Can I use M1 ATF in 04 Corolla?

[tc1446]

Want to drop the pan and change filter. Have on hand some older M1 Syn ATF
that says "Meets Dexron III and Mercon requirements, Allison C4, and is compatible
with conventional ATF fluids"

Can I use this in the '04 Corolla. It takes about 3 quarts.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

I believe that Toyota changed their ATF requirements for Corollas to type T-IV starting in 2003.

2002 and earlier used Dexron III.

 

[friendly_jacek]

You technically shouldn't as it officially requires T-IV, but I actually did that a couple of years ago. I also had some older D-III M1 ATF left over from another car. I used something like ~3 qts of older M1 and the rest (~1.5qt) was newer M1 compatible with T-IV. I did pan drop at that time.

Nothing bad happened and the tranny still works fine some 40,000 miles later. The most current ATF change was Redline D4. So the tranny has a mixture of T-IV, M1, and D4 now (I do drain and refill every 30,000 miles).

Notice that the same tranny was previously speced for D-III before Toyota switched to T-IV. Knowing that put me at ease about using the old M1.

 

[rhhsiao]

I did a drain and fill on a friend's '04 Corolla with Castrol Import Multi Vehicle ATF and it shifted beautifully after. It hadn't been changed at all in 95K miles and there was definite improvement after the change. I used about 3.25 quarts.

 

[DBMaster]

Sorry of this is not relevant. I did a pan drop d&f on my girlfriend's 2003 Highlander (with the 2.4L engine) using M1 ATF. That was at least a couple of years ago. No issues to report.

 

[MysticGold04]

my .02 is to skip the pan drop and just do a drain and fill. I had a trans shop replace the filter on my Highlander, when I should have told them to clean and replace the "screen". Oh well hindsight is always better.

I have since done several drain and fills, 4Qts each with Castrol Import with 0 issues, but now am using Maxlife ATF. I assume you'd have no issues with M1 either.

 

[DBMaster]

^I agree with you. I should have skipped the pan drop. It's just a screen in there and it wasn't dirty.

 

[tig1]

My Fusion specs some off the wall spec, but I use M1 ATF in it and have had zero issues. Mobil tech said it was not specd for the Fusion but he said it will work fine. There are many hoops for oil companies to jump through, too many in my view.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: MysticGold04
my .02 is to skip the pan drop and just do a drain and fill.


When I did pan drop @ 60,000 miles in corolla, there were fair amounts of particles on the bottom of the pan and on the magnets. Draining 3-4 qts of ATF leaves that behind.

 

[JMJNet]

Personally, if it is 04, I would drop the pan and change the screen filter. It is almost 10 years by now.

 

[MysticGold04]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: MysticGold04
my .02 is to skip the pan drop and just do a drain and fill.


When I did pan drop @ 60,000 miles in corolla, there were fair amounts of particles on the bottom of the pan and on the magnets. Draining 3-4 qts of ATF leaves that behind.


You are correct. What I meant to say was do a pan drop, but don't bother replacing the "screen" with a filter that has media. That way the pan, magnets, etc can be cleaned up.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: MysticGold04
my .02 is to skip the pan drop and just do a drain and fill.


When I did pan drop @ 60,000 miles in corolla, there were fair amounts of particles on the bottom of the pan and on the magnets. Draining 3-4 qts of ATF leaves that behind.


The stuff on the magnets shouldn't move. Stuff on the bottom the pan though could, I guess.

 

[tc1446]

Thanks folks for the excellent replys. I did take your sugestions and dropped the pan and replaced the filter. Surprisingly it wasn't as bad as I expected, but then I had drained the fluid twice before, over the years (it has a drain plug like the oil drain). Bottom of pan had thin sludge that wiped out easily with solvent and the two magnets were coated with sludge but had no metal particles. Refilled with about 2 3/4 qts and its good to go.
Going to strongly suggest to the new owner that he drain the fluid a couple more times when the oil is changed as the fluid that came out was extremely dark.

Young guy bought it for his wife so I changed oil with PP/Bosch filter, put in fresh anti-freeze and had the tires rotated. They're a local couple so I want the car in good shape for them.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: tc1446

Going to strongly suggest to the new owner that he drain the fluid a couple more times when the oil is changed as the fluid that came out was extremely dark.


IMHO, the T-IV fluid gets dark in normal use and it's not unusual to see that.