Background
Just did Transmission fluid flush on my '05 LX470 at ~85k. Used 16Qts total of WS ATF but had a few spills. It took me much longer than I expected this first time. I only owned it since 70k, but to my knowledge the tranny fluid was never changed. Either way, I was glad to see that the fluid was not very dark except for the initial drain that had a sludgy consistency. Overall the fluid was clear with a very slight pink hue. Very glad I flushed and definitely noticed smooth shifting afterwards (would go as far as to say less clunk/thunky).
This procedure is geared towards the Sealed Transmissions using WS ATF fluid (04+) but the concept should apply to other transmission types as well. The main difference aside from the transmission fluid type is how to refill and how to check the fluid level (with WS you use the fill plug and there's no dip stick for fluid level check whereas pre WS you can use the dipstick).
Regarding this procedure, it is not documented in the FSM (aside from dropping the pan and checking the fluid level). If you bring your truck to the Dealership for a transmission fluid change, they will just drop the transmission pan and refill - that's only 4 qts (out of 12). Supposedly fluid flushes that use the machines are bad news (not sure if that's fact based). This procedure uses the transmissions own pump to flush the fluid out. It's pretty well documented on other sites. I'd love to add more pictures at some point but I didn't take them along the way.
This link DIY: Full Automatic Transmission Flush - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation provided me lots of help and confidence, but I'll point out that the transmission while similar in concept is not the same - for example the refill plug on this vehicle is on the passenger side but for us it's on the drivers side tucked up in a hard to access location.
A few other links from this site to supplement:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/311793-tranny-cooler-line-out.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/221181-coolant-atf-flush-questions.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/187428-transmission-cooler-line-location.html
Parts needed:
- transmission pan gasket (35168-60010)
- plug gaskets for overflow and drain plug part (2 x 35178-30010)
- WS ATF - 16 Qts to be safe
Tools needed:
- 14mm socket for drain plug
- 5mm hex socket for overflow plug
- 24mm socket for fill plug
- 10mm socket + extension for pan bolts
- 12mm socket for engine under cover
- gear lube pump (mine didn't screw onto the bottles but worked anyway)
- drain tube large enough to fit over metal cooler line (I bought 3/8" but it was not big enough to fit over the metal cooler line; suspect 3/4" might be correct? I ended up using a different tube I had around that was larger)
- Bucket with graduated measurements so you can keep track of how much you drained and make sure to refill that amount
- Ideally, a hose plier to make removal/reinstallation of the transmission line clamps easier
- Jumper wire to jump DLC3 pins 4 and 13 to get into Fluid Temperature Check Mode (I used 18 gauge wire)
Instructions:
Drop Transmission Pan and Refill (4Qts)
1. Loosen fill plug
Do this b/f draining anything to ensure that you can refill after draining
2. Loosen and remove Drain plug (14mm socket)
Drained about 2 Qts at this point.
Keep track of how much you are draining at each stage so you can refill that amount
3. Drop transmission pan
It was a pain to get all 20 bolts out 'cause they're small and in tight spots.
Note - there was a lot more fluid in the pan that didn't come out with the drain alone. About another 2 Qts worth.
4. Inspect and clean off magnets. Shavings etc can give clues to the condition of your transmission.
5. Reinstalled transmission pan with new gasket
Again, tight spots, need to make sure gasket is aligned properly with each of the bolts, and tighten down in the "star pattern" that I think is referenced in the FSM.
The torque spec on these is 39 in. lbs but my 3/8" torque wrench only went down to 10 ft lbs (120 in lbs) so I was SOL. tightened by hand, need to come back to them with a 1/4" torque wrench at some point, and monitor that it's not leaking...
6. Remove fill plug
7. Refill with the same amount you drained in steps 2 and 3 (for me 4qts total) using gear lube pump.
This was tiresome - it took a lot more pumps by hand for each quart than I expected. Also, the catalytic converter is right next to the fill plug so if it's hot, just watch your hand/arm and refill tube.
Flush Remaining Fluid from transmission (as many times as you want, but for me 3 cycles of ~3Qts each ended in ATF that was about as clean coming out as going in)
8. Remove the engine under-covers
9. trace lines from transmission to transmission cooler - one line takes fluid from transmission to the transmission cooler, the other line takes the fluid from cooler back to the transmission. You want the line that is pumping fluid TO the transmission cooler.
Tip - If you don't know which it is, disconnect both and start the engine to see which is pumping fluid - that's the one you want.
Tip - I had a hell of a time getting the hose off the line. I ended up using a small hook tool to help separate the tip of the hose from the metal line.
