Who has flushed a Toyota sealed transmission

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Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
Drain and fills are such a waste of time and fluid.


I disagree, I can do a drain and refill in 1/3 the time of doing a complete flush. Keeps the cost reasonable as well. The secret to doing drain and refills is to start early and do it fairly often, don't wait until you've got 60 or 70k on the rig. At that point I agree that a complete flush would be better.

And don't you have to use extra atf when you do the flush? I always see it stated that "It takes 12 quarts for the complete refill, so you better bring 16 quarts when you do the flush". So why is doing a drain and refill wasting fluid but this isn't?
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I dunno.
 
Its a waste when you are dealing with expensive ATF usually. WS definately qualifies as its not cheap. Doing several drain and fills is diluting the mix so to speak. So to get to 90-95% you will actually need more fluid (if you use the fluid calculator) to attain this with drain and fills. You always end up with a lot of cross contamination doing drain and fills.

Hey if you like drain and fills, great stick to them. You are doing a good thing for your transmission. Alot better than most are doing. When you have an expensive fluid though, its proven that a flush is more economical. Less fluid is wasted through dilution.
 
Well, I found a Toyota dealer who will sell me the WS fluid for $6.60/qt so drain fills it probably is. 2 drain fills will get me to about 70% new fluid which will be good until I can find a shop to flush this thing for me.

But I have to get into it and see where the cooler lines are. The fill plug is accessable from the top/front of the trans and maybe I can pull a cooler line and use a funnel in the plug hole and pour fluid in while it pumps out.

Another thought is to buy a fill plug and drill it and install a fitting in it so I can slip on a clear plastic tube connected to a funnel so I have my own "feed tube" to fill while the trans pumps out the old fluid. Then just skip the drain plug completely and just pump out 11 quarts. Then do the 1 quart overfill and drip tube fluid level check.

What do you think?
 
Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
Drain and fills are such a waste of time and fluid.


I disagree, I can do a drain and refill in 1/3 the time of doing a complete flush. Keeps the cost reasonable as well. The secret to doing drain and refills is to start early and do it fairly often, don't wait until you've got 60 or 70k on the rig. At that point I agree that a complete flush would be better.

And don't you have to use extra atf when you do the flush? I always see it stated that "It takes 12 quarts for the complete refill, so you better bring 16 quarts when you do the flush". So why is doing a drain and refill wasting fluid but this isn't?
21.gif
I dunno.



Drain fills to get me to 95% new fluid would take 16 quarts. Which is still way cheaper than the dealer flush cost.
 
Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: AzFireGuy79
Drain and fills are such a waste of time and fluid.


I disagree, I can do a drain and refill in 1/3 the time of doing a complete flush. Keeps the cost reasonable as well. The secret to doing drain and refills is to start early and do it fairly often, don't wait until you've got 60 or 70k on the rig. At that point I agree that a complete flush would be better.

And don't you have to use extra atf when you do the flush? I always see it stated that "It takes 12 quarts for the complete refill, so you better bring 16 quarts when you do the flush". So why is doing a drain and refill wasting fluid but this isn't?
21.gif
I dunno.



Drain fills to get me to 95% new fluid would take 16 quarts. Which is still way cheaper than the dealer flush cost.


Probably a lot safer too.
 
Will I have to use a jumper wire between pins to check the trans temp, or is there a OBDII scan tool I can use to get the same results.

I planned to buy one......sure is a range in prices.

Thanks
 
Originally Posted By: Tundraholic
Will I have to use a jumper wire between pins to check the trans temp, or is there a OBDII scan tool I can use to get the same results.

I planned to buy one......sure is a range in prices.

Thanks


Good question. Not sure the price of the Toyota scan tool is worth it since the jumper idea actually uses the trans temp sensors anyway and does work. I stopped at a dealer yesterday and spoke t the tech who does transmissions and he said theyhave not flushed even one yet. Which I find amazing. He said the easy way is to drain the trans cold, measure what comes out, add 200ML to that amount and refill with exactly the same amount and you don't have to use the scan tool.

