TRANSMISSION FLUID LV 4L $36

[krigeroz]

Just came across Penrite TRANSMISSION FLUID LV just for $36 and I thought I just let you know. It is not original Toyota fluid, but it is fully compatible with the original transmission fluid. The price can be matched by SuperCheap Auto.

https://www.autobarn.com.au/penrite-auto-transmission-fluid-oa03780

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/products.php?id_categ=3&id_subcateg=0&id_products=709

Edited January 3, 2017 by krigeroz

[matt36415]

I paid $42 for 4L as opposed to $68 for Toyota WS. I currently have 2 litres in one of our 2 Aurions. It all works exactly as it did before. I drain and refill twice a year 2.8 litres each time - thats about every 15,000km

[krigeroz]

1 hour ago, matt36415 said:

 

I paid $42 for 4L as opposed to $68 for Toyota WS.

 

Did you get  Penrite  or the original Toyota? 

[trentmeyer23]

5 hours ago, matt36415 said:

I paid $42 for 4L as opposed to $68 for Toyota WS.

It would appear to be Toyota original.

[Noodle Boy]

8 hours ago, trentmeyer23 said:

It would appear to be Toyota original.

I think it's the other way round.

 

[matt36415]

Sorry, I wasnt very clear. I have done fluid changes in the past with Toyota WS.

 

2 weeks ago I bought Penrite and did the last drain and refill with Penrite LV. Its cheaper and its synthetic so I intend to continue my regular fluid changes with Penrite

[Tony Prodigy]

Can I ask A dumb question here ?

Why are some of you changing the transmission fluid twice yearly ?

I actually had a look in the service book and it doesn't specify transmission fluid change unless there is some kind of abnormality or driven under harsh conditions.

It also says roughly as a guide, that the transmission takes around 6.5LT. How are you guys putting in only around 2lt ?

When should the transmission fluid be done and how do you get all the fluid out ?

Another thing. If the factory fill is roughly 6.5lt and you're draining and refilling with approx. 2 or so Lt with non Toyota fluid, aren't you now cross contaminating so to speak ?

You'd be better off just sticking with what Toyota have already put in wouldn't you ?

Has anyone had any advice from the Techs at Toyota ?

[mg85]

Not a dumb question Tony, I change mine once a year, twice a year is not necessary but it can't hurt each to their own I suppose. However I would not go by the service book in the case of the transmission, this is not just Toyota's take on auto trans quite a few other manufactures don't specify servicing either and they are very costly to replace.

The transmission thread is enlightening on this site.

You can only get about 2.5l in because most of the fluid stays in the Torque converter which is normal. therefore  you are not changing all the fluid every time which is one reason I do it every year.

You change the fluid by taking off the sump. The height of the fluid is critical it has an overflow tube on the sump which you undo to let the fluid out when the fluid temp gets to 40c-45c.

I bought one of the chinese (Toyota) software programs "Techstream" and OBD lead which is what the factory uses, this will read the ECU and give you fluid temp.

Not a job for a novice really, Auto trans specialist or dealer would be best. 

[campbeam]

 

4 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

When should the transmission fluid be done and how do you get all the fluid out ?

Lots of posts in this and other forums about the U660E transmission. Following gives an overview. I had no problems using a 6mm allen key to undo the drain plug and to then remove the internal plastic straw to full drain the transmission pan. 

http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/45224-u660e-transmission-service/

 

Edited January 6, 2017 by campbeam
Deleted link in error.

[campbeam]

5 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Why are some of you changing the transmission fluid twice yearly ?

You can either do a transmission flush that will fully change all of the fluid or do multiple drains of the oil pan.  

[campbeam]

4 hours ago, mg85 said:

Not a job for a novice really, Auto trans specialist or dealer would be best. 

Agree. I did lots of research before touching the transmission. Common thread in posts was that issues arose within a few weeks of changing the transmission oil etc.

Another issue was not changing the transmission oil resulting in transmission failures. Remember reading that car manufacturer's definition of lifetime = 10 years or 100,000 miles [160,000 kms]. 

I missed one bit in the procedure, must check oil level with the engine running. After topping up the transmission and doing a correct oil level check, I have had no problems with gear shift changes.

[campbeam]

5 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

transmission fluid change unless there is some kind of abnormality or driven under harsh conditions

Definitely 70,000 km if towing. Full synthetic transmission oil meeting Toyota WS specification required for extended service intervals. 

I replaced the transmission filter and fluid at approx. 164,000km. Fluid was very dark colour and sludge on the oil pan surface. Internet posts by transmission shops are recommending regular filter and fluid changes. I am planning upon doing this every 50,000km unless I add an external inline filter.

[trentmeyer23]

campbeam,

Just for your info. You can multi-quote using the yellow + symbol instead of creating a new post everytime you wish to quote.

This is the preferred method.

[matt36415]

.

