Toyota T-IV ATF; substitute? Change interval?

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Lightsilver

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Is there a Toyota T-IV ATF compatible fluid?

Buying it by the quart from Toyota is expensive.

Toyota recommends a full ATF change at 60K. Being done at a dealership, it's expensive.

Small shops don't have their machines set up with T-IV.

I was thinking about draining and refilling the ATF at 20K, 40K, 60K, 80K, etc.

Is this a reasonable plan, rather than paying Toyota at 60K to flush the transmission?

The car is a Pontiac Vibe, with a Toyota drive train; it's the 'twin' to the Matrix, and has the same engine 1.8L, and transmission as the Matrix and the Corolla; a 4 speed auto trans.

No mention is made of a transmission filter, in the owner's manual.

Does this transmission have one?

Thanks guys!
 
The local dealer charges about $6/qt. Most multi-vehicle fluids are about $4.50/qt. Amsoil and Mobil 1 full-synthetic multi-vehicle ATF ranges between $9-$10/qt.

Toyota considers the fluid to be lifetime fill under normal service. A flush at 60k is recommended if you use the vehicle for towing.

My friend had a '06 Corolla that I maintained. Before she stored the car, the transmission had over 60,000 miles on the original fill of the T-IV. The transmission still shifted fine, but I was going to flush the system soon anyway. You need between 10-12 quarts for a complete flush on this unit.
 
Castrol Multi-Vehicle Import ATF works GREAT in my Dad's 03 Camry that specs T-IV. "Lifetime Fill" my arse. I did a drain/fill of only 4ish quarts at 80k or so and it was pitch black. Shifting was MUCH improved after so I did another at the next oil change. No better shifting but getting the fluid as fresh as possible without a flush (my dad is cheap) was important to me.
A 20k drain/refill would keep the fluid in shape easy and its an easy/cheap job. The fluid costs like $20 for a drain/fill and its real easy with a drain plug. Just as easy as an oil change.
 
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BTW, I forgot to mention I used their High Mileage Multi-Vehicle Import in the second drain/fill and it shifts just as well. I wanted the HM since my dad really beats his cars and god knows when the next time it'll be changed.
 
Originally Posted By: FusilliJerry82
"Lifetime Fill" my arse. I did a drain/fill of only 4ish quarts at 80k or so and it was pitch black The fluid costs like $20 for a drain/fill and its real easy with a drain plug. Just as easy as an oil change.


It's exactly like an oil change; I'm really glad it's so easy.

This is my first car with an AT, so I want to take good care of the transmission.

I do mostly city driving, which probably isn't as hard on an AT as pulling a trailer, but it certainly doesn't maximize transmission life, either.

Thanks for the information.
 
If you plan on keeping this for a good long while, you may even want to consider getting a remote transmission filter like this one here for some pretty ultimate protection combined with the 20k drains. It uses a standard PH8A equivalent oil filter and has worked well in every application I've read it being used in. Just change the filter the first 1000 or so miles after installation and then every time you drain/refill.
 
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Originally Posted By: Lightsilver
Is there a Toyota T-IV ATF compatible fluid?



castrol import atf
castrol high mileage atf
penzoil multi vehicle atf
valvoline maxlife merc/dex atf

these all list toyota t-IV on the back of their bottles as "recommended for"

i have seen people using castrol import and maxlife with no problems at all! mike
 
Amsoil ATF via a cooler line flush and add a Magnefine inline filter. You will have one of the best ATFs money can buy good for at least 50K if not 100K (as per Asmoil) and I would bet it would be cheaper if you do it yourself with Amsoil than at the dealer with plain Toyota T-IV.

You can also bring whatever ATF you decide on to a shop with a flush machine. Just ask them to purge the new fluid container before they add the ATF you brought.
 
As far as I know there is no changeable filter on the transmission, just a pick up screen.

Another vote for Castrol Import. I drain/fill every 15k.
 
