ATF turn dark after 300 miles?

[PandaBear]

Just replaced ATF on a 97 Camry V6 of inlaw, her mechanic said it was dark.

The dip stick was brown, on the dark side, when I drain it out, put in Maxlife ATF and the dip stick immediately show pink fluid.

After 300 miles, I check the dip stick again and it turns light brown from pink. Is it because it cleans out the junk? Should I change it again soon?

 

[The Critic]

quote:

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Is it because it cleans out the junk?

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Yes

quote:

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Is it because it cleans out the junk?

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Yes

Any info on the past service history of this transmission? How many miles on the unit? How often was it changed?

Did you drop the pan, clean the magnet and sludge from the pan, replace the filter, and refill? Or did you just pull the bolt?

Although many Toyotas have a coarse metal screen as a filter, and a drain bolt in the pan, its still wise to drop the pan to clean any sludge from the pan or filter itself at least every 100K IMHO.

I'd keep doing drain/refills on the ATF until it stays pink (and do the pan drop if you haven't already), then change it every 30K thereafter.

 

[PandaBear]

No I didn't clean the pan. The dipstick's color was darker than my corolla and integra when I change the ATF every 30k. The car was kept in the family since new and from what I know was used primarily for freeway driving until 4 years ago, then very short trip (2 miles per day, city only, never warmed up) by someone who never maintain it.

There were sludge in the engine that I am AutoRx-ing right now. Funny how I never believe in adding stuff to an oil but now I am doing it.

The ATF was darker than normal, but still brown. I know it is cleaning out junk and I should replace it shortly. What I am not sure about, is how long should I let the ATF to clean out the stuff before I replace it again. Would 1.5k-2k like Auto-Rx instruction be good?

 

[The Critic]

Still didn't answer my question.

Approx how many miles on the transmission and how many miles since the last ATF change?

If the AT has been neglected or if there's even that possibility, drop the pan, clean up the deposits, clean/change the filter, and refill. I'd wait 3000-5000 miles before changing the transmission fluid again. But once the ATF "stays" red, I wouldn't bother changing it again for 30K.

 

[Pablo]

You drained only a small fraction out. At the very least you'll need to repeat the process, 3-4 times. Yeah AutoRx sounds like a plan.

 

[PandaBear]

Mile on the transmission: 115k
Mile the last ATF has ran: 300
Mile the 2nd last ATF has ran: unknown

In a nutshell it is a death roll inmate who just won the appeal, barely alive.

Valve is tapping. When I pop the hood, battery acid was everywhere and I took the whole front left end apart to wash off the acid with soap. The engine is not only "vanished" but also oil leaking out of valve cover seal big time, still wet.

The mechanic her family swear by is incompentent, can't even write 100k right on the timing belt change date sticker (wrote 10k instead).