Toyota Tundra ATF Filter: strainer or filter?

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supton

supton

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Ok, I'm trying to convince myself that, indeed, I can change the oil myself. I might even drop the pan and clean out any metallic debris. However, I'm getting conflicting info as to the "filter": some sources say its a filter, others say it's a strainer.

I'm guessing I lose nothing if I drop the pan and check it myself, and change it at a later date; but does anyone know? If it's just a strainer then I don't see a reason to mess with it. As it is, I'm not entirely sure I want to remove the pan, lots of work to clean out stuff that isn't going to be moving (all the metallic bits should be stuck to the magnets).
 
Drop the pan change the filter and clean the magnets. Do it right or don't bother doing it at all.
 
I'm pretty sure it won't magically grenade if I don't clean the magnets.

Or are you honestly recommending that I run the old ATF until it grenades? I'm confused...
 
Not sure about the tundra, but the Sienna has a strainer. You will not find bits on metal in the pan, the pan will be covered in a film that looks like a gray goop that coats everything. If you are going to drop the pan then you can get a kit with a new gasket and strainer. It's just easier to replace than to bother cleaning the strainer since you cannot reach the inner surfaces of the strainer to clean out that film.

I added some rare earth magnets to the bottom of the tranny pan in my Sienna and also added a magnefine in line filter. Note dealer only recommends a drain and fill.

Regards, JC.
 
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Thanks for the link, I forgot about that one. I found one for a Tacoma which was pretty good, so I had a decent idea as to the amount of work. I didn't catch about needing a helper; that makes me rethink this.

NAPA would have the filter/gasket? Didn't think to call there.
 
Pedantic point. A strainer is a filter and a filter can be a strainer. There are screens, aka stainers, that can filter down to 40 microns.
 
I tend to think of a strainer catching only big chunks. If it's indeed catching fine stuff, then I'll replace it. But the parts guy at the dealership made it sound like it was just a strainer; I know when they do a transmission flush they don't drop the pan at all.

Dealership also wanted $76 for the filter, and $30 for the gasket, hence the questions. If it's not doing much then I'm not sure why I would need to bother it.
 
The thing is called a filter but as to whether or not it is actually a filter is anyone's guess. It is a plastic box about 2" tall by 6"x 4". I got mine from AZ but NAPA had them in stock when I checked. They are like $60 from NAPA(both in a kit), like $100 from Toyota, and Rockauto has both for $25.
 
It could be that the OE is a screen and the aftermarket is a felt pad.

I'm not sanguine about leaving a screen in place and not inspected at least just because it's a screen. It can catch stuff and become blocked, just like any filter.

If it were me, I'd go to the dealer and look at the filter. You can then look into it and see whether it's a screen or filter pad. Do the same at the auto parts store and see if there are any differences in design.

Sometimes you just gotta do the legwork if you really want to know.

Either way, I'd change it at least once because if it's never been changed, it's still carrying all the break in contaminants and whatever grunge was built into it.
 
Originally Posted By: Jim Allen
I'd change it at least once because if it's never been changed, it's still carrying all the break in contaminants and whatever grunge was built into it.


+1 and common sense!
 
Digging around. OEM is $76 or $55, depending upon the dealer, no gasket. NAPA has the "kit" for $64 -- BUT -- it comes up for a 5 spd (I have a six). Autozone was like $23 for Pro-King; too cheap to be for real.

Still trying to dig around and see if the 5spd and 6 spd use the same filter.

edit: ah, looks like, on eBay, that the 4.0/5spd and the 4.6/6spd for my year truck use the same filter. Probably just listed "oddly" at NAPA. Go figure, it's $30 cheaper online. Not sure why it's a "B-331" at eBay and "17061" at NAPA, though.
 
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Crud, that went horrible.

Called napa, they have filter, but it's for a five speed. Spen hour online, ok, it appears that the five and six speeds share a filter. I think, anyhow. Pick up napa filter and maxlife and some gear lube. On the road I finally check receipt--only to find I paid $7.99 a qt for maxlife!

Go to advanced, and find fluids much cheaper there. Pick up more. Get home, and now I find out that napa has a five return policy plus restocking (can't find on their site but found that info in an old thread here).

Just great. I'm going back to mail order. I still don't even know if I got the right filter. I guess I can take back the cheaper oil, since it will be a couple of years before I need to do this again.

Lousy way to start this job....
 
No, will do so, next time. I thought I could get out the mail order thing, but I spent about fours of my time, online looking up the filter for compatibility and then driving around. Sorely tempted to drop the pan and see if the filter is the same or not.
 
Update: finally did this job. Four hours. Ick.

The transmission pan actually has to be dropped; the drain bolt is nice, but it leaves lot of fluid in the pan. On the flip side, I didn't have that much "fuzz" on the magnets IMO, no brass I could see. I thought the pan bottom had black fluid, but oil elsewhere was brown, so, ... ? The fluid check level bolt will drain oil with the engine off, BTW, if anyone is curious.

I put in about 9 qt of Maxlife. Wanted to do more, as it's like 14qt, but I wasn't get much out of the cooler; afterwards I figured that I probably had run the pan dry--let's say my driveway is now a Superfund cleanup, so I was guessing as to what I had taken out. 9qt is a good exchange methinks, and with any luck I won't have to drop the pan again, just try to use the cooler lines. But I shouldn't need to do that anytime soon.

I've heard that Maxlife is "smelly" but it seemed to smell the same as the WS. The WS did indeed turn purple after being exposed to the air. The old trans filter struck me as kinda clean, not sure what to think. Used an ATP B331.

I'd like to say "whew" now, but I guess I really won't know for a couple weeks (to make sure nothing grenades). Hopefully all goes well.

Time to go shovel dirt from the driveway before the sun finishes going down.
 
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For future reference, some transmissions wont pump fluid out of the cooler line if it's allowed to suck air from the open end of the corresponding line/fitting. Next time, try putting your finger over the line or fitting and see if it pumps more out.
 
I sorta noticed it, but as compared to when I had a finger over the hole the flow was nothing like the 3' stream I had right after starting it one time. The inlet to the transmission would dribble quite well too.

Point taken though; next time I'll find a plug of some sort. Learned a few things on this job.
 
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