need help on transmission fluid

[MistuhVinhie]

does anybody know how many tranmission fluid i need for my car? and how much mileage do i need to change my transmission fluid?

[AlaricD]

Originally Posted by MistuhVinhie

does anybody know how many tranmission fluid i need for my car? and how much mileage do i need to change my transmission fluid?

What year Corolla? Automatic or manual transmission?

[iskate631]

if its automatic im assuming the dipstick has a measure on it like the oil dipstick. manual you have to remove the plug from the side of the tranny and add from there, most people dont get too technical they just go by the finger trick. the fluid should be about level to the bottom of that hole, therefor you fill it till you can feel it right up there at the top. be aware though that if you jack up your front end to get to this plug you will be adding more than needed when on level ground. if you goto the fluids/specifications part of your owners manual it should tell you the correct transmission fluid to use.

this link is not specifically for the corolla but gives you the general idea:
http://www.samarins.com/check/transmission.html

[MistuhVinhie]

it a 99 corolla,automatic, and i don't know if it 3 speed or 4 speed. i called autozone and the guy were confusing me.need help thank you

[AlaricD]

Originally Posted by MistuhVinhie

it a 99 corolla,automatic, and i don't know if it 3 speed or 4 speed. i called autozone and the guy were confusing me.need help thank you

If there's a little button on the side of the shifter handle below the thumb button marked "O/D Off" (and using that button turns on a dashboard light saying "O/D Off"), then it's a 4 speed. If you have a Corolla VE then it's most likely a 3 speed.

[MistuhVinhie]

oh okay : ) then i have a 4 speed. so how much tranmission fluid will i need for the toyota corolla 99? automatic?

[iskate631]

your owners manual will tell you the correct amount, but i would still judge by the dipstick, dont just put all (say 4) quarts into the transmission.
"For optimum protection, change the fluid and filter every 30,000 miles (unless you have a new vehicle that is filled with Dexron III ATF which is supposed to be good for 100,000 miles)."

"To change the fluid, you have to get under your vehicle and remove the pan from the bottom of the transmission.

When you loosen the pan, fluid will start to dribble out in all directions so you need a fairly large catch pan. You should also know that removing the pan doesn't drain all of the old fluid out of the transmission. Approximately a third of the old fluid will still be in the torque converter. There's no drain plug on the converter so you're really only doing a partial fluid change. Even so, a partial fluid change is better than no fluid change at all.

A typical fluid change will require anywhere from 3 to 6 quarts of ATF depending on the application, a new filter and a pan gasket (or RTV sealer) for the transmission pan. The pan must be thoroughly cleaned prior to reinstallation. This includes wiping all fluid residue from the inside of the pan and scraping all traces of the old gasket from the pan's sealing surface. Don't forget to clean the mounting flange on the transmission, too."

Credit from yahoo answers:
http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repa...ques123_0.html

[MistuhVinhie]

what if i don't change the transmission filter how much would i need? to be extact? sorry i don't have a manual book for it

[AlaricD]

Put in as much as you take out.

[iskate631]

if your only adding fluid, just fill it to the speicfied amount on the dipstick. i would just buy 1 quart assuming the car is not that low on fluid. you could but 2 to be safe though.
1
Find the type of transmission fluid you should buy written on the dipstick. You can also find this information in your owner's manual. You will likely find that the recommended transmission fluid is Dexron III.
2
Add the new automatic transmission fluid through the dipstick tube with the engine off. Check the level, add a little more fluid and check again until the fluid reaches the correct level on the dipstick.
3
Replace the dipstick, start the engine and let it idle for a few minutes without pressing the gas pedal. Shift your car through the gears and then back to Park.
4
Check the fluid level on the dipstick while the car is idling. If the dipstick indicates that the transmission needs more fluid, add a little more until the level reaches the full mark on the dipstick.

[Erotomania]

Originally Posted by MistuhVinhie

what if i don't change the transmission filter how much would i need? to be extact? sorry i don't have a manual book for it

I don't mean to be rude, or less than helpful, but if you're planning on doing the job improperly(Not changing the filter) then you should not bother touching your car. Furthermore, in an automatic transmission, it's hardly a fluid change as it is a flush. The process must be repeated at least once shortly after the first change to cycle the fluids kept inside the transmission. This is important because the idea of changing the fluid is not because the fluid deteriorates, or even gets that dirty like motor oil, the purpose is to remove normal wear particles from the fluid. Tiny shavings worn off of the internal parts eventually fail to be sorted through the filter and turns lubricating oil into a liquid abrasive when sandwiched between reciprocating parts with very tight tolerances.

Half used old fluid and a contaminated filter completely defeats the purpose.

[MistuhVinhie]

any instruction on how to open the transmission pan? thank you

[Erotomania]

Yup
1-Get in car
2-Drive to mechanic
3-Ask for transmission flush
4-Hand over keys and money

Seriously, at least search or better yet get under the car and look. The FAQ thread has a pretty idiot proof step by step.

[dgoodhue]

Originally Posted by MistuhVinhie

any instruction on how to open the transmission pan? thank you

Their is a drain plug, if you just want to change the fluid. I think mine took around 3-4 quarts, doing it that way.

[dgoodhue]

Originally Posted by Erotomania

I don't mean to be rude, or less than helpful, but if you're planning on doing the job improperly(Not changing the filter) then you should not bother touching your car. Furthermore, in an automatic transmission, it's hardly a fluid change as it is a flush. The process must be repeated at least once shortly after the first change to cycle the fluids kept inside the transmission. This is important because the idea of changing the fluid is not because the fluid deteriorates, or even gets that dirty like motor oil, the purpose is to remove normal wear particles from the fluid. Tiny shavings worn off of the internal parts eventually fail to be sorted through the filter and turns lubricating oil into a liquid abrasive when sandwiched between reciprocating parts with very tight tolerances.

Half used old fluid and a contaminated filter completely defeats the purpose.

I disagree with that statement. A fluid change is better than nothing. It remove 40-50% of the old fluid and contaminates. I think my Prizm recommended interval is 100K for tran fluid. I did just a fluid change @ 50K (trans drain plug and filled it back up) and Filter/fluid change at 100k. Ideally I would changed the fluid 3 or 4 times until it looked clean, but I don't care about my car that much.