ATF Check With ATF Cooler. How?

Hi,

I installed an aftermarket ATF cooler with genuine Toyota parts last year.

I can't recall how to check the ATF level......Do I pin the thermostat or remove?

Thanks!

 

No... You only pin it for drain and fill. You will need to look for the check level PDF or youtube video on how to the procedure has to go. Temp and OBD pin jump.

 

Cool!

I know about ODB and temp or the other tricky temp procedure too.

So leave unpinned and proceed as usual!

Thanks!

 

yeah, otherwise it will dump that additional quart of fluid, just ask me how I know. lol

 

@blackdemon_tt is mistaken, you need to pin the thermostat in order to check the level, that's actual why that pin exists. This is the video from @Genuine Cooling Systems I started it at the check procedure for you.
https://youtu.be/Ep5CNhdMnhE?t=2808

 

I stand corrected.

 

Thanks!

Glad I haven't had time to do this yet!

 

An even easier way is, drain the pan and re-fill with 4 quarts. That's pretty much what come out. At the end of the day no one really knows what a trickle is on the check plug and +/- a few ounces won't hurt anything.

 

If you have added a cooler its actually closer to 4.5 quarts.

 

Only when adding it. After that, only what's in the pan will come out. The OP already has the cooler installed. So about 4 quarts is all that will come out. I have did the whole level the truck out, temp and trickle thing. After I read about the 4 quart oil change, no more. You would think Toyota would have made it a bit easier to do an oil change.

 

Not true. I just did my first drain and fill since installing the 20 row Setrab last year and I had done drain and fills before adding the cooler which were about 4qts now with the cooler I drained out about 4.3qts and then put 4.5 back in and did the check process and about .2 came back out. When you pin open the thermostat that extra fluid drains down into the pain from the cooler. This is why I always do the check process, it takes maybe an extra 15 minutes to do and Im only swapping fluid once a year so I can spare the extra time to make sure its correct.

 

Here is how I do it. Truck cold and on level ground. Remove drain plug. Let it drain. Install drain plug. Remove fill plug. Add 4 quarts. Install fill plug. Done. No need to warm up the tuck, check temp or pin the t-stat. Simple and sweet.

 

Gutcha, I was just replying to the OPs question on how to properly do the level check. I've done it your way in the past as well but then I got proficient with doing the level check so now I do it every time. Makes me feel more confident knowing that I checked it and that its correct.

 

Yeah my think is the whole trickle thing with Toyota. If you leave it, it will trickle forever. Since I found the post about the 4 quarts I said, I am done messing with the trickle. I did it to my wife's Lexus and 2 quarts came out so that what went back in.

 

Yeah it will trickle forever but thats why you're supposed to put the check bolt back it when it starts to trickle. I let it come out until the flow is too weak to go straight down and starts to flow down the pan, thats what I have deemed a trickle anyway.

 

So...

Does the pan hold 4 qts? Doesn't look like it would....Seems like you'd have to have the truck running to circulate. If you crack the filler with engine off and cold it will be fuller than hot and running right?

?

 

this. I too have a trans cooler.

overfill it a bit*...do the check process. stop at a trickle. then you know you have it right.


3.8 come out of mine or thereabouts....I put back in 4-ish quarts. warm it up....do the check process. I'm done.


*put in a bit more than came out...us a catch can that has measurements on it.

 

One more question:

Is this the type ATF I need?

$94 Toyota 00279-000T4 TOYOTA Genuine Lexus ATF Type T-IV Automatic Transmission Fluid OEM 12 Quart Type-4 ATF

Toyota 00279-000T4

I'm RV'ing way out in the country and not a Toyota dealer for 200 miles so have to order up a few qts. My on hand quart label came off.

 

same stuff, maybe better.

I've used it for years.

 

Can you mix with older Toyota ATF? Don't like fooling with tranny's (haha!) and like it stock (haha!)

 

yup.

I have 3 Toyotas.

 

No, you need the Toyota WS ATF.

I personally use non-OEM fluids on my vehicles, Mobil 1, Valvoline, Castrol, etc., EXCEPT of the ATF fluid. ATFs are paired with fluids that have specific friction modifiers. I use the OEM WS.

$61 Toyota 00289-ATFWS Lexus & Automatic Transmission Fluid WS ATF World Standard, Pack of 4

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Toyo...t=&hvlocphy=9027630&hvtargid=pla-525199342009

 

More or less. It doesn't matter if you're over or under by a bit, it won't hurt anything. Think of it like a normal engine oil change. Pull the plug, drain it and put back what came out. Simple. Toyota could have made it simple to check the trans oil but why do that. Let's make it so that we confuse people and they have to come to the dealer.

 

Maybe - I just did drain & fill. Drained 3.5 qts. - added 4 qts., brought trans. to correct temperature to check level according to proper procedure and nothing came out of the excess fluid drain plug. Added another quart (now 5 total) and about 1/2 quart came out. Transmission was approx. one and one half quarts low from factory. Way better to check level according to correct procedure. Check video above.

 

This is the way

and the only way to confirm if you are at proper level

 

Mine was the same way. I added 4 quarts, set truck in maintenance mode and waited until trans got up to correct temp and nothing came out. Mine held about 5 quarts before any fluid came out

 

That's fine, but once you have varied that it's at the right level, put back what came out. It's to rocket science. The trans holds 12 quarts I believe, if you drain 3.5-4 quarts and put back 3.5-4 quarts, it will have 12 quarts in the end.

 

not quite.

what if it was low before you started?

 

Given a new transmission may put you out of service for months and cost you over $7K, I think it is worth an additional 15 minutes to do the procedure by the book. Just my 2 cents.

 

Texas, read what I wrote again. Once you do the temp and trickle level check and you know it's at the correct level, then after that every time you do an oil change, just put back what came out. Unless you have a leak, the level should stay the same. So, like it been said before on here, about 4 quarts is what normally comes out, so just put 4 quart back. +/- isn't going to hurt anything. Now if you're doing a flush every 5k till you have flushed out all 12 quarts, I just find the 4 quart method easier. If you doing just a drain and fill every 30-60k then the temp and trickle works just fine since its once in a blue moon.