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Transaxle oil change question

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by FirstFlight, Mar 6, 2011.

  1. FirstFlight

    FirstFlight Member

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    I changed my transaxle oil today. The Haynes manual says 3.8 quarts and the Prius manual says 3.6 (3.8, 3.2). I put in about 3.5 quarts and was able to feel the fluid with my pinky. What is the correct way to check the fluid without a dipstick?
     
    #1 FirstFlight, Mar 6, 2011
  2. seilerts

    seilerts Battery Curmudgeon

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    With your pinkie!!!
     
    #2 seilerts, Mar 6, 2011
  3. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    And car level.
     
    #3 SageBrush, Mar 6, 2011
  4. FirstFlight

    FirstFlight Member

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    Ok, I did both. It was to the end of my pinkie. What happens if it's a little too low or a little too high? I'm assuming I did it correctly but we can put the pinkie in too much or not enough.
     
    #4 FirstFlight, Mar 6, 2011
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    As long as the car's level, it's more-or-less impossible to have the level too high. The spec., I believe, is 0mm to 5mm below the lip, for second gen. (fwiw, third gen spec is 0-10mm below lip). So if you just fill till it starts coming back out, then wait a moment or two till it stops coming back out (down to just an occasional drip), you'd be fine.

    These levels have a "screw up" factor I'm sure. It sounds like you might be slighly below the low end of the spec., or right at it. Your call: jack it up again and dump a bit more in, till it flows out?
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Mar 6, 2011
  6. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I would fill the transaxle fluid until the fluid starts to come out of the fill hole. Also, the spec per the owner's manual shows three different units of measure: liters, US quarts, and Imperial quarts. I assume you are working with US quarts, so the second unit of measure is the one to pay attention to.

    If you put in 3.5 qt while the spec is 3.8 qt, then you are ~8% too low.
     
    #6 Patrick Wong, Mar 6, 2011
  7. alekska

    alekska Active Member

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    How long is a moment ? :)

    - Alex
     
    #7 alekska, Mar 7, 2011
  8. MJFrog

    MJFrog Active Member

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    If it's still dribbling out after two to three minutes, you WAY overfilled it.
     
    #8 MJFrog, Mar 7, 2011
  9. uart

    uart Senior Member

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    Yes you can put the pinky in "too far" (and hence underfill) but you cant do it "not enough" (and overfill). You cant overfill, so just fill it until it starts dribbling back out. Unless you didn't drain the fluid properly then 3.5 quarts is an underfill.
     
    #9 uart, Mar 7, 2011
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