'15 Tundra A/T fluid temp for level check

[Astro14]

I recently did this on my 2016 Tundra. It turns out that my PC/Windows copy of Techstream is no longer valid, and will not work. So I bought a good scanner.

As the engine is idling, the fluid is warming up fairly rapidly, so the window in which the level check takes place is actually rather short.

I followed the procedure that you’ve got there, dated 2007, that’s the only one I could find. Interestingly, the internal transmission temperature as read by the scanner was within a degree or two of the external pan temperature as read by an IR gun.

I do not have the factory service manual for this truck. I’ve never seen it available, or I would’ve bought it, just as I did for my 4Runner back in the day.

If @drtyler has the FSM,then I would use his numbers for your job. I erred on the lower side of the range in the 2007 bulletin for setting the level.

So I reckon I’m at the top of his range, and my transmission is OK.

 

[proveitwithdata]

I recently did this on my 2016 Tundra. It turns out that my PC/Windows copy of Techstream is no longer valid, and will not work. So I bought a good scanner.

As the engine is idling, the fluid is warming up fairly rapidly, so the window in which the level check takes place is actually rather short.

I followed the procedure that you’ve got there, dated 2007, that’s the only one I could find. Interestingly, the internal transmission temperature as read by the scanner was within a degree or two of the external pan temperature as read by an IR gun.

I do not have the factory service manual for this truck. I’ve never seen it available, or I would’ve bought it, just as I did for my 4Runner back in the day.

If @drtyler has the FSM,then I would use his numbers for your job. I erred on the lower side of the range in the 2007 bulletin for setting the level.

So I reckon I’m at the top of his range, and my transmission is OK.

how did the techstream license invalidate itself?

 

[Astro14]

how did the techstream license invalidate itself?

Great question. It used to work. I used to use it.

I downloaded it when it was free, years ago, on an older win XP machine.

I couldn’t get it to work, and now it costs to buy for a short time. So, rather than pay for the license, which costs a lot for an annual subscription, I paid for an additional software package on a Foxwell NT 530 that was already running Mercedes software.

I have since found the Tundra Service manual - a cumbersome 11,000 page .pdf that doesn’t search well.

Still looking for a good manual option.

 

[D60]

I recently did this on my 2016 Tundra. It turns out that my PC/Windows copy of Techstream is no longer valid, and will not work. So I bought a good scanner.

As the engine is idling, the fluid is warming up fairly rapidly, so the window in which the level check takes place is actually rather short.

I followed the procedure that you’ve got there, dated 2007, that’s the only one I could find. Interestingly, the internal transmission temperature as read by the scanner was within a degree or two of the external pan temperature as read by an IR gun.

I do not have the factory service manual for this truck. I’ve never seen it available, or I would’ve bought it, just as I did for my 4Runner back in the day.

If @drtyler has the FSM,then I would use his numbers for your job. I erred on the lower side of the range in the 2007 bulletin for setting the level.

So I reckon I’m at the top of his range, and my transmission is OK.

Yeah, the '15 I just did I checked around 101F which is near the bottom of @drtyler 's info. I know the owner has done at least one road trip since with no problems.

Still at 115F (the bottom of the other proposed range) I imagine some more fluid would have overflowed the standpipe? Maybe 1/2 qt? TOTALLY GUESSING there but it's basically 15% hotter.

@clinebarger if'n you were refilling an AB60F what would you do? ie WWCBD?

 

[Astro14]

Yeah, the '15 I just did I checked around 101F which is near the bottom of @drtyler 's info. I know the owner has done at least one road trip since with no problems.

Still at 115F (the bottom of the other proposed range) I imagine some more fluid would have overflowed the standpipe? Maybe 1/2 qt? TOTALLY GUESSING there but it's basically 15% hotter.

@clinebarger if'n you were refilling an AB60F what would you do? ie WWCBD?

I’m not sure the fluid volume varies quite that much with temperature. Going off the dipstick on the NAG –1 in both my Mercedes, the difference between 20° C and 80° C is only about 2 CM.

Put another way, each 2°C increases the fluid level by about a millimeter.

So, if I’m off by say 10°C, my fluid level might be off by 5 mm. 5 mm is generally the limit of the +/- acceptable range for fluid level in a transmission.

I’m not a fan of “close enough“ work in most circumstances, but I think that’s what I’m saying in this case. If you’re off by a couple degrees C when you do the measurement, you’re only off by a couple millimeters.

 

[D60]

I’m not sure the fluid volume varies quite that much with temperature. Going off the dipstick on the NAG –1 in both my Mercedes, the difference between 20° C and 80° C is only about 2 CM.

Put another way, each 2°C increases the fluid level by about a millimeter.

So, if I’m off by say 10°C, my fluid level might be off by 5 mm. 5 mm is generally the limit of the +/- acceptable range for fluid level in a transmission.

I’m not a fan of “close enough“ work in most circumstances, but I think that’s what I’m saying in this case. If you’re off by a couple degrees C when you do the measurement, you’re only off by a couple millimeters.

I tend to agree. I'm beginning to think this may not be THAT sensitive and is just another auto trans, ie if it has "enough", it works. Too low, it slips. Too much, it should puke out the vent?

