Toyota Atf

[steveskeggy]

Anybody know wher I can get a small bottle of Type T-4 transmission fluid?

I only need to top up my box, and I dont want to buy a 5L bottle, use a cup full and have the rest spoil in my shed.

I have been in touch with my nearest Toyota dealer and they only do the 5L ones.

[Malc]

Anybody know wher I can get a small bottle of Type T-4 transmission fluid?

I only need to top up my box, and I dont want to buy a 5L bottle, use a cup full and have the rest spoil in my shed.

I have been in touch with my nearest Toyota dealer and they only do the 5L ones.

Wouldn't any small Motor Factor shop / unit sell you a 1.ltr pack ? Or go to any small auto workshop and ask them to top it up for you and drop the guy a fiver !

Malc

[hydrostat]

Anybody know wher I can get a small bottle of Type T-4 transmission fluid?

I only need to top up my box, and I dont want to buy a 5L bottle, use a cup full and have the rest spoil in my shed.

I have been in touch with my nearest Toyota dealer and they only do the 5L ones.

Funny that they only do 5 ltr ones, I recently had to get some SP III ATF(Hyundai stuff) and they would only do it in 1 ltr bottles.

Eventually found one by Millers Oils that is SP III and T-IV compatible. Do it in 1 ltrs and 5 ltrs but expect postage would kill the deal.

I like Malc's idea re blagging some from a mechanics workshop best.

[Dale_V]

if doing a complete auto trans fluid change, how many litres does the system hold? cheers

[hydrostat]

if doing a complete auto trans fluid change, how many litres does the system hold? cheers

can't go past this Link for a trans oil change.

"12 quarts" apparently, I make that roughly 14 ltrs, which seems a lot.

But he is allowing for "future refills" etc

[steveskeggy]

There is a much discussed topic about Lexus transmissions.

But basically the majority say to ONLY put Toyota T-iv in.

Any other stuff will either mess the smooth change up or bonzo the box completely.

Whatever anybody thinks, I would rather not risk it, and stick with the Toyota stuff, so that rules out the local factors and the local grease monkey.

[AndyCheltenham1]

I would personally contact the service department at your local Toyota/Lexus dealers and ask them if they will top it up for you.

With the very small quantity needed I doubt they would charge you much if anything at all-I did this a while ago at my local Lexus dealer and they said just bring the car in and they topped it up for free while I waited and refused to take any payment for it.

It should be goodwill from a main dealer.

[hydrostat]

Yep agree that genuine Lexus/Toyota T-IV is the safest to go for.

There are very few manufacturers that claim compatibility I could only find the one and I do have confidence in it, but go with that that your own conscience dictates.

The worst thing that can happen is if you take the car to a mechanic that either doesn't care or is ignorant of the type of ATF used. My adventures with a Hyundai transmission are as a result of, said mechanic putting standard ATF in a box requiring SP III, impossible to prove but I know he did it.

The transmission survived (so far anyway) but it has damaged it, evident from the dirty brown sludge that came out during the flush and the iron filings on the drain plug magnet.

[alanr]

Hi,

Whilst on the topic of transmission oil changes, I recently made an interesting discovery, albeit purely by accident. My car (1998 Mk IV) was sat on the drive with the front wheels up on a set of ramps whilst I changed the front exhaust pipe. I took the opportunity of doing the engine oil and filter, and also the transmission oil at the same time.

The existing transmission oil had already done 36000 miles without being touched, as at the last B service, the Lexus agent concerned said that the oil was still a lovely pink colour and didn't need changing. When the dipstick was pulled, the oil did indeed look nice and pink, with no smell of burnt clutches, so I have carried on driving blissfully with the same oil.

Generally percieved wisdom for these transmissions is that a normal service 'drain and refill' will produce about 2 litres of oil out of the transmission pan, and this proved to be the case when I drained mine. The remaining 80% of the oil stays in the internal pumps and hydraulics, of which a fair proportion probably sits in the torque converter and cooler. Due to appallinging weather conditions, the car then spent the next two days up on ramps without an exhaust or transmission oil.

However. when I did get back under the car, some undefined thought process made me wonder if any more transmission oil had drained down into the pan. To my surprise, I then drained a further 3 litres of oil out, making a total of 5 litres altogether that had drained out. Also, the oil that had looked a lovely pink colour on the dipstick, actually looked a very deep purple (not the rock group) when drained into a bowl.

5 litres of bright scarlet Toyota ATF and 1000 miles later, the gearbox feels very slightly smoother than before, although it's difficult to be objective about the change quality, as the only word that really springs to mind is 'imperceptable'. Colour of oil on dipstick is now almost clear, and only has the very slightest tinge of pink - it fact it's not easy to read the dipstick any more.

So there we are, an accidental 50% oil change all through having the nose up in the air for 2 days. The oil came from Lexus Swindon, ordered on-line and delivered very promptly. Cost of oil was £32.17 + VAT, and was part no. 08886-82025.

Regards to all

Alan

[cleverdick]

Anybody know wher I can get a small bottle of Type T-4 transmission fluid?

I only need to top up my box, and I dont want to buy a 5L bottle, use a cup full and have the rest spoil in my shed.

I have been in touch with my nearest Toyota dealer and they only do the 5L ones.

You can get 1 Quart bottles of T-IV from the US (just under 1l). Be careful if trying to obtain T-IV from a workshop - in my experience, even the Toyota dealers don't use it - claiming that whatever it is they do use is "compatible". (Not sure about Lexus dealers.) Unless you actually see the label on the container/drum it comes from, then assume it's not genuine T-IV.