Soooo many transmission fluid questions....

So many questions, & so little time...
1. Should I change/flush it, or just leave it alone?
2. Why is ATF type WS so hard to find?
3. Can any other type be substituted for type WS?
(2010 V6 5-speed, 245,000 km, no issues)
Thank you

 

Fluid exchange, not a power flush.

Use Valvoline Maxlife.

Lots of threads on here to help and guide you.

 

1. I’d at least do a drain and fill.
I would not do a flush unless it is done PROPERLY.


2. It’s not hard to find here in the U.S.
I saw it setting on the self at the dealer here in East Tn just last week?
I don’t recommend mixing, so I’d use WS for a drain and fill.
If you go full “flush” there are better options.


3. Yes, see below.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...a-ws-atf-automaitc-transmission-fluid.373083/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...e-get-it-out-of-your-transmission-now.331521/

 

Question is where are you located.

Think of it this way, you have 245k km on it. If you can get the proper toyota WS fluid from a toyota dealer even at 2x the cost of the valvoline maxlife id personally go with the proper fluid considering it has gone that long so far without issue. That stated if its hard to get ahold of the maxlife is great fluid.

Proper way to do it is laid out in the DIY thats stickied, drain pan, fill with fresh, then turn the truck on and pump out 2ish quarts at a time filling the trans in between each 2 quart pumped out.

 

Like others have already said. Drain and Fill, but NO Flush!!

I've always like Toyota ATF Type WS. But that's just my personal preference.

 

Following in case a consensus is reached about drain-and-fill vs. occasional full flush. I have both in my maintenance tracker, at 60k miles and 120k miles respectively.

 

Drain and fill only gets 3 quarts, you can flush using the trans own pump, the procedure is more involved and will use 12 quarts but it's the better way to go. The sticky by gearcruncher is amazing and contains everything you would need to know about your trans. You can get toyota atf ws on Amazon.

 

If you are in the U. S. Toyota ATF WS is usually all over ebay. I've bought a lot of it there.

People talk a lot about Maxlife and I'm sure it's good, but Walmarts Dex-VI is also rated WS. I have been running it for years in one of my WS-required Toyota cars.

 

I recall buying mine at the dealership since I have one close by.

 

Had a drain and fill done by a local service station and still had rough shifting. Added a little more fluid and it went away after a few miles.

 

This only ^

 

Drain and fill. I’ve used Maxlife before. Now I use Amsoil blue cap. My first change I disconnected the return line and used a longer hose. Measure how much comes out of the pan. Take a gallon jug and measure a half a qrt less what came out of the pan. 4 qrts out of the pan measure 3.5 qrts on the jug.

Fill the pan with 4 qrts. Start the truck with the return hose in the jug. Fill the jug to 3.5 qrt mark. Turn off the truck and fill with 4 qrts. Repeat till the fluid is new. Put the transmission into temp check mode.

 

1. If you flush with the 12V pump DIY method, it should be fine. You'll have to add more fluid through the fill port after the process, then check the level per this guide. If you take it to a shop, a flush may be more stressful to the transmission depending on the equipment they use.
2. WS despite its name, is effectively a Toyota proprietary standard.
3. If you choose to do a drain & fill (i.e. new fluid mixing with old), stick with Toyota WS from the dealer. If you choose to do a flush, aftermarket brands like Valvoline Max-Life can work.

How much longer are you planning to keep the truck? Are you in Canuckistan? The frame warranty lasts until 2022 if you did the CRC campaign earlier.

 

Stay away from Toyota WS ATF, Go with Valvoline Maxlife. I found a document years ago put out by ATRA where they say Toyota WS fluid isn't any good and they recommended switching to Valvoline Maxlife for longer life.

If you decide to stick with Toyota WS fluid make sure you change it every 30,000 miles. If you switch to Maxlife you can go 100,000 before you change the fluid.

WS fluid is not Synthetic.

 

If I had my choice of fluids when dropping the pan and filter , then flushing if the contamination was low in the pan , I would run Lubeguard full synthetic .
WS is semi synthetic .
Lubeguard fully synthetic fluid was introduced in 2019 .
Good stuff !!!
https://www.lubegard.com/products/atf/

 

there are at least a dozen different types o Transmission Fluids

they All are NOT the same

Stuff in at the factory is usually really good stuff
they should sell the same at mark up

many Marques have ' NO Touch ' auto trans
normal conditions the owner need NOT bother
crank
put n gear
drive !!!

if Ur driving is High Cycle
if U tow a lot
Hi heat
it is well to have a level o concern

6 speed ........8........10 .......lock up
dual clutch trans are very complicated
draining/flushing in drive could present issues

1st person anecdotal some1 will say they have done it
will do it .............. no issues

there again some wont be that lucky
im in the camp
check if ok leave alone

good luck

 

I just had a local mechanic drain and fill my trans with Toyota fluid and the tranny so smooth now . 119,000 mi on the truck , I don’t think it’s been touched before. I’d def do the same thing again

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...en-tacoma-today.6499/page-10476#post-23949989

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...nd-gen-tacoma-today.6499/reply?quote=23950155

1 gallon pump sprayer, cut off the nozzle, attached a 3/8 ball valve or needle valve will work, 5ft worth of 3/8 ODcleartube inner diameter is 1/4, along 2 small hose clamps where to valve meets the black hose and clear. Worked like a champ.

 

if you don't run Royal purple or AMSOIL ATF your transmission will automatically grenade within 5 minutes

 

I have a Tundra with original Toyota WS atf going on 300k without a single transmission problem. We beat the crap out of it too. I like to stay away from anything that claims to be "universal" ATF fluid whether it's synthetic, dino, liquid gold, unicorn blood, or mermaid secretions, doesn't matter to me. I know people who have problems with maxlife and went back to Toyota WS and problems went away. I had a Sienna van that drove great until I switched to valvoline maxlife and in about a month developed a shudder that I could not figure out how to fix. I switched back to Toyota WS and it went away, drove smooth as butter. Same thing with a 4runner my uncle had, he switched to maxlife at 100k for about a year and noticed it just wouldn't shift the same, would sometimes slip from 2nd to 3rd but he drove it like that until he told me about it. I asked him to switch back to Toyota WS and he tried that and it fixed all his problems, it's now going on 370k without a single problem since, and he beats the hell out of that thing. Again, use what you want and believe what you want. I'm just here telling you my experiences with it, and I got more stories, but I gotta go work. Toyota transmissions can be a fickle bitch so I would use the oem fluid designed for it. Just my 2 cents.