Complete Transmission Flush DIY - VIDEO (5 Viewers)

[04UZJ100]

About to do this today - what did you all use to jumper the pins on the OBD port to enter temperature check mode?

Once jumpers shift from P to N then between D and N quickly for at least 6 seconds? It says the D light should illuminate for 2 seconds once in the correct mode and I assume Park? The D light will reilluminate once at correct temperature while still idling in park?

 

[coleAK]

About to do this today - what did you all use to jumper the pins on the OBD port to enter temperature check mode?

Once jumpers shift from P to N then between D and N quickly for at least 6 seconds? It says the D light should illuminate for 2 seconds once in the correct mode and I assume Park? The D light will reilluminate once at correct temperature while still idling in park?

I used a short piece of small solid copper wire.

 

[04UZJ100]

So I am at the point where I am ready to pull the overflow plug. I successfully entered temperature check mode however there is a discrepancy between the video and the
FSM that I have.

The thermostat was restore to normal prior to doing the level check in the video and my FSM states to pull the paper clip after the level is checked.

2014 LX so identical to 2008 Cruiser but curious on the discrepancy.....what say you?

My 2020 FSM doesn’t mention anything about the thermostat at all.

UPDATE: job done. Elected to pull the thermostat clip and proceeded to get the car up to temperature. I deliberately overfilled by 1/2qt so expected around that much to come out.

I was surprised at the stream from the overflow plug and thought something was wrong but it quickly subsided to a trickle/drip.

Road test showed no discernible change in shifting characteristics. 100k old Fluid was brown but did not smell burnt. No towing ever
Same experience on my 4Runner. Will likely make this a 75k exchange interval going forward.

Few learnings: 1/2” ID clear hose is too large for the radiator discharge nipple. Had to zip tie it into place. Recommend 3/8” ID fuel line. 5/8” OD hose is too large for the fill port. Elected to use 1/2” ID and it worked well. Was able to run up through engine bay and actually see the fill port while funneling the new fluid in.

Suggest a partner to keep foot on the brake when in temperature check mode. No idea where the transmission actually is and did not fee like getting run over checking fluid level.

Recommend a good torque wrench. For someone not familiar with the feel of crush washers, my initial tightening by hand felt like I was stripping the threads. Followed up with a wrench set at 12ft-lb and got a few turns out of both the drain and overflow.

I left all belly pans off to monitor for leaks over the next few days before we go on a 2,000 mile round trip Labor Day trip.

Lastly, driveshaft zerk gods blessed me as I think the truck was thankful for some TLC. Literally every zerk was lined up perfectly for access.

 

[Fisher23]

FYI This procedure is similar but different for the 2016+ 8 Speed

the differences are here:
need 1/2 clear line which is 1/2 ID and 5/8 OD used for both drain and fill
.
drain pan and drain pan over fill check
refill what came out so far in this case 5.2 qrts
.
on the passenger side there are 2 cooler lines from the transmission going up front
remove the LOWER one and attach the end coming from up front to 1/2 hose and insert in 1 gallon jug
.
.
There is no thermostat to deal with or pin open ..
.
.
12 quarts once that came out fluid was like new, I did a extra quart and that was a waste of 1 quart.

 

[04UZJ100]

FYI This procedure is similar but different for the 2016+ 8 Speed

the differences are here:
need 1/2 clear line which is 1/2 ID and 5/8 OD used for both drain and fill
.
drain pan and drain pan over fill check
refill what came out so far in this case 5.2 qrts
.
on the passenger side there are 2 cooler lines from the transmission going up front
remove the LOWER one and attach the end coming from up front to 1/2 hose and insert in 1 gallon jug
.
.
There is no thermostat to deal with or pin open ..
.
.
12 quarts once that came out fluid was like new, I did a extra quart and that was a waste of 1 quart.

Curious as to why the thermostat was removed. 5 speed didn’t have one, 6 speed had one, 8 speed doesn’t.

What’s also interesting is that 200 series transmission temperature appear hotter than the 100 series and V8 4Runner. 200 series has radiator pass thru that the 100 and V8 4R don’t have.

100 series temps rarely hit 200 - the 200 series regularly runs at that temp since the Fluid is heated in the radiator.....

 

[HBAla LX570]

ive got 13 quarts in the classifieds here & also on ebay if anyone is interested

SOLD - Huntsville, Alabama - Toyota Lexus Scion ATF WS World Standard Transmission Fluid 12qts Case + 1 = total 13

I ordered two 6packs from ebay a couple weeks ago, but then realized the shipment wouldn't have arrived to my house in time before beach trip. so I went to dealership and purchased 14 same day. The guy on ebay wouldnt accept my return request so I have 12+ 1 extra that I ended up with after...

forum.ih8mud.com

13 Quarts Toyota/Scion Automatic Transmission Fluid ATF World Standard OEM NEW! | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 13 Quarts Toyota/Scion Automatic Transmission Fluid ATF World Standard OEM NEW! at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[Fisher23]

Curious as to why the thermostat was removed. 5 speed didn’t have one, 6 speed had one, 8 speed doesn’t.
...

the 8 speed has a thermostat, they all do. BUT you don't need to pin it open to flush the fluid. It eventually opens and quickly at summer time temperatures.
It is more sealed up on the 8 speed, so it did not look like you can pin it.

