2nd Gen Transmission Drain and Fill DIY How-To

After a bunch of research I finally took on this job today and figured I'd document the process - both for myself and anyone who may want to attempt this. I did this on my 2007 5.7L 4WD Crewmax. From what I understand the procedure is identical for all 2nd and 2.5gen tundras.

I won't get into why or when to drain yours but I am doing this on my truck with 230k miles. I am planning to do this 3 times over the next 3 months to exchange all the fluid. The transmission holds about 12-13qt total and this method only drains 3qts.

This youtube video was a big help to me, especially with the explanation of how to get into check mode and how to pin the thermostat.

https://youtu.be/pOrsNW2GXJs?si=XQEpPwrwCueJ_CEt

Tools Needed:

• Small screwdriver or awl
• Pin or very small allen wrench
• 5mm hex wrench
• 24mm socket
• 14mm socket
• Wobble bit
• Paperclip
• 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD tube (
  $7 EZ-FLO 1/2" ID (5/8" OD) PVC Clear Vinyl Tubing, 10 Foot Length, 98568
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SNXDMJ5 )
• Trans Fluid Bottle Adapter (
  $5 FloTool 10106B/6 Spill Saver Trans Fluid and Gear Oil On-Off Filler Refill
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EH4UXM )
• Level

Parts Needed:

• Toyota WS Fluid (I got this from my dealer for $11 a quart, sometimes it's cheaper to make the order online and pick up than to just show up at the counter).
• Extra crush washers for Drain and Check bolts (optional, lots of people just reuse the existing with no issues). (
  $10 luxlead 20 PCS Transmission Drain Plug Gaskets Oil Crush Washer Seal Rings Compatible with Toyota Lexus 4Runner Sequoia Tacoma Tundra Lexus GS450H, IS250/350, LS430, LS460, Replaces 35178-30010
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KJ9RRMS )

Bolt Sizes

• Fill bolt - 24mm
• Drain plug - 14mm
• Check port - 5mm hex (allen wrench)

Overview

1. Empty fluid from pan
2. Fill with new fluid
3. Drain off any excess fluid and check level

Procedure to enter check mode:

I suggest practicing this procedure before doing starting this job. It's a little tricky and it took me a few trys.

1. Jump OBD ports 4 & 13 (put one end of the paperclip in each hole pictured below)
2. Depress Brake & start Truck
3. Shift through all gears slowly to allow fluid to circulate (P>R>N>D>S (1-6)>D>N>R>P)
4. Shift to N
5. Shift to Neutral >Drive> Neutral >Drive> Neutral >Drive> Neutral
6. When you go back into N the last time the "D" light and the "N" light on the dashboard should both stay lit for 2 seconds. If they do not you did something wrong.
7. Shift to Park & Release Brake (you can remove jumper wire at this point; I did to plug in my own scanner and watch trans temp)
8. When in check mode:
   1. "D" OFF - Trans Temp too low for check
   2. "D" ON - Trans Temp OKAY for check
   3. "D" Flash - Trans Temp too hot for check, let truck cool down
9. This post has manuals for the different transmission types with the temperature ranges this procedure looks for. You shouldn't need it unless you want to verify with OBD scanner that the temperature is correct. It's just imporatnt to note that not all trans get checked at the same temp.
   1. https://www.tundras.com/threads/transmission-drain-and-fill-capacity.108168/#post-2794524
   2. You can find your trans type on the drivers door sticker bottom line. Mine was a AB60F.

Drain Fluid

• Before draining confirm you can open the fill bolts and check bolts. You don't want to get stuck an empty trans and no way to fill it
• This step can be done while truck is cold or hot (I opted for cold so I didn't have hot fluid everywhere)
• Open the drain bolt and let the fluid drain into a container
• Measure the amount of fluid drained. I poured mine from the catch pan into an old 5qt oil can and saw how many quarts it filled. I drained just under 3qt
• Replace plug

Fill Fluid

• Replace drain bolt unless you want a driveway full of fluid
• Open fill plug (24mm, I needed the wobble bit to get around the exhaust)
• Route PVC tube from top of engine bay into the fill plug. The 5/8" OD should be a snug fit. Push it in a bit, you don't want this falling out. Beware of routing PVC against hot components.
• Connect the tube to the Trans Funnel and fill transmission with approx. the same amount you removed. I opted for about 1/4 QT more than I removed just to avoid having to do it again (any overfill will be drained out in next step)
• Remove tube and replace plug

Check Level

• If you have a transmission cooler you need to pin your transmission fluid thermostat to ensure fluid is circulating through the full system. See picture below. Use your screwdriver to push in the plunger then push a pin through the holes in the bolt so the plunger is locked in.
• Loosen Check bolt before starting truck
• Turn off lights/AC/radio
• Start truck from cold and enter check mode
• As the fluid warms up it will expand and fill up the pan. The check port is calibrated so that when it expands enough to overflow through check hole it is the proper level. Because of this you can safety open the check port before it reaches check temperature.
• When the "D" light comes on allow fluid to come out the check hole until it becomes a trickle. Note: because the transmission is still heating up the fluid is still expanding and will continue to drain out the check hole. With this in mind, once the stream is no longer full force you can call it good. Re-plug the check bolt before the "D" light starts flashing and you're good.

Cleanup

• Make sure all bolts are tight. Toyota specs call for the drain and check to be tightened to 15ft-lbs and the fill to go to 29ft-lbs. I do NOT recommend this. I stripped my drain port like this. Just tighten to "nice and tight" without over-doing it. Details in next post.
• Remove pin from trans cooler (if you have one).
• I marked the bolt positions with a paint marker to make sure they are not coming loose.

