2005 transmission fluid DIY questions

[Sykoslug]

Install an upgraded valve body at the same time. So worth it. Nomad Stage 1 makes the 5-speed shift like a BMW, it was by far the best bang for buck mod I've done. I used Valvoline Maxlife ATF from what I read it's better in every way than OEM fluids.

That looks pretty sweet, but can't justify the dosh atm.

 

[Tareq]

A750f
Only 2.9 liters came out (hot)
Waited for 30min
Refilled with 2.9 liters
Old fluid looks ok
80k miles on it

 

[TexLexican]

A750f
Only 2.9 liters came out (hot)
Waited for 30min
Refilled with 2.9 liters
Old fluid looks ok
80k miles on it


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What you took out hot may not amount to what you put back in at a different temp. Do you have a dip stick or an over flow drain on the pan?

 

[bigredmachine]

What you took out hot may not amount to what you put back in at a different temp. Do you have a dip stick or an over flow drain on the pan?

if theres any difference its going to be negligible, i wouldnt lose any sleep over it.

 

[Tareq]

What you took out hot may not amount to what you put back in at a different temp. Do you have a dip stick or an over flow drain on the pan?

if theres any difference its going to be negligible, i wouldnt lose any sleep over it.

I was thinking the same, but apparently many dont think ATF fluid expands much with heat.
Yes, I have a dip stick but was never able to read it properly, always looks messy.
I was thinking it would be more appropriate to open the overflow screw and add oil until I see the oil coming out of there!
I might do that but I think everything is ok, it shifts smooth!

 

[bigredmachine]

I was thinking the same, but apparently many dont think ATF fluid expands much with heat.
Yes, I have a dip stick but was never able to read it properly, always looks messy.
I was thinking it would be more appropriate to open the overflow screw and add oil until I see the oil coming out of there!
I might do that but I think everything is ok, it shifts smooth!

i would not fill it up through the over flow like a manual trans, catch the fluid coming out and put the same amount back in. thats what i always did at the shop and toyota did have charts for different trans with approximate fill values, xqt for torque converter removal and replacement, xqt for pan removal, ect so if you can find one that will at least give a ballpark amount youll need for doing a drain and fill or after a repair.

when your filling through the dipstick you should let the fluid run down the tube a bit first before checking and itll be easier to read.

 

[Tareq]

i would not fill it up through the over flow like a manual trans, catch the fluid coming out and put the same amount back in. thats what i always did at the shop and toyota did have charts for different trans with approximate fill values, xqt for torque converter removal and replacement, xqt for pan removal, ect so if you can find one that will at least give a ballpark amount youll need for doing a drain and fill or after a repair.

when your filling through the dipstick you should let the fluid run down the tube a bit first before checking and itll be easier to read.

Yes, I meant open the overflow plug and add oil from the dip stick until I see it flowing out of the overflow hole ... might try it.

Honestly the dipstick is always messy, even after it sits for days, almost useless.

 

[TexLexican]

Yes, I meant open the overflow plug and add oil from the dip stick until I see it flowing out of the overflow hole ... might try it.

Honestly the dipstick is always messy, even after it sits for days, almost useless.

I had the same issue with the dipstick, but was told to check the level while it’s at temp with the car running. You’ll have to wipe off once and then stick it back it but then it’s readable.

 

[Tareq]

I had the same issue with the dipstick, but was told to check the level while it’s at temp with the car running. You’ll have to wipe off once and then stick it back it but then it’s readable.

will try it, thank you!

 

[Tareq]

I had the same issue with the dipstick, but was told to check the level while it’s at temp with the car running. You’ll have to wipe off once and then stick it back it but then it’s readable.

I just checked it when hot, car running & leveled, in park mode, tried it 3 times and the dipstick shows the fluid just at the "cool" level ..

Should I add the extra 100ml left in the 3rd bottle? Or more?

 

[2001LC]

The 98-03 have dipstick. They do not have a check plug (overflow).

98-03 level is checked with AT fluid temperature at 158f to 176f. AT fluid temp is monitored through tech stream. Alternatively, one can shoot bottom of AT pan with IR gun. IR needs to be within 3" and hottest point found. IR gun will be affected by OAT and radiant heat, so target 167F and near center of pan (away from exhaust).