 

[degmla]

Lastly, driveshaft zerk gods blessed me as I think the truck was thankful for some TLC. Literally every zerk was lined up perfectly for access.

lol, this happend to me this weekend! After cursing the PO dealership for reinstalling the transfer case harmonic mass backwards (wish I took a pic), I noticed all 6 zerks were perfectly aligned and at the perfect angle!

 

[NLScooby]

Ha - I greased my zerks a few weeks ago and got nearly as lucky. The time before it was like I was being punished for something I must have done in a previous life.

 

[TLC2013]

@NLScooby thanks again for taking the time to put together this video. Great job! I just completed the fluid exchange on my 2013 LC @ 100k. Couldn’t have done it without this. Switched to Amsoil and also dropped the pan to change the filter and install a new gasket.
Including @linuxgod and @Taco2Cruiser have you ever seen this during a tranny fluid exchange on the 200 where it took the temp getting all the way up to 118F for the fluid to come out the overflow ? I did the full exchange per the instructions here but still needed to top off 1.5 quarts to get the fluid to over flow and it took getting the temps to 118F on the OBD fusion app for it to flow out and then gradually slow to a trickle. Wonder if it has to do with the OBD fusion app and how accurately it displays the temps in real time. The 5/8” hose on the cooler line leaked a bit even zip tied down so I know I lost some fluid but I was still surprised to see these results during the fluid level temp check Process of the exchange.

Fluid was nasty looking at 100K, glad to swap it out for some nice cherry red ATF. Hard to believe it’s marketed as lifetime based on the dark motor oil color of it at 100k.

 

[linuxgod]

@NLScooby thanks again for taking the time to put together this video. Great job! I just completed the fluid exchange on my 2013 LC @ 100k. Couldn’t have done it without this. Switched to Amsoil and also dropped the pan to change the filter and install a new gasket.
Including @linuxgod and @Taco2Cruiser have you ever seen this during a tranny fluid exchange on the 200 where it took the temp getting all the way up to 118F for the fluid to come out the overflow ? I did the full exchange per the instructions here but still needed to top off 1.5 quarts to get the fluid to over flow and it took getting the temps to 118F on the OBD fusion app for it to flow out and then gradually slow to a trickle. Wonder if it has to do with the OBD fusion app and how accurately it displays the temps in real time. The 5/8” hose on the cooler line leaked a bit even zip tied down so I know I lost some fluid but I was still surprised to see these results during the fluid level temp check Process of the exchange.

Fluid was nasty looking at 100K, glad to swap it out for some nice cherry red ATF. Hard to believe it’s marketed as lifetime based on the dark motor oil color of it at 100k.

I haven’t done the transmission flush myself but yes I think that’s normal. Even if you pin the A/T thermostat open, the fluid will expand as it warms up. The FSM has a temp range you’re supposed to measure it within and it’s definitely above 118F

 

[04UZJ100]

I haven’t done the transmission flush myself but yes I think that’s normal. Even if you pin the A/T thermostat open, the fluid will expand as it warms up. The FSM has a temp range you’re supposed to measure it within and it’s definitely above 118F

Negative. 97-115 is the range.

 

[AnyMal]

FYI This procedure is similar but different for the 2016+ 8 Speed

the differences are here:
need 1/2 clear line which is 1/2 ID and 5/8 OD used for both drain and fill
.
drain pan and drain pan over fill check
refill what came out so far in this case 5.2 qrts
.
on the passenger side there are 2 cooler lines from the transmission going up front
remove the LOWER one and attach the end coming from up front to 1/2 hose and insert in 1 gallon jug
.
.
There is no thermostat to deal with or pin open ..
.
.
12 quarts once that came out fluid was like new, I did a extra quart and that was a waste of 1 quart.

Hey Fisher, im getting ready to do this today/tomorrow and have been wrapping my head around the 8speed procedure.

Are you saying that your cooler return line pumped immediately on cold start on our non pinned lines?
That would negate the need for a lot of whats in my FSM and a lot of the temp range hassle it describes.

Also, the more i think about it, the less necessary the FSM seems to be here...
Logically, If the cooler lines are all sealed then all that needs to happen is the system filled up past capacity, the trans brought up to temp so the coolant lines fill back and any air is recaptured into the pan, then cool and repeat to FSM temp range and pull overfill check.
That all depends on my first question being true. Is that the case or were you fully warmed up when you pulled the line?

Pardon me guys for dragging you back @RangerPepe @bloc @04UZJ100 but info is scattered as is the nature of forums.

 

[linuxgod]

Hey Fisher, im getting ready to do this today/tomorrow and have been wrapping my head around the 8speed procedure.

Are you saying that your cooler return line pumped immediately on cold start on our non pinned lines?
That would negate the need for a lot of whats in my FSM and a lot of the temp range hassle it describes.

