Advice needed-ATF replacement Toyota SIenna

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edyvw

edyvw

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Guys,
2015 Toyota Sienna AWD with 54k on the clock
Those of you that have experience with Toyota's and ATF what would you do?
1. Just release as much as possible ATF and replenish with Toyota WS and filter?
or
2. Just release as much as possible ATF and replenish with Valvoline Maxlife ATF and filter (or suggest some other brand)?
or (this is what I have thought):
3. Flush ATF (not fan of flush, but at 54k I am thinking it should not have too much deposits. Correct me if wrong) with Valvoline Maxlife ATF, then in 5-10k just release bit of fluid and replace filter too. In that way I have all Maxlife inside?
 
The WS fluid and dex6 must be the same? The bottles of dex6 also say WS on them. I would use dex6 or the max life since its compatible with dex 6 and WS.

IMG_20181227_125242.jpg
 
Originally Posted by Chris142
The WS fluid and dex6 must be the same? The bottles of dex6 also say WS on them. I would use dex6 or the max life since its compatible with dex 6 and WS.

Flush or no flush?
My dilemma is whether to flush out all WS and have 100% Maxlife or some other full synthetic. I do drive this thing hard although it is a van with a lot of manual downshifting in mountains.
 
I have been running Maxlife ATF in my Toyota Tacoma V6 double cab for 10 years now. The transmission runs at least as well as it did with the original Toyota WS fluid.

I used the transmission coolant lines to replace essentially all of the fluid. I have done it twice since buying the Tacoma new. I don't know if you'd refer to that as a "flush". Since you only have 54k you could probably get away with a drain and fill. I'm sure the Maxlife will mix just fine with WS. It's says it's compatible on the bottle.
 
No flush. What does the filter look like? Is there a drain?

If it's a stupid pan drop and flat filter, just suck what you can from the dipstick and then refill. Replace filter on the right schedule. 60 or 72k is likely right.

If it's a spin on filter, you have more options.

If there's a drain plug it makes that part cleaner and easier. If so I might leave it at partial fluid exchanges until the manual recommendation..
 
I HATE WS. Garbage ATF, Redline, Amsoil or MaxLife all the way!!! WS YUK. It can't take any heat unless you have an external oil cooler....and the RAV4 hockey puck is NO oil cooler, it's an oil heater as it says in the manual!!!

If I bought a new Toyota, I would run the WS for 5,000 miles and dump it as break-in flush oil, and stick one of the above oils in there as I did. WS is a "price point profit center oil for Toyota"
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
No flush. What does the filter look like? Is there a drain?

If it's a stupid pan drop and flat filter, just suck what you can from the dipstick and then refill. Replace filter on the right schedule. 60 or 72k is likely right.

If it's a spin on filter, you have more options.

If there's a drain plug it makes that part cleaner and easier. If so I might leave it at partial fluid exchanges until the manual recommendation..

No dipstick in this transmission.
Did not go under yet to see what is all about, but it is one of those "sealed" transmissions. Highly doubt filter is spin on.
I would say it is pan.
 
Originally Posted by Mainia
I HATE WS. Garbage ATF, Redline, Amsoil or MaxLife all the way!!! WS YUK. It can't take any heat unless you have an external oil cooler....and the RAV4 hockey puck is NO oil cooler, it's an oil heater as it says in the manual!!!

If I bought a new Toyota, I would run the WS for 5,000 miles and dump it as break-in flush oil, and stick one of the above oils in there as I did. WS is a "price point profit center oil for Toyota"

That is why I was thinking to flush out WS with Valvoline in some Valvoline center, and than run it 5-10k, than get out some, replace filter, and run it like that next 60k, than just release it, filter, add what is necessary, and that is it.
 
When we had a Toyota it got changed four or five times using Toyota WS to get whatever was in there out and the trans worked like new from then on. Very easy to do with the drain plug but it takes a number of changes to get the percentage of new oil up. On the Toyota bottle you will see unique for Toyota transmissions. No Nissan GM or whatever.
 