Edited January 7, 2017 by matt36415
reopost

[matt36415]

On 6 January 2017 at 8:08 AM, Tony Prodigy said:

Can I ask A dumb question here ? Not a dumb question

Why are some of you changing the transmission fluid twice yearly ? I believe that the service schedule is made up with service costs and NRMA ratings in mind. So I think Toyota sells more cars by reducing the services and therfore the ownership cost to get a higher rating. 

I actually had a look in the service book and it doesn't specify transmission fluid change unless there is some kind of abnormality or driven under harsh conditions. Whatever Toyota says, I dont believe any oil lasts forever even in ideal conditions. Heat alone breaks it down and that assumes no wear particles or condensation of water or other contamination. I used to rebuild Commodore transmissions and the most common reason for failure was heat burning the oil or oil just being too old and deteriorating. So I replace mine to avoid that

My thought is that I could do a lot of 2.8 litre fluid changes and still spend a lot less than a rebuild.

It also says roughly as a guide, that the transmission takes around 6.5LT. How are you guys putting in only around 2lt ? When I take out the drain plug and 'straw' 2.8 litres drains out so thats what I replace.

When should the transmission fluid be done and how do you get all the fluid out ?

Another thing. If the factory fill is roughly 6.5lt and you're draining and refilling with approx. 2 or so Lt with non Toyota fluid, aren't you now cross contaminating so to speak ? I dont think contaminating is the right word. Mixing, certainly. Read up here and on Toyota Nation in the V6 camry thread and you will see lots of recommendations for Valvoline Maxlife which is a synthetic (WS does not seem to be synthetic)

You'd be better off just sticking with what Toyota have already put in wouldn't you ? Toyota would be - their fluid is almost double the price of a synthetic fluid. I think newer, cleaner oil is of more value than these other considerations as long as it fits the specs. Synthetic fluid is generally better as well - probably not in every case but most.

Has anyone had any advice from the Techs at Toyota ?  Dealerships are businesses whose first aim is profit.... so draw your own conclusions about how much they care about your car

 

[Tony Prodigy]

12 hours ago, matt36415 said:

Another thing. If the factory fill is roughly 6.5lt and you're draining and refilling with approx. 2 or so Lt with non Toyota fluid, aren't you now cross contaminating so to speak ? I dont think contaminating is the right word. Mixing, certainly. Read up here and on Toyota Nation in the V6 camry thread and you will see lots of recommendations for Valvoline Maxlife which is a synthetic (WS does not seem to be synthetic)

If you're mixing two different types of fluid, synthetic with non - synthetic aren't you "contaminating" by virtue of mixing ?

If you are straw draining the factory fluid and then topping up with synthetic, wouldn't you be creating an issue with component degradation ?

I'm no oil expert, hence the questions.

Wouldn't you be better off draining the entire transmission ( If Possible) and then start using the synthetic from there on ?

 

12 hours ago, matt36415 said:

I actually had a look in the service book and it doesn't specify transmission fluid change unless there is some kind of abnormality or driven under harsh conditions. Whatever Toyota says, I dont believe any oil lasts forever even in ideal conditions. Heat alone breaks it down and that assumes no wear particles or condensation of water or other contamination. I used to rebuild Commodore transmissions and the most common reason for failure was heat burning the oil or oil just being too old and deteriorating. So I replace mine to avoid that

I totally agree with your statement. I think Toyota have pulled the wool over us in the transmission service dept.. How can they expect the fluid never be changed as it degrades just like anything else ! Are they just waiting for the transmissions to fail so we can line up at Toyota ?

My car has done approx. 65 kays now and I'd like to do the straw drain, remove the pan to see if there is any kind of sludge or metal particles etc. See how it's tracking so to speak. Oh, and I would replace the filter too of course.

My idea would be to do this, say on an annual basis, and just top up with the same fluid it already contains, rather than "mixing" I'f twice a year, then I'd imagine the fluid would only get cleaner and stay newer longer.

 

On 1/6/2017 at 8:51 AM, mg85 said:

You change the fluid by taking off the sump. The height of the fluid is critical it has an overflow tube on the sump which you undo to let the fluid out when the fluid temp gets to 40c-45c.

Do you mean there is an over flow on the side of the transmission body or on the actual sump ? I'm still trying to work all this out, get prepared before I attack it.

 

On 1/6/2017 at 8:51 AM, mg85 said:

I bought one of the chinese (Toyota) software programs "Techstream" and OBD lead which is what the factory uses, this will read the ECU and give you fluid temp.

Can you tell me where I can get one of these gadgets ? I've checked fleabay and I'm not sure which one is suitable. Is there one specific to the 50 ?

 

 

Edited January 7, 2017 by Tony Prodigy
Quoted extra post

[Tony Prodigy]

On 1/6/2017 at 8:51 AM, mg85 said:

Not a job for a novice really, Auto trans specialist or dealer would be best. 

Good advice.

I've been tinkering with cars and motorcycles since my teenage years, so i have a pretty good knowledge on how to approach certain mechanical situations.

This is my first Aurion and have little experience with the V6 as such. I want to get my head around all this before doing the service so I don't make a costly mistake.

Once I am confident and armed with the correct info, I'll get to do it.

I'll be sure to post up some pics too.

