Transmission fluid

Good evening all,

I have a used 2014 Tundra with 107k miles. I’ve never changed the transmission fluid and not sure if it was changed before I bought it. I wanted to ask if a drain or flush is recommended? Is it even a good idea to do now or just fill? Should I also consider changing the transmission filter?

Thanks in advance,

Jacob

 

Drain and refill would be my recommendation. Flushing, especially with those miles, could be a little risky IMO.

 

Agree. A flush would only be asking for trouble IMHO.

 

Like was said above, drain and refill

 

No to changing the transmission filter.

First, it's usually described as a strainer, not a filter. That means this "filter" does not remove 20 micron size particles, only big chunks.

Second, attempts to remove the transmission pan bolts will usually result in you breaking several off in the holes. It will be a genuine pain to drill out the pieces and helicoil the holes, even with professional level skills.

 

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the suggestions/guidance. I’ve been reading a ton of contradictory info online and this just helps with my decision.

 

Drain and fill only. Most shops I've worked at require the customer to sign a release form for a trans flush when they have high mileage vehicles.

 

It's a filter, not a strainer, I tore mine open when I changed it and posted pics. Its a type of media fabric, not a metal strainer. Best way to describe the function of this particular filter is like a sock, so if you took a sock and stuck a water hose in the end, thats how this filter works. I guess that's the best way I can describe it haha. I have pictures of it in my transmission thread but don't have the pictures on my phone anymore.

 

Maybe by your definition it's a filter.

In Toyota's world it's called a strainer. I'm just using Toyota's name for it. But, you can name it anything you want. In any event, Toyota says it's "maintenance-free".

 

Ahhh i see, I thought you were meaning a metal screen strainer. And yes I would say its lifetime. Mine had very very minimal material in it at all at 176k miles when I changed it

 

Just did my first d&f at 38k miles on my '18.

My technique was to drive up to the door of my local dealer, get out, and check in with the nice lady. She took my truck and I went and drank coffee while looking at gun magazines. About 45 mins later, she gave me my truck back and I gave her $90.
Easy peasy!

 

And by my definition a colander is a spaghetti filter.






Also, delightful rigatonis.

 

https://youtu.be/ej_6BZpK3gg

 

Have we ever received any concrete info as to the drain intervals? I'm at 50k and local dealership keeps brushing me off the idea.

 

read the maintenance guide included with your owners manuals. It shows 60k for any severe use like towing etc..

 

Using this process can anyone tell me how many qts i need to order?

 

For AB60F transmission (5.7L 4WD), reference volumes for filling pan, valve body, and torque converter are 2.2, 5.0, and 6.4 quarts respectively. Add another 1 quart for the transmission fluid cooling circuit, plus another quart for safety: 15-16 quarts. You may find you use less because of duplication in the reference volumes, so make sure you can return unused, unopened containers.

 

Thank you.

 

12 qts is just enough, so 13 qts to be safe.

 

Please understand EXACTLY what this process entails. While I 100% agree with the "Drain & Fill" process telling someone to order 12 qts or 13 to be safe I feel were giving this person the belief that since his transmission holds slightly more then 12qts when you buy 12qts you changing everything. The "Drain & Fill" process does NOT come close to changing all your transmission fluid. When you drain the transmission your actually removing less then 4qts. Then you fill it up and drive around. You have successfully accomplished the "Drain & Fill" procedure. But understand you have only changed about 30% of your total fluid. If you do it again you will remove 30% of the bad fluid but also 30% of the good/new fluid you just changed. So two complete "Drain & Fill" procedures get about half of your bad fluid changed. The advantage of the dealer transmission flush is your changing about 95+% of the bad fluid. Great right. No No No. The machine is extremely rough on the system and disturbs a lot of old sediment and this can get into places you don't want. Plus the old school adage of some old fluid is actually good in the system but you can look that up elsewhere. If you want to buy 12qts at once that would be great in that three separate "Drain & Fills" would be awesome but again your still leaving about a third of old fluid behind.

 

My dealer wanted to keep the truck over night so they could get it to the proper temp. I said the heck with that and just did it myself.

 

So my truck is a 2017 with 40k on the clock. Is a dealer service still dangerous at this mileage? Should I get it changed? The manual seems to say it doesn’t need it yet. The engine oil has been changed every 5k. I’m tempted to get the diff and transaxle changed too, but again, the manual doesn’t say to do it.

 

I think manual says 30k on axles. I don't change transfer case after changing on Tacoma at 50k and it looked like it came out of the bottle. Drain and fill on transmission at 60k.

 

I called my dealer and they said they use a system that flushes all fluid out in a slow even way and it is not a flush. Were they just BS'ing me? Plus, what is all this getting the transmission to temperature stuff? Is that just if you remove all fluid and put in new? If you only drain and fill you don't worry about temperature, right?

 

Provided that the tranny was properly filled before you drain it you can measure what you remove and replace with same. I have done this on 2 Tacomas and Tundra with no problems. I tried on the Tacoma to get it in the temp check mode but never could get it to work.

 

I can't say what type of machine your dealer will use to flush your transmission. Can't say that some new type of machine is much less aggressive with is flush procedure. After this much time and problems with the old method I wouldn't be surprised that a better unit exists but I have not heard of it. Not sure I willing to take the word of the guy who's job relies on selling me maintenance but again I can't say he's lying. Concerning the drain and fill temperature question you absolutely still have to use it to properly get the exact amount of fluid in your pan. I agree that you can just replace the same amount you removed but then you are assuming that the level was correct beforehand. I use the OBD Fusion App so I can literally have my phone in front of my face when its time to pull the plug but when I first did it I tried all three methods and found they were all within couple of degrees of each other. Use the gear shifter method, the laser temp gun method, or any OBD App since they are all getting the information from the same sensors that the gear shifter method is receiving. Understand that the fluid expands as the temperature rises but lets be realistic about that expansion. If your garage is 30 degrees in upstate Maine or me in 110 degrees Phoenix or when the temp is maxed a 230 degrees then Toyota writes a manual for their own protection cause then the difference means something. Missing the exact temperature by a few degrees is not a worry and that person should probably worry more about having the truck level when he started the job. Everyone who has leveled their truck 2+ inches in the front but then panics over missing the drain temp but 5 degrees is already.............should probably end it there.

 

Here is probably the best video I have found outlining how to get the majority of the fluid out properly.

https://youtu.be/cutlJH5KR2Y

 

This system is or WAS outstanding. Too bad Toyota thought removing the transmission cooler yet still charge for it was a great idea as for some of 2018, 2019 and newer this video is not effective.

 

I changed my tranny fluid around 125k the first time. I change it every 40k now. I beat the living piss out of my truck towing, plus over sized tires don't help. I had some funny Shifting at 198k changed fluid back to normal. I'm currently at 278k I changed the fluid a week or two ago. I have the stealership do it. I haven't had any issues with them changing it they get it done within a day, the truck runs fine. The tranny blows up at this point I'll get it rebuilt.
I believe the temp thing they're talking about has to do with it being a sealed tranny.

 

Well stated. The only thing I have to disagree on, is that the trd pros are leveled from the factory and require the same procedure to check the level of the fluid.