And yes im posting this is "Engine & Drivetrain" instead of "Maintainence" since most users who would be interested in this swap are most likely doing it for the added performance benefit. Also, this is tC specific so it seems to be a better fit here. Mods, move as you see fit but IMO, it should be in this section.

The tC trans is interesting since the "fill" plug is parallell to the ground and quite low on the car making filling very tricky. The best way around this is to use one of the other plugs on the tranny that just so happen to be on top of the case within easy reach. The reason I am starting the DIY with this step is that you want to make sure you can get fluid back into the trans BEFORE you drain it. Nothing is worse than draining the fluid only realizing you have just stranded yourself since you cant get any fluid back in. The easiet place to refill the tranny from is through the reverse sensor on the top of the trans case located here:

http://www.socalpcguy.com/images/ReverseSensor.JPG

You will need a 1&1/16" socket and a 10" extension in order to get this out easily. I also found that removing the bracket located nearby made getting to everything a lot easier:

http://www.socalpcguy.com/images/BracketBolt.JPG

You can see how much more room there is with the bracket and wiring moved away:

http://www.socalpcguy.com/images/LooseBracket.JPG

Remove the plug and loosen the sensor but dont remove it completely yet. Go ahead and snug it back down for the time being. This step is just to make sure you will be able to refill the tranny with fluid.

Now comes time to drain the old fluid. I made the mistake of removing the reverse sensor first which let air flow easily into the tranny form above and was greeted with thick smelly and slimy trans fluid gushing out from the drain plug. By leaving the fill plugs closed, the fluid will come out much slower saving you many many paper towels and gallons of Simple Green. Im not kidding, this stuff REALLY makes a mess.

Unsrew and remove the drain plug circled in green to get the stock fluid out and into a drain pan:

http://www.socalpcguy.com/images/DrainFillPlugs.JPG

After your fluid has drained, reinstall and tighten the drain plug.

While you are under the car, go ahead and remove the "fill" plug circled in red in the picture from above. We will be filling the fluid from the top of the car but by having the fill plug out, we can guarantee we wont be overfilling the trans. When fluid starts coming out of the fill plug, you know you are good to go.

Go back to the top of the car and remove the reverse sensor and put it somewhere safe. Use a long funnel and fill the tranny with the new fluid. I used just under 3 full bottles of Redline MT90 before I had fluid come out of the "fill" plug.

http://www.socalpcguy.com/images/FiilTranz.JPG

After the tranny is full of new synthetic fluid goodness, tighten everything back up and make sure your reverse sensor is plugged in. If not, your reverse lights wont come when you are in reverse.

As always, be sure to us jack stands when working under the car. Also I am not responsible if you screw your car up. Im happy to answer any questions so fire away :)

I felt the car ran smoother and was much easier to shift and get into gear. In combination with synthetic motor oil the car simply runs better and feels smoother in any circumstance. Definitely a must do for any tC, but especially one that is being driven hard and being pushed to eek out as much power as possible.

I really like this one!!!! Saves me some $$$$, but how many miles am I able to drive without changing fluid?

MODS!! sticky on this please :D Great Info The_Instigator, thanks!!

great post. what type of synthetic fluids do you use? both for oil and tranny?

sticky

Thanks! I needed this!

yup, very good info! :clap: ...i just copied and saved it on my computer. :P

this almost the same for the auto? or a little bit different

And yes im posting this is "Engine & Drivetrain" instead of "Maintainence" since most users who would be interested in this swap are most likely doing it for the added performance benefit. Also, this is tC specific so it seems to be a better fit here. Mods, move as you see fit but IMO, it should be in this section.


I agree. Other Mods please keep this here. Changing fluid can be consider'd a Drivetrain mod, if the newer oil performs better.

great post. what type of synthetic fluids do you use? both for oil and tranny?

Mobil 1 full synthetic 5w30 for the engine and Redline MT90 for the trans. Everybody has their favorites but this combo is tried and true.

You are the man, Instigtor.
Thanks for this write up with pics.

so is this switch worth it? How many miles is the dealer lube rated at?

Check the manual for recommended fluid change intervals. The point of the change is for the improved performance really though. Gear shifts are smoother and the car just drives better with it. It really is noticeable after the fluid is changed to the synthetic.

Did you notice that sometimes it was near impossible to shift into 1st before the oil change?

Sometimes, it's near impossible to get the gear to engage without running the shifter through all the gears before putting it into 1st. I hope, and assume that switching to MT-90 or MTL will get rid of this?

There are still times that I have to run through the gears to align the synchros, but for the most part it is easier to get into 1st and reverse (along with every other gear) most of the time.

That's a little disapointing but I guess there's not much that can cure that problem except for better synchros.

Anyways, there's something that's a little unclear to me. You said not to drain the tranny before filling it up. Do you mean to get the fill hole ready before draining the tranny? If I understand correctly, one must loosen the reverse sensor and then drain the tranny and then fill it up again.

Can you make sure this is right? Gear oil is a new thing to me.

Thanks for helping us out!

