Haven't changed for a long time...

[hkkc]

Hi. I have a 1992 Toyota Camry with 136,000 miles. The transmission fluid hasn't been changed since for years if my memory serves me right. Would changing the fluid now cause any problems?

 

[Ken2]

There's a lot of "ifs" in any answer to your question.

There is no doubt that the transmission is dirty and the fluid is at (likely beyond) the end of its life.

The question comes of what happens if the fluid flush removes some of the crud presently in the transmission. Some of the stuff is acting as a seal. Some of the stuff might be loosened as chunks to float around and clog essential passages.

I'd do an Auto-Rx cleaning of the transmission. www.auto-rx.net.

Alternatively, just draining the pan and refilling with new ATF several times might be prudent, but won't do as good a job as the Auto-Rx. In either case, I'd install an in-line ATF filter, either Magnefine or SPX Filtran type.

Or leave it alone until it fails. It might fail sooner if you use a quickie flush solvent and a full ATF flush...or it might run fine for several more years.


Ken

[ February 09, 2004, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: Ken2 ]

 

[rpn453]

You should change it. It'll be fine if you drop the pan and change the filter and whatever percentage of the fluid you get that way.
If the fluid smells burnt (this is a very obvious smell, compare to new fluid), you'll have to get most of the fluid out. You can do this by doing the procedure a couple of times with new fluid and the old filter before installing a new filter and closing her up for another few years. You could also do that if you just wanted to get more of it changed. It probably isn't burnt unless you've done some heavy towing in the mountains on a hot day, or got your wheels stuck in sand or something and overheated the tranny.
Don't flush it. Don't ever flush it! I wouldn't recommend putting anything in to clean it either.

 

[Hasbeen]

Change your Power steering fluid also! Rear end lube???

Hasbeen

 

[Chris B.]

quote:

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Originally posted by Hasbeen:
Change your Power steering fluid also! Rear end lube???

Hasbeen

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A Camery with a rear diff?

 

[hkkc]

The fluid is black since the last time I checked it( last year). Just changing out the fluid is probably the safest way to go. Flushing is out of the question.

 

[nthach]

quote:

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Originally posted by hkkc:
Hi. I have a 1992 Toyota Camry with 136,000 miles. The transmission fluid hasn't been changed since for years if my memory serves me right. Would changing the fluid now cause any problems?

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i'm doing with my Lexus, change out whatever is in the pan, add new ATF, drive for a week, drain. Do this 2-3 times, and then at every oil change.

 

[RichR]

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris B.:

quote:

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Originally posted by Hasbeen:
Change your Power steering fluid also! Rear end lube???

Hasbeen

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A Camery with a rear diff?

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Actually,yes.
It is on the rear of the trans on my'99.Separate and filled with ATF.
RichR

 

[rpn453]

quote:

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Originally posted by nthach:
i'm doing with my Lexus, change out whatever is in the pan, add new ATF, drive for a week, drain. Do this 2-3 times, and then at every oil change.

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Changing ATF every oil change seems a little extreme. That clean-out method you describe may be a good idea for ATF that has been neglected. Once it's clean though, every 100,000km (60,000mi) is the way I go.
If it wasn't for contaminants from the combustion process, you could probably go that long with a good quality engine oil too.

 

[nthach]

quote:

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Originally posted by rpn453:

quote:

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Originally posted by nthach:
i'm doing with my Lexus, change out whatever is in the pan, add new ATF, drive for a week, drain. Do this 2-3 times, and then at every oil change.

---

Changing ATF every oil change seems a little extreme. That clean-out method you describe may be a good idea for ATF that has been neglected. Once it's clean though, every 100,000km (60,000mi) is the way I go.
If it wasn't for contaminants from the combustion process, you could probably go that long with a good quality engine oil too.

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i forgot to say how many oil changes, maybe 4-5 oil changes, or 3000 miles between changes. Since Toyota transmissions hold so little fluid, yes even the big Lexus RWD trannies, i recommend doing it that way instead of hooking it up to a T-TEC, with AutoRX or not, you will clog up something or destroy the tranny in the process!