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Engine & DrivetrainDiscussions about the engine and drivetrain of your vehicle.
This is a discussion thread titled "Transmission oil change", within the Engine & Drivetrain forum, part of the Technical & Vehicle Assistance Forums category.
My 2002 Tundra V-8 4WD will be 2 years old next month. I will have a little over 12,000 miles on it and the truck has never been off road or pulled a trailer. The maintenance schedule shows a transmission oil and filter change due a 30,000 miles or 24 months. Do I really have to change the transmission oil and filter based on months or can I wait for 30,000 miles? I also understand that the filter is really a strainer. I don't mind draining what fluid I can get out of the transmission (about 3-4 quarts as best I understand) and replacing it, but I really hate to drop the pan to change the strainer and take the chance of always having a leaking pan. I have noticed recently that the service flyers that the local Toyota dealers are sending out recommend a transmission change or a complete flush but now show the filter (strainer) being an extra if you want it replaced. Is Toyota getting away from changing the strainer or have they had so much trouble with leaking pans after doing it due to the mickey mouse way they glue it back together with RTV. Need some advice. Thanks
if youre running dino oil, you should change it, as it does break down over time. flush with synth, and check it once in a while to make sure its not burnt or anything...someone more familiar with fluids could offer better help tho.
I have a 2001 that had a little over 14000 miles when I bought it. I discovered particles adhering to the transmission dipstick so I flushed the entire transmission with 16 quarts of ATF. Since your truck has so few miles on it, you might consider flushing the entire system to remove manufacturing and breakin residue. No need to remove the pan though. Just drain it from the plug and then flush the system as per the instructions already posted on this board. Like yours, my owner's manual suggested checking the fluid at 15k and replacing at 30k, but I decided to replace it anyway because of the aforementioned contaminants.
I agree with you. With 12k, I'd just drain and refill the pan, about 4 quarts, if anything. Alternately, wait 'til 30k and do a complete 16 quart flush.
Ken
__________________
You get what you inspect
Not what you expect.
S&S Long Tube Hi-Torque Headers
TRD/Eaton Limited Slip Differential
Gibson exhaust system
Hellwig Rear Antisway Bar
Sylvania Xenarc H.I.D. X1010 Auxiliary Low Beam Driving Lights
Schaeffer Engine Oil, ATF, Differential Oil
Racor LFS22825 full-flow transmission filter
Towing a 21' Bigfoot trailer using a Hensley Arrow hitch, Jordan brake controller, McKesh mirrors
Do you need a new gasket for the transmision pan? I have just used permatex form-a-gasket on other trany pans before when I have done a filter change. Also do you need to replace the filter or can I just clean it with solvent? Another question that has been asked before is the decrepancy between what drains out of the transmission and what the manual says. The first time I drained the tranny about 3.4-4 qts came out and the manual say 2 quarts for a drain/refill? Sorry if I asked alot but I don't won't to screw up on this. Thanks in advance, Mitch
A "pan" drain will let out just about 4 quarts +/-.
When I did my complete flush at 30k I did not pull the pan as the fluid that came out looked pretty darn clean. And yes there is no "filter" it is just a strainer. I DO plan on cleaning the strainer when I do my 60k flush though. Probably wont really need it but hey its my truck and I want it to last.
BTW dont forget the rearend fluid needs to be changed out at 30k as well. Thats not hard to do either. Also the cooling system should be flushed at 30k.
When I did my 30k service myself, which included new spark plugs, oil change, air filter, throttle body cleaning, cooling system flush, complete tranny flush, rearend flush, new power steering fluid and rotate tires (seems like im forgetting something) it only took a Saturday afternoon to do.
__________________ SATundra
2001 Limited, V8, 2wd, TRD, Metallic Silver Sky MODS:
TIRES: Michelin LTX M/S LT265/75/R16 load C rated
SUSPENSION: front - red/blu 4x4 HD Bilsteins shocks & HD TRD 4x4 coils providing 1.75" lift, rear - TRD add-a-leafs, Hellwig swaybar, yell/blu 4x4 Bilsteins INTERIOR: CB-Ham/Scanner/150W linear amp in custom console, 10 disc CD player, Donnelly comp/temp mirror, Toyota All Weather floormats, tinted windows, radar detector, backseat angle mod, EXTERIOR: Grizzly SS brushguard, Better Built alum toolbox w/lights, Weatherflector Ventvisors, chrome step tubes, UTR bedliner, hitch, SteelHorse Bull Rings, Mobil 1 oils, 2 TS stickers, 2 TS license frames, 2 www.TundraSolutions.com stickers, ELECTRICAL: 55W undercarriage entry lights, extra set 55W reverse lights, 55W underhood lights, DEI alarm, 12V Acc plug/engine compartment, 400watt power inverter, foglight/cargolight/acc plug/maplight mod
A "pan" drain will let out just about 4 quarts +/-.
