My friend did one drain and fill on 2006 Toyota Sequoia with 200k miles and used Valvoline Maxlife and not Toyota WS. He's only driven it about 15 miles since doing it. It now has delayed engagement from a dead stop. Any recommendations on next steps? Stick with Maxlife or go back to WS? If procedure is to do more repeat drain and fills, how many more and how many miles in between?
Toyota Maxlife
- Thread starter Jango
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SilentType
Site Donor 2025
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Some transmissions are quite picky about fluid level. Make sure it's correct.
I would definitely go back to WS fluid.
Has the unit ever been serviced before?
Changed prior at 120k.
Our fj has had maxlife in its transmission since 2017. It shifts flawless. Absolutely nothing wrong with maxlife in that transmission. I suggest double checking the fluid level.
Looks like these don't have a dipstick. Which points to an incorrect atf level possibly.
Ya its a bolt you pull out @113F degrees iirc
Change as in, one drain & fill?
Or, drop the pan & valve body, fill, drive, drain & fill, repeat x3?
SilentType
Site Donor 2025
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I used to own a Kia Sportage that didn't shift quite right after a spill and fill (incidentally also with Maxlife), added about 4 more ounces and it was fine.
He said he added a little more than what he took out and now it is shifting fine. Thanks for all the input.
Did he actually check the level?
There’s nothing special nor necessary about WS. Try Maxlife and see how it shifts, I’ve used in multiple vehicles and transmissions over the years and it works fine for me. It’s not going to cause damage.
He must not have or if he did he did it wrong initially.
IMO, there was already a pre-existing condition and he thought changing out the fluid may fix it?
I’ve not known these transmissions to be sensitive to fluid level, but it does take doing it a couple of times to be comfortable with it.
I’ve left the level too low once because the fluid aerated after the refill, showing a false reading of having enough fluid when it really didnt. After the bubbles worked out the level was low.
Make sure they’re checking the level properly. YouTube videos showing how to get it in temp sensing mode. I’d guess under filled. I have an 05 same transmission. No dipstick.
So I got the full story on this. He drained 3 quarts of transmission fluid and then put 3 quarts of Valvoline MaxLife into the crankcase. He then added another half quart into it. The engine was overfilled by 3.5 quarts and it was transmission fluid. The transmission was 3 quarts low.
He drove it for about 15 miles total before he realized his mistake. He changed the engine oil and filled the transmission. He said it shifts better than before. He has driven it over 2k miles since and no slippage, oil leaks, etc. Time will tell but he doesn't put that many miles on it so it may take a while to see.
He is a good mechanic and i think he just had an off day.
He drove it for about 15 miles total before he realized his mistake. He changed the engine oil and filled the transmission. He said it shifts better than before. He has driven it over 2k miles since and no slippage, oil leaks, etc. Time will tell but he doesn't put that many miles on it so it may take a while to see.
He is a good mechanic and i think he just had an off day.
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