Other Notes:

• For my AB60F transmission this range is 99deg - 111deg. This may vary based on your truck year. See link above or just use the built in check method.
• The drain plug and the check plug are the same bolt size, just different heads to avoid confusion. The check plug has "CHECK" stamped in it"
• Truck should be level when checking level. I used a 4' level on the bedrails and across the tailgate.

 

As mentioned in the original post I overtightened my drain plug and caused it to strip. I tightened it by hand first then went to check the torque with the torque wrench set to 15ft-lbs. It just kept spinning. I found multiple other posts online about the exact same thing happening. See picture below of what I suspect happened. The internal threads ripping off.

In my case the bolt was still able to get very tight, much tighter than hand tight, and was not leaking a drop after a test drive and several hours.

I figured I had three options to repair

1. New trans pan
2. Tap new larger hole
3. JB weld the heck out of it and hope it never leaks

I didn't have a new pan on hand, nor did I want to mess around with tapping this hole. To tap you really need to remove pan anyway to make sure no metal shavings get into the pan. As the truck has 230k miles on it I went for the JB option.

I did this knowing that if I want to do another spill/fill in the future I can drain the fluid with a siphon through the check port. Also, if this cheap quick fix leaks, I can just do the more complete fix (1 or 2) in the future.

So, I ran down to the local autoparts store and got some JB Weld, sanded down the area, and sealed it up.

Once it dried I will remark with a paint pen and monitor for leaks. I will update here if there are any issues, and how my siphon plan works out if I ever try it.


All this being said, do NOT overtighten these bolts. The forums are littered with stories of this happening to other people. The torque spec is too high or is for a dry torque only. Please only take this just beyond hand tight and let the crush washer do it's job.

 

Saving for future reference. Great write up OP!

 

Very good detailed write up sir, will use this for future reference. Thank you!

 

Saved in my archives as well.

I always rely on some YouTube video to remind me of the OBD jumpers.

Thank you sir.

 

I’ve used this method the last 4 times without any problems. The last time I had it in the shop, I had them check the tranny fluid level and it was almost dead on. The tech said it was maybe overfilled by about 2 ounces.

https://youtu.be/NX3WRAPJ0Aw?si=mb8b9F8pQ-QvCFPQ

 

Thank you for this very detailed write up.
I’ve been researching/studying to properly do a drain and refill on my truck.
Most people miss the trans cooler thermostat which is critical to do it right.
If you have the tow package, you have a trans cooler.
I’m curious why you would go through the shifting procedure to check temp instead of simply plugging in your obd2 scanner?
The nice thing about the overfill plug is that it can be used to check the fluid quality since we don’t have a dipstick.
Anyways, I’m hoping to get mine done very soon if needed.

 

I used the shifting procedure and the OBD scanner at the same time. I would prefer to use the shift procedure and recommend it to others to avoid any confusion about what is the proper temperature, as it does change with the different transmission types available in our trucks. Also, the OBD returns two temps for the transmission, which can vary by a few degrees, and I was unable to find out which was the correct one to work off of.

 

I really don't know why anybody WOULDNT use this level check procedure. The truck itself tells you the proper time to open the overflow. I'm not sure what higher authority one could want or ask for.?

 

My thoughts exactly. It's very easy to enter this check mode with nothing but a paperclip.

 

Well. Technically two paper clips (thermostat)

 

On the topic of OBD + paperclip vs scanner or OBD App, on hot days the trans can shoot right past the check range. Watching it live allows one to predict, plan, and time your execution.

From a post of mine on this topic.
And yes, I dropped the pan as it was a used truck and I needed to know its health...

[Paste]
Connect your OBD port reading hardware and configure it for A/T Oil Temp 2 (TH02). I had both A/T Oil Temp 1 and 2 on display using OBD Fusion App and phone. TH01 monitors system line pressure used on clutches, and brakes. TH02 is used as a basis for modifying the ECT shift timing control when the ATF temperature is high. It is also used for the ATF temperature warning light. Or use the paper clip method. Your choice.

 

Great point. Considering my transmission check range starts at 99deg, it would be very easy to completely miss it even from "cold" if it's a hot FL day. I ended up using both methods in conjunction. After you get the D & N shift indicators to light up at the same time, the paperclip can be removed, and the truck will remain in check mode. At this point, you can plug in your OBD and verify with your scanner.

 

I originally bought 6qts of oil so I completed my second drain and fill today. Starting with the truck off, in park, and slightly warm I opened the CHECK bolts. About 1.5qts drained out. I tried to siphon out a little more, but couldn't get the tubes I had on hand to make the bends.

Not wanting to mess with it too much I elected to just add the 3qts of fresh fluid in, let it mix while overfilled, and then drain off the excess. I should end up with cleaner oil afterwards.

I closed up the CHECK bolt, used my fill tube setup to add the new fluid, took it for a drive around the block to mix everything up, and let it sit overnight to cool. This morning, I put it into check mode and drained off the extra fluid, around another 1.5 qts (which makes sense, as I added 3 qts total). Tightened up the check bolt and pulled the thermostat pin. Done.

Hopefully, this solves some of my hard-shifting problems. I originally did this service because of hard shifts into drive after parked and high acceleration before shifting gears around 50-70mph. It would rev way past where it should before dropping into gear. It may be in my head, but after the first 3qts, it seems both issues improved. I will update again in a few weeks.

 

Any more feedback? How’s the tranny shifting? I have a 2017 tundra 93 k miles and a 2008 sequoia with 160k miles and want to conduct a drain and fill.

 

A drain and fill did not fix the issue I hoped to solve. I am still having the same "hard shift" issue. I think I need a new solenoid pack. I continue to get bad shifts and every now and then I'll get check engine lights with codes:

* P2714 - Pressure Control Solenoid "D" Performance or Stuck OFF
* P0761 - Pressure Control Solenoid "C" Performance or Stuck OFF