Advice for DIY Tranny Fluid change
01-15-11, 07:18 AM
#1
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Advice for DIY Tranny Fluid change
Just want to know if anyone's ever done it or you'd recommend getting it done somewhere. I was thinking of replacing my tranny fluid but I don't know where to start or how much to fluid I'll need to put back in. Can someone point me in the right direction on how to go about changing my own tranny fluid.
01-15-11, 07:52 AM
#2
You don't specify what year your car is, so I'll have to be generic.
In general, there are 3 types of "tranny services", all of which you can do, depending on tools and mechanical ability you have available.
Level 1: the easiest is to just drive the car up on ramps, put a drain pan under tranny, pull the plug out (you'll need a 10mm hex driver wrench). It's similar to changing the engine oil. It usually get about 4-5 quarts out, which is about half of the total volume. Put the plug back in, then re-fill the tranny thru the dipstick hole. Warm it up and check the level with the engine running, in Park.
Level 2: Involves draining the tranny then removing the pan, and the filter on the bottom of the valve body. You will probably need a new gasket for the pan and the filter, but the filter/screen should be reusable, you just hose it off with brake cleaner. The valve body will constantly drip ATF while you have the pan off, so you'll want the car up high enough to keep the drain pan under but still have room to work. There are magnets in the bottom of the pan that will need to be cleaned off too. If they are coated with gritty metal flakes, this can indicate impending tranny failure. You really should use a good torque wrench to re-install the pan, if you make it too tight it will squish the gasket and ruin it.
Level 3: Do Level 1 and 2, then when you put the pan back on, you pull one of the cooler lines off the radiator and drop it into a bucket, and run the engine briefly to pump out the old fluid. DON'T RUN THE TRANNY DRY, IT CAN RUIN THE INTERNAL PUMP. Then pour new ATF in, repeat until the fluid coming out the hose looks new. Messy procedure. The big shops have a machine that makes this much easier, you don't even have to run the engine.
Hope this helps.
In general, there are 3 types of "tranny services", all of which you can do, depending on tools and mechanical ability you have available.
Level 1: the easiest is to just drive the car up on ramps, put a drain pan under tranny, pull the plug out (you'll need a 10mm hex driver wrench). It's similar to changing the engine oil. It usually get about 4-5 quarts out, which is about half of the total volume. Put the plug back in, then re-fill the tranny thru the dipstick hole. Warm it up and check the level with the engine running, in Park.
Level 2: Involves draining the tranny then removing the pan, and the filter on the bottom of the valve body. You will probably need a new gasket for the pan and the filter, but the filter/screen should be reusable, you just hose it off with brake cleaner. The valve body will constantly drip ATF while you have the pan off, so you'll want the car up high enough to keep the drain pan under but still have room to work. There are magnets in the bottom of the pan that will need to be cleaned off too. If they are coated with gritty metal flakes, this can indicate impending tranny failure. You really should use a good torque wrench to re-install the pan, if you make it too tight it will squish the gasket and ruin it.
Level 3: Do Level 1 and 2, then when you put the pan back on, you pull one of the cooler lines off the radiator and drop it into a bucket, and run the engine briefly to pump out the old fluid. DON'T RUN THE TRANNY DRY, IT CAN RUIN THE INTERNAL PUMP. Then pour new ATF in, repeat until the fluid coming out the hose looks new. Messy procedure. The big shops have a machine that makes this much easier, you don't even have to run the engine.
Hope this helps.
01-15-11, 11:02 AM
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sorry, forgot to mention that I have a 96 es300 with 153k and no clue when the last time the tranny fluid was changed.
Any body have any ideas how to change the coolant by yourself? I've got a decent tool kit and learn quick, I just don't know where to start.
Any body have any ideas how to change the coolant by yourself? I've got a decent tool kit and learn quick, I just don't know where to start.
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01-16-11, 01:44 PM
#8
This is a 2001 underside:
01-16-11, 02:01 PM
#9
^^ that is correct. Didn't feel like labelling it since i posted that thru my iPhone.
But yeah, left is the diff. right is the trans. oil pan/drain.
It's a weird system.
I asked my mechanic since last time i drained the fluid from the trans only, but it was on the hoist for a good 1.5 hours so there was literally no fluid left. And if you look at the design the transmission drain is the lowest point when compared to the differential.
This leads me to believe that the fluid does in fact 'mix' itself, and that the plug is merely there to extract the fluid faster? And this would add up considering the fluid is topped up from the one source, and if it were to 'split' somehow you'd never be guaranteed an even supply of fluid to both components; and that would be a HUGE flaw...
