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Hi:
This is my first post on the site, and in fact just found it when trying to find answer to my question. I just changed (myself) the transmission fluid in my 98 Avalon. Had purchased a Haynes manual and followed the instructions, I thought. Problem is I drained the fluid and slowly added 4 qts of new fluid before checking the level. The book indicated 5qts was needed for "drain and refill", so I thought I was OK to start with 4. The dipstick showed well about hot full. I then drove a couple miles and checked again with the engine running and after running through the gears several times. Still way about hot full. Check how much I had drained and was somewhat less than 4 qts. Any ideas. Do I drain off fluid, so two qts and then check? I have seen similar posts of people having trouble getting accurate readings on the tranny dipstick. I have never had this type problem with crankcase oil, but new to do it myself tranny change. Thanks for the help.
Jim
If its not over a lot, leave it. If you have hot full when its cold, drain off a bit at a time. Its a pain in the butt. After my engine swap I need to check and refill it a few times before its good.
a few years ago I overfilled my leaking tranny on another car, about an hour later as I was driving through east oakland I noticed a buzzing sound. Went back to the house, drained the obviously overfilled transmission and brought it to the proper level.
Changing the tran fluid with synthetic allowed me to drive the car for another 14k miles until I sold it, no problems except the noise. Bottom line do not overfill your tran.
DRAIN IT AT ONCE!!!
allow 20 minutes from adding fluid to being able to get an accurate reading. only fill to the cold range. Then drive it aroung to be hot enough to start bringing it to the hot range. Unlike the hash marks on engine dipsticks where there is a range from low to high where higher is better, the marks on a tranny are a target and the fluid level is only supposed to be within them so if it is just above low that is fine. The hot range can be achieved by driving mixed conditions for 10 miles, but driving like 50 miles on the freeway may be too hot.
HOW in the hell is he going to drain the converter ??? these dont have drain plugs on them like fords do. Those haynes manuals arent real specific sometimes, and did it say anything about the differential oil?
removed about 1 3/4 qts of fluid to get down to "cold" full marks. Will check tomorrow after driving about 30 miles. Thanks for the input. Differential is separate. Will attack it this weekend.
I have done this same setup as I have a '99 Avalon. When I did my last change I dropped the pan (a messy afair) and changed out the filter and cleaned the magnets. I've heard that these trannys are real hard on oil, so I'm gonna put synthetic in mine. I have the oil I'm just debating on how to get most of the old out and the new in without throwing out $4/quart Amsoil. As far as overfilling, I'd be very careful, as you might be doing more harm than you did good by changing the fluid in the first place. Also my Haynes manual shows a drain plug to drain the differential, which is cake, but getting the new oil in is a little tougher, as I don't know how I'm gonna pour it in when the fill hole is on the side. I still have to figure this out. You might wanna consider this also before you get started. It looks as though I will have to pump it in.
dude, they have this on-off valve thingy that goes onto oil bottles with adapters for small and wide mouth, anyways - the one I have has like a little hose tube so what I do is stick in in the fill hole and squeeze the crap out of a fully filled bottle to fill the diff.
dude, they have this on-off valve thingy that goes onto oil bottles with adapters for small and wide mouth, anyways - the one I have has like a little hose tube so what I do is stick in in the fill hole and squeeze the crap out of a fully filled bottle to fill the diff.
only works with full bottles.
Absolutely. These things cost about $2. They are a huge headache save. Any auto parts store will have them.
the diff can only be accessed from underneath the car, it has two 10mm allen-wrench bolts. one on top of the other. the device looks a bit like an industrial transformer housing with its diagonal cooling fins.
I have done this same setup as I have a '99 Avalon. When I did my last change I dropped the pan (a messy afair) and changed out the filter and cleaned the magnets. I've heard that these trannys are real hard on oil, so I'm gonna put synthetic in mine. I have the oil I'm just debating on how to get most of the old out and the new in without throwing out $4/quart Amsoil. As far as overfilling, I'd be very careful, as you might be doing more harm than you did good by changing the fluid in the first place. Also my Haynes manual shows a drain plug to drain the differential, which is cake, but getting the new oil in is a little tougher, as I don't know how I'm gonna pour it in when the fill hole is on the side. I still have to figure this out. You might wanna consider this also before you get started. It looks as though I will have to pump it in.
Just picked up a squeeze bulb pump gadget at Advance for about $3.50. They have several different types under about $5. This one looked the easiest, although I have yet to change the differential. Found the drain plug, but yet to find the fill in my 98 Avalon.
look to the side of the tranny it's a 17mm bolt on mine ..... took me a LONG time to find it, actualy thought it was something else was the fill hole man was i wrong.
should take about 2qu to do the dif.
and i learn that tranny fluid can turn black as oil
in all it took me about 25 min to change it but that dosent include time i spent finding the fill hole or changing my fender
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Tranny fluid change
that's a good one
??? these dont have drain plugs on them like fords do. Those haynes manuals arent real specific sometimes, and did it say anything about the differential oil? 
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