Toyota CVT - critical fluid level ???

[CJE]

I watched some YT videos about changing FE fluid on 1.8 Corollas and they all seemed to get about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts out even after removing the plastic standpipe. With them stating that after 3-4 more drain & fills they would have pretty much replaced all the CVT fluid. Which seems like far more effort that removing an additional 20 bolts. <g> I guess I don't really understand the 'why' of 'drain & fill' - all you save is the effort of removing an additional dozen or so small bolts. And . . . . you get all new fluid Plus you gain a new clean transmissionmission filter. <g> Which by the way; has filter media in it - It Is Not just a mesh screen as I have often heard.

Moving on - by me removing the pan to replace the transmissionmission filter I ended up with about 5 quarts of fluid drained. I think the total fill volume is something less that 4 quarts so I am replacing more than 100% ?? How is that possible? <g>

I bought the car with 10-12 miles showing. No one has ever worked on the car but me. So what I drained out was put in at the Toyota factory.

If the level is so critical that the transmission temperature has to at some exact temperature to allow for thermally induced expansion of the fluid volume - how did my CVT survive for 50,000 miles with more than an extra quart of fluid in it? <g>

 

[JavierH19]

I watched some YT videos about changing FE fluid on 1.8 Corollas and they all seemed to get about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts out even after removing the plastic standpipe. With them stating that after 3-4 more drain & fills they would have pretty much replaced all the CVT fluid. Which seems like far more effort that removing an additional 20 bolts. <g> I guess I don't really understand the 'why' of 'drain & fill' - all you save is the effort of removing an additional dozen or so small bolts. And . . . . you get all new fluid Plus you gain a new clean transmissionmission filter. <g> Which by the way; has filter media in it - It Is Not just a mesh screen as I have often heard.

Moving on - by me removing the pan to replace the transmissionmission filter I ended up with about 5 quarts of fluid drained. I think the total fill volume is something less that 4 quarts so I am replacing more than 100% ?? How is that possible? <g>

I bought the car with 10-12 miles showing. No one has ever worked on the car but me. So what I drained out was put in at the Toyota factory.

If the level is so critical that the transmission temperature has to at some exact temperature to allow for thermally induced expansion of the fluid volume - how did my CVT survive for 50,000 miles with more than an extra quart of fluid in it? <g>

This is pretty common on most if not makes. Most are a bit over or under and are fine.

 

[martinq]

I watched some YT videos about changing FE fluid on 1.8 Corollas and they all seemed to get about 2 to 2 1/2 quarts out even after removing the plastic standpipe. With them stating that after 3-4 more drain & fills they would have pretty much replaced all the CVT fluid. Which seems like far more effort that removing an additional 20 bolts. <g> I guess I don't really understand the 'why' of 'drain & fill' - all you save is the effort of removing an additional dozen or so small bolts. And . . . . you get all new fluid Plus you gain a new clean transmissionmission filter. <g> Which by the way; has filter media in it - It Is Not just a mesh screen as I have often heard.

Moving on - by me removing the pan to replace the transmissionmission filter I ended up with about 5 quarts of fluid drained. I think the total fill volume is something less that 4 quarts so I am replacing more than 100% ?? How is that possible? <g>

I bought the car with 10-12 miles showing. No one has ever worked on the car but me. So what I drained out was put in at the Toyota factory.

If the level is so critical that the transmission temperature has to at some exact temperature to allow for thermally induced expansion of the fluid volume - how did my CVT survive for 50,000 miles with more than an extra quart of fluid in it? <g>

+/- 10C or 100ml will not make a significant difference. I would follow the procedure in the service manual for a drain & fill but I personally would drop the pan, because:
- cleaning the pan & magnets is as / more important than changing the fluid
- a flush or 5x drain & fill will not clean the pan & magnets
- once the pan is off, I would add extra magnets in an area that makes sense
(many mfgs have gone from one magnet in the pan to two and now three)

 

[CJE]

This is pretty common on most if not makes. Most are a bit over or under and are fine.

I bought this Corolla new but it only gets a few thousand per year. I also have a 2018 GMC with over 100K on it. That's where it all started with the "ATF Levels Are Critical!" thing. Same deal: level check by overflow internal standpipe. After dealing with it, calculating the vertical pan capacities, calculating the thermal expansion of the fluid, etc. - it became obvious that the critical-ness of it all is largely exaggerated.

Until my fingertips got numb I was outside adding 4 quarts. After I warm up I'll do the level check and then know more.

 

[CJE]

+/- 10C or 100ml will not make a significant difference. I would follow the procedure in the service manual for a drain & fill but I personally would drop the pan, because:
- cleaning the pan & magnets is as / more important than changing the fluid
- a flush or 5x drain & fill will not clean the pan & magnets
- once the pan is off, I would add extra magnets in an area that makes sense
(many mfgs have gone from one magnet in the pan to two and now three)

I drive fast, sometimes Very fast <g>, but not hard. This Corolla drain was dark FE fluid but the pan was clean after just dumping the fluid out. Wiping it out showed virtually nothing on a clean rag and the three magnets had just the Slightest soft fuzz on them. Still; you're right - cleaning the pan and replacing the filter is the most important part of the job to me.

 

[Dave Hess]

I drive fast, sometimes Very fast <g>, but not hard. This Corolla drain was dark FE fluid but the pan was clean after just dumping the fluid out. Wiping it out showed virtually nothing on a clean rag and the three magnets had just the Slightest soft fuzz on them. Still; you're right - cleaning the pan and replacing the filter is the most important part of the job to me.

How fast is very fast ?

You practicing for Daytona 500 ?

 

[CJE]

I drive fast, sometimes Very fast <g>, but not hard. This Corolla drain was dark FE fluid but the pan was clean after just dumping the fluid out. Wiping it out showed virtually nothing on a clean rag and the three magnets had just the Slightest soft fuzz on them. Still; you're right - cleaning the pan and replacing the filter is the most important part of the job to me.

How fast is very fast ?

You practicing for Daytona 500 ?

Nope; just trying to cover ground safely at speed. Low three digits fairly routinely when conditions allow it. Oddly; my Sequoia feels rock solid at speeds that I would never push the Corolla. Tacoma 2.7 will get slightly into three digits but it's tells me it's not happy. Ten or fifteen less makes it happier. <g>

 

[Mackelroy]

4 quarts is about 50% , you have a torque convertor full of FE oil

 

[KrisZ]

Cooler line exchange gets you pretty much 100% new fluid in one go, dropping the pan for sure does not.

 

[The Critic]

It is unlikely for the transmission to be 1 qt overfilled. Toyota doesn’t provide capacities for drain and refill— only initial fill amounts.

Did you follow the fluid level adjustment procedure?