That will be my plan of action for now. If you find a scan too that does the trans heat measurement please let me know via PM.
 
Well, I am done. Pulled the drain plug and it is only a drip tube and no drain. Only 1 quart came out...
shocked2.gif
So I called the dealer to get a pan gasket figuring I would drop the pan. 3 dealers later...none in stock..
crazy2.gif


So I pulled the top cooler line at the radiator, and stuck a tube over it into my graduated 1 gallon paint mixing bucket (ace hardware $2) and pulled the fill plus and stuck my funnel hose in there. I added the 1 quart that came out of the fill plug to get back to full and had the wife start the car. Zama...2 quarts pump out...shut off add 2 quarts...and pump 2 more until I have pumped 11 quarts through and it is coming out nice and clean. Add 1/2 more quart and button up the fill tube and cooler line.

Start the car and shift PRNDL 3 times and let the fluid heat up until the pan temp is 104F on my IR thermometer. Pull dip tube plug and 1/2 quart comes out until it is a trickle. Button up drain plug & torque both plugs to spec

I have met the beast and won. Thanks to all who have helped me and to Undummy for the IR thermometer trick.

BTW, the WS fluid with 50,000 miles on it looked very dark red and stinks. It was time for a change IMO. How Toyota can recommend 100k for this suff is beyond me.
 
PTI......you say you let the pan temp reach 104F on your IR thermometer?

Can you tell me more about this IR thermometer please?

Oh, are you talking infared? I got one of those; and if so where did you get the temp readings from? The drain, fill, or check plug? or just the pan?

The way you've explained the procedure, it sounds easier than i originally thought it would be.

I wonder if toyota trucks have the drip tube or if it's a drain?

I know i won't be going even 30k miles on my truck, with the WS in there. I'm chompin at the bit to getter done now! And i only have 25k miles on it of mostly towing duty. I know one thing though, WS will not be going back in warranty or not. It's getting Amsoil ATL full synthetic.

Thanks for the help everybody!!
 
Originally Posted By: PT1
Well, I am done. Pulled the drain plug and it is only a drip tube and no drain. Only 1 quart came out...
shocked2.gif
So I called the dealer to get a pan gasket figuring I would drop the pan. 3 dealers later...none in stock..
crazy2.gif


So I pulled the top cooler line at the radiator, and stuck a tube over it into my graduated 1 gallon paint mixing bucket (ace hardware $2) and pulled the fill plus and stuck my funnel hose in there. I added the 1 quart that came out of the fill plug to get back to full and had the wife start the car. Zama...2 quarts pump out...shut off add 2 quarts...and pump 2 more until I have pumped 11 quarts through and it is coming out nice and clean. Add 1/2 more quart and button up the fill tube and cooler line.

Start the car and shift PRNDL 3 times and let the fluid heat up until the pan temp is 104F on my IR thermometer. Pull dip tube plug and 1/2 quart comes out until it is a trickle. Button up drain plug & torque both plugs to spec

I have met the beast and won. Thanks to all who have helped me and to Undummy for the IR thermometer trick.

BTW, the WS fluid with 50,000 miles on it looked very dark red and stinks. It was time for a change IMO. How Toyota can recommend 100k for this suff is beyond me.


sounds great. how did you do the cooler lines back up again?
 
Originally Posted By: 3Toyotas
PTI......you say you let the pan temp reach 104F on your IR thermometer?

Can you tell me more about this IR thermometer please?

Oh, are you talking infared? I got one of those; and if so where did you get the temp readings from? The drain, fill, or check plug? or just the pan?

The way you've explained the procedure, it sounds easier than i originally thought it would be.

I wonder if toyota trucks have the drip tube or if it's a drain?

I know i won't be going even 30k miles on my truck, with the WS in there. I'm chompin at the bit to getter done now! And i only have 25k miles on it of mostly towing duty. I know one thing though, WS will not be going back in warranty or not. It's getting Amsoil ATL full synthetic.

Thanks for the help everybody!!



