Simple procedure for Transmission Flush

[Built_Well]

I found 2 similar procedures for a trans flush at ToyotaNation. Here are the links:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=141381

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9830

By the way, I'm not quite clear on BITOG's linking policy, so I have a question for the moderators. Since, the links above are non-commercial links, I assume they're acceptable? My impression is links to web pages competing with BITOG sponsors are not allowed (ie, linking to Coastal brand motor oil wouldn't be allowed since Coastal doesn't advertise on BITOG, while Mobil does? But linking to non-commercial educational pages is allowed, right?

Anyway, here is a copy of the procedure from the first link above, in case it's ever lost (I know about a non-automotive web board that permanently lost a year's worth of posts when the board was hacked. I guess their regular backups were compromised too, with some kind of virus, Trojan horse, or something like that).

TRANSMISSION FLUSH PROCEDURE - DIY (Do It Yourself)

Question: How can I flush my transmission fluid without bringing it to a shop?

Answer:

You can actually change virtually all the fluid in the system using the following method. We have 5 Toyota's in the family, and I have done this to them all at least once.

It takes about an hour. Use whatever fluid is recommended on the dipstick, or in the manual. Our Camry's and Corolla's take Dexron, but the Celica takes Toyota Type IV fluid, available only from Toyota, at about $3.50/qt. Use what's recommended, or you'll be sorry. It's still less expensive than having it done.

1. Drop the pan*, drain the fluid, replace the filter, and reinstall the pan as you usually do.
2. Add 3 quarts of fluid. (or however many quarts of fluid are drained from the pan).
3. Remove the fluid return line at the transmission (usually the upper of the two lines), and place it into a one-gallon milk jug or similar semi-transparent container. You may want to place the container in a box with rags around it so that it doesn't spill.
4. Start the engine, and let about a quart or so of fluid get pumped into the milk jug (about 10-15 seconds).
5. Stop the engine, and add a quart of fluid to the transmission.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you get new fluid out of the drain line.
You'll use about 8-10 quarts of fluid total, including the 3 you put in at the beginning, so you may need more than one milk jug.
7. Reinstall the drain line to the transmission, start the engine, and check for leaks.
8. With your foot on the brake, put the transmission in each gear, then into Park.
9.Let the car down and check the fluid level on the dipstick. Add fluid if needed to bring it up to the proper level.
10. Take it out for a test drive, and check the fluid level again.

(*One caveat is that it is not nessary to drop the pan. Removing and replacing the filter is not necessary. It is more or less just a screen that doesn't get plugged unless your clutch plates shread or something equally traumatic happens. Brian R.)

 

[Donald]

Many Camrys have a drain plug, I would suggest just draining and refilling the pan to start. Then proceed to the above steps. I would look up on Amsoil website and see how many QTs are in the transmission in total.

A good way to look at doing a flush yourself is that you can flush it with synthetic ATF cheap than a shop will do it with the cheap bulk stuff. And who knows exactly what they will use in your vehicle. Also most if not all shops do not drain the pan first so there will be mixing of the ATF in the pan and one would need to use several extra QTs to do the flush.

 

[pbm]

Yesterday I changed the ATF on my s-i-l's 2005 Corolla with 112K. She doesn't know if it was ever changed before but says she has paid the dealer $400+ for 'services' a couple of times. I took out the drain plug (cold engine) and approx. 4 qts. drained even though the manual states 3.2 qts is the replacement amount. The fluid that drained was still red but darker than the new stuff. I installed 4 qts. and she's running fine. The dipstick reads the same cold as my 2008 so I doubt its overfilled. I used Mobil 3309 fluid which costs nearly $6 a qt. shipped.

 

[Sayjac]

I like the (1st) procedure posted over the second in the link. Guy lost me when he said "(2) Disconnected the ATF rubber lines TO and FROM the radiator. Attached two pieces of about 3 feet each of a clear 3/8 " (10 mm) INTERNAL diameter hose to the metal pipes in place of the original rubber hoses" Huh?

Step 3 listed here seems much clearer and easier.

Daughter's Civic might be a candidate at some point, if I feel confident enought to try, can access the return line, and I can get some help. So far only done a few drian an refills with Z-1. No pan there though.

On my Tacoma I wouldn't drop the pan, just use the drain plug.

 

[Built_Well]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Many Camrys have a drain plug, I would suggest just draining and refilling the pan to start. Then proceed to the above steps.


Luckily, my Camry has an ATF drain plug. I don't think the pan on the '06 Camry is ever meant to be dropped by anybody, home tinkerer or transmission shop. Three of the 18 bolts look almost impossible to reach, unless you're Plastic Man.

Somebody said the ATF filter inside the Camry is less of a filter, and more just a screen, so it doesn't really need replacing. Nice and simple.

 

[Donald]

Don't forget a Magnefine inline filter. Will be bext $20 spent on your transmission.

 

[stockrex]

drain and filled 90 camry my dad drives to coffee couple of after I bought the car 3 yrs back. still going sttrong.
accord, drained and filled every 20k miles and going strong with 200k miles.
if the fluid has been quite neglected, then I might do the poormans flush, else drain and fill should be good.

when I lived in kc I always changed fluid at end of summer,

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: stockrex
drain and filled 90 camry my dad drives to coffee couple of after I bought the car 3 yrs back. still going sttrong.
accord, drained and filled every 20k miles and going strong with 200k miles.
if the fluid has been quite neglected, then I might do the poormans flush, else drain and fill should be good.

when I lived in kc I always changed fluid at end of summer,


It always depends upon whether the fluid needs to be replaced or refreshed.

