russellcframe

I've got a '95 4Runner 3.0 and I recently drained my auto transmission, replaced the filter, and refilled. There is a drain plug on the transmission pan (gets most of it, still some in when you drop the pan) and there is ALSO a drain plug on the converter. I got out about 5 quarts of fluid. I just checked the Haynes book and it says the capacity is 4.8 quarts.

Based on all I've been reading here nobody seems to think there IS a drain plug capable of draining the coverter and cooler.

Is this unique to 2nd generation 4Runners or what's going on here?

No need to go pay for a flush machine unless I'm missing something. (Wasn't planning to anyway, but I feel even better now). I also have a case of Dextron III to return

4x4CPOSEADOG

So where is the converter drain plug located at? Is it inside the transmission? Also did you remove the front sway bar when you dropped the pan? What kind of filter did you use and where did you buy it? Just curious because I was supposed to drain and refill my transmission today but I was so tired last night that I did not get to do it.


Noel

russellcframe

If you are looking forward at the transmission from the bottom rear of the truck, the drain plug is at the far right bottom (passenger side). The tranmission cooler is just to the right and front of it and the inlet and outlet hoses run right into the same area with the drain plug. It is not "inside" the pan or anything like that. It's fully exposed. The plug on mine uses a large allen wrench and took a few taps with a hammer to break loose. About one quart of transmission fluid drained from that plug.

I first drained the transmission pan using the drain plug there. I did drop the sway bar out of the way. This is easy. Just four bolts holding it to the frame. Actually one of my bolts did break off but that's just because it was old and rusty and seized up...normally shouldn't be a problem. Then I took the pan off. There was probably 1/2 quart still in the pan when I took it off, which I spilled all over, so watch for that. The filter is right there once the pan is off. Easy to remove...lots of bolts.

Gadget

The 3rd Gens do not have a converter drain as most all new vehicles. The last vehicle I had that had a converter drain plug was a 1970 Mercedes.

Keep in mind that the A340 series auto transmission holds about 15 quarts and flushing is the best way to go. It flushes the cooler, cooler lines, all the passages, converter and every damn thing else and exchanges all the fluid with new fluid. You can do it at home and don't have to pay anyone to do it.

Gadget

www.GadgetOnline.com

4x4CPOSEADOG

russellcframe,

Thanks for the info. But by just reading this info above tells me that what you are describing is the transfer case. When you mentioned transmission cooler, you mean the cooler that is on the right frame, correct? If that is correct, then that is the transfer case cooler and that plug that uses a large allen wrench (10mm) is the drain plug for the transfer case. I'm pretty sure this is the transfer case that you have drained not the torque converter. The torque converter is located forward of the transmission where the engine and transmission meet. Thanks for the info anyway. I'll see if I can flush my tranny tomorrow.

Noel

4x4CPOSEADOG

I hope you refilled the transfercase through the fill plug. Don't ever go four wheeling without fluid in there or you will burn the transfercase and that will be a lot of $$$$. Just a friendly reminder though, the transfercase holds about 1.8 quart of Dexron II or III, use a siphon pump to fill it.

Noel

russellcframe

Thanks for the correction!

That's what happens when a dummy like me gets a hold of a wrench

So, since my idea was wrong...I have a question.

When I first flushed and refilled the pan, I disconnected the transmission cooler lines and tried to do a manual flush with the "bucket" method. Problem was I got almost zero fluid to flow from the cooler lines. Am I missing something there? I read a few articles on this and it seems pretty straight forward, but nothing came out.

Lucky

I thinks (I'm pretty sure), that you need to run the engine to get a flow other wise the pump won't push the fluid around. Gravity won't help you here I'm afraid.

Cheers

russellcframe

Yeah I had my wife start it and even engage the transmission and bring up the RPM's a bit to get things moving while I was down below watching the inlet and outlet lines. But it only spit out a very small amount of fluid....maybe 1/4-1/2 quart. This was after I had refilled the stuff I had taken out of the pan, so the transmission was "full".

Thanks,
Russ

szf2

The A340H (which you might have) has 2 drain plugs. One is on the tranny pan, and there is another plug on a second pan (torque converter pan?). Both plugs should be opened up and both are refilled through the tranny dipstick. The fluid amounts quoted in Haynes are for a fluid change (not total system capacity).

Also, as mentioned, there is the THIRD drain plug for the T-case. Its the 10mm allen head plug. The refill plug is just above it.

TechWrench

I haven't worked on the 'new' transmissions, but I doubt they have changed that much since I made my living fix'n them. Most transmission cooling circuits send fluid to the 'out' cooling line that has just left the torque converter. This is because most of the heat generated in a transmission is in the converter. The return cooling line usually returns the fluid to the sump. The pressure used in the cooling circuit is minimal, just enough to generate a flow. In most cases, unless you have an additional cooling system for the transmission, the fluid runs through a small tube coiled inside one the the side tanks of the radiator. As for drain plugs in the torque converter; I don't think hardly any manufacturer provides them any more. Back in the 'old' days, I used to drill and tap the torque converters to drain them, and used a hollowed our brass drain plug to seal them. This would allow you to change about 95% of the fluid. I suppose this could still be done with the newer 'lock-up' converters, as long as you were careful to not drill into the lock-up plate.

As for using some kind of pressure flush system, I would think they would be very ineficient and wastefull of fluid. Since you don't have any 'straight through' circuit into and out of the transmission, I would think the new fluid being pumped in would be mixing with the old fluid as it tries to push it out. It would be like taking a five gallon bucket of old oil and as you pour new oil into one side, you were pumping out the excess from the other. How much new oil mixed with the old would you be pumping out until you finally got all the old oil out? I may be dating myself, but years ago, Prestone used to make an engine/radiator flush kit. I came with a 'T' fitting which went into one of the heater lines, and a nozzle which fit into the radiator cap opening. You would connect a garden hose to the 'T' fitting, and start the engine. When it got up to temp, and the thermostat opened for full flow, you would turn on the water hose, and it would pump the old anit-freeze out the radiator nozzle. But for a five gallon system, it would take about 20-30 gallons of water before the output finally ran clear. I suspect any type of transmission flush system would have to work along the same lines. Not very efficient, or maybe just a scam.

Just some thoughts from an old 'Wrench'

Bob_98SR5

guys,

i haven't done the tranny on my 5 speed 3rd gen, but i have done the front/rear diffs and the transfer case. i believe someone up in this thread didn't know what the transfer case looked like so here it is:

http://www.4runners.org/articles/difftsf

I do have a question for those 3rd gen owners w/ the manual trannies: the fluid capacity in my manual says 2.6 (or was it 2.8?) quarts of fliud. the auto trannies as i recall is in the teens (15 qts?).

when you drain your 5 speed tranny, what else must you do? drop the tranny pan? if so, does that mean you have to add more than 2.6 qts? also, its probably a good idea to change the gasket and filter/screen thing too, right?

Bob