Transmission Fluid Exchange Writeup (1 Viewer)

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Besides the oil itself, what OEM parts do I need for a proper transmission refill? Thanks.

Drain plug gasket? Unless the fluid is contaminated, like has water from excessive swimming, we just drain and fill (~a gallon) with each oil change.
 
I just did the Rodney flush on my '97 LC and all in all went thru 24 quarts for the drain, pan drop, replace filter, and then flush. Drain, pan drop, and filter removal was ~6 quarts. So I filled it up that much once all buttoned up. This portion was time consuming - tight fit, lots of screws, some require an elbow ratchet adaptor (back ones), wasn't too sure how to tackle the dipstick tube at first (it just slides off right below the bottom bracket as the pan tube and the full run dipstick tube are two pieces - when you drop the pan, just pull nice and easy and they will separate, FYI). Even though I used a rubber pan gasket, not FIPG, I still scraped the pan really well and also cleaned it inside and out really well. Might as well, I'm here and apparently time is of no concern as I'm doing this project. Oh, the filter also drains out a decent amount (1/2 quart?) of fluid as you remove it. This job was very messy overall.

I then Rodney flushed thru another 18 quarts using the 3qts-out and 3qts-in philosophy into a clear gallon jug marked at quart intervals. Bought 5 feet of 3/4" clear tube to run from the cooler to the jugs (it's the top hose on the cooler, 7 pages deep in this post and many still can't figure that out). Had a buddy shift thru gears while I watched the outflow. Filling back up is slow. Stupid slow. Just be patient at this point in the job, even though you just want to be done already.

FYI: I ordered the ATF filter kit from CruiserParts.net and was very happy to have a solid rubber gasket and not mess w/ FIPG. Nice thing about the rubber gasket: the screw holes in it fit snugly around each screw, so you can put all the screws in thru the gasket on the pan at a table and then go under the truck and install the pan without any screws falling loose. Also, I did not order a new drain plug gasket washer. Just reused.
 
If your hoses to the transmission cooler are suspect then replace them before doing the flush (Gates ATF cooler hoses in bulk from NAPA is what I used + plus hose clamps since the OEM ones were too thick). If the hoses are good then no parts are needed other than the clear 3/8 tube, a 5 gallon bucket, a funnel that fits the transmission dipstick and 20 quarts of Valvoline Maxlife ATF.

 
Hi, Picked up an 80 last June, I've been slowly going through it since the PO didn't have much for service records.

Specifically on the transmission it feels great, now has 230k mi, the fluid is clean-ish which means to me it's still red...

I'd like to pull the plug/ drain and fill multiple times over the next few months few quarts at a time.

Question...im unsure what fluid is in the transmission (by PO) what type do you guys recommend out there? I saw originally in this thread amsoil is discussed. I can order it online but it appears to be synthetic only..also mine is an automatic 1995 FZJ80. Thanks!
 
Here's the stuff I use. I'd recommend a fluid exchange (via the trans cooler hoses) rather than numerous drain and fills since it will be easier and you'll have all fresh fluid vs mixed.

Valvoline Maxlife ATF
 
Here's the stuff I use. I'd recommend a fluid exchange (via the trans cooler hoses) rather than numerous drain and fills since it will be easier and you'll have all fresh fluid vs mixed.

Valvoline Maxlife ATF
Thanks, I can do the fluid exchange. My thought process for the multiple drains and fills was to slowly introduce new fluid in increments... Why? guess I was worried about "shocking" the trans..lol
 
+1 on Valvoline Maxlife

I’d also say just do the full flush and fill. Diluting old w new for months on end seems like a weird way to get clean, new fluid into the system.
 
If the fluid was in really bad shape maybe incremental would be better... who knows. If its still red then just flush it out. BTW buy 5 gallons so you'll have enough and some leftover.
 
+1 on Valvoline Maxlife

I’d also say just do the full flush and fill. Diluting old w new for months on end seems like a weird way to get clean, new fluid into the system.

The only time I would flush is if it's contaminated, like water in it from going swimming. Have had several pans off, turning up the system pressure to improve shifting, etc, and all were clean. Observation shows that they are easy on fluid. If you have dirty, burned fluid, the pan filter needs to be cleaned, likely has more wrong than a fluid change is going to solve. Drain and refill with oil changes works well, replenishes the additives, really no need to do more.
 
I did this today. Drained 4 gallons out and put 4 gallons in through the dipstick. My old fluid was pretty nasty, potentially never changed (215k). I was nervous about all the rumors of putting fresh fluid in an old tranny causing problems, but once filled, the test drive went fine and shifting was normal. I recommend putting the jugs in the oven at 100F for at least an hour to improve the viscosity, since filling through the dipstick is the major limitation in this otherwise simple job.

I found Castrol High Mileage conventional on Amazon for $13/gallon, which I think is a pretty dang good deal.

For anyone who missed this:

THE FLUID COMES OUT OF THE TOP PORT OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLER
Just disconnect the top hose, then attach your tubing to the same pipe. Nothing will flow out the top hose, just keep it pointed up to avoid drips. No need to undo the bottom (would be a PITA with my Slee bumper with a ton of wiring down there).


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Rodney flush is awesome. I put about 16 quarts through and it was coming through the clear tube nice and clean by the end. Filling through the dip stick tube is definitely the bottle neck of the process, watch how quickly you pour or you will end up over flowing the fill tube and making a mess. Found a cool 2 gallon "paint" bucket ($4) at Lowes with graduated quart marks on the side, it was translucent as well! This allowed me to pull the bucket out to the side of the truck so I could see it filling while i was in the truck running the engine. Did 2 quarts at a time. On the final fill cycle I only added about 1.5 quarts just to make sure I didn't overfill the tranny, then fine tuned it until the level was perfect on the cold marks on the stick. Some complained about the house clamp on the out flow tube from the cooler being backwards and hard to get to, try a set of 45 degree angle jaw needle nose pliers, piece o cake! Trust me, you won't use another set of pliers for any of your house clamps after you use those. Overall a super straight forward PM, been meaning to get to this for like four years now, hoorah!

