4speed transmission fluid capacity with pan drop (2 Viewers)

[styran]

Pan was leaking, dropped pan, replaced filter/strainer, resealed with FIPG.
Drained about 6 quarts (filter + pan + drain plug).

Is this about normal?
I have reason to believe the transmission was a bit overfilled by the previous mechanic by looking at the dipstick before draining
Curious to know how many quarts others have gotten by dropping pan
FSM seems to only give capacity for drain and fill without dropping pan and dry fill

 

[TexLexican]

Never have dropped the pan but pulling the plug I got 3 or 4 quarts out. I can’t imagine dropping the pan would result in two more quarts.

Also make sure you know the dipstick procedures. The truck has to be warmed up but you have to pull the dipstick with the car running and in park.

 

[Malleus]

Yes, and you won't get much more, even if you let it drain overnight.

FWIW, the best way to drain the transmission is to use the transmission oil pump; pull the return line from the cooler and drop it into a graduated container (I use a plastic gallon container marked every quart with a sharpie). Start the engine and fill up the container as you replace the ATF with new oil through the dipstick. Stop the engine when the container is full, so that you can empty it; rinse and repeat until you have put in 10 quarts. If you have a helper, have them shift from Park to L1 and back, slowly (I use a two-count each at stop), while you're refilling, while standing on the brake. I always use the parking brake AND a wheel chock, too.

After 10 quarts, check the level; you should be about 1.5 quarts low. Drain (2) two more quarts, this will use some new oil, but that's OK, and fill the transmission until the dipstick says stop.

This method will flush the entire system, as well as can be without solvents, and prevent overfilling. You can safely run the engine/tranmission on one or two quarts low, because you're not going anywhere, you're not engaged for more than a minute or two and there won't be any load on the clutches to speak of.

HTH

 

[TexLexican]

Yes, and you won't get much more, even if you let it drain overnight.

FWIW, the best way to drain the transmission is to use the transmission oil pump; pull the return line from the cooler and drop it into a graduated container (I use a plastic gallon container marked every quart with a sharpie). Start the engine and fill up the container as you replace the ATF with new oil through the dipstick. Stop the engine when the container is full, so that you can empty it; rinse and repeat until you have put in 10 quarts. If you have a helper, have them shift from Park to L1 and back, slowly (I use a two-count each at stop), while you're refilling, while standing on the brake. I always use the parking brake AND a wheel chock, too.

After 10 quarts, check the level; you should be about 1.5 quarts low. Drain (2) two more quarts, this will use some new oil, but that's OK, and fill the transmission until the dipstick says stop.

This method will flush the entire system, as well as can be without solvents, and prevent overfilling. You can safely run the engine/tranmission on one or two quarts low, because you're not going anywhere, you're not engaged for more than a minute or two and there won't be any load on the clutches to speak of.

HTH

Isn’t there some caution with a complete drain and flush if the fluid hasn’t been kept up with?

 

[nissanh]

I have done this and, yes, the pan could easily hold at least 1 - 2 quarts more after draining through the bolt!

 

[styran]

I have done this and, yes, the pan could easily hold at least 1 - 2 quarts more after draining through the bolt!

Thank you!

 

[styran]

I put in about 5.25-5.5 quarts and im a bit under the cold mark on the dipstick. Ran out of ATF & gonna have to grab more. Walmart has valvoline ATF for $14 a gal right now. Looks like the transmission was not overfilled after all

 

[Malleus]

Isn’t there some caution with a complete drain and flush if the fluid hasn’t been kept up with?

Such as?

 

[TexLexican]

Such as?

Carcarenut on YouTube mentioned being mindful of servicing trans fluid that hasn’t been touched past ~100k miles. Something with a complete drain and fill will knock too much grime off the the clutches leading to slipping. He recommended partial drain and fills instead.

 

[Bisho]

Carcarenut on YouTube mentioned being mindful of servicing trans fluid that hasn’t been touched past ~100k miles. Something with a complete drain and fill will knock too much grime off the the clutches leading to slipping. He recommended partial drain and fills instead.

I like his material, but he is not immune to repeating old wives tales, and this is one.

 

[Malleus]

Carcarenut on YouTube mentioned being mindful of servicing trans fluid that hasn’t been touched past ~100k miles. Something with a complete drain and fill will knock too much grime off the the clutches leading to slipping. He recommended partial drain and fills instead.

