My wife and I bought a new camry just a few weeks ago. I want to make sure I take care of the tranny on this car. I would say it is driven in normal conditions. The only severe service it may see would be due to hot temps in Texas in the summer. I really don't think that is that severe though. I was thinking of taking it to 50k miles and then doing a complete flush with amsoil or something better than the toyota fill. What tranny fluid would be best for this car? What is the best tranny flush to have done?
2007 Camry transmission service.
- Thread starter tsmay51
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You might pull a sample UOA at 25K miles to check. If you look on the Amsoil website they will tell you the exact Amsoil trans fluid to use. I assume its their universal ATF. Good idea to flush at 50K, but find a place that will make sure that Amsoil ATF fluid will be 100% used for the flush. No remaining fluid from prior flush (in flush machine). Also make sure the person doing the flush drops the pan and replaces the filter.
Actually, IIRC it takes the WS fluid (or whatever). There is no Amsoil equivalent yet.
Take UOA at 25-30K and move from there.
Take UOA at 25-30K and move from there.
Does anyone offer an equivalent? Would I be better off to say just dump pan and refill with new every 20k. I know this isn't replacing all the fluid but it would be replenishing it quite often.
tsmay51:
I'd be inclined to flush all of the fluid out at 20-25k miles and use either WS or another fluid that is an equivalent (maybe one will exist by then). After that flush, you can start with a regimen of draining the pan and refilling once per year, depending upon your yearly mileage.
I'd be inclined to flush all of the fluid out at 20-25k miles and use either WS or another fluid that is an equivalent (maybe one will exist by then). After that flush, you can start with a regimen of draining the pan and refilling once per year, depending upon your yearly mileage.
There are no equivalents (??? - except some obscure Mobil #xxxxx, which designed WS in the first place ???). For now just use what Toyota offers.
Probably what dkryan suggested is a bit of an overkill, but it will definitely keep the tranny fluid healthy.
On my 07 tC (same engine/tranny) I plan on getting t-fluid UOA at 30K and judge from there.
Probably what dkryan suggested is a bit of an overkill, but it will definitely keep the tranny fluid healthy.
On my 07 tC (same engine/tranny) I plan on getting t-fluid UOA at 30K and judge from there.
Redline D6 ATF is the only product I've seen with the WS compatibility.
I'd be inclined to drain what I could (assuming this has a pan plug like the other Toyotas I'm familiar with) and replace with fresh fluid every 15,000 miles or so.
It takes Toyota WS. There are no aftermarket alternatives that I know of at this point. Since you have a drain plug and dipstick, just do the 4 qt pan drain when you feel that it's necessary. You can purchase Toyota WS at the dealership for around $40/gallon. Not really that expensive for something that you do every few years.
What does your owners manual call for? If your transmission is an Aisin Warner Automatic, it probably calls for the Toyota T-IV. You are probably not going to get the fluid any cheaper than the T-IV. You may get a good price on a case of Mobil ATF3309 (JWS3309) which is the same stuff for the AW Transmissions, but nowhere around here sells the stuff by the bottle, only by ordering a case. Note that none of the above are synthetic.
AmsOil has a synthetic ATF that states on the bottle that it meets the Toyota T-IV specs, and that is probably the best way to go, but at double the cost of the T-IV or Mobil ATF3309.
If your owners manual calls for something different than the T-IV, disguard the above.
AmsOil has a synthetic ATF that states on the bottle that it meets the Toyota T-IV specs, and that is probably the best way to go, but at double the cost of the T-IV or Mobil ATF3309.
If your owners manual calls for something different than the T-IV, disguard the above.
For 2007 - Amsoil calls out Universal ATF. Are you sure it's WS?
As others have stated, make sure to get a fluid that fits with what the manual calls for.
If it calls for WS, go with Redline D6. If it calls for T-IV, go with Amsoil ATF.
If you know how to, do a full flush as soon as possible. If you have a drain plug, then do a drain and fill on the next oil change, then do another drain and fill after one week of driving, for the next 3 weeks. After that, do a drain and fill every 25,000 miles.
If it calls for WS, go with Redline D6. If it calls for T-IV, go with Amsoil ATF.
If you know how to, do a full flush as soon as possible. If you have a drain plug, then do a drain and fill on the next oil change, then do another drain and fill after one week of driving, for the next 3 weeks. After that, do a drain and fill every 25,000 miles.
I just checked the app guide right now..it said "WS."
When I had my '94 Camry, I never touched the trans until I hit 130,000 on the clock. And even then, I just did it because I was going to be driving the car more. It was perfectly fine before and after I dropped the pan and changed the filter. I really didn't even need to do it.
