Opinions about transmission fluid change

Hey Guys/Gals!

My '05 Sequoia which I've had for 16 years with over 217k on the odometer has been bullet proof except for 2 rear bearing repairs in 7 years, don't know what's up with that but I had to replace the same rear bearing on my truck when I purchased it about 5 years ago, anyway my Sequoia has been on 3 trips which were mountainous and hilly in the past 5 years...NC mountains, NY mountains and VA mountains/hills. It performed flawlessly all 3 times but the last time I did notice a burning fluid smell after hauling a car load of people up and down, mostly hills on this last trip in Va. Although I didn't notice any weird transmission anomalies. I'm thinking it maybe time for a AT tranny fluid change? It's been changed before but that was maybe 8 years ago(I'd have to check my paperwork for sure). The truck sits a lot and in the pass10 years it's mainly become the "trip truck". I guess I know the answer but hey it's always good to rehash these situations for anyone who's new to the first gen Tundras and Sequoias.

Thanks for all the help in the past and present!!!!!

 

Your '05, like my '06, has a sealed trans, which makes getting the refill level correct less straightforward than the '00-'04 4spd.

You've got two options: Drain and fill a few times yourself, or take it to a dealer to have them do a fluid flush, which Toyota now recommends for our trucks, but I forget if the interval is 60k, 80k, or 100k. They used to say "lifetime fluid" on the sealed transmissions, but it changed in recent years.

But are you sure it's the trans that was cooking oil? It would be totally normal to have the valve covers leaking onto the exhaust manifold flanges and cooking oil. That sounds more plausible to me.

 

No I'm not sure but I'm leaning more towards the valve covers leaking. Now that you mention it I did see some oil around them last week. My Daddy said that's not unusual for a vehicle with that many mile that sits a lot to leak around the manifold flanges.

 

It's what I had going on at a whopping 72k miles. Sometimes age and lack of use will do it more than high mileage. And it's not uncommon (and a pretty easy DIY job) for these trucks.

If you can take some clear, daylit pics of around your valve covers, we can always give you an opinion. This is the stuff you'll be looking for, HERE.

You may find that simply confirming your valve cover bolts are torqued to spec will do it. I can grab the torque spec if you need it.

 

Yes there is definitely oil around that location and yes I'd like the torque specs for those bolts. I'll start there first.

Thank you!!!!

 

Just trying to save you some coin! Correct torque on valve cover bolts on our '05-'06 is in INCH LB, not FT LB - important distinction there, you don't want to snap a fastener - and you're aiming for 53 inch lbs per the FSM which is in the ballpark of 4.5 ft lb if my math is on-point.

 

I need all the savings I can get nowadays!!! Thanks again!

Nothing special to do but tighten them down I suppose?

 

I wouldn't call it special but personally I choose to adhere to the "uniformly" procedure mentioned in the FSM. It's similar to alternating when tightening tire lugs or even cylinder head.

cylinder head bolt sequence as an example....

 

And whatever you do, DO NOT do 53 ft lbs.

The last thing we need around here is another person snapping off valve cover bolts.

 

Regardless of where the smell is originating, change the tranny's fluid. You don't know where she's been. Any towing or hauling would dictate you do it more often. Start thinking every 30k miles.

 

No hauling or towing but I just found my invoice for the last time the tranny fluid was changed. 04/2014 @ 118,060 miles!!! Damn I didn't think it had been that long!!!!

 

Oh yeah the valve cover bolts were definitely loose!!!! My torque wrench only went to 10 ft-lbs. So I stopped tightening as soon as they were tight since 4.5 ain't much at all!!!!

Hopefully that'll do it. I can't see why it won't help at least!
Thanks!