Transmission Service

[Jrod]

As part of baselining a new LX, today drained and replaced all the ATF with Valvoline WS Fully Synthetic.

After a few weeks of research (there is tons of information out there on this forum and youtube etc.)... here is my story / experience doing this earlier today...

I have 91k miles on the odo, and although a full service history at the Lexus dealership - no trans fluid replacement. I checked and my tow hitch has been used by the previous owner.

I decided to buy 4 gallons of WS ATF, and make a decision on replacing everything or just a quick drain and fill once i had drained the pan and observed the state of the old fluid. Mine was definitely dark red, but was not burned/black, so i decided to replace all of it.

Underneath the radiator there is a hose connection coming from the transmission - you can disconnect the rubber portion and divert it with about a 1/2 clear tube / hose to an empty gallon jug. (once all the under vehicle skids and covers are off you can trance this line from the trans to the radiator - on mine it was the upper hard line, the bottom one is the return)

• First made sure the refill plug could be loosened.
• Drained the fluid from pan (almost a gallon if sitting overnight), replaced drain plug (using old washer)
• Refilled 1 gallon through refill hole, using a transfer pump - left it in there since i was going to pump more (kept it away from exhaust)
• Started the vehicle, shifted through gears and the trans oil pump pushed old fluid out into the empty 1Ga jug, switched off engine
• Refilled 1 Gallon, drained a Gallon - note color of fluid
• Refill Gallon, drain about half a gallon - note clean color of fluid now coming out from the front of vehicle
• Refill half gallon.
• Reattach the trans fluid hose back to the radiator inlet for the trans fluid)
• Tighten the refill plug (can reuse the rubber o-ring)
• Perform the level check procedure (This was actually easier than i thought)
• use a new crush washer for drain plug
• Wipe down with a cloth around the refill and drain plug
• Test drive
• Replace the trans bash plate, covers etc underneath the vehicle after test drive and no leaks observed
• Use the factory torque specs for the drain plug and refill plug. You will feel the new crush washer give way - then torque it.

All in all ended up using 3.5 gallons, did drain excess on final fluid level check procedure.

Took it for 10 mile a test drive - not much positive difference in shifting (but never had any issues to begin with), but atleast i know now the the fluid is good for another 60k miles and will keep on maintaining it, since i do plan on towing. All in all, now that I have performed this process once, it is not difficult at all, just need to pay attention to detail and do not rush.

Which rubber hose did you disconnect? I have the 8 speed in my 2016 and when I did this initially it was the wrong hose.

 

[linuxgod]

As a datapoint, I recently got a 12qt ATF exchange done at the local dealership (I know, I know) and the quoted price was $500 for parts and labor.

My local dealer does it for about $250. They use barrels of ATF WS so it might not be Toyota ATF but I think they charge about $4/quart

 

[HemiAlex]

I didn't think they did that. I just put 21 quarts through my truck to get it looking good.

 

[Hidec]

I changed the transmission fluid on my 2016 last fall at 75k. Pulling the drain plug, It drained about 5 of the 10.7 spec quarts. It was a Sunday afternoon job, so I was very pleasantly surprised when i realized the dealer had given me the incorrect drain plug washer. Luckily I don't daily drive the cruiser, so I plugged the pan and it sat until the next weekend.

To my surprise, when i pulled the plug again, another 3 quarts drained out for about 8 total. This made me wonder how long I could repeat this and eventually drain all 10.7.

I figured 75% replacement wasn't too bad, and I needed it the next day, so plugged it back up and poured more money more new transmission fluid in than I had originally planned for.

 

[Sajan]

I changed the transmission fluid on my 2016 last fall at 75k. Pulling the drain plug, It drained about 5 of the 10.7 spec quarts. It was a Sunday afternoon job, so I was very pleasantly surprised when i realized the dealer had given me the incorrect drain plug washer. Luckily I don't daily drive the cruiser, so I plugged the pan and it sat until the next weekend.

To my surprise, when i pulled the plug again, another 3 quarts drained out for about 8 total. This made me wonder how long I could repeat this and eventually drain all 10.7.

I figured 75% replacement wasn't too bad, and I needed it the next day, so plugged it back up and poured more money more new transmission fluid in than I had originally planned for.

And you put 8 back via the fill hole?

 

[kris9884]

I'm planning doing a pan drain every couple of oil changes which is similar to your idea. I figure over time I'll have a pretty decent blend of newer oil. I have 200k mikes and don't know the history so I'm reluctant to do a complete flush for fear all new oil will create issues. I'm also thinking about resetting the transmission memory with Techstream when I do to the drain and fill.