I'm still not sure - I will be doing both next time in 30k miles.
But yeah, left is the diff. right is the trans. oil pan/drain.
It's a weird system.
I asked my mechanic since last time i drained the fluid from the trans only, but it was on the hoist for a good 1.5 hours so there was literally no fluid left. And if you look at the design the transmission drain is the lowest point when compared to the differential.
This leads me to believe that the fluid does in fact 'mix' itself, and that the plug is merely there to extract the fluid faster? And this would add up considering the fluid is topped up from the one source, and if it were to 'split' somehow you'd never be guaranteed an even supply of fluid to both components; and that would be a HUGE flaw...
I'm still not sure - I will be doing both next time in 30k miles.
01-16-11, 03:57 PM
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Any one recommend getting a shop to do a tranny fluid flush? The reason I'm asking is because its like 20 something degrees in Michigan and my garage floor is all wet & it doesn't seem like its gonna warm up anytime soon. I bought the fluid and washer but as I was leaving the local O'reilly I decided to call the shop that does my oil changes and got a quote over the phone. They said it would cost 80 bucks for a complete flush. I was going to do two drain and refills and call it a day, but if they can do a complete flush in half an hour I think I'd want to go for that. But I'm still not sure because of what I've read online about tranny flushes. Anyone care to throw in their $.02
01-16-11, 04:45 PM
#11
^^ Fwiw, i just did a drain & fill with OEM toyota fluid.
Depends on you, really. Some people think and believe the flush is best, others don't.
I'd do a flush if it was a 'new' car since you can prolong the life of the trans by getting rid of the little shavings in the trans at a low mileage, but something higher [like my 120k miles] i didn't see the point since those shavings will remain there regardless.
Some debate that the flush gets rid of everything - but who is to know what the shop really does vs. what they can claim?
Where the drain and fill is bulletproof since you know what is being done. I had my car on the hoist for over 1.5 hrs so i had very little 'old fluid' left as some 'pro-flush' people argue.
Don't forget to change the gasket either!
Depends on you, really. Some people think and believe the flush is best, others don't.
I'd do a flush if it was a 'new' car since you can prolong the life of the trans by getting rid of the little shavings in the trans at a low mileage, but something higher [like my 120k miles] i didn't see the point since those shavings will remain there regardless.
Some debate that the flush gets rid of everything - but who is to know what the shop really does vs. what they can claim?
Where the drain and fill is bulletproof since you know what is being done. I had my car on the hoist for over 1.5 hrs so i had very little 'old fluid' left as some 'pro-flush' people argue.
Don't forget to change the gasket either!
01-17-11, 07:26 PM
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So I need to use Dexron III correct? My question, is ATF like engine oil? Is there a conventional and a synthetic? Or is it all synthetic, and as long as I use Dexron III in my 96 ES 300 I am good to go... just measure how much is drained, and replace that amt correct??
01-18-11, 05:26 AM
#13
^^ that is correct. Didn't feel like labelling it since i posted that thru my iPhone.
It's a weird system.
I asked my mechanic since last time i drained the fluid from the trans only, but it was on the hoist for a good 1.5 hours so there was literally no fluid left. And if you look at the design the transmission drain is the lowest point when compared to the differential.
This leads me to believe that the fluid does in fact 'mix' itself, and that the plug is merely there to extract the fluid faster? And this would add up considering the fluid is topped up from the one source, and if it were to 'split' somehow you'd never be guaranteed an even supply of fluid to both components; and that would be a HUGE flaw...
I'm still not sure - I will be doing both next time in 30k miles.
It's a weird system.
I asked my mechanic since last time i drained the fluid from the trans only, but it was on the hoist for a good 1.5 hours so there was literally no fluid left. And if you look at the design the transmission drain is the lowest point when compared to the differential.
This leads me to believe that the fluid does in fact 'mix' itself, and that the plug is merely there to extract the fluid faster? And this would add up considering the fluid is topped up from the one source, and if it were to 'split' somehow you'd never be guaranteed an even supply of fluid to both components; and that would be a HUGE flaw...
I'm still not sure - I will be doing both next time in 30k miles.
01-18-11, 12:16 PM
#15
Dexron III is the way to go in your case. It's mineral based but it's hard to believe that switching to a synthetic based or a full synthetic ATF would have any positive effect on a 96 car. Just replace the amount drained, warm up the trans and check the fluid level on the dipstick.