If the car is new, I say leave it for a few years. It's a Toyota, they're built better than tanks!
If the car is new, I say leave it for a few years. It's a Toyota, they're built better than tanks!
Edmund,
I once had a 1992 4cylinder Camry Automatic. I towed an enclosed trailer from Western New York to South Florida and back, total weight around 1800 lbs. It was winter time so it was cold once north of the Florida/Georgia line. When I returned north, I was worried about the transmission, so I had the pan dropped, filter changed and fluid changed. I then went and talked with the transmission technician and asked him how it looked in there. (I.E. if there was any "pieces" of anything in there). He said the inside looked great. Car had about 20,000 miles on it at the time.
I never changed transmission fluid again, even though I often towed with it. Sold the car when it hit 100,000 miles, and the transmission was still working fine.
I once had a 1992 4cylinder Camry Automatic. I towed an enclosed trailer from Western New York to South Florida and back, total weight around 1800 lbs. It was winter time so it was cold once north of the Florida/Georgia line. When I returned north, I was worried about the transmission, so I had the pan dropped, filter changed and fluid changed. I then went and talked with the transmission technician and asked him how it looked in there. (I.E. if there was any "pieces" of anything in there). He said the inside looked great. Car had about 20,000 miles on it at the time.
I never changed transmission fluid again, even though I often towed with it. Sold the car when it hit 100,000 miles, and the transmission was still working fine.
"I want to make sure I take care of the tranny on this car."
tsmay51, do whatever you want, it's your car. I would not, however, "leave it for a few years" as suggested by Edmond, at least not if you want to keep this car for 8-10 years or more.
I had a UOA performed on the T-IV from my 2005 Highlander after 20k miles. This vehicle is driven 60/40 highway/city in the midwest, not in the great state of Texas. I found the results less than stellar after only 20k. Lots of "wear materials," and some obvious shearing of the fluid. It would still be good for another 10k miles, maybe, but certainly not the 60k "severe service" or 100k mile "normal service" indicated by Toyota. And I don't tow, either.
I did a full flush with Amsoil ATF at 25k miles and did not look back. The tranny shifts just fine, thank you, and with a drain plug and tranny dipstick, I can do a "drain and fill" every 20k miles or so and not worry about a tranny problem.
Good luck.
tsmay51, do whatever you want, it's your car. I would not, however, "leave it for a few years" as suggested by Edmond, at least not if you want to keep this car for 8-10 years or more.
I had a UOA performed on the T-IV from my 2005 Highlander after 20k miles. This vehicle is driven 60/40 highway/city in the midwest, not in the great state of Texas. I found the results less than stellar after only 20k. Lots of "wear materials," and some obvious shearing of the fluid. It would still be good for another 10k miles, maybe, but certainly not the 60k "severe service" or 100k mile "normal service" indicated by Toyota. And I don't tow, either.
I did a full flush with Amsoil ATF at 25k miles and did not look back. The tranny shifts just fine, thank you, and with a drain plug and tranny dipstick, I can do a "drain and fill" every 20k miles or so and not worry about a tranny problem.
Good luck.
If you plan on keeping the car forever, I would definitely consider some ATF maintenance starting sooner then later.
A yearly drain/refill, if you drive less then 15k a year, is easy to do. Or, a full flush every 30k should be considered.
If your location is typically warm(TX), an aftermarket cooler should prevent excessive ATF temp spikes which will shorten its life. And, any ATF filter kit will do much to keep the fluid clear of wear and tear that can add to future wear/tear.
If the vehicle has a drainplug AND dipstick, ATF maintenance is easy. Read your owners manual for ATF type required. Use the OEM ATF, or an aftermarket equivalent.
If you don't have a dipstick or drainplug, then you'll have to research the method for ATF maintenance for your vehicle.
Now, open up the owners manual tell us what your tranny requires, whether it has a drain & fill plugs, or drainplug & dipstick, whether it takes T-IV or WS.....????
A yearly drain/refill, if you drive less then 15k a year, is easy to do. Or, a full flush every 30k should be considered.
If your location is typically warm(TX), an aftermarket cooler should prevent excessive ATF temp spikes which will shorten its life. And, any ATF filter kit will do much to keep the fluid clear of wear and tear that can add to future wear/tear.
If the vehicle has a drainplug AND dipstick, ATF maintenance is easy. Read your owners manual for ATF type required. Use the OEM ATF, or an aftermarket equivalent.
If you don't have a dipstick or drainplug, then you'll have to research the method for ATF maintenance for your vehicle.
Now, open up the owners manual tell us what your tranny requires, whether it has a drain & fill plugs, or drainplug & dipstick, whether it takes T-IV or WS.....????
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