Any universal or multivehicle ATF that mentions the T-IV, 3309, or JASO 1A spec can be used. Mobil1, Maxlife, Castrol-Import are some of the easy to find fluids at local autoparts stores. Amalie, Redline, Amsoil, RoyalPurple are some other choices(usually online or at speed or 4x4 centers).

20k intervals is OK. I would definitely add a magnafine/permacool inline type filter.

I preach yearly or 10k drain/refills since it is only a PARTIAL fluid change. 30k or 2-3yr complete exchanges(flushes) is another option. My motives are to extend the life of the transmission. The environmentalists want the fluids to last forever to reduce the amount being produced, wasted, and recycled. IMO, its more harmful to buy another vehicle every few years, compared to an extra gallon of fluid for me to keep my vehicles forever...
 
Originally Posted By: PRND3L
As far as I know there is no changeable filter on the transmission, just a pick up screen.

Another vote for Castrol Import. I drain/fill every 15k.
\

Thanks for the information. I picked 20K change intervals just because it's easy to remember; but 15K will work, too.

Changing fluid is way cheaper than paying for a flush; Toyota wants about $150 to do it.

I'm a cheapskate, but I will do whatever maintenance I can, myself.

I ALWAYS do things more often than the 'recommended' interval, because the factory wants people BUYING new cars to think they don't need much maintenance.

I had a guy boast to me that he's driven his Toyota Matrix OVER 100K, and all he's ever done is change the oil (probably once or twice...) and put on new tires. What an idiot!

I saw on a Toyota Corolla, in 1988, IIRC, the oil change interval was listed, by the factory, at 10K miles. I'm sure the car would last through the warranty, but it would never go the 200K+ that Toyotas are typically good for.

I do mostly city driving, and I change oil at 3-4K with Castrol GTX dino.

Oil, and ATF changes are CHEAP, compared to other operating expenses, AND, it pays off in the long run. <---Preaching to the choir.....
 
nevermind i was wrong
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Toyota T-IV IS Mobil 3309 fluid. You can ask any lube seller or Mobil lubes distributor to order a case for you. Check around for the best price. This is the real, authorized, certified fluid.

Or, use any of the near-universal ATFs that are "recommended" by the fluid maker as a substitute for T-IV. They aren't certified, but they'll likely do a fine job.
 
Originally Posted By: unDummy
Any universal or multivehicle ATF that mentions the T-IV, 3309, or JASO 1A spec can be used. Mobil1, Maxlife, Castrol-Import are some of the easy to find fluids at local autoparts stores. Amalie, Redline, Amsoil, RoyalPurple are some other choices(usually online or at speed or 4x4 centers).

20k intervals is OK. I would definitely add a magnafine/permacool inline type filter.

I preach yearly or 10k drain/refills since it is only a PARTIAL fluid change. 30k or 2-3yr complete exchanges(flushes) is another option. My motives are to extend the life of the transmission. The environmentalists want the fluids to last forever to reduce the amount being produced, wasted, and recycled. IMO, its more harmful to buy another vehicle every few years, compared to an extra gallon of fluid for me to keep my vehicles forever...


Hear here!!
That's one reason I dislike these new "sealed" transmissions.
I do a fluid drain and refill 2x a year in 3 Toyotas.
No problems so far.
Two have 110k.
 
On an 05 Matrix (2wd) the transmission does have a removable pan. I drained, dropped & cleaned the pan, changed the filter, then reinstalled the pan. Put in 4 qts(about 3.8 was drained), then did a cooler-line flush which is easy on this car: the return line has a simple rubber hose/clamp connection in the middle bottom of the radiator. I only had to add 2 quarts after that, so it's a fairly small transmission.

Yes, I know the thread is old, but I clicked b/c of the credibility of BITOG: someone else may do the same.

Scot
 
I recommend Redline D4. Its a 100% synthetic fluid and its excellent. And direct replacement for type T-IV. Excellent fluid.

I would run it 30,000 miles and then have a UOA done.You may be able to go much farther.

Use Wearcheck.com for the UOA as they include a TAN sample. Make sure you get a TAN sample as alot of UOA places don't include it.

Wearcheck.com UOA is $25 includes TAN.
 
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