 

[AzFireGuy79]

I have an 06 Camry and have had the pan off. Mine had a felt style filter. Not sure if it was original. The pan is a bit of a pain to get off with the subframe blocking the one side. Took me about 30 minutes to get it off. Used a OEM gasket without sealant and no leaks!

The pan had very little in the way of debris, although the trans only had about 30K on it at the time and but the fluid had never been changed up until that point. It now has bypass filtration and should never need to come off.

 

[Built_Well]

Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
It now has bypass filtration and should never need to come off.


It's great to hear that there was very little debris when you removed the pan. Thanks for letting us know. Sounds like there's very little break-in wear with the Camry trans. I think if I tried removing the pan, though, I'd wind up with a leaking ATF pan gasket or form-in-place sealant.

Did you use Magnefine's ATF filter?

 

[AzFireGuy79]

Yeah it made me feel pretty good to see such minimal build up. I used an amsoil eaBP-90 bypass spin on with PB80a mount with built in restrictor. It is plumbed across the cooler circuit so it only borrows small amounts of fluid at a time and filters way beyond what is possible with a magnefine. It's rated at 2 microns absolute. With this in place you can extend your OCI's dramatically. I like the fact that my trans always has clean ATF.

It's not for everyone. The magnefine is a great filter and a bargain for only $20. It is definately a major improvement over stock filtration in 99% of autos and light trucks.

 

[edwardh1]

whats wrong with just drain the pan?
taking things apart or flushing with a machine just increase the possibility of getting dirt in the system of breaking dirt loose due to increased flow rates.
Plus the simple drain works "good enuf"

 

[Built_Well]

AzFireGuy79, you sure do have a nifty setup there. Maxed out and optimized to the full. Have you also installed a bypass filter for the engine's oil?

I read somewhere that if auto manufacturers installed motor oil bypass filters and engine oil coolers that their cars would last half-a-million or a million miles, like some big rig semi truck engines that have those features and last a million or two million miles.

 

[Ken2]

Quote:
I read somewhere that if auto manufacturers installed motor oil bypass filters and engine oil coolers that their cars would last half-a-million or a million miles,

No, the car would be junk with a still-running engine. None of the rest of the car is made to run those miles. The engine oil needs to be normally warm, 180º to 200+ºF, so excessive cooling isn't good.

The cooler line flush is no problem. Connecting both cooler hoses to tubing into jugs prevents a mess if you don't know which line is the output from the transmission. The other line does nothing, and is no problem.

Yes, the Magnefine or SPX Filtran in-line filter is a great idea for both transmission and power steering.

 

[ET16]

I use a Pela siphon to change my fluid. I could use the drain plug, but so far haven't. The siphon is easier and relatively fast.

 

[Donald]

I think the Magnefine is great for someone who wants to spend 15 minutes to do the install and has limited space. True its 35 microns (+ a magnet), but thats better than felt.

I think its overkill for PS. I would say 99% of the cars in a junkyard never had their PS system touched. The PS is a pure hydraulic system and there is little that wears in that system. If you wanted to do anything for a PS, then change the fluid say every 100K miles.

 

[Built_Well]

Originally Posted By: Ken2
The engine oil needs to be normally warm, 180º to 200+ºF, so excessive cooling isn't good.


I think there are some places in the engine where the oil can get much warmer/hotter than the engine coolant operating temperature of 180 to 200* F.

This is what the author at the MachineryLubrication site wrote about engine oil coolers:

(From http://machinerylubrication.com/article_...0with%20Filters )

"Bypass filters are not new to the automotive environment. They were the first filters installed on cars, but have since been replaced by full-flow filters on almost 100 percent of the new cars manufactured today. I am, however going to vote for both types of filters; each stands out in certain conditions. Ford Motor recently announced that it is equipping its 2005 E Series with bypass filtration.

"I am a big advocate of oil coolers to help ease the burden on the lubricant. Cars last longer with oil coolers. Cars last longer with better filtration and timely oil and filter changes. Cars last longer with cleaner oil. The trucking industry is ahead of the auto industry on recognizing the importance of cleaner oil. There is, in the trucking industry, a reasonable expectation of 500,000 miles between major overhauls. Why the long interval? Truck manufacturers use both bypass and full-flow filters, oil coolers and transmission coolers. In short, they use it all and have the results to justify their expenditure. One million miles between overhauls is no longer rare in the trucking industry.

"With the replacement cost of my wife’s 1998 Buick Park Avenue approaching $35,000 I need to make that car last as long as I can. Any reasonably priced device that would extend its life beyond 200,000 miles (it is currently at 88,000 miles) is of interest, and is financially beneficial to me.

"There are now filter units commercially available for passenger cars that employ both the bypass and full-flow filters. I’ve found a neat place under the hood of the Park Avenue to mount the manifold and filters. I think I will check the dimensions one last time and purchase one."

 

[MK2]

What will happen if your use the supply/send line instead of the return line???

Thanks

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: Loopie
What will happen if your use the supply/send line instead of the return line???

Thanks



You'll get fluid out of the unexpected location (assuming we're still talking about flush procedures) ..depending on where you disconnect it. I'll figure that you're disconnecting it at the rad in either case ..so that's the liability. You just say "oops" and remove the other line. If that's inconvenient, you have a short piece of hose laying around just for such events and put it on the bare nipple on the rad...and proceed..

 

[crinkles]

what i am worried about in disconnecting the trans cooler lines, is re-joining the pipes - are those clamps re-usable? do you need new ones? if using the cooler line flush method, why drain the pan in the first instance?