You do drain the tranny first, but the reason I said to leave the top plug closed is to keep the fluid from gushing out of the drain plug. By having the reverse sensor out when draining, the fluid can escape much faster since air can come in through the top. If only the drain plug is opened the fluid will drain much slower and therefore not make a hug mess like ended up doing.

Also, the purpose of removing the reverse sensor first is to make sure you will be able to get fluid back into the case. As I said initially, you dont want to drain the fluid and then find out you cant get fluid back into the transmission leaving you stranded.

Its still a basic drain and refill but with some extra steps to make for a cleaner more fool-proof install.

yes! you rock! finally a diy!

by the way, does our tranny have a filter?

Thanks! I did a lot of searching before I finally did it to make sure I was doing it right. Its not at all a difficult process but its nice to have an exact set of steps to follow to make sure its being sone right.

thanks erik! :clap:

What are some options with types of transmission fluid you can put into the tC? You used Redline MT90, but are there others you can use, and if so which ones? I know very little about changing the transmission fluid, thanks for the answer(s).

Im sure there are other fluids like Amsoil and Royal Purple but I havent researched or used them so I cant say for sure. I just know the Redline has been used with excellent results in the past so I used it. I do know the Mobil 1 should not be used though as people report lots of grinding with it.

So you fill it up till it reaches the top?

So you fill it up till it reaches the top?

No, you fill it up until fluid comes out of the front plug circled in red in the pictue which you would have removed while filling. That plug is designated as the "fill" plug even though we are not actually using it as such.

http://socalpcguy.com/images/DrainFillPlugs.JPG

No, you fill it up until fluid comes out of the front plug circled in red in the pictue which you would have removed while filling. That plug is designated as the "fill" plug even though we are not actually using it as such.


Sorry for the n00b question, but is the fluid going to keep coming out of the fill plug or will it stop when you are filling it up?

When the fluid starts to come out of the front fill plug you would stop adding fluid.

honestly, I have never bought trans fluid before. If I go to the store there is going to be bottles clearly marked Redline MT-90- correct? .....and im going to have to get 3 of them correct? Do they just come in one size?

Redline is more of a specailty item and may not be available locally (at least the gear oil). I got mine (3 bottles) here:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=RED%2D50304&N=400236+115&autoview=sku

by any chance - do you know how much handling was?

Shipping/handling on my order was $9.75

Will this apply to an AUTO?.....sori noob here..

no...5 speed only

does the car come with automatic fluid (im sayin the people w/ manual). I thought I read somewhere that a lot of cars are comming with auto fluid.

Ours does not use ATF. It uses a GL-4 (I beleive) 75w90 gear oil. All of the fluid specs are in the manual.

... :question:?

ATF... automatic tranny fliud. for auto trannies.

ok - one more day and i forget to look at the specs. figured I would throw that out since you guys know what you are talking about.

does anybody has a DIY for an AUTO?

So we drain it completely before, we change to the new product. But is it possible to get all of the old stuff out? Wont there be a little left over that will be mixed with the new different material being added?

Im sure some of the original fluid will be left over but it wont cause any problems. The same is true when changing motor oil, brake fluid, coolant etc.

When Centerforce did my flywheel and clutch they used Royal Purple in mine. It seemed to make a difference like you said. Great write up by the way. When they did mine, we used the normal drain hole and used a pump that goes on the bottles and pumped the fluid into it. Worked good that way too, but you did a great job on the write up.

Thanks...The pump method is the "correct" way to do it but for those with limited tools, the method I give is a lot easier.

Great write up and pics, I'm going to do this over the weekend.

Thanks.

guess the auto's arent getting any help on this one guys lol

This thing is definitely worth a sticky, or at least an addition to the FAQ, simply for the genius of removing the reverse sensor to get the new oil in without a bottle pump.

i have a question.. the summit racing near me has the gear oil 75w90 but no mt90.. are they the same thing.. can I use the gear oil 75w90.. it says gl 5+ I want to do this mod but I want to make sure that I can use the 75w90.. thanks for the help...

^^^ also it looks like on redline's website the mt90 states 75w90...

I would say no. The correct fluid is labeled MT90 and is a GL4 fluid with friction modifiers to help out the transmission synchros. It doenst look like the standard GL5 fluids have those friction modifiers and might lead to grinding like people who have used Mobil1 75w90 have experienced.

Im guessing he is referring to this:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=RED%2D58304&N=400236+4294872961+4294867205+115&autoview=sku

where can i pick up some redline mt90?

is there any mobil 1 brand for our manual transmission?

im getting lost - whats the claim?

Mobil 1 tranny oil isn't as fun as Redline or Royal Purple. Mobil 1 is great for motor oil though; just don't get their tranny oil.

Mobil 1 tranny oil isn't as fun as Redline or Royal Purple. Mobil 1 is great for motor oil though; just don't get their tranny oil.

OK thanks! so which one is better then? redline?

