Transmission fluid change

Another Toyota master tech who owns a 4Runner. He did one video showing a trans drain and fill. This video is a drain and fill, drop the pan and do a filter change. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTh3iuhpE_s&t=623s

 

thanks for the link, I'm getting close to this stage. gotta love utube university.

Michael sends

 

Finally changed out the transmission fluid. Just a simple drain and refill (no removal of pan). I got a little over three quarts out of it. I put in 3.5 quarts, used the car scanner app to monitor my pan temp, and pulled out the standpipe plug to set the level at the appropriate temp. Once it trickled out, I plugged it back up, torqued everything down, and good to go.

Even though the oil and 4runner only had 32,000 miles on it before the drain/refill, I could already feel a change in the shift quality/smoothness. Nothing huge or at all problematic, just a subtle difference in gear engagement and the occasional “less than perfectly smooth” torque converter lockup/release.

After the drain/refill, it’s back to silky, just like new.

The fluid itself did not look overly dark. As it poured out, I could see light through the column of fluid, and it was still reddish to light brown. No stink either. Here is a pic in a clean sample cup (took the pic while swirling it, so you can see what sticks to the side.).


Glad I did it, and glad I didn’t screw it up!

Edit: I should note that I used a jack to lift the front of the vehicle bit to get a level bubble (actually, nearly full extension on the suspension), as measured off the pan. But when I refilled, I noticed that the frame and pan level bubble is not the same!

I decided to use the level bubble measured off the frame before pulling the standpipe plug. I figured a tech who is doing this on a lift can only set the final fluid level based on the frame being level to the ground.

 

Good info, thanks, I think using the frame to level would work, as you mentioned, the shop is going to use a lift.

Something I’ve been wondering, why can’t we just drain and fill and leave the stand pipe drain plug out. Then monitor the temperature to ensure it doesn’t exceed the target.

Doesn’t make sense to me why we have to monitor the temperature and when it reaches the target, then remove the stand pipe drain plug.

 

Yesterday my GF and I did front, center, rear diff services, trans service, and oil change getting ready for a 9 day overlanding trip. All in all, it’s like 3 hours of work on the floor of the apartment parking garage.

Trans is very simple, all of its very simple. The hardest part is removing aftermarket skids.

I still think the video I made a couple years ago gives you the best overview and look at everything so you can decide if you want to do the strainer or not.

https://youtu.be/H3H9JGg_rF0

 

With the amount of overfill above the stand pipe that the factory had in mine after I got it up to temperature I don't think they worry about temperature and they just fill it up cold cycle it through the system and then add until it starts running out of the top of the drain pipe at the factory and then done very simple. I think the whole temperature thing is nonsense in these newer 4Runners. I do think it's smart too cycle it through the gears and drive it before a final level check and calling it a done deal on your tranny fluid change.

 

I compared the volumes of room temperature Toyota WS versus Toyota WS at 110° and it was exactly the same...

 

How did you do that?

I wonder if Toyota came up with that procedure because the transmission metallic parts expand as well as the fluid. ??

 

Metal expands and contracts, fluid gets circulated, plus you may have some circuits inside the trans that don’t open up if it’s to cold.

 

I've always wondered why they don't have engine oil level and transmission fluid level and water fluid level gauges somewhere in the computer to access just like they show how much gas you have in the car... It'd be a lot cooler if they did

 

I suppose that would work too. Fill till it overflows, turn vehicle on, monitor temps, and close off standpipe when you reach 104 degrees.

But adding half a quart extra with the standpipe closed, might give you a minuscule amount of increase in the the mixing of new fluid with the old. The extra oil can “steep” in there like tea, while you wait for it to warm up and set the final level.

Thanks for taking the time to do vids like these. Over the years, Ive seen this and others getting up the courage to do this. Once I found an app that let me read pan temp, I finally decided it was time.

Very good info. Do you mind sharing your methodology?

maybe all the stink about taking readings at proper temp is due to the possibility of somebody checking/setting level in the middle of winter, outside, in Alaska. But if room temp fluid and 104 degree fluid is the same volume, there’s no logical reason that yould be setting the level wrong (so long as the ambient temp is warm. You should therefore be able to simply drop the fluid, fill it with the standpipe open, and just stop pumping fluid in once it overflows. Then close the plug, and be on your merry way.

edit: start the vehicle and shift through the shifter before closing the standpipe!!!! It’s supposed to be set with the engine running! But as long as its running for a short enough time that it doesnt get over 113 degrees, you shoukd be good. A cold car on a warm day will take at least a few minutes to get that temp

