DIY: Full Flush for Automatic Transmission

No problem, here's a thread to help you out.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/index.php?threads/How-to-Drain-Refill-Automatic-Transmission.63851/

 

Exactly what I needed.. Thx again

 

Finally got around to flushing the trany a second time, at 132K, using the little pump I mentioned in post 303. Also did a filter change but it leaked. Turns out the Beck/Arnley gasket (

$37 044-0345 Auto Trans Filter Kit

044-0345) is thinner than OEM - 1.75mm vs 2.20mm. I doubled them up to avoid removing the pan a third time. Did a 50-mile test run and it's currently leak-free.

To ZERO, I drained 2qts from the drain plug on a cold engine (75 degrees ambient), then drained another 2qts after removing the pan and filter. Because of the indentation inside the pan for the drain plug, the higher you left the front end, the more you'll drain out.

 

I have a scangauge II and have programmed in the TFT (transmission fluid Temperature) It certainly registers as if it's working. Like getting hotter going up a pass with a load. However does anyone know if it's ok to use for determining the right temperature for a fluid level check?

 

Although you probably could, I wouldn't unless you know which sensor the Ecu uses for temp check mode.

 

what kind of temps are you seeing?

I don't have a scangauge, but I have a bluetooth obd and torque app and that's how I did my trans flush

 

So which line was the pressure line from the tranny? Upper or lower?

 

I don't remember, I think it was the lower, but don't quote me on it.

 

It goes into the top of the radiator from the trans and returns/ goes through aux cooler from the bottom. I think the non towing package trucks don't have a cooler and just return to the trans from the outlet at the bottom of the radiator.

 

With the tow package, it's the lower one. I did my flush today at 109,500 miles. Having towed a travel trailer about 10,000 miles and lived in Texas for 4 years I expected very dirty fluid. It needed to be changed. I pulled the grill to gain access to tranny cooler lines - made it simple. I cut the nozzle off a one gallon sprayer and connected it to the upper line. I started by filling the sprayer with a gallon of fluid. I drained the tranny, put drain plug on and torqued. Then I poured that into the empty gallon container. I filled 3 quarts with sprayer and started truck to pump out about 3 quarts. Emptied the catch container and repeated until 3 gallons pulled and 3 gallons plus 2/3 quarts pumped in. The last few quarts coming out looked close to the color of fresh. Put truck in temp mode, drained off about 1/2 quart when it reached the right temp.

I'm moving to Washington and will be towing the camper and boat all over. This is pretty simple and I don't see any reason not to do this every 30k-50k. $70 with fluid and washers and an hour of my time for a smooth running transmission.

 

Finally got around to flushing the ATF. Flushed it with 1 gallon then filled with 1 gallon. I also installed a B&M cooler right next to the factory cooler. I tow over the Cascade pass so I feel it needs to stay cool. The fluid check only let out about one cup of fluid. Thanks for all the posts and references.

 

Good job! Got any pics of your new cooler?

 

Awesome write-up, EXCELLENT pictures. I REALLY appreciate the help.

I'm in the middle of doing this, couldn't do what I wanted all in one swoop, life keeps getting in the way.
I bought my Taco with 110k miles on it, and have systematically been changing ALL the fluids. I opted to drop the pan and change the filter and clean the magnets/pan. BE VERY CAREFUL, I snapped three of the 20 bolts that hold on the pan (6mm x 1.0 x 16mm), drilled center but couldn't get them out with an extractor. Ended up drilling them and re-tapping. Had to elongate one hole in the pan as one re-tap wasn't centered. WHAT A PAIN.!!!!! Turns out when all is assembled there's a hole from the top side, at the end of the bolt threads, just to ensure you catch the rain/snow/salt/dirt so that the bolts can get nice and corroded!!!! When I put the bolts back I bought grade 8 bolts, as the ones that were in there certainly didn't take much force to snap. Put anti-seize all over them and filled in the end of the bolt holes, from the top, with RTV. Now, no GD rain/snow/salt/dirt is getting to these puppies.

I made another BIG MISTAKE, being in a hurry, I removed the overflow plug WITH THE ENGINE OFF. DON'T DO THIS, about 1.5qt came out and the truck was shifting very badly. About to go under it now and correct that STUPID brain fart right now.

Thanks again for an EXCELLENT write up.

