Is my transmission fluid overfilled? Scion xB '10

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I own an xB '10 with 165k on it. Lately I started to get shudders around 37mph to 42mph and it shifts to 4th gear higher than usual and rough. I though it was transmission 4th gear going out but it shifts every time. Especially if I step on gas it shifts pretty smooth. But if I drive normal it feels really rough and if I don't pass that range real quick it hesitates shifting back and fourth.

So I read some information saying overfilled transmission fluid can cause this. Dealer serviced the transmission at 35k ago at 130k. It supposed to be a lifetime fluid but my car had an oil consumption recall and when I got the car back transmission fluid was new as well. I don't remember if it was this much overfilled at that time though.

Anyway, I decided to check my transmission fluid level on both hot and cool it seems like it's around the same level and overfilled. I tried resting the car 24 hours to see if it goes down to cool mark but it didn't. This video is shot when the car was cold.

What should I do? I don't want to drain it without making sure I am checking it right. Could it be possible that my shudder problems are not torque converter related but caused by overfilled fluid? What should I in this situation? How can a dealer put this much fluid in the car? Am I doing something wrong while checking the fluid?
 
Thank you RoyFJ, I'm in Memphis and can't find someone just willing to replace the torque converter. One shop wanted to replace the transmission, on the phone without seeing the car.

https://www.lubegard.com/products/isf/

Would it be dumb to try something like this?
 
Originally Posted by puredata
Thank you RoyFJ, I'm in Memphis and can't find someone just willing to replace the torque converter. One shop wanted to replace the transmission, on the phone without seeing the car.

https://www.lubegard.com/products/isf/

Would it be dumb to try something like this?


If you're going to need a new transmission, I'd say you have nothing to lose by trying anything (as long as it's not expensive). So I'd go for it,what's the worst that can happen? You have to replace your tranmssion?

And who knows? It might work.

I know guys who have tried all sorts of things of things on blown head gaskets, failing transmissions, etc...sometimes it works well enough where you can get a couple more years out of it. Sometimes it's a waste of money (that's why you shouldn't spend much).
 
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Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Know nothing about your torque converter .

If it is over full , get a HF transfer pump and remove enough ATF to get the level correct . And then drive it & decide if it helped .

https://www.harborfreight.com/multi-use-transfer-pump-63144.html

Cheap experiment . If you happen to remove too much , put some clean / new fluid back in until you get it correct .

Best of luck to you , :)


This.

Dont make any big decisions before getting the level between those 2 hot hash marks. That does look overfilled. To the end or a tad past the hot mark is ok. Than drive it normally for a couple months. If the impact isnt high dont mess with things too much.
 
Yup, I just bought a HF transfer pump and it works great!
I used it on my ATF and rear Diff.

Puradata, get one of these and bring the ATF to its proper level OR just change out the ATF and refill with fresh fluid. This may in fact help your issue.
 
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Originally Posted by puredata
Thank you RoyFJ, I'm in Memphis and can't find someone just willing to replace the torque converter. One shop wanted to replace the transmission, on the phone without seeing the car.

https://www.lubegard.com/products/isf/

Would it be dumb to try something like this?



I don't know if Toyota uses torque converter lockup clutch slippage at light throttle like GM does, but if so you might have a winner here. (this is done to smooth out engine torsional vibrations).
That Lubegard is one of the few additive in a tube fixes I've ever encountered that really works.
I've had great success with it fixing torque converter lockup "chuggle" on a 2004 Cadillac....which occurs at light throttle in the 40 mph range.
 
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Originally Posted by Char Baby
Yup, I just bought a HF transfer pump and it works great!
I used it on my ATF and rear Diff.

Puradata, get one of these and bring the ATF to its proper level OR just change out the ATF and refill with fresh fluid. This may in fact help your issue.


That sounds like a good idea. If this is the 4-speed trans, somewhere between 2.5 and 3 quarts should fill it. I think the published spec is 2.7. (NAPA ATM PB2403 is the drain plug washer if you drain the pan instead of pumping it out.)

Another thought--You are checking the dipstick with the engine idling, right?
 
If your AT was "overfilled", it shouldn't have taken but one run up the highway to show you that the ATF is being churned by rotating assemblies and being expelled out the vent. All ATs have a vent. Fluid expands when it heats up so a vent is provided to accommodate this expansion. Some vent locations are easy to find and some aren't. On my Camry it is visible but I doubt very few owners know what that little white cap is.
 
Originally Posted by Char Baby


Puradata, get one of these and bring the ATF to its proper level OR just change out the ATF and refill with fresh fluid. This may in fact help your issue.

+1

I'd do the second step with fresh OEM fluid, sure MaxLife does meet the Toyota WS and JASO M315-1A specs but if the OP wants to isolate between tired fluid or transmission trouble I'd use OEM WS fluid for the troubleshooting step. The frictional coefficient is where Toyota wants it with WS, instead of an acceptable compromise.

The Scion xBs should have a dipstick, do a spill and fill and set the fluid to the cold scale. Drive the car for a good 10 miles or so to get the fluid hot and check on the hot scale. Toyota trannies need anywhere from 2-3.7 quarts to fill the pan. Pour in 2 quarts, start the car and run through all the gears with the engine idling, don't move the car. Then check the fluid level. If it's low, top off to the safe level on the dipstick and run through the gears again before rechecking.
 
+2 for the drain and fill.

In my experience with older Toyota, the shudders actually caused by low level fluid not over.
But a drain and fill should help you put it in the correct level.
 
Originally Posted by nthach
Originally Posted by Char Baby


Puradata, get one of these and bring the ATF to its proper level OR just change out the ATF and refill with fresh fluid. This may in fact help your issue.

+1

I'd do the second step with fresh OEM fluid, sure MaxLife does meet the Toyota WS and JASO M315-1A specs but if the OP wants to isolate between tired fluid or transmission trouble I'd use OEM WS fluid for the troubleshooting step. The frictional coefficient is where Toyota wants it with WS, instead of an acceptable compromise.

The Scion xBs should have a dipstick, do a spill and fill and set the fluid to the cold scale. Drive the car for a good 10 miles or so to get the fluid hot and check on the hot scale. Toyota trannies need anywhere from 2-3.7 quarts to fill the pan. Pour in 2 quarts, start the car and run through all the gears with the engine idling, don't move the car. Then check the fluid level. If it's low, top off to the safe level on the dipstick and run through the gears again before rechecking.


I agree. I would assume the dealer used Toyota WS. I would check to make sure. If they used Toyota WS, I'd just drain about a pint out. Then get it hot and check if after going through the gears and leaving the motor running at idle. Make sure you are on level ground.
 
My 15 Tacoma is easy peasy to change fluid. I use the fushion app and a kiwi 3 Bluetooth reader. I used custom pids to read converter and pan fluid temps.
 
I don't think I hear your motor running in the video, did you check it with the motor running is my question?

And the other thing if it was cold and motor not running you should have been more like a quarter inch over the high hot mark, and it looks like you're about an inch and more almost over the high hot mark. So yes, cold and not running this would be too high on my Toyota dipsticks.

Some Rav4's around that area did I have problems with shutter if I remember right. I also had a buddy who has the sky on TC day overfilled his transmission and how he knew is the transmission overheated on a long trip.
 
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