I just purchased a 1995 LC with 80000 miles. I went through the (well-kept) service logs, but I don't see where they changed the Tranny oil or filter. I did some searching on this site, and found good info on replacing tranny oil - plus change intervals, but nothing on changing the tranny filter. Should the filter be changed? I asked a local machanic if he could do it and at what price, and I about gagged! He said the kit would be ~$42 and the labor was just under 3 hours! He said the labor figure came from his standard online labor rate site--but said it sounded high to him. So, what gives? Is it hard to replace? Should it be replaced?
Replace Transmission Filter? (1 Viewer)
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The tranny doesn't have a filter, it is a metal screen that can be cleaned and put back in.
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So that begs the question...is it difficult to remove, clean, and replace? If the mechanic says a tranny oil/filter change will be almost 3 hours of labor...I'm concerned...as well as baffled because dropping the pan and cleaning the screen sounds like less than an hour.
If this is like earlier Toyota trannies, there are little springs/pieces that can fall out when you remove the filter, so either you should do it, or pick a very good shop to do this and warn them. Only if you do it yourself, will you know for sure what's going on in there.
I have 157K on my '95, have changed the fluid 4x times, and have never messed with the screen (and don't plan to). With the pan drain plug, you don't need to pull the pan to do a (partial) fluid change.
I have 157K on my '95, have changed the fluid 4x times, and have never messed with the screen (and don't plan to). With the pan drain plug, you don't need to pull the pan to do a (partial) fluid change.
The filter on the 80 tranny is not designed to be changed as a service item. What happens is that when you drain the oil, it flows back out the intake and flushes the screen, so the particles drain out the drain plug.
Just do a drain and fill on a regular basis (15k for mineral oil, 30k for synthetic). When serviced in this manner, very few 80 trannies have failed, and those that have, have usually been a basic solenoid failure that is easily fixed and not related to oil changes.
Just do a drain and fill on a regular basis (15k for mineral oil, 30k for synthetic). When serviced in this manner, very few 80 trannies have failed, and those that have, have usually been a basic solenoid failure that is easily fixed and not related to oil changes.
So Cary...Would you say a drain and fill of the AT fluid at every oil change is over kill? I've seen numerous posts on doing this but doing so means a drain and fill every 3-5K miles, vs 30K.
So Cary...Would you say a drain and fill of the AT fluid at every oil change is over kill? I've seen numerous posts on doing this but doing so means a drain and fill every 3-5K miles, vs 30K.
Unless you are doing something extremely drastic (i.e. towing a heavy trailer all the time up steep hills in 110f weather), I think it is complete overkill. The newer mineral oils are getting very good, and the new Dexron VI spec that is now in effect will require at least Group II oils, and likely a Group II/III blend to comply, or what most people would call a semi-synthetic.
The factory calls for 30k intervals. 15k is very conservative with modern minerals, and 30k for synthetics. I personally run these intervals without batting an eyelash.
I did a filter change a few months ago just to get a better understanding of my rig, and the tranny screen was clean. This process is very messy and I would recommend a drain and fill and leave it alone. If there is something wrong with your tranny, it will be far past a filter change.
I've commented on this before but will repeat it. IMHO, using a screen on the tranny was very smart on Toyota's part. A large number of transmission failures are related to clogged filters starving the transmission of fluid. Usually, it seems to be a shop changing the oil by flushing or exchanging, but failing to change the old filter. The old filter which is already clogged, ends up getting fully flogged with the particles that get flushed loose by the new fluid. By using a screen, any large particles are filtered by the screen and drained when changed, but in virtually all cases, the transmission continues to receive adequate fluid flow.
Bugger
Anyone interested in about 20 qts of Valvoline ATF?
Figured with 2 rigs @ 4qts drain and fill each I would go through it pretty quick...guess not :whoops:
On my '97 LX I did a complete flush (existing fluid was dark) so that is all new...On the '97 80 I just did a drain and fill as the existing fluid was still a nice bright red.