John
Hollis, NH

 

Just an addition, I didn't see this mentioned the pinout of the on board diagnostic connector, see;
http://pinoutsguide.com/CarElectronics/Toyota_lexus_obd2_diagnostic_pinout.shtml

keywords: obd2 pinout, obdII pinout, on board diagnostic pinout, obd pin out, obd2 pin out, obdII pin out

 

Thanks for the note about the bolt hole corrosion issue. I've discovered a few corrosion traps in the Tacoma too.

Good job on your work, and thanks for taking the time to write it up!

 

Further update.
After I opened the transmission overflow drain plug WITH THE ENGINE OFF (NEVER DO THIS) I had to add back in the 1.5qts that came out with the engine off. Let it warm up, engine running this time, opened overflow plug. Nothing came out. Waited for it to cool so I could add more. Added just over a quart (because I had no idea how close I was and didn't want to spend the rest of the summer doing this, thank you Toyota-No-Dip-Stick). This time when I did the OBD2 jumper the "A/T Oil Temp" light would come on after the sixth shift AND NOT GO OFF, shifted to park, again IT WOULD NOT GO OFF. Turns out this is an indication I OVERFILLED the transmission. Waited approx. 18 minutes (ambient air temp 75deg F) and it started to flicker, then instead of staying on it blinked at a very repetitive rate, like every 1/2 second. I removed the overflow plug and about 1/2 qt came out. I'll verify tonight the "A/T Oil Temp" works the normal way when the fluid level is close to correct. (mine should be spot on at this point).

John G
Hollis NH

 

I think your repeating blink means "over temp".

I just did this today. Bought 4 gallons of MaxLife. 1 Harbor Freight pump. And off I went. Pump worked flawlessly (don't forget the two collars where the tubes stick into the pump). I disconnected the line going to the secondary transmission cooler (easier to get to), connected 1/2" tubing to it and away I went. Start to finish was about an hour. Took a couple of attempts to get the A/T temp light to come on, and it took less than 10 mins of idling to come on solid. Fluid not _that_ bad but it was definitely brown compared to the red of the maxlife.

Initial drain netted 2 quarts. Pumped 3 quarts back in, and then drained 3 at a time. Have about 1 qt left over. It was overfilled and I drained about 2 quarts when I pulled the overflow plug. No particular shifting behavior change, but none was expected since it was running fine at 108K miles. Just a PM exercise.

BTW, had a chance to help disassemble one of these trannys. A couple of things I noticed. (1) if you run a quart low, you will likely have issues since that is going to aerate the oil as the pan runs dry repeatedly, getting air into the fluid. Likely will cause slippage in the TC since it wants pure oil, not whipped cream. (2) if you run a quart over, I don't think there will be any problem. Looks like at about 1.5 quarts over you get enough oil in the tranny to get oil up into the spinning gears, which leads to aeration again, and you might well see TC slippage this way as well. I suspect an extra 1/2 quart is good insurance. But once it hits the gears, it will certainly foam up. Not necessarily bad in some cases (take a Mercury 2.5L racing motor, run it at 7500 RPM down the river, then pull the plug and look at the lower unit oil. Looks like cream. Let it sit an hour and it is back to normal oil. Not bad when you are just immersing a pinion and drive gear to keep them cool/lubricated. But not so good in a torque converter.

Max life was $16+ at WallyWorld. Pump on sale at Harbor Freight. < $75 for everything. Found the clear 1/2" tubing at Home Depot and had enough so I could put a gallon jug marked at 1/2/3/4 quart points right outside the driver's door where I could watch and shut down when it reached 3 quarts. Only annoying thing is getting out, on ground, pumping 3 quarts, back in, run engine for < 30 seconds, pour old oil into big jug, and repeat until 15 quarts pumped in (5 cycles of pumping in)...

Amazingly, no mess. But wife said it smelled like $hit... I reminded her of a burnt roast a few years ago and that discussion ended quickly.

 

Lmao at burnt roast comeback

 

x2 hilarious

 

FYI, I didn't see myself using a pump to put the tranny oil back in. I hooked up a funnel with clear tubing. Used electrical tape to ensure good connection between the funnel and tube. Used electrical tape to secure funnel/tube to the passenger side view mirror. Ran tube down and under and back up to the tranny fill hole. Secured the tube under the car in a couple of places using plastic zip ties. Worked great. Probably had a tube that was 5/16" ID, a little slow, but me thinks a lot better than on my back pumping a little bottle. Next time might go with a larger ID tube.