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How to Drain/Refill Automatic Transmission

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by Fortech, Dec 5, 2009.

  1. May 29, 2017 at 10:52 AM
    #941
    303tacoma

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    Good idea:thumbsup:
     
  2. Jun 28, 2017 at 8:50 AM
    #942
    06TXED

    06TXED Well-Known Member

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  3. Jun 28, 2017 at 3:40 PM
    #943
    flyphish

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    Didnt read through all 48 pages of this but do you guys typically drop the pan and do a filter and gasket change with the drain and fill? Just hit 60k miles and tow my boat roughly 200 miles/ month. Not sure to go to the dealership for a full flush or just do an at home drain and fill with a filter and gasket change? Any suggestions much appreciated. Cheers
     
  4. Jun 28, 2017 at 3:46 PM
    #944
    07 sport 4x4

    07 sport 4x4 Well-Known Member

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    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-full-flush-for-automatic-transmission.68462/
    Most people don't bother with the filter, it's just a mesh screen. It doesn't need changing too often.
     
  5. Jun 28, 2017 at 11:01 PM
    #945
    Chuy

    Chuy Well-Known Member

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    That's a lot of towing. A large capacity trany cooler is highly recommended. I would do a flush every other drain/refill and do a filter change/cleaning every 100K or so. The flush need not be a full 12-quart flush; an 8-quart flush should suffice. Even though the mesh filters may not need replacing as often as paper element filters, you should still remove the pan to clean it and the magnets.
     
  6. Jun 29, 2017 at 3:59 AM
    #946
    DVexile

    DVexile Exiled to the East

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    Most wear happens in the first few 10K miles. So recommend drop the pan and clean magnets for sure on your first drain/fill or flush. The mesh filter is inexpensive and easy to change when you drop the pan so I'd go ahead and do that the first time. After that first change likely very little wear is going to occur - at least any wear that produces large particles and shavings so probably no need to replace filter and if doing just drain and fill probably no reason to drop pan either. if flushing it is always recommended to drop and clean the pan.

    Towing doesn't dramatically increase wear, what it does is increase temperature by a lot and increased temperature reduces the life of the fluid so that's why you need to change fluid more frequently when towing.

    On older transmissions (>100K) there is some debate but many would not recommend a flush but instead do drain and fill on a schedule, say every 10K miles so you are slowly cycling out the old fluid without hitting the old transmission with all new fluid at once.

    Anyway given your amount of towing without having tracked transmission temps doing "something" at 60K makes sense. There are a lot of different opinions as to what to do but I'd definitely recommend dropping the pan and cleaning the magnets on the first service. Might as well do filter with the pan off too. Then just decide if you will do drain and fill over time or flush all at once.
     
  7. Jun 29, 2017 at 6:22 AM
    #947
    flyphish

    flyphish Member

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    Thanks for the responses. Thinking more about it and 200 miles is probably a bit high, definitely in the summer months but not every month. Its a small boat, 1600 lbs boat and trailer. I am leaning towards full flush along with dropping the pan for filter and gasket change. After that I will go for simple DIY drain and fills. Any ideas on what I can expect to pay at the dealership? Friend works at a Ford dealership and they have done some easier stuff for me on the cheap. Not sure that I want to risk them not using the correct fluid and not have the know how of the Toyota tranny etc.
     
  8. Jun 29, 2017 at 6:44 AM
    #948
    ImpulseRed008

    ImpulseRed008 Gone But Not Forgotten

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    It's actually not hard to do. You should be able to do it yourself.
     
  9. Jun 29, 2017 at 11:47 AM
    #949
    91859706

    91859706 I like Toyota trucks.

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    My dealership in upstate NY told me a full flush is $165.
     
  10. Jun 29, 2017 at 12:01 PM
    #950
    DVexile

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    Don't take it to the dealership, take it to a reputable transmission shop instead if you aren't going to just do it yourself. Read through the transmission threads here and the dealers are all over the place either telling you it is a lifetime fluid or using any one of a number of different flushing methods/machines.
     
  11. Jun 29, 2017 at 1:14 PM
    #951
    flyphish

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    Thanks again for all the response. I still havent decided if I will try it myself, never touched a transmission and it makes me a bit nervous. Done plugs, differential fluids, oil changes, drive shaft lubes etc learned lurking around these forums. I likely could handle the drain and fill but idk about a flush. I can likely take it to my buddy who works in a Ford shop and have him do a flush. Just dont know how different if at all it would be doing on a Tacoma. Wouldnt want him to mess it up.
     