 

My methodology was putting hot fluid and cold fluid into 5 gallon buckets at the same level and waiting for the hot fluid to cool down to the same temperature as the cold fluid when I did the amount of fluid in boff buckets was the same. I was expecting a 20% reduction in the hot fluid because people say it expands when it's hot lol. I've only done tranny services on vehicles with factory fluid in them so I'm essentially just training it and filling it with the amount that comes out and then checking the level after running it through all the gears and around the block a couple times and letting it cool back down to 104°

 

When I first opened mine from the factory I got it up to temperature and release the drain plug and three quarters of a quart came out before removing the drain tube extension. So in mind the factory put a lot more fluid in it than most folks recommend for the drain and fill process

 

Also I won't be touching the transmission anymore on Toyota's before 100,000 miles because the fluid in mind at 57,000 with tons of towing 4500 lb center console boat basically looked like new fluid...

 

Lol, I just about to post the same thing! I removed the standpipe plug and nearly a quart came out on a cold engine. But then I remembered I had my engine off, and realized that the level with the engine off is probably much lower when it’s on. So the fact that a lit drained out of the standpipe didnt mean anything.

Was your engine off when it all of that fluid came out of the standpipe?

 

Everything was done with the engine running and the tranny pan temp around 100° and leveled off of the frame

 

I was told by my master Toyota technician that Toyota wants the transmission fluid set to proper capacity with the engine running at the specified range of 103-114 not because of fluid expansion... but because the fluid has been warmed up and flowing through the torque converter and its not yet hot enough to cause any burns. The mentioned reason for this is that about 25% of the ATF is in the torque converter when running and this changes the level of the transmission fluid in pan the when not running because about 1/2 of that 25% would settle back into the transmission pan.

 

So basically we could just do a cold drain and fill with the exact same amount of fluid and not have to worry about the temp bullshit.

Am I missing something?

 

Yes, you can do a "cold" drain an fill - by measuring what you remove.

 

The opening of the overflow plug at the proper hot temperature while engine running process really is not hard.

What I did was rigging up a nylon hose from the fill hole into the engine compartment with a funnel so I could just pour bottle after bottle directly into the trans. The trick is to route it away from the hot parts, tie-wrap it securely, and keep the funnel upright. No pump needed.

I suppose keeping that overflow plugged until the time to drain it keeps any possible dirt out from the trans during the 15+ minute warm up period.

As the Car Care Nut said about this: “Do the job the right way, not the way that’s most convenient or easy.”
And, do the proper temperature check method:
“That’s what differentiates the amateurs from the professionals.”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NUAuGmDGntY

 

seems like you could, but I hate feeling like Im missing something when I take a shortcut on something I dont completely understand.

As @ElectroBoy said, do it the right way. Spend 20 bucks for the obd dongle and Car Scanner app to get the temps. You can buy a pump for less than 10 bucks. Then you’ll have the temps, and you can use the standpipe to set the level with confidence.

 

I am getting ready to do this change out. One thing to remember, when sitting, the torque converter fluid does drain back into the transmission pan. So, if its been sitting for a while, and you remove the plug to check it while off, it will flow more fluid than if running.

 

Threads like this make me want to sell my cars, buy a bicycle, move to Holland, and watch kickboxing. This is stressful.

 

Lol . You're not wrong necessarily.

Anytime posessions make you feel like they own you, it’s time to make adjustments. But keep in mind all of us fretting over this get a certain enjoyment out of it. Most normal people wouldnt touch any of this until 100,000 miles, if ever. And they would just pay a dealer to do it.

 

When you own a home, a home OWNS you.. Never ending..
But, seriously, if it stresses you out, pay to have it done. Or as, unfortunately, millions have done, forget about doing it at all..
Brake fluid, engine coolant, power steering fluid are 3 fluids rarely looked at for example. But engine oil is right up there with politics and religion.

 

Mate, SUPER detailed and helpful video. Thank you for taking the time to post this.

Cheers,

Sean

 

It makes me want someone to publish decent maintenance and repair manuals for newer Toyota trucks and SUVs. No idea why it takes so long for these kinds of manuals to catch up to newer models

 

They cant even get their parts manuals, internet to show decent pictures of the actual parts. Its like a kid played with pre Cad sometimes on there.
Youtube has been a Godsend to DIY maintenance. That video above is spot on awesome.

 

Amen Brother! Let's start another engine oil thread! - LOL

 

That's by design Toyota's parts maintenance and repair manuals are so detailed it would make your head spin but they're never going to let you see those. Imagine that