ATF fluid changes ARE Required.

that won't be possible lol... or else you would be able to just fill the fluid with the front end up and remove the tube and plug it back up. Just get it level as much as possible with 4 jack stands, you don't have to be perfect.

 

That's a problem, I have 2 jackstands and 2 ramps. So I have to buy 2 more jackstands... then I have to buy 4 pinch weld adapters for the jackstands... so much for it being almost as easy as an oil change.

Already bought a breaker bar, a hex socket set, a funnel and some tubing... aluminum crush washers...

SCH-I535

 

the 2 ton jack stands are pretty cheap, around 20$ or something. Don't worry, I got 4 jack stands and 2 ramps as well. The more the better right? lol...

 

Are you saying then, you run the front end up on ramps, and then when you bring the rear up and put it on jackstands, it's a little too high? If so, t can't be off by much. But if you deem it too much, want to get get it decently level:

Go with NutzAboutBolts suggestion, use four jackstands. Now the issue is: thanks to Toyota's COMPLETE lack of reinforcement of the pinchweld at the designated jacking points, and the shape of the typical jackstand cradle (not remotely similar to the supplied scissor jack cradle), what to do.

I've gotten away with setting the front jacking points on regular jackstands, once or twice. The car'll survive, but it won't be happy. The crimped edge may chew up a bit. What's worse is it does NOT inspire confidence; it feels like the car has a knife edge, balancing on a broad, flat cradle, and on an angle, threatening to kick out.

If you just think happy thoughts, settle it down, then go round the back and jack up the rear and get the rear jackstands in, it'll survive. But I agree, it's not pretty. The simplest solution:

Stick with the official rear points. They're lightly loaded, not so bad. But for the front, put your jackstands inboard, near the front end of the broad longitudinal rail. It's less than a foot away from the kosher bearing point. And it's wide, heavy guage, and doesn't mind the bearing being on a bit of angle on the outset. It's the red-marked points in this pic:



And here's a plagiarized pic (from Hobbit?). It's second gen, but very similar, showing the jackstand in position, a bit upsampled:



Also, if you don't have tire chocks, it'd be good to pick some up with the extra jack stands. Use them on whatever wheels are last on the ground, and ditto in reverse when lowering the car.

Something I like to do also, is put a section of tree stump under before I get under, for insurance.

 

I'm not clear on where to put jackstands on the rear end. The front end, I feel comfortable using the location you use.

SCH-I535

 

I think the drain is on the side in the back. How unlevel is your car when it is up on the ramps/jack stands ?

 

Rear uses pinch points.

I would try just putting the car up on the front jack stands and then put in the the required amount. As long as the required amount goes in it should be perfect after you put in the fill plug in and let it down. If its low then you have to level it out and try again.

Done thus 3 times on my G2 and it takes the exact amount up on front ramps only.

 

Here's some clearer pictures (I hope) of my alternate front location for jackstands. First picture shows the pinch weld (driver's side) location and the alternate:



And here's the jackstand cradle in that alternate position:



Here's another of those complete underside pics, with my alternate REAR jackstand locations also marked:


(With the rear though, the pinch points are a lot less stressed, there just not that much weight.)


As far as getting the level right, I figure: with the car level, pour it in until it starts coming out. Then let it sit a bit till it more or less stops coming back out, just a slow drip, and you've got it right.

 

It is very off, I can't get the rear high enough with the front on ramps I feel very uncomfortable putting the rears on jackstands at the pinch welds.

I even tried driving the rear up on the ramps and putting the front on jackstands, but that was worse.

I'm going to have to get some pinch weld adapters, or make some. I only have one for my floor jack now. I'm also thinking about raising the rear from the pinch weld, then using another jack under the shock absorber mount or spring carrier to compress the rear wheel upward, then place a cement filled block under the rear tires.

SCH-I535

 

I would not worry about the rear on jackstands, the loading is relatively light. Front on ramps and rear on stackstands sounds ideal to me. I put mine completely on jackstands, starting with the front, jacking at the front/central point. Then repeat at the back.

Since all four corners are on hard points, and my slab is apparently not quite planar, I need to shim under one of the rear jackstand feet, just 1/4". Otherwise it's sitting on a tripod, lol.

But if you're comfortable running the front onto ramps, that is THE way to go. It's stable as heck. Then just jack at the center/rear point and put in jackstands at the rear pinch points. The load is a lot less at the rear, I'd have no qualms about using it without adapters on the jackstands.

FWIW, I used the scissor jack on a rear corner once, with a flat tire. It cups around the pinch weld and bears on the inside sheet metal. And guess what: it dimpled it in a bit, just that one use.

Any Hondas we've had similar jackstand locations, but they doubled up the plate there, the plate was heavier gauge, and they put a bit of a lip on it's bottom edge.

 

^ The spec is +0, minus 10. Levelling the car is no big deal.

 

Anyone changing the fluid in the Volt trans early?

 

156000 km's? (97500 * 8/5)

Not much rounder. Still, metric conversion always the first of my "usual suspects".

 

Maybe it has something to do with the soon to end warranty at 100,000 miles.

 

Had the back end raised, so took a pic of where I'm placing the rear jackstand:



(driver's side, looking towards front)
(note wheel chocks, always a good idea, especially when raising the rear)

 

Thanks for the pic.

No deformation of the panel, no creaking/groaning when weight is applied?

I ended up buying a larger floor jack that would be able to raise the entire rear high enough using the rear jacking point. I must admit that the rear jacking point doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in me, it's just a piece of cupped steel welded to the frame? I also bought a second pinch weld adapter that I was going to try using with the jackstands in the rear, but I'll check out your location.

I'm probably going to tackle the job this weekend. It will be close to 36k miles.

 

Yeah, you can see the regular position in that pic, for orientation. Notice that slot-shaped plug. That plug is apparently installed at the dealership. The slot is reinforced, and that's an extra layer of heavy gauge plate. The dealership speculated it's for some sort of restraining pin during shipping, keep the car from shifting.

The jackstand's turned 90 deg from usual orientation, to conform to the round of that plate. A pretty good fit.

That center rear jacking point seems ok. I've used it quite a few times, no problems.