[Tony Prodigy]

On 1/6/2017 at 1:41 PM, campbeam said:

You can either do a transmission flush that will fully change all of the fluid or do multiple drains of the oil pan.  

What does the full flush entail ? Are you pouring fresh fluid in while draining out slowly till fresh fluid comes out ? Like bleeding the brakes kind of thing ?

Is there a post that covers the whole procedure from start to finish ?

Those that I have read aren't comprehensive with bits missing or vague to some point leaving guess work or the need to ask a question.

[campbeam]

46 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

What does the full flush entail ?

As per the attachment, this is the flush procedure I have used on my 1998 Camry and 1995 Pulsar. It may not be totally comprehensive but contains the links back to the source URLs.

I have not used this flush procedure on my Aurion. I would not recommend doing this until you know how to check the transmission oil level first because there is no dipstick on the U660E transmission. 

Toyota Camry ATF Transmission Fluid Flush.docx

 

[mg85]

12 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

 

 

Do you mean there is an over flow on the side of the transmission body or on the actual sump ? I'm still trying to work all this out, get prepared before I attack it.

 

Can you tell me where I can get one of these gadgets ? I've checked fleabay and I'm not sure which one is suitable. Is there one specific to the 50 ?

 

 

Hi Tony,

There is plug in the bottom of the sump with an allen key head in the centre of it, on top of this allen key is a straw or dip tube going up into the sump undoing this allen key when the fluid temp is 40c-45c will give you the correct fluid height.

This software is what your Toyota dealer uses to diagnose and alter settings to your car it cover a whole range of Toyota/Lexus vehicles

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16-Pin-Mini-VCI-TIS-Techstream-v8-10-021-For-Toyota-Car-Single-Cable-Software-/272436354949?hash=item3f6e78df85:g:nt8AAOSw4GVYGu6y

Filling the transmission is via a plug on the side just like a manual transmission.

It is a bit of a tricky job I would say if you would not replace your spark plugs on the V6 yourself don't have a go at the transmission

[campbeam]

For information purposes, I have attached details about replacing the transmission filter and adjusting the transmission fluid level. One bolt of the transmission pan is covered by a cross member and it is a real frustration to remove it.

I learnt the hard way that the transmission fluid level has to be checked with the engine running.

Also there appears to have been an update to procedures where an additional 200ml of fluid is added after adjusting the fluid level.

 

U660E Transmission Filter Replacement.doc

U660E Info 2010_8_36.pdf

U660E AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID ADJUSTMENT.doc

[Tony Prodigy]

21 hours ago, mg85 said:

Hi Tony,

There is plug in the bottom of the sump with an allen key head in the centre of it, on top of this allen key is a straw or dip tube going up into the sump undoing this allen key when the fluid temp is 40c-45c will give you the correct fluid height.

This software is what your Toyota dealer uses to diagnose and alter settings to your car it cover a whole range of Toyota/Lexus vehicles

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16-Pin-Mini-VCI-TIS-Techstream-v8-10-021-For-Toyota-Car-Single-Cable-Software-/272436354949?hash=item3f6e78df85:g:nt8AAOSw4GVYGu6y

Filling the transmission is via a plug on the side just like a manual transmission.

It is a bit of a tricky job I would say if you would not replace your spark plugs on the V6 yourself don't have a go at the transmission

Thanks for the info mate. 

No it doesn't bother me to do plugs or the transmission flush.

I've been around muscle cars and other old school cars replacing engines, transmissions and 9 inch diffs.

Thanks for the link too. Is it a reliable software ?

[Tony Prodigy]

1 hour ago, campbeam said:

For information purposes, I have attached details about replacing the transmission filter and adjusting the transmission fluid level. One bolt of the transmission pan is covered by a cross member and it is a real frustration to remove it.

I learnt the hard way that the transmission fluid level has to be checked with the engine running.

Also there appears to have been an update to procedures where an additional 200ml of fluid is added after adjusting the fluid level.

 

U660E Transmission Filter Replacement.doc

U660E Info 2010_8_36.pdf

U660E AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID ADJUSTMENT.doc

P.M received. Thank you kindly.

A friend of mine just bought a 2012 Aurion Prodigy just like mine in Silver too !

His is 09/2012 and mine is 10/2012... 

I will share the knowledge thanks to you and everyone else here.

Thank you !

[mg85]

17 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Thanks for the info mate. 

No it doesn't bother me to do plugs or the transmission flush.

I've been around muscle cars and other old school cars replacing engines, transmissions and 9 inch diffs.

Thanks for the link too. Is it a reliable software ?

There is generally a readme file on the disk for correct installation onto a laptop. The version I have does not list a Aurion it is just a matter of picking the correct Camry in the North American region. It has always worked OK for me.

[Tony Prodigy]

10 minutes ago, mg85 said:

There is generally a readme file on the disk for correct installation onto a laptop. The version I have does not list a Aurion it is just a matter of picking the correct Camry in the North American region. It has always worked OK for me.

Ah ok.

So for Aurion, which one do you pick that is the equivalent ?