DIY - changing your transmission fluid/oil, M/T 7afe Options

[Batman722]

I changed the transmission fluid/oil in my 7afe recently and Manny (presure2) took some pics - thanks Manny
I was having some slight grinding going into 2nd gear in higher RPMs and I figured changing the tranny fluid would be a great idea. Since it has been changed, no more grinding

tools needed : ratchet, 24mm socket, 3-4qts transmission fluid/oil, oil drain pan, jack/stands
time : 30min - 1hr, depending on your mechanical skill level

DO NOT attempt this when engine is hot, wait until the engine is very cool/cold.


first you need to loosen this bolt (fill plug) with a ratchet and the 24mm socket

bolt removed


it is located here, it is facing the front of the car. The transmission is circled in yellow and the arrow is pointing to the bolt location

the bolts are usually very tight and could be difficult to loosen

next, jack up the front of the car (putting it on jack stands is always safer) and with the 24mm socket you need to loosen this bolt (drain plug)

Remove drain plug. The drain plug is located directly under the transmission. You may need to remove some of the plastic under the engine for easier access. Be sure to put the oil drain pan under the bolt when removing because the old fluid/oil will be pouring out.

now after the old oil has drained out (10 min later), replace the drain plug - make sure it is secure - and lower the car.

My personal choice
Pennzoil Synchromesh


pour 3-4qrts of the Synchromesh into the fill plug hole (you might want to use a long funnel or pour/squeeze from the bottle into the hole) until full - it will start pouring back out. I used just less than 3qrts



Once full, replace fill plug - make sure it is secure - and wipe up the excess that has spilt.

Done.

Notes :
- be sure to dispose of old fluid/oil properly
- according to the BGB - 7a transmission refill = 3.5qrts, 5s transmission refill = 2.6qrts
- this procedure should be the same/similar for both 7afe and 5sfe

[delusionz]

I've been reading up about the right gearbox oil to put in my cars, and now I'm confused about what gearbox oil is right for which car.

The codes on my SS-III (Viscous LSD,FWD,Superstrut equipped) read - Trans/Axel S54 - 06D
& the codes on my GT-Four read E154F - 08B

Anyhow, after reading this ... I can't figure out whether any of this applies to my cars & What does he mean GT4 gearbox has no LSD, 185 or all including 205?

Gearbox Oil Selection

There are many many different grades of gearbox and differential oil. Toyota recommends GL-5 for the gearbox in all GT-Four models. Many disagree, but it is vital that a GL-5 is used, with good reason! Some use auto trans fluid with good results, it is now specified for most fwd Toyotas.

I have tried a few different gearbox oils in my eight years of ownership. The oil my ST165 came with was unknown so I changed to Pennzoil 75W-90 semi-synthetic. Despite this oil working very well in the W55 gearbox in my Celica Supra, it was not very good in the GT-Four, resulting in a notchy gearchange.

When my RC gearbox was fitted they used a Castrol oil. I assume this was Castrol Syntrac, as they suckered me NZ$35 a litre!! Despite the gearbox having just been rebuilt, the gearchange was crap! Very notchy.

I (again) changed to Redline oil, which at NZ$20 a litre was pretty reasonable. The correct oil to use in a GT-Four is 75W-90NS. This is the right viscosity rating, is a GL-5 oil and does not have friction modifiers for a LSD. The GT-Four gearbox does NOT have a limited slip diff in it! The viscous centre diff is a sealed unit and therefore unaffected by oil selection. This made a noticeable improvement to gearchange and was well worth doing.

GL-5 oil is mandatory in a GT-Four gearbox. As the excess traction of 4wd does not allow wheelspin the extra load is taken by the ring and pinion (the highest stressed parts in the gearbox). As a result of the high loads the contact surfaces of the teeth are known to wear prematurely. This was evident in my RC gearbox, which despite having new synchros had noticeable wear. We can only presume that the gearbox wore due to high mileage causing a poor gearchange. The owner used GL-4 oil to improve the gearchange, which increased ring and pinion wear. It was then rebuilt soon before I bought it. Hence use GL-5 or you will regret it.

That said, my RC gearbox was eventually replaced with a normal ST185 gearbox when the clutch failed. The gearchange in my RC box had deteriorated and I could trade the box over for only a $100 or so so I did so. I ran the new gearbox on ATF and the gearchange was excellent, who knows about the longativity though!