Transmission flush vs drain & fill

I'm at 60k with AUTO and this is my plan. I know some will say too early but i'm the 3rd owner and I want a good baseline.

--Drain from plug and measure.
--Drop pan and change the filter. Install new Toyota one.
--Put back pan and refill same amount that was drained out with Amsoil.
--Pull discharge hose to empty container.
--Push container of new Amsoil fluid via 12vdc pump or drill pump into return hose to tranny. Run car until all new fluid is pushed into tranny, while old fluid is pulled out into empty container.
--I bought the 10 quart Amsoil fluid.

I did this with my car in the past but instead of pushing the new fluid simultane, I would stop car and refill. I didn't have any type of pump to do it all in one crack.

Wish me luck.

 

If you have a manual trans, you don't need to do a flush...just a drain and fill. Auto transmissions require flushes (arguably) since they run ATF.

Manuals are super easy to do yourself, just drain the old oil out and pump the new oil in, 75w90 GL5 gear oil. I forget how many quarts it takes but a one gallon jug is more than enough.

 

I always kind of find it funny how its often recommended not to flush the trans, but places sure want to sell a flush to you whenever they can haha.

Personal story, brother got stiffed on a trans flush at a Valvoline, and they ended up not even touching the ATF fluid, and they left the oil cap on top of the battery. By the time I checked it (I have a habit of checking everyone's vehicles occasionally) his oil was down past the dip stick. He was about to drive half the US from TX to Chicago then back, and would have for sure blown his engine for sure. Sucks, I could have expected this from say a quick lube place, but not a Valvoline with mostly vets.


Anyways, back on topic! I usually just do a trans change instead of flush just because doing a flush is to much work (for me), and the time it takes for the atf I use to degrade it seems fine with just a change usually. For my mainly highway vehicles I do it every 50k, for city I go 30k. That or every 3-5 years depending on how the fluid looks (haha or just to give me something to do). Also sometimes for really neglected vehicles (or usually new used ones) I may do multiple changes to clear it out.

Don't know much about flushes and how that effects things from a personal standpoint, so I'll abstain from conjecture there.


In terms of manual v automatic difficulty, I kind of find them balancing out.

Manual you gotta be under the vehicle pumping away to get it filled up - but it coincides with also changing the diff fluid, and you really can't mess up with over filling.

For automatic you just pour the same amount you take out like a oil change, and don't have to be under there pumping bottles of gear oil by hand. It also coincides with using left over atf on power steering fluid. Luckily unlike other truck brands, I rarely have found the need to change the trans filter/screen. I guess its because toyota transmissions are generally less prone to stewing up metal shards if its maintained within reason. I'm counting my blessings though haha.

 

Chris does a good job of explaining around 5 minutes

https://youtu.be/o690DovjDAc

 

I just did a refresh (drain & fill) on my 4-speed automatic. I approximated the refill quantity based on the drain, but deliberately shorted it by about 1/2 quart because I don't want to overfill.
IIRC, the sump fills more quickly the higher the level gets. As in, each of the first 3 quarts bring the level up consistently but the 4th quart brings it up far more. Can anyone confirm this? TIA

 

anyone have a link to how to change the fluid on the 6spd manual, I'm almost at 86k I want to drain and fill tomorrow. Got the Redline gear oil. just need a write up. searching is pulling up a lot of autos not many mannys.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-6-speed-manual-transmission-oil-change.287566/
found it if anyone else is looking. OP is:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...on-your-6-speed-transmissiom-write-up.338840/

both are getting added to my Build Page Link.

 

Glad I found this info for my 2000 Prerunner I just bought. Thanks getting ready to do the tranny drain and flush

 

This is the 1st gen section and its refering to the Automatic Transmission.

 

Just performed a "home flush" a few days ago by removing the trans cooler line and it was very easy to do, can't see ever doing a drain and fill again. Draining your pan (2-3 quarts) is a tiny fraction of your overall automatic trans fluid as the flush took almost 12 quarts before fluid was clean.