I took the IR thermometer readings on the bottom of the pan. The car only has to run about 5-8 minutes to get that warm. I have an actron IR thermometer I got on amazon for $24. My next flush at 100k will be the new amsoil that is WS compatible as well.
 
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Originally Posted By: crinkles
Originally Posted By: PT1
Well, I am done. Pulled the drain plug and it is only a drip tube and no drain. Only 1 quart came out...
shocked2.gif
So I called the dealer to get a pan gasket figuring I would drop the pan. 3 dealers later...none in stock..
crazy2.gif


So I pulled the top cooler line at the radiator, and stuck a tube over it into my graduated 1 gallon paint mixing bucket (ace hardware $2) and pulled the fill plus and stuck my funnel hose in there. I added the 1 quart that came out of the fill plug to get back to full and had the wife start the car. Zama...2 quarts pump out...shut off add 2 quarts...and pump 2 more until I have pumped 11 quarts through and it is coming out nice and clean. Add 1/2 more quart and button up the fill tube and cooler line.

Start the car and shift PRNDL 3 times and let the fluid heat up until the pan temp is 104F on my IR thermometer. Pull dip tube plug and 1/2 quart comes out until it is a trickle. Button up drain plug & torque both plugs to spec

I have met the beast and won. Thanks to all who have helped me and to Undummy for the IR thermometer trick.

BTW, the WS fluid with 50,000 miles on it looked very dark red and stinks. It was time for a change IMO. How Toyota can recommend 100k for this suff is beyond me.


sounds great. how did you do the cooler lines back up again?


The cooler lines on this car are rubber. Slip on slip off with a spring clamp. Very easy to do. The difficult part is taking off all those plastic underpanels. You only need to slip off the one line that comes out of the cooler. The oil pressure I am guessing is about 15-20psi.
 
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Thanks PTI.

How do you know that 104F is what the pan needs to be for the check procedure?

If this is indeed a safe way to do the check, it would sure be easier than having to jump wires and stuff.

Oh, as far as the tundra having the drain; it does. I recall a guy accidentally draining the trans instead of the oil. Luckily his drain bucket was empty, so he just put back the same amount ( 4 qts.) and all is well.
4 quarts would be about 32% of total capacity ( 11 qts ), so the exchange method wouldn't be so bad. Who knows, it might just pump out 4 quarts at a time as well. I don't know.
 
Originally Posted By: 3Toyotas
Thanks PTI.

How do you know that 104F is what the pan needs to be for the check procedure?

If this is indeed a safe way to do the check, it would sure be easier than having to jump wires and stuff.

Oh, as far as the tundra having the drain; it does. I recall a guy accidentally draining the trans instead of the oil. Luckily his drain bucket was empty, so he just put back the same amount ( 4 qts.) and all is well.
4 quarts would be about 32% of total capacity ( 11 qts ), so the exchange method wouldn't be so bad. Who knows, it might just pump out 4 quarts at a time as well. I don't know.


The service manual (2008 Camry V6) specs the fluid temp should be 104F-113F for the correct level due to fluid expansion rates. So I have the drip plug finger tight and when the IR hits 105F on the pan bottom I pull it and let it flow to a fast trickle and then screw it back in. Not hard as 110F feels just warm to the touch. I torque it to 30ft lbs after the car is shut off.
But the car needs to be level. So since the ES350 & Camry sits lower in the front I use 2 floor jacks and a carpenters level on the trans pan bottom to level the car both ways (front to back & side to side). The IR method (recommended by Undummy Thanks again) is really an easy way to do this as the pan thickness is very thin and you can feel the fluid heat up within a few minutes just by touch. So even if you are 5 degrees off (pan is 105 and fluid is 110F you are still in the recommended range.

Now I could do a fluid exchange on this car in 30 minutes no problem.

