Anyone ever changed ATF to a certain brand and it made things worse, then changed to another doing just drain and fills, and fixed the issue?

[durxll]

I know the title was specific, but I really need specific answers here.

I have been putting T4 in my 2000 v6 camry via drain and fills, and the car shifts like junk. I was told it used T4 by a dealership, but toyota mechanics at an ask a mechanic site are saying to put dex 3 in it. What Im wondering is if i put dex 3 in via just drain and fills is this going to work, or if the T4 is messsing it up would I need to drain ALL the T4 out or should getting it to 75 or 85 percent be good enough.

Im looking more for people who have done this exact thing, then people who havent but Ill take any advice you guys have. If your advice is coming from doing this exact thing, and it working or not working out, please say so in response, or if its just an opinon on what you think then please put that in too if possible Really need some help i just bought this car and dont want to ruin tranny, but dont have any money to do full removal via a shop. They want like 180.

 

[drtyler]

I used T-IV in my Toyota for years. Then I had this great idea to switch it over to Red Line D4. It affected the 2-1 and 1-2 shifts very negatively. I kept it in for several thousand miles thinking it would get better. It did not, so back in went T-IV. No issues since.

I only use Toyota T-IV and the Mobil 3309 (which is T-IV in a Mobil bottle) for applications with require T-IV.

This was all done via drain and fill, so yes it does work. About three to four to get a high % of the old fluid out. Be sure to drive the car around a few miles between drain and fills.

 

[blufeb95]

I'd think a few drain and fills would be sufficient, if you replace most of the fluid it should mostly have the characteristic of the new fluid.

 

[Cujet]

Yes, I put Valvoline MaxLife in my Ford 2009 F150's 6R80 transmission. It was Mercon LV rated and I had read a few success stories. Well, it was terrible and the transmission really misbehaved. I drained it out, flushed with some Mercon LV, then refilled it with fluid purchased from the Ford dealer. Problems solved and staying solved.

 

[durxll]

I used T-IV in my Toyota for years. Then I had this great idea to switch it over to Red Line D4. It affected the 2-1 and 1-2 shifts very negatively. I kept it in for several thousand miles thinking it would get better. It did not, so back in went T-IV. No issues since.

I only use Toyota T-IV and the Mobil 3309 (which is T-IV in a Mobil bottle) for applications with require T-IV.

This was all done via drain and fill, so yes it does work. About three to four to get a high % of the old fluid out. Be sure to drive the car around a few miles between drain and fills.

What percentage do you think you got out of the drain and fill. My car is a v6 but for some reason i can only get it to give me 3quarts out of the plug. So mine will take more drain and fills which is fine, but could you tell me about how many drain and fills you did and the total quarts it holds and how many times you did it and how much you got from the plug each time? Would greatly appreciate it

 

[durxll]

Yes, I put Valvoline MaxLife in my Ford 2009 F150's 6R80 transmission. It was Mercon LV rated and I had read a few success stories. Well, it was terrible and the transmission really misbehaved. I drained it out, flushed with some Mercon LV, then refilled it with fluid purchased from the Ford dealer. Problems solved and staying solved.

Ok, but did you flush it out, or did you just do drain and fills. What im trying to figure out is if I do like 4 or 5 drain and fills and get it to 75 or 85 percent should that be good enough to know if the fluid is causing it, or do i have to do 100 percent switch. Know what i mean?

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

Ok, but did you flush it out, or did you just do drain and fills. What im trying to figure out is if I do like 4 or 5 drain and fills and get it to 75 or 85 percent should that be good enough to know if the fluid is causing it, or do i have to do 100 percent switch. Know what i mean?

You most likely don’t have to do a 100% switch but if you are going to use 15 quarts over 4 or 5 drain and fills you might as well save some and do an exchange.

 

[rob1715]

Your Camry requires Dex III. Valvoline and Castrol make straight-up DEX III, so do several drain and refills. Dex is cheap enough.

 

[blufeb95]

Do several drain and fills and also pull the diff drain plug, don't these transmission have a seperate plug for the diff that may release up to another quart or so of fluid, the diff will refill when you refill the transmission.

 

[mclasser]

Read stories of how great MaxLife is in Hondas. I did a D&F with it and their were weird shift flares / bumps afterward. Went back to Honda ATF and no more wonky shifting.

 

[doublebase]

I once flushed my Honda Accord using a machine with generic fluid and an additive (lube guard) that was to make it “Honda Fluid”. Didn’t work. Drove around for a week with harsh shifts. Did it over again using genuine Honda fluid, immediately shifted properly. Got to admit, it’s made me a little paranoid to try anything but factory fluid, since.

 

[durxll]

Do several drain and fills and also pull the diff drain plug, don't these transmission have a seperate plug for the diff that may release up to another quart or so of fluid, the diff will refill when you refill the transmission.

Is the differential connected to the other transmission fluid? Like would I have to put fluid back into the differential or will it just get in there through the dipstick?

Any risks?

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

At times we used a hand pump & plastic hoses (made for bleeding brakes) thru the dip stick to get out the fluid. Refill and drive 30 - 50 miles or so, then drain again and refill and it would be fine. For a neglected nasty fluid this would not be good enough. Of course you still got remnants of the old fluid left behind but it caused no troubles when u service them often. A whole lot easier than getting under the car and dropping a messy pan especially if it is a drain and refill car with no replace able filter.

 

[blufeb95]

Is the differential connected to the other transmission fluid? Like would I have to put fluid back into the differential or will it just get in there through the dipstick?

Any risks?

Yes, the only problem would be if you have the i4 model not the V6, the i4's transmission has a seperate fill plug, the V6 model draws from the transmisison pan.

 

[durxll]

Awesome thanks for posting video.

 

[cjcride]

Ok, but did you flush it out, or did you just do drain and fills. What im trying to figure out is if I do like 4 or 5 drain and fills and get it to 75 or 85 percent should that be good enough to know if the fluid is causing it, or do i have to do 100 percent switch. Know what i mean?

I read on the Toyotanation site that 4 drain and fills give you over 90% of newer fluid.

 

[michaelluscher]

Your Camry requires Dex III. Valvoline and Castrol make straight-up DEX III, so do several drain and refills. Dex is cheap enough.

Agreed.

See this TSB