Tip - Was also a pain to get the hose clamps on/off. I did it with big pliers but it's probably a lot easier with purpose made hose pliers
10. connect one end of tube to the metal line and the other end in the bucket for collection
11. turn on the engine - do not allow more than 2.5-3qts to empty out. In fact, you can shut off the engine when you see .5 qt less than your goal - so for example shut off at 2 qts and you'll end up with ~2.5. You don't want the pump to run dry.
12. Check the color/condition of the fluid. If it's as good as new you're done and can move on to checking the fluid level.
13. Measure the amount you collected and refill with that amount.
Again, the refill hole is right next to the catalytic converter so watch your tube and your hand if it's still hot.
14. If you determined that you flushed enough fluid and this is (hopefully) your last refill, add an extra .5 qt to make the next step easier. Otherwise, if you need to drain more, go back to step 11 and repeat the drain/fill sequence.
Fluid Level Check (point here is to get vehicle Level and Fluid at correct temperature so that the Fluid level can be checked accurately).
15. Ensure vehicle is level
16. Jump pins 4 and 13 in the DLC3 OBD port (left of center console, but your right foot).
Flip the picture in the FSM around to mathc the way the OBD port looks when you are looking up at it - I reversed it the first few times and jumped pins 5 and 12 accidentally. Practice this ahead of time to make sure you know how to get into the fluid temperature check mode b/f jumping into the whole procedure.
17. start engine
18. go from P to N, hold for a second, then switch from D to N three times within 6 seconds and you should see A/T Oil Temp flash on the dash.
- If it stays lit, you're at the correct temperature and are ready to proceed.
- If it stays off, you're too cold and need to continue idling (or drive around the block) to warm up the fluid
- If it blinks you're too hot and need to let the fluid/car cool down
19. Once you're at the correct temperature, you leave the car idling and undo the overflow plug. You want to see fluid come out and once it's down to a trickle you can put the overflow plug back in. If no fluid came out of the overflow plug, shut off the car and add another ~.5Qt, start the car and idle for 10 seconds and then verify that fluid comes out of the overflow hole. (At first I thought I needed run through the DLC3 test again, but according to the manual you just wait 10 seconds based on what I understood).
Finishing Touches
20. Torque the overflow plug with a new washer/gasket to 15 ft lbs
21. Torque the refill plug with a new o-ring/gasket to 29 ft lbs
I couldn't get the torque wrench to fit with even a shallow 24mm socket in that tight space so I just tightened it down by hand.
Hope this helps someone else do it in less time with less mess than me.
Just did Transmission fluid flush on my '05 LX470 at ~85k. Used 16Qts total of WS ATF but had a few spills. It took me much longer than I expected this first time. I only owned it since 70k, but to my knowledge the tranny fluid was never changed. Either way, I was glad to see that the fluid was not very dark except for the initial drain that had a sludgy consistency. Overall the fluid was clear with a very slight pink hue. Very glad I flushed and definitely noticed smooth shifting afterwards (would go as far as to say less clunk/thunky).
This procedure is geared towards the Sealed Transmissions using WS ATF fluid (04+) but the concept should apply to other transmission types as well. The main difference aside from the transmission fluid type is how to refill and how to check the fluid level (with WS you use the fill plug and there's no dip stick for fluid level check whereas pre WS you can use the dipstick).
Regarding this procedure, it is not documented in the FSM (aside from dropping the pan and checking the fluid level). If you bring your truck to the Dealership for a transmission fluid change, they will just drop the transmission pan and refill - that's only 4 qts (out of 12). Supposedly fluid flushes that use the machines are bad news (not sure if that's fact based). This procedure uses the transmissions own pump to flush the fluid out. It's pretty well documented on other sites. I'd love to add more pictures at some point but I didn't take them along the way.
This link DIY: Full Automatic Transmission Flush - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation provided me lots of help and confidence, but I'll point out that the transmission while similar in concept is not the same - for example the refill plug on this vehicle is on the passenger side but for us it's on the drivers side tucked up in a hard to access location.
A few other links from this site to supplement:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/311793-tranny-cooler-line-out.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/221181-coolant-atf-flush-questions.html
https://forum.ih8mud.com/100-series-cruisers/187428-transmission-cooler-line-location.html
Parts needed:
- transmission pan gasket (35168-60010)
- plug gaskets for overflow and drain plug part (2 x 35178-30010)
- WS ATF - 16 Qts to be safe
Tools needed:
- 14mm socket for drain plug
- 5mm hex socket for overflow plug
- 24mm socket for fill plug
- 10mm socket + extension for pan bolts
- 12mm socket for engine under cover
- gear lube pump (mine didn't screw onto the bottles but worked anyway)
- drain tube large enough to fit over metal cooler line (I bought 3/8" but it was not big enough to fit over the metal cooler line; suspect 3/4" might be correct? I ended up using a different tube I had around that was larger)
- Bucket with graduated measurements so you can keep track of how much you drained and make sure to refill that amount
- Ideally, a hose plier to make removal/reinstallation of the transmission line clamps easier
- Jumper wire to jump DLC3 pins 4 and 13 to get into Fluid Temperature Check Mode (I used 18 gauge wire)
Instructions:
Drop Transmission Pan and Refill (4Qts)
1. Loosen fill plug
Do this b/f draining anything to ensure that you can refill after draining
2. Loosen and remove Drain plug (14mm socket)
Drained about 2 Qts at this point.
