ATF Change Process?

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Gonna be working on a '09 Highlander with 138k miles. Have all Toyota service records but can find nothing regarding ATF change. Wipers, tires, carbon cleaning (?), batteries, tires, brakes, etc all done at Toyota dealership. Owner's manual says to change at 60K only if you tow with it. I call it BS but it hasn't been part of my family.



I am gonna change the ATF and use Toyota WS. Thankfully, this car has a AT dipstick! How would you proceed to get new fluid in the transmission?


There are several options.

1. Can go and do a partial drain and fill 3 times and get about a 90% (5 out of 9.5 each drain and fill) new ATF level

2. Can remove "all" old ATF going through the cooler line process. I will not do a flush.

Also, gonna replace the Toyota ATF filter at some point. Would you replace it now in the beginning or run the new fluid for a while and then drop the pan and replace the filter? My thought process is the "new" fluid may do some cleaning and therefore it being best to leave the old filter in to catch this potential initial flood of gunk and debris.

In summary, which method would you change the fluid "knowing" it hasn't been changed in 138k and when would you change the filter?
 
Drain it, drop the pan, change the filter, refill and do a line off. If its just old clutch plate sludge keeping it together its done anyway.
 
Trav:

Makes sense. Once again. I never get tired of thanking you!


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That second sentence isn't too warm and fuzzy although I am anxious to see the magnets.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
drop the pan, change the filter, refill and do a line off.

Yep, should be a happy transmission when you're done. Usually skip the drain plug and drop the pan into a large drain pan thereby negating any drain plug issues. This guy did a good instructional on a Sienna, only step I would add is if your not sure which is the return line, start with the easy one and route each end to a collection agent, start for an instant, if you get the return line correct, continue, if not, it's the other line.
2009 Toyota Sienna Transmission Fluid Flush and Filter Change
 
a) I prefer the cooler line process so as to get more good fluid in, and waste a lot less fluid vs. multiple drain/fills.

b) I would use MaxLife instead of WS. My neighbor had an 07 4Runner and with the hills around here, it was slipping regularly by 70k. We did a cooler line fill w/MaxLife and it stopped the problem and has lasted MUCH longer since then - a LOT of people have made this same observation; it's not just my bias.

c) I would be shocked if you got 5 quarts out via a drain/fill; usually it's 3.5 to 4 I think unless that transmission has a VERY large pan compared to the prior years I'm familiar with. If it indeed can drain out 5, then doing 3 drain/fills (plus you have a fill tube), argues that's not as wasteful as most, you only waste 5 quarts in order to get to 95%, same as you'd get with a cooler line swap.

If you want to do some cleaning, add some SeaFoam to it before you do the drain (Or their TransTune - same thing basically, just re-packaged). That'll clean up valve bodies, solenoids, etc. if you are worried about that.
 
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Oro_O, from my reading most get 4.7 qts out in a regular drain. I was gonna jack the front end waaaay up and get the 5 qts.
 
From watching the videos the pan bolts have a blue thread locker substance. What should l use when replacing the pan bolts.

I do have to have an offset 10 mm box end.
 
If you are getting that much out, even at 4.7qts and it is really 9.5 total (sounds like a reasonable number to me), I'd be tempted to stop after just 2 drain/fills if I took that route:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q09EgQ9YKJf1Q_qROXvstVO4PMeYGlPTXseqFuq3E54/edit#gid=0

You're at 75% and you are only going to get another 12.6% more of clean fluid in (1.2 qts) and use almost 5 quarts of clean fluid to do so. I would do either 2 drain/fills or a line swap. Save that 3rd swap fluid, and do it again in 5k or 10k miles to take out any contaminants/debris the new fluid picks up.

I would not use thread locker. What I would do is go back and re-torque the bolts after you have run it to full temp and then let it cool and sit a full day/overnight. You will be surprised how loose the bolts are at this point after the gasket has taken a set. Do this extra step and you won't have leaks. Same process on valve cover gaskets, etc.
 
Does it have a drain plug on the pan AND a dipstick? Our 2006 Corolla S does. BE SURE YOU HAVE A DIPSTICK TO FILL THROUGH.

If so, rejoice it has both and pull the plug. Refill what you took out. Drive a couple hundred miles.

Rejoice it is there. Repeat process.

Our 2014 RAV4 has no dipstick and is a PITA to change fluid.
 
Originally Posted by Gebo
Gonna be working on a '09 Highlander with 138k miles. Have all Toyota service records but can find nothing regarding ATF change. Wipers, tires, carbon cleaning (?), batteries, tires, brakes, etc all done at Toyota dealership. Owner's manual says to change at 60K only if you tow with it. I call it BS but it hasn't been part of my family.



I am gonna change the ATF and use Toyota WS. Thankfully, this car has a AT dipstick! How would you proceed to get new fluid in the transmission?


There are several options.

1. Can go and do a partial drain and fill 3 times and get about a 90% (5 out of 9.5 each drain and fill) new ATF level

2. Can remove "all" old ATF going through the cooler line process. I will not do a flush.

Also, gonna replace the Toyota ATF filter at some point. Would you replace it now in the beginning or run the new fluid for a while and then drop the pan and replace the filter? My thought process is the "new" fluid may do some cleaning and therefore it being best to leave the old filter in to catch this potential initial flood of gunk and debris.

In summary, which method would you change the fluid "knowing" it hasn't been changed in 138k and when would you change the filter?



I have a 2008 RAV4 with 110k and my WS fluid looks perfect...no plans to change it. IMO, if the fluid looks good, why change and if it is dark and scary you have a poorly designed (or under-designed) transmission. Can't fix bad design with "hope in a can"
 
Originally Posted by David2431
Does it have a drain plug on the pan AND a dipstick? Our 2006 Corolla S does. BE SURE YOU HAVE A DIPSTICK TO FILL THROUGH.

If so, rejoice it has both and pull the plug. Refill what you took out. Drive a couple hundred miles.

Rejoice it is there. Repeat process.

Our 2014 RAV4 has no dipstick and is a PITA to change fluid.


Yes, it has a drain plug and a dipstick!!!!!! woohoo
 
Originally Posted by Gebo
From watching the videos the pan bolts have a blue thread locker substance. What should l use when replacing the pan bolts.

I do have to have an offset 10 mm box end.


What does the FSM say balustrade threadlocker? Easy enough to clean the bolts and apply some if it's called for.

Why can't you buy a 10mm offset box end? I look at it is that if buying the tool and DIYing still comes out ahead in terms of savings, then it's a good way to buy tools...

Since the AT lines probably go into a plastic radiator body, I'd be less inclined to break them - save that for when you need to replace the lines or the radiator...

I'd extract the fluid from the dipstick/drain plug, refill. Drive it. A bit and then do a pan drop and filter swap. Those two swaps will get most of the fluid out and won't put anything else at risk.
 
Originally Posted by Oro_O
I'd be tempted to stop after just 2 drain/fills if I took that route:

You're at 75% and you are only going to get another 12.6% more of clean fluid in (1.2 qts) and use almost 5 quarts of clean fluid to do so.

And remember, these spreadsheets are only calculating the fluid swap amounts strictly in a mathematical sense, not real-world. Of course, doing a drain and fill, it's all you have to go by really. Get close to 75%, by the numbers, and call it good.
 
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