Complete BS. Think about what he's saying: you want contamination on the clutch surfaces - which exist to grab the steels between the clutches and lock the gear into postion - so that the clutches can't grab the steels. Does that really make sense?

First, there is no "grime" in a transmission. Anyone who can't accurately describe a problem doesn't understand the problem. I'd rather not take advice purporting to solve a problem from someone who doesn't understand a problem, personally, but that's just me.
There is only a) old oil, b) sintered clutch lining material which has become dislodged from the clutch backing material, and c) (if any at all) some metal grindings from wear.
» old oil doesn't lubricate or cool properly and should be replaced with oil that does;
» clutch lining material which is not bonded to the clutch backing material is not performing its only job - to cause the clutch plate to stick to the steel - and therefore should be removed, because it's actually preventing intimate contact between the clutch and steel plates; and
» any free metal, suspended in the transmission oil, will impede the sliding action of the clutch pistons and spool valves, promotes bearing wear and must be removed.

How can any of this possible cause poor performance? The answer is: it can't.

If you won't leave old oil in your engine, why would you leave it in your transmission, where it's so much more important?

 

[TexLexican]

Complete BS. Think about what he's saying: you want contamination on the clutch surfaces - which exist to grab the steels between the clutches and lock the gear into postion - so that the clutches can't grab the steels. Does that really make sense?

First, there is no "grime" in a transmission. Anyone who can't accurately describe a problem doesn't understand the problem. I'd rather not take advice purporting to solve a problem from someone who doesn't understand a problem, personally, but that's just me.
There is only a) old oil, b) sintered clutch lining material which has become dislodged from the clutch backing material, and c) (if any at all) some metal grindings from wear.
» old oil doesn't lubricate or cool properly and should be replaced with oil that does;
» clutch lining material which is not bonded to the clutch backing material is not performing its only job - to cause the clutch plate to stick to the steel - and therefore should be removed, because it's actually preventing intimate contact between the clutch and steel plates; and
» any free metal, suspended in the transmission oil, will impede the sliding action of the clutch pistons and spool valves, promotes bearing wear and must be removed.

How can any of this possible cause poor performance? The answer is: it can't.

If you won't leave old oil in your engine, why would you leave it in your transmission, where it's so much more important?

At the 5:20 mark he goes in detail.

 

[Malleus]

Absolutely BS

I defy anyone to prove that Toyota, Aisin or any other transmission design requires contaminant in the ATF to work properly.

 

[styran]

Ended up taking about 5.5-6 quarts.
Getting the transmission temp up to 158-176°F as the manual states was a bit of a pain.
I had to block off the transmission cooler fins with cardboard and hold brake and gas at same time to get it to the temp range. It cools pretty quick while idling so you do not have much time to check it. this was on about a 60-70 degree day
Used my scan gauge to read the temp

 

[baltistyle]

Absolutely BS

I defy anyone to prove that Toyota, Aisin or any other transmission design requires contaminant in the ATF to work properly.

I agree. People that hear this information often forget that it’s coming from a paid service provider that doesn’t want to get stuck in a situation where the owners previously bad transmission now shows itself as worse. When the clutch material is gone, the fact that it is floating around in the oil is not the same. New fluid has friction modifiers, and this keeps clutches working properly. If the fluid is going to “ruin” the transmission, the transmission was already ruined…. Then to add, people do want to avoid power flushing, so that if there is any large particulate in the transmission, it does not get forced into a small channel under abnormally high pressures. Using the pump as mentioned above, or static drain and fills are safer in this respect.

Point of reference. I’ve done two “high mileage”one hundreds in the past few years that likely were never touched, one at 200k and one at 240k and both performed better after the fluid change, and are still perfect with another combined 150k on them, with regular maintenance. The 200k mile truck fluid came out almost clear with very little color and the 240k truck was still red, but a bit dirty.

Toyota also tends to have really great fluids so if you can buy the proper Toyota fluid, it will treat the transmission very well. There’s two different standards so make sure to get the right one..

 

[gregdawg89]

Pan was leaking, dropped pan, replaced filter/strainer, resealed with FIPG.
Drained about 6 quarts (filter + pan + drain plug).

Is this about normal?
I have reason to believe the transmission was a bit overfilled by the previous mechanic by looking at the dipstick before draining
Curious to know how many quarts others have gotten by dropping pan
FSM seems to only give capacity for drain and fill without dropping pan and dry fill

6 qts is exactly what I got as well.