ToyRider

I've called a few local shops (Midas, Mieneke, Direct Tire) and they all claim that a tranny flush is just a simple flush. They do not change the filter cause "most of time there is no need too"? The quotes I'm getting are $119-$180 for a flush, non-syth. Are these prices high?

Is it worth getting a tranny flushed without them changing the filter? I kind of know the answer here but I'm second guessing myself at this point ?

Also what would be a reasonable price to pay for a filter and flush??

I didn't want to go the dealer, but maybe I have no choice? I assume the dealer will change the filter right?

4RunnerFever

How many miles? Can't hurt to change the filter and it is pretty easy to do yourself. Toyota makes a little kit to help.

Those prices seem high, but hopefully more knowledgable yotatechers will chime in.

Lone4runner

transmission flush even over here at the most expensive place is about 100 dollars. all they do is hook up a machine a run the new stuff through your transmission before putting more in. and thats at valvoline and you can even watch them do it. where abouts are you in MA?

nrgetic99

Its is not advised to flush tranmissions with more than 50k miles on them.

David

ToyRider

I have 77,000. I don't feel I would be able to do this myself.

ebelen1

Is this because you may flush out things supposedly holding the tranny together and preventing tranny leaks?

ToyRider

north of boston

bamachem

sorry, but i call BS on this one... if you DON'T change the fluid, then you WILL be replacing the transmission eventually...

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you can EASILY flush it yourself.

i did. it was VERY easy. you simply take the old fluid to a super wal mart or another oil change place and they dispose of it for free.

1. Make sure the fluid is warm. Warm up the car so the transmission is at normal operating temperature. Pull the transmission dipstick (located near the firewall on the passenger side). Fresh fluid is translucent and cherry red. Some darkening is normal, but if it is reddish brown or mustard color and smells like burnt varnish, it is worn out.

2. Drain the fluid by loosening the drain bolt. Allow all the old fluid to drain out. Replace drain bolt and fill with 4 quarts of new Transmission Fluid thru the dipstick tube via a long, narrow neck funnel.

3. You now have replaced the fluid in the pan. To replace the fluid in the torque converter and oil cooler also, follow these steps.

- Step 1. Obtain the total system capacity of the vehicle from the manufacturer or AMSOIL. Have this amount readily available.

- Step 2. Disconnect the oil cooler line from the oil cooler. As you may not know which is the pressure side and which is the return side, have both directed so the stream of fluid will be directed toward a receptacle.

- Step 3. With another person, be prepared to add ATF to the fill area as it is being pumped out of the oil cooler line.

- Step 4. Start the engine, and as the old fluid is pumped out, add fresh fluid to the pan.

- Step 5. When either the fluid color brightens or the total capacity has been replaced, shut the engine off and re-attach the oil cooler line. All fluids has now been changed.

4. Recheck the fluid level. With the car on level ground, set the parking brake and the transmission in Park or Neutral. Let the engine idle for a few minutes. Shift the transmission into different positions before returning the lever to Park or Neutral. Check the fluid level again and check for leaks.


total cost for regular, non-syn fluid is about $40 (20 quarts at $2/qt) and it takes about 20 minutes for the whole process. the trans takes 16 quarts total, but you need to run a little more than that to completely flush it and you will want some left over to top it off.

ToyRider

bamachem

I appreciate your directions and your input here, but believe me this is WAY over my head!

Thanks

MTL_4runner

On these trannys the filter is meant to be cleaned not replaced because it is a fine metal mesh and really doesn't clog like a paper filter would. A good price for a flush would be about $100-120 unless they are going to pull the pan and clean the filter too (which you should do anyway). The dealer is the best way to ensure you have someone competent working on the vehicle (even then it is debateable) and they should be willing to pull the pan no problem (not sure what they will charge near Boston though, could be $$$$).

ToyRider

Okay the place that quoted me the $180 was for BG Synthetic Transmission Fluid and these guys do not change the filter.

Hs anyone heard of BG Synthetic Transmission Fluid ???

bamachem

yes, it's VERY good stuff. they're the people (Bearing & Gear, Inc) that make BG44k - an injector cleaner.

i'd say it's up there with Amsoil and Royal Purple. since it's not all that much more than a regular fill with dino, i'd say fork over the extra $60 for the good stuff unless you want to do the dino flush again in 30-45k miles. you should be able to extend the time until the next flush by using the synthetic AND by simply draining the pan and replacing with 4-5 qts of new trans fluid every 30k miles. you can do this 3 to 4 times (about 100k) before having to complete a full flush and the fluid will be nice and clean.

i used Royal Purple when i swapped mine about 35k miles ago...

ToyRider

So dropping the pan does not actually mean they will change the filter? They could just clean it?

ugh, this is confusing......!

bamachem

metal filters/screens (like what's in your trans pan) don't get changed unless they're damaged - they simply get cleaned off.

ToyRider

so how do they clean them, air hose gun??

bamachem

usually spray it w/ a solvent like carb cleaner and then reinstall.

nrgetic99

Depending on hard of a life your tranny fluid has led, thick, oxidized deposits can be clinging to the oil passegeways and inside the cooler corners and nooks.

New fluid has great detergents so will tend to do its job and go after this oxidized and dirty oil during the flush which uses the tranmission oil pump to ciculate the fluid. Risk is that without dropping pan and replacing filter, some of these particles can block the tiny hydraulic passageways (of course, ATF is also a hydraulic fluid and all ATFs still use hydraulic circuits, even electrically controlled ones) and check valves etc.

Most of the time it is fine but if you have never changed your fluid and your vehicle works quite hard and does not have additional tranny cooling, its smart to only manually change the fluid.

David

Lone4runner

if you bring it to a dealership like IRA they will usually take care of it for you. I worked in a dealership on the south part and usually they are pretty thorough. mostly because theres alot of dealerships around for toyota and they dont get paid as much so usually they will do a few checks to make sure everything is ok.

bamachem

ahhhh, i thought you were against changing the fluid at all. i see now that you're saying that a FLUSH can be bad. if it has a ton of hard miles then i would agree, but for a 96 with only 77k on it, i'd recommend the flush 100%

nrgetic99

I cannot find any technical information at all on the BG fluid. There is no technical info on the web site, just unsubstantiated marketing claims.

If someone can get me a quart or read the label, I can make an educated guess about "BG products Synthetic Transmission Fluid"

I will never use or recommend using an ATF that does not meet Industry standard specifications such as DEXRON (GM), MERCON (FORD) and in this case TOYOTA T-IV. If the fluid meets the spec, it will have the license number from the license granted to them either printed on the label or more commonly, ink jetted on the container.

This is my world BTW, I work every day on ATF's and in particular synthetic and so called Univeral fluids. It is not an equal playing field, if someone does not have a license number it either means they did not spend the money to run the tests or they flat did not run the tests that are required in order to make some of the claims of suitability for your vehicle that they make.

David