There Have been instances of cars not shifting right or failing all together depending on the mileage. You need to open the pan and change the filter.

 

my general consensus from everything i've read is if the fluid is already very dark and burnt smelling, do NOT change all the fluid at once or really even bother changing any fluid since it's too late at that point... if the fluid is just a little dark but still overall red then there's probably no harm in changing it all

 

If you're doing just a simple drain/fill or fluid flush, then I would agree. But if you plan to do it right it's never too late.

 

I agree with almost all the advice here so far, even when they seem contradictory. Some things to add:

In my '91 the "filter" is actually a coarsely meshed screen. Like if a gear tooth breaks off, it would catch that, but will do nothing for particles in dirty fluid. However, dropping the pan (when I first got my '91, with no issues, I dropped the pan, replaced the filter [had bought it already], etc.) is good since you will be able to carefully clean sediment from the pan and ferrous particles from the magnets sitting in the bottom.

However, that can of worms includes:

• removing all the pan bolts (replace with new ones, probably coming in a kit with the filter), some of which may be frozen, rusted, breaking off when you try this.
• Being very careful to not bend the pan when removing it. The sealing surface held by the pan bolts must remain perfectly flat. There are MANY reports on here of people screwing that up when prying off a stuck pan, or even permanently deforming it when torquing (really low torque required, I'd guess around 10 Nm) as they keep making it tighter to stop the leak and end up making it worse and permanently damaged.
• Using either a rubber pan gasket or the Toyota FIPG (what I used) - pick one or the other, or research it for hours
• Hoping you did not create a leak (that did not exist before) when you're all done.

Again, I did it on my '91 very soon after getting it. Am happy I did. But it won't be the best thing for everyone. My AT is still working flawlessly at 202k miles. I regularly drain+fill with Toyota Type T-IV every 10-15k miles. Cheap and easy. These Aisin AT's are really great. Just do simple normal stuff to take care of them and they will last forever (or at least 202k+ miles and counting, as far as I can tell).

I'd never ever do a powered flush on any car any where.

If you want to get more than the ~2 quarts that come out normally, leave the car with the front jacked up over night, and you may get almost another 2 quarts eventually dripping out of there. Of course removing the pan does get you a little more too.

I *have* had an experience on another car (BMW with GM transmission) that I bought with about 160k miles on the original fluid (car marketed with "lifetime fluid"), where I was paranoid, so I very carefully inspected things, as I dropped the pan, changed filter, etc. 2 filters, 3 drain+fills, and 30k+ trouble free miles later I can report ... I noticed at least one gear-tooth shard, and some clumps of greasy goo in the pan on the second drain and fill, 400 easy miles after the first one. Also, the pan magnet that I had concluded was epoxied to the pan during the first D+F easily came free during the second D+F - so it was not epoxy, just 160k miles of sedimentary adhesive holding it stuck in place.

This all tells me that it is true: the replacement of solvent additives with fresh fluid will truly dissolve, loosen, and release into the AT system, sedimentary particles, globs of goop, and even happily retired and resting loose metal shards. So my conclusion is that there is some danger to a sudden dramatic complete swap of new fluid for old, even if done passively via an AT cooler tube. What I did there, and would advise for any similar situation, is to do a partial D+F, drive it gently, and do whatever it takes to get karma on your side while you hope the freshly loosened bad debris does not break anything before you can get it out of there.

And another thing - I have an external in-line ATF filter, as I do on most of my cars. Magnefine. This is a real filter, not just a screen. Magnet too.

 

I just dropped my fluid at 200k left it draining for 3 days and went back with Valvoline max life …. its sweet as a nut. these people that say " that dirty trans fluid is what is keeping your vehicle shifting " talk bollocks, just don't pressure flush it, jack it up, drop the pan and filter and leave it for 3 days.. you will get about 80% open your lines to the radiator allow vacuum flow and just let it drain.

clean the filter buy a new Gasket and carefully torque it up, do your initial fill with the engine off then fil the rest whilst engine running, moving the car through its gears slowly, then adding more.