One note...only pump until you get bubbles. Then stop and refill. On this trans that is 2 quarts. I want to make my own home flush machine where I feed fluid from a gravity tank mounted higher than the trans while pumping out the old stuff into a bucket. Zama!!! done.
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I want to make my own home flush machine where I feed fluid from a gravity tank mounted higher than the trans while pumping out the old stuff into a bucket. Zama!!! done.
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I am thinking the same. I am going to find out the thread size of the fill plug on my 05 Tacoma, and see if I can find a fitting with something like a 3/8 in hose barb on it. Then use that to refill while the cooler line purges.
 
Originally Posted By: jeff194
I want to make my own home flush machine where I feed fluid from a gravity tank mounted higher than the trans while pumping out the old stuff into a bucket. Zama!!! done.
20.gif



Quote:
I am thinking the same. I am going to find out the thread size of the fill plug on my 05 Tacoma, and see if I can find a fitting with something like a 3/8 in hose barb on it. Then use that to refill while the cooler line purges.


I am just going to pull the one cooler line hose and attach the new fluid tank to the "in" hose and my drain hose to the "out" fitting on the cooler. That way there is only 1 line to disconnect and I can leave the plugs alone. As long as I measure what comes out and put the same amount back in all should be good.
 
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I just looked up the TSB for my tundra, and the check level fluid temp needs to be 115-133F. You'd think they'd all be the same, but they're not.

It also has a thermostatic valve ( tow pkg ) that needs to be bypassed. Pretty easy to do; push a screw in and put a pin thru the cap to keep the screw in. No biggie.

What i also thought was interesting was; the overflow plug should be pulled with the engine running and a/c off. Then they said if the fluid does not come out, proceed to top off at that time until it trickles out. They actually want it pooring out, then slowing to a trickle before it's full. They said DO NOT assume it's full if it's just dripping out.

This TSB wasn't a new one (mid-07), so maybe they've changed since then i don't know.

I'm getting ready to order up some ATL, but i'm going to wait on Amsoil tech's response to my email.
 
Originally Posted By: 3Toyotas

What i also thought was interesting was; the overflow plug should be pulled with the engine running and a/c off. Then they said if the fluid does not come out, proceed to top off at that time until it trickles out. They actually want it pooring out, then slowing to a trickle before it's full. They said DO NOT assume it's full if it's just dripping out.

This TSB wasn't a new one (mid-07), so maybe they've changed since then i don't know.



Yes, you want to count the quarts coming out and refill the same amount plus 1/2 quart. Then when you pull the plug you will know when it turns to a trickle. The only reason for the ac off is because the ac unit will raise the idle level. It is very easy to do. Just pull the plug when you are at the lower of the temp range and you will see how easy it is. Make sure it is finger tight before you pull it. FWIW, I don't think 1/2 quart will make any difference in a 11 quart trans anyway. Mine was 1/2 quart underfilled when the dealer checked it earlier this year.
 
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Originally Posted By: PT1
Originally Posted By: 3Toyotas

What i also thought was interesting was; the overflow plug should be pulled with the engine running and a/c off. Then they said if the fluid does not come out, proceed to top off at that time until it trickles out. They actually want it pooring out, then slowing to a trickle before it's full. They said DO NOT assume it's full if it's just dripping out.

This TSB wasn't a new one (mid-07), so maybe they've changed since then i don't know.



Yes, you want to count the quarts coming out and refill the same amount plus 1/2 quart. Then when you pull the plug you will know when it turns to a trickle. The only reason for the ac off is because the ac unit will raise the idle level. It is very easy to do. Just pull the plug when you are at the lower of the temp range and you will see how easy it is. Make sure it is finger tight before you pull it. FWIW, I don't think 1/2 quart will make any difference in a 11 quart trans anyway. Mine was 1/2 quart underfilled when the dealer checked it earlier this year.


Yeah, i figured a half a quart either way wouldn't hurt. I'd prefer to be overfilled than under myself.
I'm ordering up some ATL tonight, so do you have any other tips for me before i do it?

Your help is much appreciated; thanks.
 
A 1/2 quart low may result in harsh shifts on some transmissions. On my Saturn, a 1/2 qt low resulted in a rather pronounced 1-2 shift when the transmission was cold.
 
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