This is not to say I'm going to stop following the procedure, but the question still remains which procedure

I have to do an '08 today so maybe I'll shoot for 110F -- kinda splitting the difference-- and call it good.

 

[proveitwithdata]

I hear the tundra transmissions have a so called OLM in bidirectional readers and techsream. Any truth to this?

 

[D60]

I hear the tundra transmissions have a so called OLM in bidirectional readers and techsream. Any truth to this?

I think I alluded to that in Post #8. If I remember I'll check again today

 

[D60]

Ok well I used 110F today on this '08. It'll either work or explode (shrug).

As an experiment I used my temp gun on the pan. The rear of the pan could be as much as 10 degrees cooler than actual, but the front flat of the pan was within 2 degrees. Honestly if you checked where I'm pointing here I think you'd be fine with an IR gun. Front of vehicle is photo left:

@proveitwithdata I didn't find the trans fluid degradation PID today on this '08. I could have sworn I saw it on a '15 but I could be eating too many paint chips.

 

[clinebarger]

Yeah, the '15 I just did I checked around 101F which is near the bottom of @drtyler 's info. I know the owner has done at least one road trip since with no problems.

Still at 115F (the bottom of the other proposed range) I imagine some more fluid would have overflowed the standpipe? Maybe 1/2 qt? TOTALLY GUESSING there but it's basically 15% hotter.

@clinebarger if'n you were refilling an AB60F what would you do? ie WWCBD?

According to AllData pro....Check level is 99 to 111°F for a 2015 Tundra AB60F, But why not just use the "D" flash method to verify low temp threshold?

 

[paulo57509]

This is what I got for the 2015 Tundra fluid temp. Correct trans for production date? Revision is current as of this evening. The "D" flashing method is what I would use sans techstream or temp gun.

Added:

AB60F is 99F to 11F as noted in above post.

 

[JeffKeryk]

The last one I did was on a 2013 Corolla CVT. I used the IR gun and checked various spots on the pan. I used the hottest spot and set the dribble at the low end of the range.

It's above my pay grade why it has to be this difficult, but it is what it is. Our GS trans service is next; it's pig heavy and low.

 

[D60]

According to AllData pro....Check level is 99 to 111°F for a 2015 Tundra AB60F, But why not just use the "D" flash method to verify low temp threshold?

I guess because it requires clambering from driver's seat to under the vehicle. I hate to admit how much the creeper kills my neck these days. But I suppose there's time to wait for the flash, jump out and take it up on the lift.

I enjoyed putting away tools and puttering about the shop while periodically checking my wireless scanner. Sitting in the driver's seat staring at the shift indicator seems like a poor use of time, but maybe not?

I started from an ambient shop temp of ~42 this morning and it seems to take 10-15 minutes of idling. I do run it thru the gears initially then just let it idle.

Is the flashing light method what you use?

 

[D60]

This is what I got for the 2015 Tundra fluid temp. Correct trans for production date? Revision is current as of this evening. The "D" flashing method is what I would use sans techstream or temp gun.

View attachment 192285View attachment 192286

Added:
View attachment 192287

AB60F is 99F to 11F as noted in above post.

Yeah I'm not familiar with the A760E but the AB60F is what both today's '08 and the previous '15 had, as coded on the door jamb sticker.

 

[clinebarger]

Is the flashing light method what you use?

If I'm unsure or get conflicting information....Yes. All I need is the low temp threshold.

I usually overfill then wait 'til D lights to put the check plug back in.

 

[Astro14]

I haven’t been able to get the ”D” mode to work on my truck. I think beyond a certain year, it is no longer functional. The temp read from a good scanner was easy, but this discussion has me wondering what the proper temperature might be for my transmission…

 

[D60]

I haven’t been able to get the ”D” mode to work on my truck. I think beyond a certain year, it is no longer functional. The temp read from a good scanner was easy, but this discussion has me wondering what the proper temperature might be for my transmission…

Yeah I was thinking more about what @clinebarger said and if you can get the D thing to work then you could also read live data with a scanner and note the temp. Then you'd know. Now obviously if it's not working for you, then that's no help.

I had also read on Tundra forums of others saying they couldn't get it to work. Tacomas, too.

In the meantime somewhere around 110 seems like a way to hedge your bets and almost straddle the two ranges.

 

[BMW Dom]

After reading this thread, I was curious what the filling temperature for my GM trans in my bimmer was, and it's 86 to 122 degrees F, which seems like a big difference.

 

[D60]

After reading this thread, I was curious what the filling temperature for my GM trans in my bimmer was, and it's 86 to 122 degrees F, which seems like a big difference.

So basically, idle it 'til the pan is warm to the touch LOL

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

Good grief at the handwringing about all this.

I bet hardly anyone in this thread has actually done a trans fluid service in a Tundra/Sequoia/200 series or 3.5L V6...

It's not as rockety-science as the internet makes it out to be. Once you've done 2 or 3, you realize that if you warmed up the trans fluid before you drained it, there's a TON left in the trans and torque converter and the few quarts you add back barely bring the temp down to check level temp. Once you fill it back up, crank up and start reading the temp, it's going to be 110°F or so and you have enough time to crawl back under there and start taking the check plug out.... By then you're tired of the mess and just ready to get it over with and you're not pacing up and down the driveway sweating bullets over a few degrees....