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Rodney flush is awesome. I put about 16 quarts through and it was coming through the clear tube nice and clean by the end. Filling through the dip stick tube is definitely the bottle neck of the process, watch how quickly you pour or you will end up over flowing the fill tube and making a mess. Found a cool 2 gallon "paint" bucket ($4) at Lowes with graduated quart marks on the side, it was translucent as well! This allowed me to pull the bucket out to the side of the truck so I could see it filling while i was in the truck running the engine. Did 2 quarts at a time. On the final fill cycle I only added about 1.5 quarts just to make sure I didn't overfill the tranny, then fine tuned it until the level was perfect on the cold marks on the stick. Some complained about the house clamp on the out flow tube from the cooler being backwards and hard to get to, try a set of 45 degree angle jaw needle nose pliers, piece o cake! Trust me, you won't use another set of pliers for any of your house clamps after you use those. Overall a super straight forward PM, been meaning to get to this for like four years now, hoorah!

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Something about seeing that fresh clean fluid flowing through the clear hose is so satisfying. Great idea on the clear bucket and long hose that you can see from the drivers seat.
 
Prossett,

I have also thought of using the other hose to suck in new fluid but it simply didn't suck any fluid at all. I tried to put a funnel on the hose and use gravity to fill but the fluid didn't want to come down fast. So in my case using the dipstick tube was the only possible method.

There is very little risk of running the tranny dry if you are careful. My method was to:
- drain the pan
- check how much has drained and fill the same amount
- use a transparent bottle where I made a mark every liter (or quart, whatever).
- I turn the engine on and wait till one liter drains (around 30 seconds).
- fill one liter through the dipstick
- drain another liter to the bottle
- fill another liter and so on.

With such a small amount of 'drainage' you won't make the pump run dry. It only takes around 8-10 drain/fill cycles so there is not much running around the truck and turning it on/off.
This method sounds good to me.
 
Evening Mud :flipoff2:

I did this today using 6 gallons of valvoline max life ATF.

My 1997 FZJ80 drives and shifts AMAZING!!!night and day difference. Thanks for all 7 pages of excellent mud reading.

Question, while I was doing this I noticed strange sounds coming from the dipstick fill only after I was pouring new atf into the funnel, it almost sounded like it was gasping for air, though as my imagination runs was that the pump going dry?

I was very carefully to do 2ish quarts at a time between starting and stoping the truck.

Is there a chance I pulled air into the system, example ran the transmission fluid pump dry? I never lost the slow flow from the top of the cooler into a used container.

If the pump was runs dry what is the risk and or correction?
 
I’m thinking of doing this. But have a couple questions.

1. do you drain the pan first and refilling with fresh fluid prior to draining from the oil cooler?

2. can you fill in oil using the return line (one disconnected from the cooler) using a pump? Or the the dipstick way faster?
 
I’m thinking of doing this. But have a couple questions.

1. do you drain the pan first and refilling with fresh fluid prior to draining from the oil cooler?

2. can you fill in oil using the return line (one disconnected from the cooler) using a pump? Or the the dipstick way faster?
I was wringing my hands quite a while until I just did it. And like many have said, other than the small stuff of removing the grill to access the lines, this is easier to do than an oil change (no oil filter to remove). I drained and filled the pan and used old 5 qt motor oil containers to put all the old tranny oil in. I made sure to add back exactly what came out over the course of the job (I ran about 20qts of Castrol synthetic transmax through it (for Asian vehicles, not the high mileage variety--no real reason, just wanted a clean transfer).

I had a good long snout tranny funnel and frankly, it's so bloody easy that I don't know why one would complicate the process with external pumps. Just use ~10 feet of clear line from the tranny cooler as described above and put the catch container (I used a clear gallon former mineral water container) in a place where I can see it fill. I started the car, ran as long as I felt comfortable there was fluid in the pan (maybe half a gallon). I slightly overfilled for these intervals. After the first or second interval, you'll feel comfortable to step on the brakes and move the tranny through the gears slowly, after first filling the pan with new fluid.

REALLY easy job. Sorry I waited so long. I guess the reason I used Castrol Transmax for Asian vehicles is that I had 350K miles and I wanted as close to OEM as I could find. Walmart (I can't believe I'm now a regular for motor oil, tranny fluid and Jelly Beans) was by far the best source for Castrol of all varieties, delivered, and inexpensive.

The tranny shifts so smoothly now, and seems to keep the engine in a tighter band between shifts. Slight shifts up and down when I hit slight inclines like it's flexing its muscle. Keeps the engine revs more steady.

The important thing is to match the quantity of old with the quantity of new at the end of the run. Then you're at the level of fluid you started with. You can dial in the level after a good drive to really warm it up. OH! Clearly mark the spent ATF containers as ATF Fluid when you take it to the recycling. Here in Santa Cruz they take ATF fluid on Thursdays at the transfer stations and asked me to verify that it was really ATF not motor oil (I had it in old Mobil 1 containers).

It's not even a half banana. Maybe just half the skin...
 
Here in Santa Cruz they take ATF fluid on Thursdays at the transfer stations and asked me to verify that it was really ATF not motor oil (I had it in old Mobil 1 containers).
You mean the ever changing mix of gear oil, motor oil, brake fluid, antifreeze and transmission fluid that ends up in my "used oil" container won't cut it :)
 

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