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No need to service the A/T transmission under normal use?

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by 2004TacomaSR5, Oct 31, 2015.

  1. Oct 31, 2015 at 4:29 PM
    #1
    2004TacomaSR5

    2004TacomaSR5 [OP] Nemesis Prime

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    A coworker pointed out to me that Toyota transmissions never need to be serviced under normal driving conditions throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. I thought this was all bull but after pulling my dipstick on the tranny and reading the fine print on the label around the collar, it does indeed say that it never needs to be serviced unless used under severe conditions. I never tow or do anything extreme with my truck outside of day to day driving so do I really want to trust Toyota and go with that memo? My truck is creeping up on 100k and I doubt the tranny has ever been worked on it's entire life. The fluid is still clean and looks good so I'm not worried about it yet just thinking about the long run. What say you? I myself just can't see driving 300k+ miles on original tranny fluid but maybe I'm wrong. I plan to drive this old truck into the ground so I want her to last!
    11178267_1430832327231331_12345558945235_72ae3948463518483ff175445c0241616088fc2b.jpg
     
  2. Oct 31, 2015 at 6:33 PM
    #2
    Logger

    Logger out for a rip are ya bud?

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    Valid question for sure. If it were me in that scenario I would re-evaluate in another 50k. I know what you're saying though, it seems nuts to go potentially 300k without servicing it.

    I go by what the fluid tells me, mine was dark red almost reddish brown @ 135k so I changed it using Toyota fluid. I do a lot of mixed driving, with daily off road excursions and sitting in traffic so I chose to dump mine.

    Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts and personal experience.
     
  3. Oct 31, 2015 at 7:52 PM
    #3
    4WD

    4WD cRaZy oLdmAn

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    You need to find out if he's going to have his wallet out when your A340F grenades from lack of the recommended 30k-35k drain & fill....
     
  4. Oct 31, 2015 at 7:52 PM
    #4
    keakar

    keakar Well-Known Member

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    your friend is WRONG!!! do a tranny pan drain and refill every 50k miles and a full tranny flush and fluid replacement every 100k miles, period.

    not changing the fluid is just like never changing the oil in the engine. yes you can get away with it but you shouldn't do it. I had a friend with a t100 truck that never changed oil from the day he bought it, after about 5 years owning it, he found he needed to add about a quart of oil every 6 months or so and he put 250k miles on it that way. smoked a little when he sold it but he never ever changed the oil or oil filter in it. just goes to show, you can get lucky but you shouldn't ignore maint schedules or you risk breaking things.
     
  5. Oct 31, 2015 at 7:54 PM
    #5
    4WD

    4WD cRaZy oLdmAn

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    When mine went I got quotes up to $3200 for rebuild (which I found out is "reasonable":eek:)
     
  6. Oct 31, 2015 at 7:57 PM
    #6
    keakar

    keakar Well-Known Member

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    yep, when my chevy tranny grenaded, I went to cottman and they redid it for $2800
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2015
  7. Oct 31, 2015 at 7:58 PM
    #7
    mountainwolfpup

    mountainwolfpup Ford Guy (Formerly known as a Toyota Guy)

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    First month of ownership... This month I'm removing front air dam, and also Rhino lining the bed.
    I do a full flush/fill every 60k. I'm at 90k now on my 2nd gen. Ran 300k+ on my last one, an 88. Highly recommend frequent service. I also chang my oil (standard) every 3k.
     
  8. Oct 31, 2015 at 7:58 PM
    #8
    Caligula

    Caligula Well-Known Member

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    THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    Your car is not a new BMW, those have a lifetime fill ATF fluid, its about $15/quart.

    Guess what....EVEN THOSE need to have the transmission serviced every 60-75k miles with new fluid and filter!!!!!!
     
  9. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:12 PM
    #9
    Sep1911

    Sep1911 Well-Known Member

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    If you never change the transmission fluid it will last the lifetime of the vehicle: until the transmission starts slipping/blows up or whatever.. It's just that this life will be a lot shorter than if you were to change the fluid every 30k or whatever. Honestly, doing a drain and refill every 30k seems sufficient. But since you've done nothing, I would do a drain and refill every 5k 3 times and then start doing it every 20k( ~2 years). Or get a flush although I hear varying stories on them.
     
  10. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:16 PM
    #10
    ZachPrerunner

    ZachPrerunner Sometimes she goes, sometimes it doesn’t

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    Complete waste of money doing it every 5k. That's like changing your oil every 1,500 three times in a row. There's no point in doing so, unless you like throwing money to the wind.
     
  11. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:21 PM
    #11
    95 taco

    95 taco Battle Born

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    The thing with a drain and fill is it doesn't empty all the fluid, only what's in the pan (1/3rd the capacity if I remember), so you need to do it like that to replace the majority of the fluid.

    Also on the first drain and fill I would pull the pan and replace the screen/filter and clean the magnets.

    Say no to flushes also, all you need to do is drain and refill a few times every 30-50K and a screen/filter replacement at the first (Or last) drain and refill.
     
  12. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:23 PM
    #12
    bellassaiw10

    bellassaiw10 Formally afroman5015

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    I believe he wa staying every 5k drain and refill to make sure you got most of the old fluid out if you weren't gonna do full flush... That being said I pulled my tranny line at the bottom of my radiator and drained it into a bucket a couple quarts at a time until it was coming out clean. Takes a lot but a lot faster then just draing and refilling a lot
     
  13. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:25 PM
    #13
    Sep1911

    Sep1911 Well-Known Member

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    Exactly. ATF with 100k on it will not be clean. And the entire system holds like 10-15quarts if not more.
     
    Toyota4x46921 likes this.
  14. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:27 PM
    #14
    bellassaiw10

    bellassaiw10 Formally afroman5015

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    Think I did 9-11 and it still wasn't pure red yet but it was sufficient enough for me at the time, gonna do it again and have about 20 qts to be safe
     
  15. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:47 PM
    #15
    ZachPrerunner

    ZachPrerunner Sometimes she goes, sometimes it doesn’t

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    Learn something new everyday. Everytime I've heard of a transmission service, they'd either perform a drain and refill or with a flush. Gonna start a thread in the 2nd gen's to see what others have done before.
     
  16. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:48 PM
    #16
    T4RFTMFW

    T4RFTMFW Well-Known Member

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    There's a big thread on that already.
     
  17. Oct 31, 2015 at 8:50 PM
    #17
    4WD

    4WD cRaZy oLdmAn

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    The ATF does more than lubricate/ pressurize in pumps to move forward/backwards, it also collects & traps "transmission flash" Which is that filmy looking shit that looks solid but isn't & it rides on top of ATF fluid making it discolored...


    Hi Jake !!:wave: .... Just remember that all 1st gens are drain & fill & ANY 'yota auto thats a sealed system (no dip stick for trans) is FLUSH & fill which I'd leave for a good trans shop to do, let the responsibility rest on them if something fucks up...
     
    T4RFTMFW likes this.
  18. Oct 31, 2015 at 9:01 PM
    #18
    ZachPrerunner

    ZachPrerunner Sometimes she goes, sometimes it doesn’t

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    Well I just started another one :oops:
     
  19. Oct 31, 2015 at 9:04 PM
    #19
    T4RFTMFW

    T4RFTMFW Well-Known Member

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    Ban
     
  20. Nov 1, 2015 at 6:22 AM
    #20
    95 taco

    95 taco Battle Born

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    Hey Doug :wave: Yep, forgot the newer trucks had the sealed tranny, makes them a PITA for a normal person to service.
     

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