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  12. Jun 29, 2017 at 1:46 PM
    #952
    07 sport 4x4

    07 sport 4x4 Well-Known Member

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    If you can do an oil change you can do a cooler line flush or drain/fill on these, it's super easy. Practice putting your truck into temp check mode before you change it. Temp check is really easy after you've done it a time or two, don't let that stop you if that's what you're worried about. A flush is basically just a drain and fill with a couple extra steps.
     
  13. Jun 29, 2017 at 5:14 PM
    #953
    desertrunner24

    desertrunner24 Well-Known Member

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    Anyone with higher miles 100k plus do a full flush and filter change? Anything I should worry about? I have towed quite a bit over the last 11 years and hauled many heavy loads in the bed. Never had any shifting troubles ever. I plan on putting in amsoil synthetic atf.
     
  14. Jun 29, 2017 at 5:40 PM
    #954
    91859706

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    Not an expert, and haven't done it yet myself but I also have a 2006 with 100k on it. I think @gearcruncher gives the best advice: drop the pan and look at the fluid and magnets. If it's burnt, smells bad, and discolored, then don't flush...if it still looks new the. You can flush.
     
  15. Jul 7, 2017 at 6:31 PM
    #955
    NeonHeights

    NeonHeights Well-Known Member

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    I have an 07 4x4 v6 with Tow Package (Tranny cooler).

    Followed this guide today and only got 2.2L total when draining. Dark color with red tint if you dabbed it on a paper towel. Figured it must of been running low for a long time and the previous owner had messed up a DIY refill like this one. I refilled with 3.3L with a pump as suggested and began the process of starting temp check mode.

    For some reason, the A/T Temp light would not stop flashing after starting temp check mode. I did all the procedures correctly, and the light stayed on for 2 seconds after switching to Park but then just started a continuous, slow flash. I waited 30+ Minutes for the light to go solid but it never did. I drove around a bit and tried again and it still just flashed. I shut the truck off for over an hour and it still just flashed after entering temp check mode. Mind you its a slow flash not a fast one if that makes a difference.

    I got tired of waiting so I just went under the truck and pulled the overflow bolt. A fair amount came out and then it began to trickle so I stuck the bolt back on. I measured how much came out the overflow and it was about 0.9L. Which means that only 2.4L of the original 3.3 I refilled actually stayed in. Which tells me that the 2.2L that originally came out wasnt actually underfilled.

    The overflow that came out wasnt bright red anymore despite me pouring brand new fluid into it. It resembled the same color as the original old stuff I took out.

    Did I mess something up in the process? I have no idea why the temp light wouldnt stay solid. I ended up literally just putting the same amount back into the truck as I took out.

    The surface I was on wasnt completely level, it wasnt an extreme slope or really any slope at all, but the level I had on the truck was definitely not completely in the center.
     
  16. Jul 7, 2017 at 6:43 PM
    #956
    Chuy

    Chuy Well-Known Member

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    You can drive over 2X4's to level the frame. Remember to check level under the frame between the F/R tires. I use a IR gun to measure the temp; first on the pan as it warms up, then on the ATF as it flows out to make sure it is at recommended temp. This method has been proven to be as accurate as reading the temp sensors via Toyota's Techstream software.
     
  17. Jul 7, 2017 at 7:20 PM
    #957
    ImpulseRed008

    ImpulseRed008 Gone But Not Forgotten

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    Your tranny could have been too hot. When I did mine, I had been out running around and after probably 3 hours was still too hot. Tried it the next morning and had to warm her up about 15 - 20 minutes to get it to temp (was kinda cool out). Running your truck would have circulated the fluid, so what came out would have been mixed with the old hence the darker color. Try the temp check in the morning and I'll bet you can get it to work. I read the directions about a dozen times to be sure I did it correctly. You want to be as level as possible when you do the check.
     
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  18. Jul 21, 2017 at 1:42 PM
    #958
    Krusey1011

    Krusey1011 Well-Known Member

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    I got as far as torquing the drain plug (15-20 ft lbs as listed in the op). I set my wrench at 17.5 and it stripped.
     
  19. Jul 21, 2017 at 3:59 PM
    #959
    80schild

    80schild Well-Known Member

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    I dont even bother with a torque wrench, I tighten it until it's good and snug and let it be. I feel like I'm a better judge when enough is enough.
     
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  20. Jul 27, 2017 at 5:51 AM
    #960
    TacoSupremeo

    TacoSupremeo Well-Known Member

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    i will be doing this soon on my 05 trd o/r, 175,000 mi. the thing to remember is ATF has lubricity properties, but is as much a cleaner as it is a lubricator... when the fluid is dirty it needs to be changed or its ability to clean the trans internals is compromised. do any of you guys have the part number for the pan sealing rings? i read like the first 6 pages and gave up.
     

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