Do not over fill, that's what messes them up, pump fill blows out seals and flanges and dude, if there's no friction left on your internals geez you needed a rebuild anyway, rock auto has the full rebuild it and its not that hard if you remain uniform with the dissemble and rebuild.

Honestly its way better to do it your self and do it right. save the money, if you don't fancy it, just slip round a few breakers yards find one with low mileage..

but mines great super smooth not slipping.

 

What is your reason to select Valvoline max life not selecting Toyota T-IV?

 

Valvoline Max life says ' This is a Direct replacement and should be used with T-IV transmissions and it's 17 bucks a gallon from Walmart. It's got a 5 star rating all over the internet and it's Rating is exactly the same as T-IV or T-II . (It's specifically says T-IV application on the back 17 bucks a gallon dude... Walmart. Bells are ringing huh?

 

This is not a gamble the same in and the same out new fluid never hurts Lexus vehicles have the best transmissions made. they would last forever if everyone did this.

 

This is a horrible answer the Toyota WS fluid turns dark @ about 25000 MIles

 

Aisin and certain Toyota / Lexus dealerships say to change the transmission fluid every 20 to 36 k miles. This is the most ridiculous debate ever change the fluid it is black and old

https://www.joemyerstoyota.com/servi...houston-tx.htm

 

You must be thinking about GM built cars pal or ZF transmissions LOL!

Just remember people, in the 2000 gs300 auto trans there is 8.2 quarts of fluid, don't pressure push fluid the wrong way past the torque converter or you will make it leak.

Do exactly as I said, jack it up, drop the pan, remove the filter, drain the radiator supply lines, leave them of so gravity can feed through back into the transmission , leave a washing up bowl under there for as many days as you can wait, I lasted 3 days and it was still draining. id say, start your drain mon- apply the new gasket and filter sat morning, you should have close to 90% out of the torque converter by then. pour in 2 qrts, start the car and move the shifter up and down the gears and then keep adding.

IIF YOU OVER FILL drop the car onto level surface and let a bit out the radiator lines until you are right between the two points of the dip stick.

This will be the optimum performance pressure for the transmission.

And Roberts your furthers brother!

cheers!

 

well i hope it was worth it for the $1.62 per gallon you saved


the genuine toyota fluid really isn't that much... and you don't have to spend anytime justifying yourself lol

 

look, its the recommended fluid. its clear in writing says t-iv .

what's the big deal.

 

lol I bet your one of these guys who thinks that Toyota has its own chemical plant producing this magical t-iv spec fluid just for there cars and unless you use it.. your transmission is doomed!

back in the old days with GM **** and crap like that.. yeah it was a real stringent deal, still is if you put in totally the wrong fluid.

But it clearly says it goes in Toyota t-iv on the back, its red, wet and has the correct formula.

Lol its like Harley Davidson with its over priced oil.. and the myths about "oh don't use anything else, I've heard Mobil 1 (which is about 100x better grade) will kill your motor.

Then you learn that Harley buys its oil supply from the cheapest bidder they can find... same **** as you buy at Dollar General. (NO ****).

Toyota are a respectable design.. but there a business to...

trust me if I could find T-IV written on the Walmart branded stuff, it would be in my transmission right now super tech.....

HOW ABOUT THAT THN HUH!

trust me watch that video on youtube about Walmarts Supertech synthetic oil.. its like almost top grade sythentic.

 

of course toyota doesn't literally make the fluid (it's basically just rebranded mobil 3309), technically any fluid that conforms to the JWS3309 standard is an adequate substitute... but for a difference of not even $2 per gallon i just feel more warm and fuzzy inside knowing that the fluid inside is the fluid

if the genuine fluid were like twice as much as the valvoline then you'd have a real point to be made

also comparing an old harley to the LS 400? i think toyota has a bit more credibility in this case lol