky going into drive.

 

If you have no known service history of the fluids I would change them all

Here's a guide on servicing the transmission but do note the listed temp of 115-130F is incorrect, it was changed in 08 to 97-115F per TSB 0129-08
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-drain-refill-automatic-transmission.63851/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2nd-gen-diy-maintenance-quick-reference-guide.438945/

 

Yep, as DM said, change all of them and start from a known condition from your ownership going forward! There is no transmission dipstick, its a process as he gave you above as well. Good luck!!

 

and if I can't find the black Toyota bottle ATF fluid will Valvoline substitute just fine. Valvoline says it's WS rated for Toyotas on the back. here's some pictures

 

Yes, many people use Valvoline MaxLife with good results.

 

For the diffs and transfer case, at the very least, remove the fill plugs and stick your finger in there. You'll know the level and condition.

Watch a video or two on the transmission. I recently dropped the pan and replaced the filter on my daughter's Corolla. It wasn't too bad of a job and the pan and magnets were really clean which gave me good peace of mind. Keep track of how much fluid comes out (dump it into an old oil container with the level sight window on the side), put about 1/2 quart more in it when refilling and set your level with the truck running. I used an IR thermometer checking the pan temperature and the aluminum around it.

ALSO, check the breather tube on the transfer case actuator. They like to split and fall off. This leads to water in the actuator and corrosion of the contacts/traces, which will cause it to fail. I can't stress this one enough.

Note that the transfer case is aluminum so be mindful of your torque specs when replacing the plugs. On the diffs and transfer case, I like to use a little Teflon tape on the plugs.

Let us know what you find!

 

thank you. going to give this a shot tomorrow. trying to become more independent in the mechanic world and less reliant on garages for things that can be DIY with a little knowledge. wish me luck!

 

Make sure the fill plugs come out before you remove the drain plugs.

 

THIS^^^ a MILLION times!!! Fill plug BEFORE the drain plug!!!

 

This is standard practice at any decent mechanic shop that also buys and sells decent vehicles.

they assume it has never been done and do all of it.

also rule of thumb when purchasing a used vehicle.
Odds are it hasn’t been done. If it has you would know.

like if I sold you my truck. I’d tell you I did all my fluids within the last year or two and have proof of it. As well as some of the bottles still laying around leftover.

 

The coolant should have been changed at 100K, per maintenance schedule. Don't assume it is good by looks. Ask seller if it was changed or just do it yourself. If you change over to Valvoline ATF, our resident transmission guru highly recommends to flush out the oem ATF and stick with the same brand from herein. Mobile1 and Idemitsu are also good WS replacements, although the latter is a WS specific ATF so maybe that one can be used for a drain/refill.

 

I bought mine with 87,000 and changed all fluids, including a transmission pan drop with a fluid change and then flush, all using Valvoline MaxLife, with great results. I agree, it’ll provide you a frame of reference and start off on the right foot!

 

As good as Valvoline products are and acknowledging that, I would stick with the OEM Toyota WS fluid, and would not use a multi-vehicle transmission fluid from any brand. Not because I feel they aren't as good: I have swapped between Valvoline, Castrol and Mobil conventional and synthetic oils for years with no oil-related issues. The point is the WS is formulated by and for Toyota.

 

TLDR: if your vehicle is 20+ years old EXPECT PROBLEMS.

So I finished the transmission job guys.... WHAT A DISASTER ! LOL. everything was going according to plan I took fill plug, overflow, and drain out dumped the fluid no problem... UNTIL... it was time to put the drain plug back in. Upon situating it in the hole with just my fingers and one singular rotation before even putting a torque device on it the damn thing stripped ! How it did this is beyond me. Now it just spins freely in place not coming out nor going in. I had to drop the entire pan and lose even more fluid and drill the thing out ! and guess what?! one of the 16 or so screws holding the pan on snapped in half upon loosening and I also had to drill it out and rethread a new hole. the interior threads on the drain plug and outer pan were so stripped I then had to go on a goose hunt for FOUR DAYS to find a matching tap and screw to re-thread a new hole. every single store had either the screw or tap but NEVER two matching sizes. Finally had to order the parts from Toyota and just got it this morning and finished the job. All in all this theoretical 1 hour job amounted to 4 days of hell and costed upwards of $250 and required 7 quarts of fluid (because I dropped the whole pan) rather than the standard 3 or so quarts. WHAT A DISASTER. I swear I have the worst luck with vehicles lol nothing ever goes as planned. but there you have it, that's my update.