BTW dont forget the rearend fluid needs to be changed out at 30k as well. Thats not hard to do either. Also the cooling system should be flushed at 30k.
.
I done that yesterday. I could not find any straight 90 weight rear end oil. I used 75w90 synthetic.
I flushed the Tundra and Sequoia at 1000 miles completely with synthetic. I now just drain the pan and refill yearly through the plug. Nary a problem with 50K on the Tundra and 42K on the Sequoia. Maybe overkill, but the early flush and yearly changes have worked very well for many years with many cars/trucks. There's no "real" filter in the pan, so I don't see a compelling reason to ever drop the pan to clean just a screen. No one drops the oil pan and cleans the oil pump screened pick-up; same would apply to the transmission.
i have a 2000 2wd and checked my manual. It says to only check the fluid every 30K miles! Are the 4wd's different? I have 72k on my truck and the tranny is perfect (its a toyota!). I never towed, just highway miles. Thanx
i have a 2000 2wd and checked my manual. It says to only check the fluid every 30K miles! Are the 4wd's different? I have 72k on my truck and the tranny is perfect (its a toyota!). I never towed, just highway miles. Thanx
It's your call. If it were mine I would change it.
I have a 2000 SR5 4X2 V8 Tundra which I bought with 7 miles when new. I have 45K miles now.
Check the color and smell of the tranny fluid. Any change in color that is not bright red or has a funny smell. Dump it! I did the first change at 38K. I am pulling a 3500 lbs boat 3X a year and 2 jet skis trailer 6 to 13 times a year. Not to mention I drive this truck everyday. And race it on the steet when deemed necessary.
The toyota mechanic said that the tranny oil that got drained is in fairly good condition. Better than others. I saw it while he was draining it on the machine. I bought my own tranny oil which is mobil 1 x 16 qts during the service. Reason for me was to lenghten the service interval recomended by toyota. I do not plan to flush this again until somewhere around 90K or even 100K. It does shifts alittle bit better. Other than that, it is your call.
Quote:
Originally Posted by filhiol
My 2002 Tundra V-8 4WD will be 2 years old next month. I will have a little over 12,000 miles on it and the truck has never been off road or pulled a trailer. The maintenance schedule shows a transmission oil and filter change due a 30,000 miles or 24 months. Do I really have to change the transmission oil and filter based on months or can I wait for 30,000 miles? I also understand that the filter is really a strainer. I don't mind draining what fluid I can get out of the transmission (about 3-4 quarts as best I understand) and replacing it, but I really hate to drop the pan to change the strainer and take the chance of always having a leaking pan. I have noticed recently that the service flyers that the local Toyota dealers are sending out recommend a transmission change or a complete flush but now show the filter (strainer) being an extra if you want it replaced. Is Toyota getting away from changing the strainer or have they had so much trouble with leaking pans after doing it due to the mickey mouse way they glue it back together with RTV. Need some advice. Thanks
i have a 2000 2wd and checked my manual. It says to only check the fluid every 30K miles! Are the 4wd's different? I have 72k on my truck and the tranny is perfect (its a toyota!). I never towed, just highway miles. Thanx
How much longer do you plan on owning that truck?...long time? Flush the transmission. With 72k, I'd clean the transmission first with Auto-Rx It has worked well for me for cleaning a transmission, engines, and power steering.
Ken
__________________
You get what you inspect
Not what you expect.
S&S Long Tube Hi-Torque Headers
TRD/Eaton Limited Slip Differential
Gibson exhaust system
Hellwig Rear Antisway Bar
Sylvania Xenarc H.I.D. X1010 Auxiliary Low Beam Driving Lights
Schaeffer Engine Oil, ATF, Differential Oil
Racor LFS22825 full-flow transmission filter
Towing a 21' Bigfoot trailer using a Hensley Arrow hitch, Jordan brake controller, McKesh mirrors
Transmission oil change
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