04-up do not have a dip stick. They have check plug (overflow). AT fluid level is set at 97f-115f (tech stream AT-1). This is per a TSB which found factory under filled, so they lower the Temp.

 

[Jack90210]

I don't claim to be wiser than a Toyota technician, but I've been an engineer for 40+ years. The claim that you shouldn't ever change the fluid in an automatic transmission is voodoo, going back to the days (before I was born) when they were new and few mechanics understood them.

There is no science behind the logic that floating debris between fiction plates will increase friction that is lost due to wear of friction linings. If there was, you could fix a transmission by pouring metal shavings into it. Which, BTW, is exactly what transmission repair in a bottle does. And everyone who's ever used it (and then opened the case) knows what happens when you do that.

As to floating trash clogging valve galleys, etc, that's exactly what's happening due to the wear from friction linings, so removing is a good thing, not a bad one. New ATF will flush the passages, not clog them. I know, I have a transmission open, sitting on my bench right now, and that's exactly what happened after I flushed it.

The very best solution to prolonging the wear surfaces of friction linings is to keep them as clean and free of un-adhered contaminants as possible. This ensures that the most possible friction surface area will be available at all times. Loose material suspended in ATF inside an automatic transmission will only serve to prevent the friction plates and steels from contacting each other, which is exactly why an automatic transmission slips (due to wear; I know, any friction clutch will slip, if the torque exceeds the coefficient of friction of the lining material, but that's not what we're talking about).

*standing, clapping*

This, exactly. Thanks for taking the time to say this carefully and clearly.

 

[Jack90210]

I just checked it when hot, car running & leveled, in park mode, tried it 3 times and the dipstick shows the fluid just at the "cool" level ..

Should I add the extra 100ml left in the 3rd bottle? Or more?

I usually add 8oz (~235ml) at a time.

For those with the sealed transmission who do an annual drain/fill procedure (as I do), this Motive 1735 filler makes the job much easier. I'm considering buying a second for gear oil, so I don't have to drain it and wipe it out with rubbing alcohol when switching fluids.

 

[BullElk]

1 gallon garden sprayer works flawlessly with this fluid exchange. Being only $10-15 is also good when I will not use it for tranny fluid once or twice in the LX lifespan. However, I also use another one more often for diff fluid changes.

 

[RoguesPierre]

IME, draining the pan and refiling it is a waste of money; ATF isn't cheap. It's like cleaning a swimming pool by draining the top half and refilling it. How clean do you think that'll be, when all the sediment is at the bottom? Most of the ATF is in the transmission case, torque converter and cooler lines ( I got more than two gallons out of mine); none of that comes out when you pull the pan plug (which at best results in a gallon).

Draining the pan, prior to flushing the system using the pump is the way to go. It speeds up the process (a little). Using the pump to move the old ATF out of the system via the front cooler line ensures that when the cooler discharge flow is clean, the whole system is (or as much as can be without opening the case).

I did this on my son's 2000 LX470 two years ago, prior to pulling the transmission for complete overhaul last month. I couldn't believe how much fluid was in that system, after I drained it, until I saw it for myself.

What do you mean by "using the pump"? Like a syphon pump or is there an internal pump in the transmission? Just trying to figure out why ATF fluid isn't flowing through the cooler.

 

[Malleus]

What do you mean by "using the pump"? Like a syphon pump or is there an internal pump in the transmission? Just trying to figure out why ATF fluid isn't flowing through the cooler.

Yes, the is s pump at the front end of the transmission.

 

[RoguesPierre]

Yes, the is s pump at the front end of the transmission.

Tks. Can that go bad? Is it internal, or can it be replaced w/o dropping the tranny?

 

[Malleus]

The pump is the front of the transmission. It's possible that it has worn beyond limits, but not likely. It's a gerotor pump and for it to fail, the other components would have had to fail first.

 

[Malleus]

This is how the pump works and where the wear occurs, if it does:

 

[Malleus]

I can almost guarantee this isn't your problem. I have a transmission with severely worn clutches and the pump measured at the median limits. Even with all the trash floating around inside the case, the pump wasn't affected at all. The gears and impeller are very hard parts.