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Anybody ever have any problems changing trans fluid?

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

  1. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    Hi everyone and fellow Prius drivers who are probably used to getting tailgated and run off the road...

    I have a 2010 prius with 116k on the ODO and was thinking about changing the trans fluid. Called the dealer and they gave me some mumbo jumbo about the fluid lasting the life of the vehicle. They said it never needs to be changed. I thought this was odd, so I joined this forum to ask you seasoned vets.

    The service manager said if I changed it myself, I could really mess things up. Said I needed a really expensive diagnostic tool and the car had to be brought up to just the right temp and all this other stuff and you had to say the magical words in japanese or the car would not respond. Ok, just kidding about the japanese.

    I'm in my 50's and have done all my own mainenance my whole life. I warm up the car, drain the fluid, put the plug back and refill. How hard is that? The only hard part is forking over 8 bucks a quart for toyota fluid.

    Is there any truth to what the dealer told me?
     
  2. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    No truth. This job is simple drain and fill with no filter (regrettably)...and no fluid is lifetime.
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    And $3.99 per washer, two required. At least at my overpriced parts dept.

    It's about on par with an oil change. You need the car raised and level, 4 liters or quarts toyota ATF-WS (it'll take around 3.5) and two of the aforementioned washers. The bolts are socket-head cap screws, requiring 10 mm hex socket. Torque is 29 ft/lb.

    A funnel with 3' hose extension is simplest method to put in new fluid, just add till it overflows (with car level).
     
    Robert Holt likes this.
  4. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    always remove the top plug first, it would be bad to drain and then discover you could not fill.
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If you remove the bottom one first, then you've got motivation, when removing the top one. :ROFLMAO:
     
  6. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    Thanks for all the replies. Dealers have no shame! Here's a tip: I purchased a cheapie pump sprayer at Walmart and I've pumped diff fluid with it and it should work for trans fluid. Much cheaper than the MityVac which is about 100 bucks.
     
  7. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    good advice.
     
  8. Dale Earnhadrt

    Dale Earnhadrt Junior Member

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    I usually torque plugs like oil pans and diffs (on my big ram diesel) to 30 ft/lbs....so I was close. Funny think too, I never get any hassles driving my truck, but people really have an attitude about priuses. It's a car, not a political statement.
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Maybe overkill..., likely overkill but hey:

    A funnel with tube extension is dead easy, and you avoid putting traces of what you last used with the pump into the transaxle.
     
  10. mp3_e46

    mp3_e46 Junior Member

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    Assuming you can have the car raised and level this is VERY easy.

    I have four post lift and it was a doddle. Easier than an engine oil change. You'll need a transfer pump to pump the new oil in.

    Looks like someone wrote it up here: Transmission fluid change DIY | PriusChat

    I don't recall removing a cover but must have.. I did all the fluids in my BMW + trans/diff in my track car the same weekend so it's hard to recall. Seems a 10mm hex socket is needed. More than likely I torqued the plugs back in and reused the original washers (unless I had some in my massive assortment of crush washers).. might be wise to buy a couple of crush washers ahead of time.
     
    #10 mp3_e46, Apr 6, 2015
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2015
  11. mrstop

    mrstop PWR Mode

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    The only problems I had were:
    1) Getting enough leverage to get the plugs loose. It took a lot of muscle with a standard 3/8" ratchet.
    2) Knocking over the fluid bottles and making a mess as I tried to transfer using a (new) harbor freight hand transfer pump. Next time, I'll trying going through the top with a funnel I think.
     
  12. mp3_e46

    mp3_e46 Junior Member

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    Sounds like you need a breaker bar. Mine is rarely used but I needed it _and_ a pole over it to take the diff drain plug off my 22K mile BMW! I use the handle of my floor jack to extend it.. about three feet from the pivot and everything so far has come out. I place a towel over the articulation in case it shatters.

    Never had a problem with transfer pumps. I have two that screw onto the top of most containers automotive fluids come in
     
  13. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You shouldn't need a pipe extension on a beaker bar. Could break it too. The two bolts are only 29 ft/lb too.
     
  14. Snow

    Snow Member

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    It's actually really easy to do, just don't strip either of the bolts like I did... Turned a 20 minute job into a couple hour job.
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Honda trannies use a socket head cap screw for drain bolt too, but with a 3/8" square recess. I remember the first time I was gearing up to change transmission fluid, I phoned up the service department, asking if they had the special tool you'd need. They checked with the mechanic, and (patiently) explained they use a regular 3/8" drive, with no socket on it.

    I think a square set up like that would be pretty much strip proof, and everybody has a 3/8" drive ratchet wrench.
     
  16. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    OT: you get tailgated because you block the traffic. if you drive the prevailing speed and use left lane for (quick) passing only, there will be no tailgating.
     
  17. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    My typical 10-mm hex key wrench is about 3½" long, which is about 0.29 feet. 29ft-lb (NOT ft/lb!)/0.29ft=100 pounds you'd have to apply to the tip of the hex key to exert that much torque. I'd likely have trouble doing that with one hand in an awkward position under a car. A pipe or jack handle over the hex key should help lots, though.
     
  18. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    A 10 mm hex bit for a standard 3/8" or 1/2" square drive would probably be my go to for such a job, fitted onto a breaker bar (torque wrench for reassembly). I have a set of hex key wrenches, but it's on the bicycle.

    -Chap
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah but a breaker bar is longer to begin with, typically a minimum 16~19" handle. And the fulcrum is designed to take that torque. A regular ratchet, with much shorter handle obviously can be tough to use. Slip a pipe extension on, it may work, it might break.

    Cheaper breaker bars often have a swivel head, but no ratchet mechanism. I've had a 3/8" drive one of those for a while, but needing a 1/2" drive soon, picked up a Jet, with swivel and (very solid) ratchet mechanism. Was around $60~70.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Left to right: a regular 3/8" ratchet wrench, a 1/2" breaker bar with swivel-head and ratchet mechanism (Jet, has 1/2" to 3/8" adapter attached), and a no-name 3/8" breaker bar with swivel head only.

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