Still confused: differential, transaxle or transmission fluid? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

96ToyoCam164K · 11-30-2009, 01:29 AM

I was just looking at the recommended maintenance for my 96, 4 cylinder and seems like I have never had the transaxles replaced (since I bought it at 133K) which is recommended at every 15k for normal use.

Is that differential fluid? I know its not transmission fluid right

I went to my mechanic today and was told that I dont have differential fluid. I hate to seem like Im wanting to get "more work done" because I have been thru enough setbacks with this car this year

At the same time, I have been doing so many road trips that I want to make sure Im up to date on maintenance. So what is it, transmission (which I had drained about 30k ago) or differential? Should I go ahead with another transmission drain since its been so long?

Also want to add, I cant do too much 'DIY' because I live in an apartment complex and I can only do so much messy work before management starts bitching...

uibalnme · 11-30-2009, 01:45 AM

The transaxle is a transmission, and differential in one unit. It uses ATF in both the transmission part, and differential part. In the 4cyl. transaxle the trans, and diff. do not share the same supply of ATF. So, the trans. and diff must have thier fluids changed separately. Again, both trans, and diff use ATF, but do not share the same supply. They are separate.

***JohnGD*** · 11-30-2009, 01:51 AM

Your 1996 I4 uses the Aisin A140 series transmission. It has a transmission pan and a separate differential. Go to Autozone and look up on their free repair guide (with registration). Look on Haynes manaul, look in your owner's manual about how much fluid the differential holds.

I'd drain/refill both the transmission and differential every 15K miles. Every other time, I'd drop the pan and replace the strainer and clean the magnets. Maybe you have a friend who's willing you let you use the driveway for a while?? In case your management will complain about a strainer change. Drains/refills are fast and easy. I don't think you'll have problems. But I like to clean the pan too.

Walmart SuperTech DexIII-compatible ATF works fine. If you want an inexpensive synthetic blend, use SuperTech Mercon V, IIRC, it's DexIII compatible, as it said so on the back. Mercon V is a Ford approved formula. GM no longer licenses DIII, so vendors can only call them DIII compatible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96ToyoCam164K

I was just looking at the recommended maintenance for my 96, 4 cylinder and seems like I have never had the transaxles replaced (since I bought it at 133K) which is recommended at every 15k for normal use.

Is that differential fluid? I know its not transmission fluid right

I went to my mechanic today and was told that I dont have differential fluid. I hate to seem like Im wanting to get "more work done" because I have been thru enough setbacks with this car this year

At the same time, I have been doing so many road trips that I want to make sure Im up to date on maintenance. So what is it, transmission (which I had drained about 30k ago) or differential? Should I go ahead with another transmission drain since its been so long?

Also want to add, I cant do too much 'DIY' because I live in an apartment complex and I can only do so much messy work before management starts bitching...

haux · 11-30-2009, 01:55 AM

This question may benefit the OP as well. But I thought the transmission AND differential can both be refilled through the transmission dipstick tube. Last drain I did, I drained both the transmission and differential, but refilled only through that tube. Is that fine? Or is there a separate differential fill inlet?

***JohnGD*** · 11-30-2009, 02:24 AM

According to the Autozone free repair guide, your transmission should still have a separate differential. However, they could be wrong. On the back side of the differential, facing the firewall, there is a fill plug.

Check:

What does your dipstick say, anything about a separate differential?

Does your manual lists a fluid capacity for the differential?

I think you need to double check that so you're not running on an empty differential!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by haux

This question may benefit the OP as well. But I thought the transmission AND differential can both be refilled through the transmission dipstick tube. Last drain I did, I drained both the transmission and differential, but refilled only through that tube. Is that fine? Or is there a separate differential fill inlet?

uibalnme · 11-30-2009, 02:24 AM

No, the trans, and diff. DO NOT SHARE THE SAME ATF SUPPLY. If you drained both trans and diff, but only filled through the trans dipstick tube, you've been running with a dry diff. The diff has separate drain, and fill plugs.

I've been doing my own fluid changes for years on this car. I know 1st hand, because I've been under this car many times. The Trans, and diff. have to be drained and filled separately.

***JohnGD*** · 11-30-2009, 02:30 AM

Yeah, Toyota's mix of joint/separate fills on the Aisin A-series really stinks.

The transmission that shares the fill for the transmission and differential is the V6 Aisin A541E in it's last days. While kinda flimsy, IMO, the 541 is still a better transmission than the newer U-series clunkers they're using, like that U660E.

Quote:

Originally Posted by uibalnme

No, the trans, and diff. DO NOT SHARE THE SAME ATF SUPPLY. If you drained both trans and diff, but only filled through the trans dipstick tube, you've been running with a dry diff. The diff has separate drain, and fill plugs.

haux · 11-30-2009, 02:34 AM

Can someone describe exactly where the differential fill is then? I believe I've asked this before in another thread, and based on the information received, I looked and looked and couldn't find anything.