Keep track of how much you are draining at each stage so you can refill that amount
3. Drop transmission pan
It was a pain to get all 20 bolts out 'cause they're small and in tight spots.
Note - there was a lot more fluid in the pan that didn't come out with the drain alone. About another 2 Qts worth.
4. Inspect and clean off magnets. Shavings etc can give clues to the condition of your transmission.
5. Reinstalled transmission pan with new gasket
Again, tight spots, need to make sure gasket is aligned properly with each of the bolts, and tighten down in the "star pattern" that I think is referenced in the FSM.
The torque spec on these is 39 in. lbs but my 3/8" torque wrench only went down to 10 ft lbs (120 in lbs) so I was SOL. tightened by hand, need to come back to them with a 1/4" torque wrench at some point, and monitor that it's not leaking...
6. Remove fill plug
7. Refill with the same amount you drained in steps 2 and 3 (for me 4qts total) using gear lube pump.
This was tiresome - it took a lot more pumps by hand for each quart than I expected. Also, the catalytic converter is right next to the fill plug so if it's hot, just watch your hand/arm and refill tube.
Flush Remaining Fluid from transmission (as many times as you want, but for me 3 cycles of ~3Qts each ended in ATF that was about as clean coming out as going in)
8. Remove the engine under-covers
9. trace lines from transmission to transmission cooler - one line takes fluid from transmission to the transmission cooler, the other line takes the fluid from cooler back to the transmission. You want the line that is pumping fluid TO the transmission cooler.
Tip - If you don't know which it is, disconnect both and start the engine to see which is pumping fluid - that's the one you want.
Tip - I had a hell of a time getting the hose off the line. I ended up using a small hook tool to help separate the tip of the hose from the metal line.
Tip - Was also a pain to get the hose clamps on/off. I did it with big pliers but it's probably a lot easier with purpose made hose pliers
10. connect one end of tube to the metal line and the other end in the bucket for collection
11. turn on the engine - do not allow more than 2.5-3qts to empty out. In fact, you can shut off the engine when you see .5 qt less than your goal - so for example shut off at 2 qts and you'll end up with ~2.5. You don't want the pump to run dry.
12. Check the color/condition of the fluid. If it's as good as new you're done and can move on to checking the fluid level.
13. Measure the amount you collected and refill with that amount.
Again, the refill hole is right next to the catalytic converter so watch your tube and your hand if it's still hot.
14. If you determined that you flushed enough fluid and this is (hopefully) your last refill, add an extra .5 qt to make the next step easier. Otherwise, if you need to drain more, go back to step 11 and repeat the drain/fill sequence.
Fluid Level Check (point here is to get vehicle Level and Fluid at correct temperature so that the Fluid level can be checked accurately).
15. Ensure vehicle is level
16. Jump pins 4 and 13 in the DLC3 OBD port (left of center console, but your right foot).
Flip the picture in the FSM around to mathc the way the OBD port looks when you are looking up at it - I reversed it the first few times and jumped pins 5 and 12 accidentally. Practice this ahead of time to make sure you know how to get into the fluid temperature check mode b/f jumping into the whole procedure.
17. start engine
18. go from P to N, hold for a second, then switch from D to N three times within 6 seconds and you should see A/T Oil Temp flash on the dash.
- If it stays lit, you're at the correct temperature and are ready to proceed.
- If it stays off, you're too cold and need to continue idling (or drive around the block) to warm up the fluid
- If it blinks you're too hot and need to let the fluid/car cool down
19. Once you're at the correct temperature, you leave the car idling and undo the overflow plug. You want to see fluid come out and once it's down to a trickle you can put the overflow plug back in. If no fluid came out of the overflow plug, shut off the car and add another ~.5Qt, start the car and idle for 10 seconds and then verify that fluid comes out of the overflow hole. (At first I thought I needed run through the DLC3 test again, but according to the manual you just wait 10 seconds based on what I understood).
Finishing Touches
20. Torque the overflow plug with a new washer/gasket to 15 ft lbs
21. Torque the refill plug with a new o-ring/gasket to 29 ft lbs
I couldn't get the torque wrench to fit with even a shallow 24mm socket in that tight space so I just tightened it down by hand.
Hope this helps someone else do it in less time with less mess than me.
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