Sand-like substance in ATF fluid after '21 Drain and Fill?!

Hello!

Currently have a 2021 Toyota Tundra that has 30k miles exactly. Went to do a drain and fills after installing the 20-row Setrab cooler kit recommended on here and it is the first "flush" I plan on doing.

At the initial pan draining for the first ~5 Quarts, it looks like there is a white/gold sand like substance in pretty good quantity that came out with the first drain. I am attaching pictures in hopes someone can tell me what it is and if I should be worrying.

It has never been towed and normally sees 200-215 degrees in the TC and Pan as long as temps aren't above 100 degrees outside (verified with Scangauge II).

If anyone has seen anything grainy like this from a first drain at 30k miles please let me know. It doesn't looks like metal, doesn't shine, and honestly reminds me of silt or small rocks.

 

Manufacturing debris from the cooler would be my best guess.

how sure are you your catch container was clean when you started?

 

unfortunatly this was from the pan before anything had been ran through the cooler, this is just sediment sitting at the bottom of the pan for the past 2 days as I installed the Nicks Cooler Kit. I have not cranked it since finding all of this sediment during the intial pan draining before I was going to refill with all new fluid and work my way through.

All of this was from the untoched factory transmission

 

Any way sand could have fallen in when parts were removed for the cooler install?

i wouldnt stress out, run it and on the next change see if it happens again

 

I read about cleaning off the fill hole prior to trying to open it so I know for a fact there was no sediment or dirt around it when I opened it up. Odd thing was the fill bolt took probably slightly more then finger pressure to start turning so I know it wasn't torqued to spec but there has never been any work done to it that I know of, as I've never touched the transmission prior to this. There was a lot more of this sand like stuff at the bottom of the pail I was using but tried to get some on the side to show the size and color ...

I was initially worried that it was some sort of composite or ceramic clutch material but with it only having 30k miles and no real hard use besides temps with no cooler...I'm honestly stumped as to what it could be. Whatever it is I'm assuming is either rin there from the factory or it's a component already breaking down...

Was just wondering if anyone had seen anything like this, as I'm sure it's not common... especially not for a newer 2021 that has been babied

 

Yikes! I also installed a cooler recently on my 2020 with 47k miles. Prior to install I drained the transmission into a clean container and I saw nothing like that come out, just dark red transmission fluid.

I don't know anything about the manufacturing process, but perhaps it is some kind of casting sand that wasn't cleaned out properly when the transmission case was made? Despite the warnings against dropping the transmission pan to avoid the possibility of breaking off any bolts, in your case I would be tempted to do so to see what the filter screen looks like. That would also give you the opportunity to completely clean out the pan.

Just my opinion for whatever it's worth. Good luck!

 

I typically find sealant remnants when oil or ATF is changed the first time, but no sand. And not in these quantities.

The grain is large enough to get stuck in the mesh filter. Some fine particles will go through and cause abrasion wear, but this is what happens in transmission somewhat normally: friction material and metal shavings are suspended in ATF. This is why you need to replace ATF regularly, even before it gets dark or dull.

Drop the pan, inspect and clean it closely. Replace the filter. You may need to use an inductive bolt heater before you touch the pan bolts if you are up north, where the bolts typically rust.