Before you begin there is a pdf file on this and other sites that shows the proper Toyota method of checking the fluid level. This will obviously have to be completed after you have changed the fluid.
First you will drain the fluid in the transmission that is collected in the pan using the rear most drain plug, I believe it's a 12mm. I used a 4 gal bucket to catch the fluid. I marked a line on the bucket that shows the 1 gal mark. As it turned out the pan holds just a bit more than 1 gal.
After draining the fluid in the pan put the plug back in. ON the drivers side of the tranny there is a fill plug, 24mm. Take that plug off and snake a hose down the engine bay into this plug. Attach a suitable funnel onto the top of the hose. Put 1 gal of new fluid into the tranny to replace the fluid you just took out.
Referring to the Toyota fluid check instructions you will see that there is a thermostat that controls the fluid to the tranny cooler. Push the end in and insert a pin to lock the thermostat in the open position. You want the fluid to circulate through the cooler so it is flushed also. You have to do this to check the fluid later anyway. if your truck has no cooler just follow the instructions from Toyota.
The return line is the line that is on the bottom as it feeds into the thermostat housing. I disconnected the hose on the end opposite the thermostat toward the cooler there is a hard line. You can see it on the picture. I used an old Toyota tranny cooler line i had laying around. Place the open end in the bucket and have someone start the truck. Fluid will flow from the line into the bucket filling a gal in about 40 seconds or so. I just watched till it was close then yell to turn the truck off. Put another gal of fluid in the tranny. Repeat two more times. The last gal you put in won't require all of it, I put in all but a pint or so. if theres a bit too much it's not a huge issue.
Now you will want to warm the fluid to the check range of 115 to 133 degs F. I have a Scan Gauge that shows tranny fluid temp, so i used that. I included a picture of the Scan Gauge and the stock tranny temp gauge so you can judge where the stock gauge will be for you. There is a procedure on the Toyota instructions where the dash will start blinking a light when the proper temp has been reached. Use whatever works for you.
At this point, remove the level plug from the tranny pan, 4MM allen I believe and let the fluid drain to a trickle then replace the plug. If you just get a splash of fluid then nothing, you need to add more fluid and try again. It should flow then slow to a trickle. I did this while the temp was just at 115F. There you have it. Be sure to remember to remove the pin from the thermostat and replace the fill plug.
Not hard at all, and you have 100% new fluid in your tranny without doing the power flush, which many believe can cause issues. I bought my truck with 100K miles on it and tow quite a bit at 8000+ lbs. In the future I'll likely just do a drain of 1 gal then replace it every other oil change to keep things fresh.
Best Regards
First you will drain the fluid in the transmission that is collected in the pan using the rear most drain plug, I believe it's a 12mm. I used a 4 gal bucket to catch the fluid. I marked a line on the bucket that shows the 1 gal mark. As it turned out the pan holds just a bit more than 1 gal.
After draining the fluid in the pan put the plug back in. ON the drivers side of the tranny there is a fill plug, 24mm. Take that plug off and snake a hose down the engine bay into this plug. Attach a suitable funnel onto the top of the hose. Put 1 gal of new fluid into the tranny to replace the fluid you just took out.
Referring to the Toyota fluid check instructions you will see that there is a thermostat that controls the fluid to the tranny cooler. Push the end in and insert a pin to lock the thermostat in the open position. You want the fluid to circulate through the cooler so it is flushed also. You have to do this to check the fluid later anyway. if your truck has no cooler just follow the instructions from Toyota.
The return line is the line that is on the bottom as it feeds into the thermostat housing. I disconnected the hose on the end opposite the thermostat toward the cooler there is a hard line. You can see it on the picture. I used an old Toyota tranny cooler line i had laying around. Place the open end in the bucket and have someone start the truck. Fluid will flow from the line into the bucket filling a gal in about 40 seconds or so. I just watched till it was close then yell to turn the truck off. Put another gal of fluid in the tranny. Repeat two more times. The last gal you put in won't require all of it, I put in all but a pint or so. if theres a bit too much it's not a huge issue.
Now you will want to warm the fluid to the check range of 115 to 133 degs F. I have a Scan Gauge that shows tranny fluid temp, so i used that. I included a picture of the Scan Gauge and the stock tranny temp gauge so you can judge where the stock gauge will be for you. There is a procedure on the Toyota instructions where the dash will start blinking a light when the proper temp has been reached. Use whatever works for you.
At this point, remove the level plug from the tranny pan, 4MM allen I believe and let the fluid drain to a trickle then replace the plug. If you just get a splash of fluid then nothing, you need to add more fluid and try again. It should flow then slow to a trickle. I did this while the temp was just at 115F. There you have it. Be sure to remember to remove the pin from the thermostat and replace the fill plug.
Not hard at all, and you have 100% new fluid in your tranny without doing the power flush, which many believe can cause issues. I bought my truck with 100K miles on it and tow quite a bit at 8000+ lbs. In the future I'll likely just do a drain of 1 gal then replace it every other oil change to keep things fresh.
Best Regards