Originally Posted by Farnsworth
When we had a Toyota it got changed four or five times using Toyota WS to get whatever was in there out and the trans worked like new from then on. Very easy to do with the drain plug but it takes a number of changes to get the percentage of new oil up. On the Toyota bottle you will see unique for Toyota transmissions. No Nissan GM or whatever.

Not sure that is good thing.
 
Originally Posted by Farnsworth
When we had a Toyota it got changed four or five times using Toyota WS to get whatever was in there out and the trans worked like new from then on. Very easy to do with the drain plug but it takes a number of changes to get the percentage of new oil up. On the Toyota bottle you will see unique for Toyota transmissions. No Nissan GM or whatever.

Lol what did you expect? It is their branded product, do you see Mercedes Benz approvals on BMW branded oil?
 
Originally Posted by edyvw

That is why I was thinking to flush out WS with Valvoline in some Valvoline center, and than run it 5-10k, than get out some, replace filter, and run it like that next 60k, than just release it, filter, add what is necessary, and that is it.


Honestly, it's just easier to do a single cooler-line flush than three or more drain/fills. ~60k is a good time to do this. Then just drain/fill every 25 or 30k. This is the general procedure:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...n-5-5-gen-6-transmission-flush-pics.html

Use Maxlife and get the WS out; it's garbage as mentioned. Any time you are servicing the AT fluid, drain/fill the PS reservoir, or flush it if it's been a long time:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...-power-steering-fluid-advice-needed.html

I would put 9/10s of a bottle of Lubegard Red in the at, the rest in the PS. The a/w additives but especially the ester oil content is well worth the few dollars.
 
Factory fill WS gets dark pretty fast in my experience, but UOAs I've seen haven't looked too bad. I've mixed WS and Maxlife on 2 of our Toyota transmissions, no issues with either one. The most recent drain/fill I did was on my moms 2016 4Runner with 22,4xx miles. This was the first drain and fill on it, 3.2 quarts of WS out and 3.2 quarts of Maxlife back in. The WS in her 4Runner looked like new, but it's lived on the highway since new and has never towed anything. My Tacoma's factory fill was black at 51k.
Most Dexron VI ATFs are "recommended for" or "suitable for" WS, if you are in warranty I'd stay with WS, but most Toyota transmissions don't seem to be too picky about what kind of fluid you use.
 
I would stick with the WS fluid and just change it a couple of times. It's not that expensive from the dealer. And if it was really that bad, Toyota transmissions would be failing right and left and I don't think that is the case. If someone has proof that WS is causing transmission problems, I'm all ears.
 
For those that consider the WS a "garbage" fluid:

What is your line of reasoning for making this statement? Do you have scientific proof or a UOA to confirm your theory?

Not looking to start trouble here in any way, but when someone calls a product "garbage", I certainly would like to know why. I have used this product in my wife's car for a long time and many miles with no ill effects. But, if there is something that is much better, I certainly would look at ceasing the use of WS.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by propuckstopper
For those that consider the WS a "garbage" fluid:

What is your line of reasoning for making this statement? Do you have scientific proof or a UOA to confirm your theory?

Not looking to start trouble here in any way, but when someone calls a product "garbage", I certainly would like to know why. I have used this product in my wife's car for a long time and many miles with no ill effects. But, if there is something that is much better, I certainly would look at ceasing the use of WS.


I do not think WS is garbage by any means.
My rationale going to full synthetic oil is that I am requiring a lot from vehicle that is not made for that. Sienna make sense for me size wise due to family needs, but I do definiately drive it in same manner I drove my BMW X5, though, of course, with much lower dynamic limits.
The car is above 4,000rpm for an hour almost constantly going up the Rockies when I ski, and I downshift all the time when going back. In absence of any serious coolers etc. that was my rationale to go with fluid that is more stout by being synthetic. And Maxlife is product with pretty stout reputation.
 
Originally Posted by twoheeldrive
If someone has proof that WS is causing transmission problems, I'm all ears.



Or you could search. Lot's of reported cases of slipping and premature fluid failure, damaged transmission in higher performance units. They've been recounted here and aren't mythical.

A low post-count indicates you may not have kept up on the discussion on this over time, and that's fair. But the information isn't imaginary.
 
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