Transmission drain and full amount

Hello friends! I Finally acquired a 2016 crew max sr5 4x4 5.7l with 155k
And have been doing a bumper to bumper fluid change.

my only question is I drained the transmission fluid via drain bolt
And I only got exactly 3 quarts out and put 3 back in… I’ve read multiple posts saying a drain and fill is usually 4 quarts? I did this on a semi cold engine. And I did not pin the thermostat. Leveled ground. OEM height and suspension.

is possible I’m low a quart? Or am I missing something any help would be appreciated. Transmission shifts great.

 

This happened to me too. Same results, everything shifts great.

 

Why not do the fluid check procedure to find out? If you already have the truck leveled its very easy to do with an OBD tool and there is even a method that you can do with the shifter if you dont have an OBD tool.

 

Agree with Joe. Toyota has this procedure for a reason. Why people like to measure what they take out and put that same amount back in I’ll never understand. The procedure is not rocket science and at the end of the day, you’ll have piece of mind knowing the job was done correctly.

 

I forgot all about the shift sequence. I remember doing it after I refilled with the 3 quarts. Make sure you follow it carefully. I remember being worried that I couldn’t check with a dipstick.

 

Between 3 and 4 quarts is what you get from sump. If you leave it draining overnight, you'll drain about 6 quarts.

 

3-4 L would not alarm me if doing level check when complete. I use a scan gauge to watch temp before closing level check overflow.

 

listen up:

<edit>- pin your trans cooler open if you have one.

drain the 4-ish quarts.

put the drain nut back on

measure it somehow.

then pour in about a half quart more.

put the fill nut back on.

warm it up. just idle it for 20 minutes or so. whatever.

open the check valve....drain to a trickle.

put the check nut back

done.

don't over think this.

 

Follow the fluid check procedure, you can do it without a scan tool. It’s helpful to have a second set of hands but not required. It’s simple and you don’t want to blindly assume that the level was already full with something as expensive as the transmission. It’s not uncommon for the fluid to be low from the factory. Both of my last two Toyota trucks were under filled from the factory. The Tacoma was almost 2qts low!

 

Here’s the procedure.

 

This procedure would be more for a 2016 truck. At least the temps are different.

 

Here is one for newer model years

 

Yeah my bad, I posted the wrong model year. The temp is transparent to the person performing the work though if they’re using the method that doesn’t require a scan tool.

 

Then I went and uploaded the procedure
for the 07, lol. Fixed now.

 

Thanks for all the replies fellow tundra enthusiasts. I will do the procedure posted asap.

 

And don’t wait too long for the trickling fluid. It will keep trickling. Once it trickles, plug it.

 

Exactly. Once it’s stop “glugging”, plug it. The temp won’t stay in the range for long so have everything prepped before you start the engine to warm it up.

Personally, I’d put in an extra quart to ensure it’s overfilled when you start. Yeah you’ll waste some fluid when it immediately dumps into the drain pain but it’s better than having to go through the whole process to find out you just need to put more in and do it again.

 

I advise no one to take this advice. You're better off putting in what you took out than pulling the check plug without doing it at the correct temperature.

 

how would you know if you were low in fluid?

Advise is the worst vice


Thermodynamic fluid expansion variances at warm temperatures are insignificant

but, you be you.

 

As an example of why the method is better than just putting back what drained:

when I did our ‘15 4Runner, I drained a bit over 3 qts. I had to put 5 qts to get the check valve to start working

now, would I have caught that doing a simple refill with same as drained amount?

answer I would not have caught it. And it would have been about a qt low

so, stop overthinking this stuff

that’s why the damn check valve exists.
It’s fool proof. At least I thought it was.

 

Makes sense. I was going to do my next drain & fill the other way. Put back what came out. Guess I will do it the Toyota way.

 

I was the first person to say that the OP should do the correct fluid check procedure, I do it myself. You are suggest to pull the check plug without knowing the temperature of the fluid which is not only lazy considering how easy it is to do it at the correct temp but also not correct. Having done this procedure many times myself I can tell you there is a difference between how much fluid come out at different temperatures. Its also not the correct way to do it, according to the Toyota. Being someone who watches their temps every drive, if your pulling the check plug after idling for 20min your ATF is much hotter the correct 99°-111° that your supposed to be doing it. I was just stating if you're not going to do the check procedure correctly then just putting what you took out would be better than doing what you suggested.
Also just incase OP is reading this, make sure to pull the check plug with the engine running.

 

It is, at the correct temp.

 

And back to your main point-use the check valve. Why trust, for years maybe, that it was originally filled correctly. Take the guess work out.

 

In following this thread can I get a clarification, what is the correct procedure for 2019 if I do not have a scan tool or OBD too or Tecstream?

 

Get an infrared thermometer. The outside of the pan will be 2F or so less than the fluid.

 

I would suggest purchasing an OBD tool, I personally have an OBDLink MX+. This way you can be laying under the truck watching the temperature and pull it right at 99°. I'm sure someone will chime in with the shifter sequence you can do though but then you have to sit and watch the dash and then jump out and get under the truck.

 

Just curious, why suggest buying a thermometer when he can buy an OBD tool and do it correctly. All these shortcuts taken rather than just doing things the correct way confuses me when its not that difficult to do it correctly, even if you dont have an OBD tool Toyotas offers a way to do it with a shifter sequence.

 

I don't consider measuring fluid temp. the incorrect way. My thermoter is very accurate, inexpensive and has multiple uses. Sure, an OBD adapter and an app that shows trans temps is better, but more expensive and could be more complicated to setup depending on the user. To each his own though.

 

I mean its incorrect pure how Toyota says to actually do the procedure. You can do the shifter sequence method for free, Id trust that over taking the temp of the outside of the pan hoping that its going to somehow be the same temp as the fluid inside. When you actually do this procedure the correct way you have a very short window between 99° and 111° so you need to be quick. I would not rely on the temperature of the outside of the pan to be the temperature of the fluid. Like I said OBD tools are cheap and the shifter sequence is free, so why take unnecessary shortcuts?

For those interested this is the procedure to do if you dont have an OBD tool, its also listed in the pdf @Redline870 posted above.
https://youtu.be/x97UZXhhAk0