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- #11
As always, you all are a great help to a rookie. Since my LC's tranny fluid doesn't appear to have been changed in 80K miles, should I simply drain/fill/run for a week, and then repeat the process a couple of times to flush all the old fluid? Seems like that ought to clean it out pretty good. Thoughts?
If you are asking, I guess what I would do is drain the fluid and refill with M1 synthetic, then do the same for the next three 3K oil changes, and then do the 15K interval from there. I think that will be safe balance between completely flushing and doing the regular 30K. Hope that helps.
PS - I did the same PLUS two removals and replacemetns of the tranny pan to clean the original filter. HTH.
If you are asking, I guess what I would do is drain the fluid and refill with M1 synthetic, then do the same for the next three 3K oil changes, and then do the 15K interval from there. I think that will be safe balance between completely flushing and doing the regular 30K. Hope that helps.
PS - I did the same PLUS two removals and replacemetns of the tranny pan to clean the original filter. HTH.
I think this is a good strategy, but change do it and the oil change every 5k miles.
So... Ok to switch to M1 syn ATF on a 100K plus truck? Going to syn from reg oil in engine usually causes leaks... so not the same issue with transmission?
thanks
--don
thanks
--don
From what I have read on the oil threads here the original syn blends did not have stop leak stuff in them. They have since added that so the switch to syn lube is not as prone to causing leaks now. I am not sure about the syn ATF but it could be the same. Hopefully someone with more expericence will either flame me out or confirm this.
My 0,02. I would do a total oil change, which means draining from the trany radiator and filling through the dipstick. Why? Saves you cash and labour and is good if it's your first ATF change. Imagine that somebody put butter or mud instead of ATF. If you drain it the usual way and fill, you only change 30% of the oil. So it means that you minimize the fatigue factors only by 30%. On the nest fill it gets a bit better etc.. Probably you would need 12 to 15 ATF changes to get it right. If you want to have peace of mind, just change as much oil as possible. With a drain-through-radiator approach you are able to change maybe 90% of the oil. This gives you peaceful sleep for many months and saves labor costs.
A quick question... Why the heck do some of you change engine oil every 3K? Am I missing something? A semi-synthetic can be changed every 8-10K and mineral oil should be changed every 5K. But almost nobody runs mineral... What's the deal with changes every 3K?
A quick question... Why the heck do some of you change engine oil every 3K? Am I missing something? A semi-synthetic can be changed every 8-10K and mineral oil should be changed every 5K. But almost nobody runs mineral... What's the deal with changes every 3K?
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- #17
I'm a 3-4K changer with mineral oil--better safe than sorry. I've got 330K on a Honda that still doesn't use oil.
I will plan on draining through the ATF cooler--per a ATF Flush thread. So what is the risk of mixing ATF oil brands? I have always heard that is a bad thing to do--but nobody has every offered evidence...
I will plan on draining through the ATF cooler--per a ATF Flush thread. So what is the risk of mixing ATF oil brands? I have always heard that is a bad thing to do--but nobody has every offered evidence...
Aaahhh.. If you use mineral oil then 4K is indeed the way to go. I use semi-synth so the intervals are longer. You can mix ATF fluids with no problems. Of course you can only mix the same type of fluid - If you have Dexron then you can pour any other kind of dexron and not something else
All you are doing by changing every 3-4k is wasting time and money. With any name brand, running it to 5k is very conservative. We have confirmed this with used oil analysis. The fact that your Honda has run to 330k because of being overly conservative doesn't tell you anything. I am friends with a guy that runs a messenger service. He uses an 87 Accord that he changes the oil every 5k. He stopped changing the oil for about 30k miles when it hit 400k miles, then started again when he decided to see if it would go to 500k.
You can mix brands of ATF, the additive packages are compatible.
Cary,
Would you write a letter to my after market warranty company stating that
Sadly, most of them still seem insist on the 3 mo/3K mile rule in order to maintain coverage. Then they have the gall to turn around and tell me that my front axle isn't leaking badly enough to warrant coverage yet
. They have a f'd up idea just what PM is but obviously they are in the business to cover as little as possible before the warranty expires.
