SolaraGuy.com

how often do you change your transmission oil?

Haven't yet with 32k miles.

got my 30k checkup the other day. They said the tranny fluid was pretty dark, so i had it replaced.

FYI: its transmission fluid, not oil. Secondly, how do you guys let it go that dark. Almost every other gas-fill up, i pop my hood and check the fluid levels and i check the color of my tranny fluid. I flush (not to be confused with drain and fill) my tranny fuilds every 30K miles or annually.

whats the difference between the flush and drain and fill? Does a flush use certain additives?

The difference is that when you drain "all" u'r fluid maybe some will keep on the inners of the tranny. When you flush is like a dialisis it is drained, then additional fluids with some type of detergent and additive are added to fully clean the tranny, then new clean fluid is added until it full. This way u'r sure all your tranny fluid is new and clean (if done the right way)

I got mine done for free when the gasket blew on the ATF pan three times this year

Hey Guys,
Owner's Manual says that you do not have to change transmission fluid if car operates under normal conditions.
What do you think about that?

dchev wrote:Hey Guys,
Owner's Manual says that you do not have to change transmission fluid if car operates under normal conditions.
What do you think about that?

If you drive like a senior citizen you fall under this condition.

I usually do a drain at 15K miles and then a flush at 30K.

If you do a pump inlet flush how many quarts of ATF will it take to flush the system & fill it?

4Runner4Christ wrote:If you do a pump inlet flush how many quarts of ATF will it take to flush the system & fill it?

::BUMP:: any one know the answer? Thanks

Sorry to revive an older thread. I just had my car in for the 36k service at my shop (not the stealership). At my last oil change, they said that my tranny fluid was discolored. They said they see that frequently with Toyotas. I asked for their recommendation and they said to drain & fill at the 36k service. I asked about a full flush. The labor and parts to do it properly will be over $200, so we decided on a treatment plan, like when you go to the doctor. Once a year I will have a drain service performed. This gets about 4 quarts out and replaces it with 4 fresh quarts and necessary additives. I can do this about 4 or 5 times for the cost of one single flush service. I have trusted these guys for years and they do a great job, so this made sense to me.

Something doesn't sit right with these flush services the shops charge so much for. Chances are, all the nasty gunk and filings from the car before you will then be run through your tranmission. (reason many people get flushes is because their trans is on it's last legs) I am not sure how careful the shops are at preventing this contamination of the flushing equipment.

I stick to a drain and fill every 30k with synthetic, plus I can do this in my garage (I dont trust other people with my car). Maybe i will even invest in an ATF cooler.

Okay.... here's "my version" of the "skinny" on the x-mission "flush"....


DON'T just DRAIN and FILL.... you are simply diluting the efficacy of the service... may as well not do it at all....

FULL FLUSH and FILL.... (the DIALYSIS method...)

Takes about 10 quarts. (liters)

Buy the proper TOYOTA SPECIFIED fluid yourself.... (talk to the shop you will use up front, and make the "arrangements" before you buy your own fluid, etc...)

They will connect an ATF FLUSH machine (dialysis machine... HA) to your tranny fluid circuit, and drain then RUN THROUGH several quarts to "RINSE" the old fluid and residual contaminants out of the valve body, clutch packs, coolant jackets, etc.... then when they have thoroughly flushed the system to "clear".... they'll disconnect the machine and make sure it is "topped off" to the proper level.

I paid the regular 4-5 bucks per quart for the fluid at Toyota, then had the job done RIGHT at my local oil change shop... and it cost me a little over $50 for the full flush. I did my change at about 32k HIGHWAY miles.... on a (THEN) stock '04 V6 Solara.... (I'll do it at 20-25k now that I am driving ALOT harder w/CP-e and other mods...)

RESULTS:

FANTASTIC! MUCH better shift action, quicker shifts, smoother shifts, firmer shifts, better shift response.

NOTE: MANY shops/manuals will tell you that you SHOULDN'T change tranny fluid unless you have performance deterioration, or BURNT fluid, etc.... (the: "If it ain't broken, don't fix it..." philosophy...) There are REASONS for this... namely, the way the clutch packs get "empregnated" with the tranny fluid and everything "seats in"... wherein sometimes, you can CHANGE the fluid and experience DETERIORATION of tranny performance... Personally, I don't know if this was more of an issue with OLDER cars and fiber clutch packs and fluids, etc... but my personal experience has been to CHANGE it at an interval suited for your driving, and to do so with a proper (THOROUGH) flush.

CAUTION: I would be VERY CAREFUL about having ANY kind of detergent or "cleaner" agent run through my tranny.... BEST to stick with the SAME SPECIFIED FLUID you will run in the tranny when it's full. Otherwise, you are just risking further contamination from either:

a) The "dis-similar" fluid that is left residually in the tranny.... or....
b) The "contaminants" that would otherwise NOT have been "introduced" (broken loose) into the fluid with a straight tranny fluid flush... (This is ESPECIALLY true with OLDER vehicles, that haven't had their service done REGULARLY.... If done REGULARLY, and in the manner described above.... I think you will enjoy a trouble-free tranny experience.... barring abuse, of course....)


Just my thoughts.... any comments? (I'm no expert here.... I just stayed at the HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS again....)



-crisp