***JohnGD*** · 11-30-2009, 02:38 AM

You're familiar with the drain, right. See the fill plug on the vertical side of the diff?

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...52800928f6.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by haux

Can someone describe exactly where the differential fill is then? I believe I've asked this before in another thread, and based on the information received, I looked and looked and couldn't find anything.

haux · 11-30-2009, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnGD

You're familiar with the drain, right. See the fill plug on the vertical side of the diff?

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...52800928f6.jpg

Yeah... that's the same thing the guy at the parts dept. at the dealership looked up and told me. I thought to myself... how the hell do you fill a vertical inlet?

I see it in the picture, I just can't translate it over the real thing. Based on the diagram from the dealer, I wasn't able to find it. I guess I will take another look first thing today.

96ToyoCam164K · 11-30-2009, 02:43 AM

Hmmm...quite helpful replies

Im just confused as to why I have never been recommended this 'differential fluid' change in the past. I've gone to Toyota 3 times and they've offered a host of other necessary things (all which eventually did end up needing to be fixed) but I was never told of differential.

Im also not sure about a 15,000 mile transmission change? Thought it was like every 60k. Is this something I should have done tomorrow?

Im a bit hyped up now because the other day, transmission seemed to not shift properly. I was going 70 mph with a 4,000 RPM (which held steady, I was not accelerating), normally its only 2,800 rpm

I pulled over, checked my drive belt, nothing was wrong...and then drove normally. Then it happened again the other day.

So Im thinking maybe the fluids are getting gummy? Whenever my Camry does weird shit, I know somthing is about to break...which is why Im trying to figure it out now!

***JohnGD*** · 11-30-2009, 02:54 AM

You fill by using a quart-bottle pump from bottom, or with a funnel and a 10-cent-per-foot 3/8" PVC tubing from top, until the fluid comes out of the fill hole. Of course, the car should be "level".

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...Itemnumber=744

Also, this might help:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=7361

Quote:

Originally Posted by haux

Yeah... that's the same thing the guy at the parts dept. at the dealership looked up and told me. I thought to myself... how the hell do you fill a vertical inlet?

I see it in the picture, I just can't translate it over the real thing. Based on the diagram from the dealer, I wasn't able to find it. I guess I will take another look first thing today.

***JohnGD*** · 11-30-2009, 03:01 AM

Dexron III is good for about 50-60K in normal service. But put in some safety margin, I'd go with 15K/30K for severe and normal service. Walmart SuperTech works well. You may want to go with High Mileage ATF too.

It's also not about the fluid, but the crap the transmission is dumping into the fluid.

I'd use SuperTech every 15K miles, because most people actually drive under severe service.

If you've never dropped the pan and change the strainer, I'd do that too. I'm not sure how mechanically inclined you are. But a $15 Fram ATF kit works fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96ToyoCam164K

Hmmm...quite helpful replies

Im just confused as to why I have never been recommended this 'differential fluid' change in the past. I've gone to Toyota 3 times and they've offered a host of other necessary things (all which eventually did end up needing to be fixed) but I was never told of differential.

Im also not sure about a 15,000 mile transmission change? Thought it was like every 60k. Is this something I should have done tomorrow?

Im a bit hyped up now because the other day, transmission seemed to not shift properly. I was going 70 mph with a 4,000 RPM (which held steady, I was not accelerating), normally its only 2,800 rpm

I pulled over, checked my drive belt, nothing was wrong...and then drove normally. Then it happened again the other day.

So Im thinking maybe the fluids are getting gummy? Whenever my Camry does weird shit, I know somthing is about to break...which is why Im trying to figure it out now!

96ToyoCam164K · 11-30-2009, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnGD

If you've never dropped the pan and change the strainer, I'd do that too. I'm not sure how mechanically inclined you are. But a $15 Fram ATF kit works fine.

Im not going to mess with the pan...just seems like a bit too much work. I'll drain the front and do the flush from the cooling hoses and that should be fine, right?

hill8570 · 11-30-2009, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 96ToyoCam164K

Im not going to mess with the pan...just seems like a bit too much work. I'll drain the front and do the flush from the cooling hoses and that should be fine, right?

It's far more than most folks do. The important thing is to get the fluid refreshed on a regular basis -- even a drain-and-fill is OK, if done on a regular basis.

Dropping the pan every once and a while to clean out the sludge and check out the magnets for excessive metal (signifying it's time to start saving for a tranny rebuild) is nice, but hardly necessary. It's also quite a bit messier than a drain-and-fill or a shade tree flush.