FCBuff

I have drained and filled mine twice and that is where I am at.

hurricanes99

I just drained and filled my 99 for the first time a week ago. I didn't watch it drain the entire time and I was using a partially filled container so I had no idea how much came out. I initially went with the manual at 2 quarts, but that was clearly not enough. I put in a 3rd and drove it a few miles an noticed some major slippage from a dead stop. I then came back and put in a 4th quart. That one quart made all the difference. 4 to 4.5 sounds like the correct amount. What is up with the manual being so far off?? What are some of the better dex III's (other than synthetic)?

mt_goat

This was a good thread about the types of ATF:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/w...-other-105153/

mjwalfredo

So, I put in 3.5 quarts yesterday and took it for a test drive. I am waiting till I get home from work today to actually measure the level since the fluid should be warm and settled out of the dipstick tube.

Right now, It slips just a little bit starting from a dead stop when the tranny is cold BUT it drives 100 times better. I mean it shifts smoother, there is not much a bump at all anymore. The truck starts better and it revs higher before it shifts. It's much more driveable except for the fact that it slips just a bit when it's cold.

I bet it's still low but I'll find out how low this evening. I am scared that it is going to go back to its old ways if I fill it up to the hot line on the dipstick though. We'll see....

Skrillah

Sounds like you are at least making progress...keep us posted.

mjwalfredo

I've got the fluid level right now. I think the trick is to measure on the inside curve of the dipstick. The outside must slide along the tube on the way out causing atf to smear or something which makes it hard to read.

Anyway, the truck shifts great, cranks pretty smoothly and seems to be generally fine except for the thud that I mentioned in another post.

I think that thud must be bad motor/tranny mounts. I feel it when I have the motor idling at speed and then I hit the gas. There is a thud once the revs get to the point where engine is again doing the work of keeping the truck moving.

I think it's the mounts because everything past the tranny is good, driveshaft, gears, bearing, etc. Now it seems my tranny is probably fine too.

I'll let you guys know what happens when I put in the new tranny mount when I get it.

Skrillah

Marcus,

Glad to hear things got worked out. I was hoping you'd find the remedy, I just couldn't see the tranny going out this soon but...I suppose you never know. Your right, there is only one good side of the dipstick that doesn't hit the wall of the tube...kind of a pain in the a$$ but...as long as you get a good reading ...its all good.

x2 on the mounts, from what you described, that would be my guess. Maybe the notorious u-joint thud but if you say the shafts are good then probably not. I get a thud as well but only when coming to a stop and it seems to get better after I've greased up the driveshafts. Oh...the projects are endless...

mkgarrison5

i get that thud every now and then and its either from the driveshafts or brakes after braking. it happens when i brake remotely hard. when i take off i get the thud. i just think its something binding or whatnot and when you release the brake it lets everything get back to where it belongs. i am not worried about this.. it does seem like when i grease the shafts that "thud" is less noticable. got that tacoma thud and the 3.4 tick too..

mkgarrison5

btw my recomendations for regular dexIII atfs are Valvoline maxlife and Penzoil

synthetic dexIII, amsoil, m1, redline, schaeffers (if they make it) .. RP sucks

mjwalfredo

Yeah, I used the valvoline maxlife this time and I think the tranny likes it better. I would have used a true synthetic but that was the best I could find in the distance I was willing to drive.

And yeah, I know "that" thud from an under-greased slip yoke. I am pretty sure that's not it but I'll grease the driveshaft this afternoon to see if gets any better. This thud seems harsher than that thud and it only happens when coasting at speed and then hitting the gas. Not after braking to a stop.

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement guys. I had given up my transmission and was starting to save for another one. Now I can save for some actual mods rather than replacing the transmission this year

Skrillah

Martin Hooper

Bought a few months ago with 235,000, two weeks later I lost the overdrive, I was told to replace or rebuild by a local mechanic, I drove it for a few weeks with three gears, the check engine light came on at the same time, the code was for shift solenoid, I decided to change the three solenoids yesterday, put them in used the same filter cleaned it, used valvoline maxlife 4.5 quarts, now shifts perfectly, cost $100.