Anybody ever have any problems changing trans fluid?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Dale Earnhadrt, Apr 4, 2015.

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  1. mrstop

    mrstop PWR Mode

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    Nice setup. I used the solution on the left with some serious muscle. On one of the bolts, I slipped a deepwell socket and extension bar over the end to improve my leverage.
     
    #21 mrstop, Apr 10, 2015
  2. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    You're assuming I drive on the expressway. Nope, hardly ever and when I do, I don't get tailgated. It's mostly on 2 lane roads and in town. Happens to my daughter in her prius too.

    Anyway...thanks for all the replies. They're all good.

    SOOOOOOOOO....I changed my trans fluid today.

    The plug was on gorilla tight from not being removed for 116,000 miles. I'm a powerlifter (albeit an old one, now) and I had to use a breaker bar. Guys, been changing trans fluid for almost 40 years and I've never seen anything like this. I'm surprised the trans is still going. There was so much dissolved metal in that fluid that it was silver-grey.

    Anyway, it was a cake job. No filter, no pan, no gasket, no kickdown-band to adjust and no reverse band to adjust like I do every 12k on my mint 1996 Ram Cummins Diesel.

    You bet I'll be changing that fluid after the next long trip when the tranny is nice and warm.

    Thanks again, guys. This is a great site.
     
    #22 Dale Earnhadrt, Apr 17, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 18, 2015
  3. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    The initial fluid change is the worst for contamination/debris. Subsequent changes will look better, but I would not go 60,000 miles before the next as some have suggest on this forum. 30K is still the minimum standard for this fluid on other Toyota vehicles...different trannies...but the same fluid. Your call.
     
    #23 frodoz737, Apr 17, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2015
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  4. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    Starting with the Gen III in 2010, Toyota eliminated the small ceramic magnet on the transaxle drain plug.

    Still, the Gen III could use a magnetic drain plug, given the large amount of steel and iron particles that accumulate on the magnet over the many miles of use.
     
    #24 Mike500, Apr 18, 2015
  5. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    Ya know, I was going to ask what y'all thought of that. I'm not wild about magnetic drain plugs because if they get really loaded with metal, some chunks can stay behind when you unscrew the plug. Much better to have a magnet at the bottom of a trans pan, which, on a prius, is not possible. I guess in theory, any metal left behind would reattach itself to the plug...maybe.
     
    #25 Dale Earnhadrt, Apr 18, 2015
  6. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    It would be true that some would be left behind, if it was a weak ceramic magnet and tee case into which he plug is threaded into is steel. However, if you fitted the plug with a high strength neodymium magnet, almost no steel or iron particles would be attracted to the non-magnetic aluminum case.
     
    #26 Mike500, Apr 18, 2015
  7. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    So the plug is steel. I should be able to attach a neodymium magnet right to the plug and reinsert. I'm going to flush the fluid again very shortly so I'll do it then

    By the way, I got a one-gallon garden pump sprayer at Walmart, took the spray part off, filled it with fluid and stuck the hose into the fill hole from underneath. Worked great. The sprayer was 8 bucks so I'm going to use it exclusively for trans fluid.
     
    #27 Dale Earnhadrt, Apr 18, 2015
  8. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    That should work. Being a machinist, however, I preferred to bore out a recess into the plug the same size as the magnet and lock it in with permanent sleeve holding Loctite. I made a few from genuine Toyota drain plugs, but I am not allowed to sell them here. So, it is only a suggestion.

    That would also work, but it's really NOT needed. A cheap funnel and three feet of 1/2 OD clear vinyl tubing for about a dollar and a half fro Hone Depot is ALL that's needed.
     
    #28 Mike500, Apr 18, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2015
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