Also, the more i think about it, the less necessary the FSM seems to be here...
Logically, If the cooler lines are all sealed then all that needs to happen is the system filled up past capacity, the trans brought up to temp so the coolant lines fill back and any air is recaptured into the pan, then cool and repeat to FSM temp range and pull overfill check.
That all depends on my first question being true. Is that the case or were you fully warmed up when you pulled the line?

Pardon me guys for dragging you back @RangerPepe @bloc @04UZJ100 but info is scattered as is the nature of forums.

I think you still care about temp when checking the final level as fluid will expand as it warms up, even if you don't care about it during the exchange.

 

[AnyMal]

I think you still care about temp when checking the final level as fluid will expand as it warms up, even if you don't care about it during the exchange.

Right, and sorry for the word salad but thats what im saying. The last step would be to cool and reheat to FSM range for check level.
What im assuming is the fluid volume in the lines to be pretty much constant and any expansion would naturally fill back into the pan.
Is that wrong?

 

[linuxgod]

Right, and sorry for the word salad but thats what im saying. The last step would be to cool and reheat to FSM range for check level.
What im assuming is the fluid volume in the lines to be pretty much constant and any expansion would naturally fill back into the pan.
Is that wrong?

Technically colder fluid will be denser than warmer fluid, and since there shouldn't be any air in the lines I would think you are correct that any fluid will end up back in the pan. That said I don't know that it matters for final level check. If the pan temp is in the right range, the lines should be too, assuming you've circulated the fluid through the system for a minute or two.

 

[Fisher23]

Hey Fisher, im getting ready to do this today/tomorrow and have been wrapping my head around the 8speed procedure.

Are you saying that your cooler return line pumped immediately on cold start on our non pinned lines?
That would negate the need for a lot of whats in my FSM and a lot of the temp range hassle it describes.

Also, the more i think about it, the less necessary the FSM seems to be here...
Logically, If the cooler lines are all sealed then all that needs to happen is the system filled up past capacity, the trans brought up to temp so the coolant lines fill back and any air is recaptured into the pan, then cool and repeat to FSM temp range and pull overfill check.
That all depends on my first question being true. Is that the case or were you fully warmed up when you pulled the line?

Pardon me guys for dragging you back @RangerPepe @bloc @04UZJ100 but info is scattered as is the nature of forums.

Yes the cooler line pumped almost right away, there may have been a few second delay.
No need to pin any line.

 

[RangerPepe]

Hey Fisher, im getting ready to do this today/tomorrow and have been wrapping my head around the 8speed procedure.

Are you saying that your cooler return line pumped immediately on cold start on our non pinned lines?
That would negate the need for a lot of whats in my FSM and a lot of the temp range hassle it describes.

Also, the more i think about it, the less necessary the FSM seems to be here...
Logically, If the cooler lines are all sealed then all that needs to happen is the system filled up past capacity, the trans brought up to temp so the coolant lines fill back and any air is recaptured into the pan, then cool and repeat to FSM temp range and pull overfill check.
That all depends on my first question being true. Is that the case or were you fully warmed up when you pulled the line?

Pardon me guys for dragging you back @RangerPepe @bloc @04UZJ100 but info is scattered as is the nature of forums.

IMHO you overthink it a little bit. Return line from AT to radiator is pumped immediately, however electric valve at the AT cooler inlet is closed (I am pretty sure it opens depending on AT temperature sensor, although, I didn't warmed it up to check it by myself). Yes, if you pull cooler lines - you will loose some ATF, yes if you connect them back together - there will be air in the lines.

However, none of this matters if you do ATF level check/adjustment procedure. It is really simple, and you don't want to skip it by trying to calculate whatever amount of fluid you got out of the transmission, then trying to put the same amount back in. Stuff happens, and you may loose some new or old ATF here and there and then all calculations will be off.

Just overfill damn AT by 1-2 qts. jump OBD or do TechStream and just do procedure from service manual. (If you do OBD jump try to rehearse it before 3-4 times to get comfortable with it)

 

[AnyMal]

IMHO you overthink it a little bit. Return line from AT to radiator is pumped immediately, however electric valve at the AT cooler inlet is closed (I am pretty sure it opens depending on AT temperature sensor, although, I didn't warmed it up to check it by myself). Yes, if you pull cooler lines - you will loose some ATF, yes if you connect them back together - there will be air in the lines.

However, none of this matters if you do ATF level check/adjustment procedure. It is really simple, and you don't want to skip it by trying to calculate whatever amount of fluid you got out of the transmission, then trying to put the same amount back in. Stuff happens, and you may loose some new or old ATF here and there and then all calculations will be off.

Just overfill damn AT by 1-2 qts. jump OBD or do TechStream and just do procedure from service manual. (If you do OBD jump try to rehearse it before 3-4 times to get comfortable with it)

Thanks Ranger, Ive been doing a bunch of reading and it seems as simple as activating the check procedure in tech-stream to get the fluid overfill right. I believe thats exactly what it does, opens valve or circulates. Did you turn that on when you did yours?

There is also a ATF heat degradation reset that you must do when replacing all of the fluid.

 

[Hokie99]

I just use a thermal gun and shoot the pan in several areas and once the temp is around 105 I check the level.