What's the benefit of resetting the memory? Wont it end up behaving exactly the same in a couple drive cycles or does it literally learn your style of driving and adjust?

 

[Hidec]

And you put 8 back via the fill hole?

Correct, and it did not flow back through the fill hole while filling.

I put in a little more than 8 qt to be safe, and then performed the OBD jumper - warm up - pull the drain plug at a certain time method in the SM. It is a PITA, but about .25 quart came back out.

 

[kcjaz]

Correct, and it did not flow back through the fill hole while filling.

I put in a little more than 8 qt to be safe, and then performed the OBD jumper - warm up - pull the drain plug at a certain time method in the SM. It is a PITA, but about .25 quart came back out.

You got a total of 8 quarts out through just the drain plug? Did you have the thermostat pinned open?

 

[Hidec]

You got a total of 8 quarts out through just the drain plug? Did you have the thermostat pinned open?

No, nothing more than subsequent drains through the drain plug

 

[kcjaz]

No, nothing more than subsequent drains through the drain plug

What MY is your 200? I only got 3.75 qt out of the drain which is what I was expecting based on other threads. I’m letting it sit overnight to see if any more comes out.

 

[Hidec]

What MY is your 200? I only got 3.75 qt out of the drain which is what I was expecting based on other threads. I’m letting it sit overnight to see if any more comes out.

2016 - I let it sit for 7 days between drainings

 

[kcjaz]

2016 - I let it sit for 7 days between drainings

Well that must be it. Mine is a 2015 so 6 speeds vs. your 8. 8/6 x 3.75QT = 5 QT….

 

[kcjaz]

There’s something to letting the rig sit a while. After sitting overnight I got another QT so I’ve drained a total of 4.25 qt. Generally, it’s easy for me to let it sit a week. I have other things to get done and will button her up this weekend. Next time I’ll just park her in the lift and let her sit.

 

[Sajan]

There’s something to letting the rig sit a while. After sitting overnight I got another QT so I’ve drained a total of 4.75 qt. Generally, it’s easy for me to let it sit a week. I have other things to get done and will button her up this weekend. Next time I’ll just park her in the lift and let her sit.

thanks for reporting back. I wonder if you need a week...what if another day would have got you another quart? haha

 

[Chucky313]

I just flushed/exchange my transmission fluid (158K mile) at the dealer last week, 12 qts no conditioner or chemicals just str8 trans fluid. i didnt have any shifting problems or anything before the exchange just wanted to have all fresh fluid on the truck. I dont think the fluid have been touch since new. Its shifting smoother now tbh.

 

[kcjaz]

I did my first drain and fill at 58K on the transmission and sent a sample to Blackstone. The results seem to confirm (at least to me) that a 60K partial drain (~4qt, didn’t drop pan) is an OK plan. Maybe 40K would be better based on the slightly higher metals noted in the report. I’d recommend doing a UOA if it’s your first transmission service and you are not sure what the PO did. I did it out of curiosity and I also had a weird gear noise that I now know is my rear differential.

 

[bloc]

I changed the transmission fluid on my 2016 last fall at 75k. Pulling the drain plug, It drained about 5 of the 10.7 spec quarts. It was a Sunday afternoon job, so I was very pleasantly surprised when i realized the dealer had given me the incorrect drain plug washer. Luckily I don't daily drive the cruiser, so I plugged the pan and it sat until the next weekend.

To my surprise, when i pulled the plug again, another 3 quarts drained out for about 8 total. This made me wonder how long I could repeat this and eventually drain all 10.7.

I figured 75% replacement wasn't too bad, and I needed it the next day, so plugged it back up and poured more money more new transmission fluid in than I had originally planned for.

I’m not sure of the orientation of the feed ports to the clutches, but if any of them point down that would help.

That said, you’d never get the fluid sitting in the torque converter below the level of the pump drive sleeve. That could be two or three quarts alone.

Not a horrible idea though..

 

[Sajan]

I’m not sure of the orientation of the feed ports to the clutches, but if any of them point down that would help.

That said, you’d never get the fluid sitting in the torque converter below the level of the pump drive sleeve. That could be two or three quarts alone.

Not a horrible idea though..

I came across CCN's transmission do/don'ts video...lol.
Apparently dirty fluid is good? smh.

Someone in the comments (claims to be a transmission engineer) discredited him.