Transmission Fluid - Drain And Refill

[Tote]

Have two main questions regarding a transmission drain and refill

First: At what point during the day should you do a drain and refill? Reason for asking this question is that the measuring rod has two sections 1. Cold level 2. Hot level. Should I be do the service say before I drive the car (Cold Level)? Should I drive the car a couple of mile or after an hours drive (Hot Level)? I see a big gap between the cold and hot level.

Second question: Before I drain, should I also go through the gears as you would to check the fluid level?

I know these seem like ridiculous questions, but the last time I drained my transmission fluid I added the two qts. The remainder of the week I monitored and kept having to add extra fluid. I added a little everyday. Ultimately I added one extra qt. which made a total of 3 qts. It’s been fine seen then.

Any help or explanations would be appreciated.

Tote

[VMF]

hot and cold has nothing to do with the day, its for the temperature of the tranny. its hot when it was in use for a period of time and hot is when the car cools down completely.

you better off duing it cold since you have to remove the pan and it might be hard to do if the engine and tranny are hot.

[99lsguy]

I would just start it up and drive a mile or less.......just enough to warm a little...

YEs, Run through the gears a couple of times while in park just before you shut the engine off.

Then, measure the pan drain amount and put back that amount LESS 1/2 to 3/4 Quart.

Then start up and check. It should be just touching the COLD Level mark on the stick. If not, then stop engine and add only 1/4 quart MAX. REpeat until fluid level is on full COLD mark....

Keep another 1/2 quart, funnel, and rag in the trunk...

Then drive 5 miles or so to get good and hot - recheck on level ground always..

Fluid level should be somewhere in the "cross-hatch" FULL HOT level. If it is just at the low end or still not touching the lower HOT mark - add a Small amount, like NO more than 3-4 ounces at a time. It takes a little care to do it precisely......

I like mine right in the middle of the FULLHot crosshatch mark.

[monarch]

To get more of the old fluid out and to eliminate the risk of over or under filling with the correct amount of new fluid, an idiotproof procedure is to:

1. Drain the fluid when the engine and transmission are fully warmed up and let it drain overnight.

2. In the morning measure the amount drained using a 99 cent graduated orange juice pitcher from Walmart.

3. Install exactly the same amount of fluid that was drained.

[99lsguy]

To get more of the old fluid out and to eliminate the risk of over or under filling with the correct amount of new fluid, an idiotproof procedure is to:

1. Drain the fluid when the engine and transmission are fully warmed up and let it drain overnight.

2. In the morning measure the amount drained using a 99 cent graduated orange juice pitcher from Walmart.

3. Install exactly the same amount of fluid that was drained.

←

Monarch, love your points:

1) maximum drain for sure........

2)love the savings.......

3) here I must digress: aren't you assuming the fluid level is correct in the first place? I have never found any mechanic as accurate as me

99

[Tote]

Thanks for the responses, definitely have some good info to work with now. I will be picking up the T-IV fluid from a Toyota dealership on Monday. Thanks Again.

Tote

[glenmore]

Is Toyota T-IV fluid mandatory or can you use ordinary Mercon III or IV?

TIA,

glenmore

1990 LS400

1991 300CE

[SRK]

Using Dexron or Mercon may not hurt the trans, but it will change the shift performance a great deal. Stick with the Toyota Type IV for sure.

[sc_toy]

ONLY Toyota Type T-IV in the 1UZ-FE's auto trans. Use anything else at your own risk. Toyota T-IV is not an equivalent to any other trans fluid (other than type T-II of course).

Aaron