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SUVs Toyota Highlander Toyota Highlander Maintenance and Repair
4694 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 7:16 AM
You are in the Toyota Highlander Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Replying to: steve_ (Nov 19, 2008 8:32 am) Just a comment on the tranny "flushes": Changing transmission fluid is better than not changing it, but flushing the transmission fluid is better yet. What is important to remember is What a flush is, and Why you need it. There is some confusion on What a tranny flush is, so I will clear it up here. Many people think that a tranny flush is a special process and/or that it takes a special flushing machine to do the job. Both of those ideas are misconceptions. A tranny flush is like any other flush, compare it to when you flush a toilet. The new water rushes in and the old water rushes out. In the process there is some mixing of the old dirty water with the new clean water, but the new clean water pushes out all the old dirty water, and some of the new clean water goes down the drain in the process. The reason you need the flush is that you need to get rid of the old dirty water and replace it with the new clean water. Think of the trannny flush in the same way, but instead of water, it is tranny fluid. Some transmissions have replaceable filters that are recommended to be replaced, and some transmissions have screens that are not recommended to be replaced. I do this process to each of my vehicles at every 60,000 miles. Check your manufacturer's recommendations and owners manual to see how often to change/flush your transmission fluid. The following is intended as a general guide only. The routine or sequence may need to be altered, depending on the make, model and type of vehicle. The first step for flushing is to have the vehicle jacked up with all drive wheels off the ground and the wheels blocked, for clearance and safety so that the car won't move when the gears are engaged. Then loosen one end of the hose that returns the fluid from the external trans fluid cooler back to the transmission. Then the engine is started and run, the transmissions internal pump then pumps the tranny fluid through the external oil cooler and out the end of the loosened hose into the drain tub. Then the next step on trannys that have replaceable filters, is to remove the tranny pan, drain the oil from the pan, clean the pan, replace the filter, and replace the pan. Now all the fluid has been drained from the tranny, but there is still some residual amount of fluid left the the transmission passages and components, which is why you need to the flush to push out the old dirty fluid and replace it with new clean fluid. The next step is easier with an assistant behind the wheel to start and stop the engine and to change the selector lever positions. Start in the Park position. Position a large drain tub under the loosened cooler hose to catch all the fluid that comes out, the capacity of the transmission plus about 6 quarts. Usually a 6 gallon capacity tub or larger is enough. It helps if you slide a 2 foot piece of larger clear plastic hose over the end of the cooler hose. This helps to control the fluid and also to see the color of the fluid as it drains. Start by pouring 4 quarts of transmission fluid into the transmission filler tube, then have the assistant start the engine, let the engine idle, do not rev the engine, and the fluid will begin to come out the hose into the drain pan. Start pouring in the bottles of transmission fluid, watching the color of the fluid coming out into the tub. Have the assistant firmly hold the foot brake and slowly move the selector through all the gear positions a few times. The fluid will be dark at first and will lighten as the new fluid goes through the transmission. The fluid should be lighter after 4 quarts and should be light very light by six quarts. Stop pouring in fluid when the fluid comes out clean and light, usually by 4 to 6 quarts, then have the assistant shut off the engine and place the transmission in park. The tranny is now flushed. Reconnect and tighten the clamp on the oil cooler hose. Pour in 4 quarts of fluid, then have the assistant start the engine again, let it idle, then add one quart of fluid at a time, checking the fluid level when close to full. Be very careful to not overfill the tranny. If you happen to overfill the tranny, you can loosen the cooler hose and let a small amount of fluid out and recheck the fluid level. Be sure to retighten all hose clamps when you are done. The transmission is now flushed and refilled, the old fluid is out and the new fluid is in. Be sure to properly dispose of the old tranny fluid. I pour all my used oil based fluids into a 6 gallon plastic gas can that I keep just for this purpose. A really BIG funnel with your assistant holding it is a big help here. The container can be capped closed and then taken to an oil recycling facility and dumped out. E.D. in Sunny Florida
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Replying to: electricdesign (Nov 24, 2008 12:42 pm) amigo_john, "Isuzu Trooper" #8070, 30 Jun 2003 6:46 am I had this discussion with my (now-ex) mechanic a few months back. They wanted to "flush" my transmission fluid using just the internal pump. I wouldn't let them - just got a drain and fill, told them I'd watch my fluid level and do another drain and fill in a year. (Mine has a dipstick; not sure about the Highlander). Transmission fluid really doesn't get dirty like oil unless you have some issues going on. That's good enough for me; others may think it's beneficial or it may be recommended in your owner's manual. I don't have access to a manual, but the Edmunds Maintenance Guide says to inspect the fluid every 30k for the '08 Highlander. I assume that's for normal service and the manual probably says something about changing the fluid if you tow or drive a lot in the mountains perhaps. (my mechanic ripped me off on some other stuff btw; the tranny discussion didn't factor into it).
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Replying to: steve_ (Nov 24, 2008 3:36 pm) The secret to making a transmission last a long time is to keep it COOL and to keep it CLEAN. E.D.
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Replying to: electricdesign (Nov 30, 2008 8:12 am)
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Replying to: steve_ (Nov 30, 2008 10:17 pm)
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Replying to: electricdesign (Dec 04, 2008 7:43 pm) Hey, you should buy my Quest - great VQ drivetrain and it meets your mileage criteria.  Ok, back to Highlanders.
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Replying to: steve_ (Dec 04, 2008 8:22 pm) Engine lubricating oil is EXPECTED to become dirty due to byproducts of the combustion process getting past the piston rings and valve seals. Engine oil is formulated to hold these particles in suspension whereas ATF is formulated otherwise. Absent the ATF having been overheated, drop the sump pan on your transmission and you will undoubtedly find a layer of debris from the wear of the frictional clutch surfaces, but a reasonably clean and clear ATF. I always run my engines long enough to get up to normal operating temperature just before draining the engine oil. That way I drain off most of the contamination that might otherwise have settled to the bottom of the sump.
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Replying to: wwest (Dec 05, 2008 10:32 am) How do keep from burning your hands btw? I can't crawl under my van until it cools down a bit to change my oil. |
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It's too bad there is not more research on helping high-mileage cars reach even higher mileages. One school of thought about flushing is that after many years and miles there is a lot of crud built up on internal parts, in places where there isn't any kind of natural cleaning action. The result is that if you flush an engine or gearbox you had better flush it really well because the first result of a violent flush is that some of that crud will be washed into suspension where it will do real damage. So, if you are going to flush, make sure you keep flushing until all the crud you have knocked into suspension is truly gone from the inside. Anybody who has worked on old cars knows that even with flushing, a lot of nasty stuff will still be stuck inside the engine and transmission until they are taken apart and really cleaned. My own idea -- not proven by any actual research (so take it with a grain of salt) -- is that it is better to just change the oil and let the crud rest in peace . . . where it isn't doing any damage. The only exceptions may be engines that are prone to sludge build-up. |
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| The small light for the shifter is on and off regularly. I wanting to access under the plastic cover. Any suggestion how to remove console? | |
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