Transmission Fluid/Filter Change.

Tons of DIY's on this I know, but none listed the problem that ruined my day. The Transmission Pan bolts that run along each side of the pan are thru tapped holes. This means that road spray (and salt) gets up on top of these bolts and corrodes them. The fact that you have steel in aluminum only makes it worse. So, of the 6 (12 or so) bolts that run along each side, TWO of them sheared off. These are bolts with a 5 ft-lb torque spec. WTF. Now, a job that should have taken only a few hours is a day and a half. Nothing - NOTHING - is more of a joykill than sheared off bolts. I installed two Timeserts, which I highly recommend over Keensert, Helicoil, etc. BE CAREFUL when removing these screws! It would be wise to hit the tops these with a penetrant the day before for precaution. Since I was also hitting the driveshaft zerks, I put a dab of grease atop each bolt to help keep the water out, and just because I was already there.

Another lesson learned was choosing any old Toyota branded ATF off Amazon. OOPS. Pay attention dummy! My drain totaled 7 quarts, so I needed another for my Amazon 6 and bought a quart of ATF WS at the stealership. I got back home and started pumping the fluid in, then took a closer look at the bottles I was using. The Amazon six were the ATF/Power Steering (DexronIII) type. Sh!t! I had already put the WS and two of the Dexrons in. I couldn't live with that, so I drained it, and went back to the stealership today where they stroked me for $20.76/qt for 8 quarts of WS. To add insult to injury, they poked me with a 3% credit card fee. Because they can.

I thought about using Valvoline MaxLife ATF, but this rig is pushing 300K miles. I did not want a variable in the mix if something goes awry. I like Valvoline stuff, and I bet that in most cases the W-MaxLife ATF runs just fine. I did run Valvoline Synthetic 75W-90 Gear oil in the front and rear differentials and the transfer case.

I know for certain that everything I did was the first time in 150k miles. Such a good truck. Have had it for eight years now. There is no reason to get rid of it.

 

Nice work. What did you end up doing for more fluid? Back to the dealership? I know the dealership by me charges $15/qt. I buy Aisin WS fluid from Roack auto at $7/qt. Look at the bright side, you noticed you were putting the wrong fluid in. It would be horrible if you didnt and had problems or caused damage

 

Yes...the possibility of shearing bolts is always a consideration when you are dropping a trans pan on an older 4Runner or Tundra. You didn't mention why you were doing it but I suspect it was to change the trans filter/screen? Not worth the risk....

 

I went to the dealership. I hate that, but sometimes when ya need it now, then that is what it takes.

Yeah, wrong fluid, buggered trans, that would have been icing on the cake!!

For the next 100k, or unless I for some reason tow a bunch of stuff, it will be drain and fill. Probably run the Aisin from Rock.

 

For all I know, that strainer had 200K miles. I bought it from the original owner eight years ago at 150K miles, now it has 292K. I wasn't going to do a flush (in fact, the dealership in Clinton, NJ recommended not to) but, a drain & filter seems like the right thing to do. Popping the pan to change the filter was no more risk to me than simply draining and filling. Except for the two sheared screws............

Not the first time either:

- Caliper bracket bolt sheared in the strut, extracting that was a nightmare. Thanks to the girlfriend for never giving me the time to just replace the pads, and she ran the pad backings into the rotor.
- 4-5 exhaust manifold bolts broke when I did the cylinder head gaskets. Thanks to the girlfriend who overheated the engine - HARD - twice.

 

On an old vehicle with that much mileage, you need to use more finesse if you hope to avoid that situation in the future. I would use a torch, lots of PB Blaster or equivalent and allow TIME for it to work. Plus move it back and forth before you just crank it. Otherwise you are doomed to experiencing the same pain in the future....DOOMED.

 

LOL finesse. Yeah. The first one I sheared was all mine - I took a phone call, got back under the truck and torqued without paying attention. The walls of the garage learned a bunch of new words. Put Aerokroil on all the rest every few hours for the rest of the day and let sit overnight. Was very careful with the rest, and still sheared one. Moved that one back and forth too. Really not in a position to apply heat with the pan on. It was stuck, and that is all there was to it. On the first one I broke, I drilled it 1/8, reversed the bit so the shank was in the hole and hit it with MAPP gas in a way that the only thing being heated was the bit, and it was white hot. Alot of conductive heat into the screw that way, and a few more cycles of Aerokroil and heat. Then busted the extractor in the hole. Yay. And no way to pound it out from the top. Drilled the extractor out. Drilled both sheared bolts out to 7/32. Then I used a carbide burr to make sure the holes ware perfectly centered for the tapping drill. Tapped, installed Timeserts, good to go. I would have broken at least one, and probably two, no matter how much Aerokroil and finesse I applied.

Hence the reason for the post.

 

I'd almost agree...except for all the metallic muck I've seen stuck to the magnets inside the pan on all those how-to youtubes. I'd really like to get that out, but now I'm even less likely too, as I don't want to strip any thru-bolts. Guess I'm cmmitted to drain and fills.

 

There was a thick metallic film on all of my magnets - good thing they are there. The weirdest part of the entire change is that my transmission has been overfilled for a long time - as long as I have owned it. With the pan off, and strainer off, I dropped a total of seven quarts which seemed to be a lot from what I have read. I put about 6 3/4 back in at refill. At the temperature to drain to level (110F in my case), I drained TWO quarts, and could have drained more. I sealed as soon the flow became minimal, not to dripping.

Biggest lesson I learned (again) is that some projects demand a lift. Two differential oil changes, a transfer case oil change, and a transmission fluid/filter change, driveshaft grease with the truck on jackstands just sucks. Totally. I have a friend with a lift, I should have waited for a day he had open.

Your drain and fills are a good thing, and will likely get you through. That is a lot better than most people are maintaining these 20 year old trucks.

Mine was definitely ready for a change. Good luck!

 

Buy WS from Toyota’s online parts site with pickup at the dealer. I just bought some and paid ~$11.50/qt. That’s up from around $8.50 last time I bought some a couple of years ago. Check different dealers on their site b/c some offer special online pricing while others charge MSRP.

 

Bummer you had such difficulties @SR5TRD

The Aisin is fine, I am using Idemitsu ATF Type TLS-LV
They are both World Standard spec
...no reason to pay the Toyota upcharge

https://www.idemitsulubricants.com/product/atf-type-tls-lv

 

Thanks for the heads up. I didn’t realize that product existed. I’m pretty stocked up with WS for now, but I’ll check it out when it’s time again.

 

Thanks. While under the trans, with the strainer removed "Aisin" was cast into the valve body. Have to think that Aisin's ATF is the right stuff if it is their transmission! I will be doing something like this in the next couple of months, when I do a drain & fill to keep "up-conditioning" the fluid that is in there, since I did not do a flush. Thanks again - Craig

 

Thanks - will go this route in a few months when I do a drain & fill.