I've never head any glowing reviews for Mobile 1 tranny oil but that's all I ever hear about Redline and Royal Purple. Either one is probably equally as good.

i changed my fluid yesterday.
definity keep the fill plugged when draining. i pulled it out while the fluid was draining, and the 1 slow stream turned into 3 gushing streams. i had some cleaning to do afterwards.
i didnt fill through the reverse sensor hole, instead i used a funnel with a 24 inch extension. i dropped it through the engine bay.

For those that don't have a 1 1/16ths socket, the bolt to the right of it is easier when you have smaller sockets to work with (this one is 22-24mm). That opens a way to fill the tranny too, but does anyone know what it is? It has a yellow painted dot in the middle of it. When I popped it out, there's a ball on the end of it, tranny fluid all over it, and inside the hole is a fork-like piece that the ball seems to rest in. No wires tho on the outside.
(For identification, its next to the bolt for the bracket)

lol... what is that thing..i wonder... i hope if you pull it out it doesn't mess anything up...

Anyone who has experience using redline and mobil 1 engine oil? I was using mobil 1 on my previous car but i noticed that since i began using mobil 1, my engine gets louder.

Anyone who has experience using redline and mobil 1 engine oil? I was using mobil 1 on my previous car but i noticed that since i began using mobil 1, my engine gets louder.

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=42;t=003938

just to recap: I am going to buy this stuff: http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=RED%2D50304&N=400236+115&autoview=sku everybody is saying that this is the best stuff to get for a manual tC correct? i want to make sure im getting the correct material. Also - is that a good price?

just did this mod.. great.. shifts seem smoother... real easy prolly took me about 30 minutes... my old tranny oil looked like cooking oil with like gold paint.. lol.. it looked different..

just a special note to anyone who has existing tranny problems and is trying this out to see if it makes any big difference. keep your old fluid. the dealership will probably not work on your car if your tranny problems exist and you have new non-toyota fluid in your tranny, they may even void your warranty.

i'm not trying to do anything less than legit, but if your have existing tranny problems and you try this to fix them...and the problems still exist, you better swap back in the old fluid before you go to the dealer.

Actually I doubt the warranty will be void, will they void your warranty on the engine if you use synthetic oil? What about if you did your oil change? Highly improvable IMO.

could they really tell if it was toyota or something else.. they both kinda look the same plus a little time in the tranny...i would believe they both would look the same...

can someone comment on how they both look?

hmm.. just installed some mt-90....

shifts like butta!

hmm.. just installed some mt-90....

shifts like butta!


Sweet! I wanna know from hopefully someone that knows (hehe) .... how the heck could this void anything? Wouldnt it be a good think to change your fluid? What does the book say?

hmm.. one more thing though..

uhh.. erik? i used 3 full bottles... didn't have any come out of the fill plug though... my car was on jackstands... could the angle be that significant?

It wouldnt void a warrenty. They void warrenties when you dont have proof that your fluid has been changed and maintained, and you try and have warrenty work on your tranny. So keep your reciepts or have the dealer do the change with Redline at your request.

hmm.. just installed some mt-90....

shifts like butta!


darn it - i wanna shift like butta!! ha - i wonder if 3 is enough then ..... I would like to change this fluid within the next 3 weeks.

Also MT90 is a 75/90 which is what Toyota calls for, I talked to a mechanic and they said MT90 would be fine and it does say it meets all 90w requirements.

i just ordered 3 bottles. - $33.60

uhh.. erik? i used 3 full bottles... didn't have any come out of the fill plug though... my car was on jackstands... could the angle be that significant?
hmm.. answering my own question... yeah... the angle i had my car at made a difference..

opened up the fill plug when my car was level... greeted with a nice gush of fluid... :doh:

:ponder:

So whats better? prob having the car jacked up a foot so its slanted back is bette right? ..get a lil more fluid in?

i don't think having too much fluid is a good thing.. i believe having just the right amount is what you want... its like oil.. you don't want too mcuh oil in your car.. you know..

i don't think having too much fluid is a good thing.. i believe having just the right amount is what you want... its like oil.. you don't want too mcuh oil in your car.. you know..

Well then what is the correct thing to do? I will be switching to the new fluid within the next few weeks so I dont want to do the wrong thing.

like the diy stated was to hav eyour car level and pour in the mt90 until it lightly leaks out of the filler plug... just follow it step by step...

the capacity stated in the owner's manual says 2.5 qts i believe.... if you want to somehow measure that out as well?

i still think i have slightly more than that.. but umm... i dunno.. i don't think it's too much of a concern for me to get under my car again anytime soon.

I've heard redline's doesn't retain its consistency over the long haul (compared to stock)... Could this be true?

I've heard redline's doesn't retain its consistency over the long haul (compared to stock)... Could this be true?

if someone can please comment on that^^

....if that is true I guess ill be switching it out in another year or two since I already bought it.

So you fill it up till it reaches the top?

No, you fill it up until fluid comes out of the front plug circled in red in the pictue which you would have removed while filling. That plug is designated as the "fill" plug even though we are not actually using it as such.

http://socalpcguy.com/images/DrainFillPlugs.JPG

anybody know what sizes these circle items are?

^^ should be 24mm.

27mm for the top reverse sensor 24mm for the bottom. the front is the fill, the rear is the drain, or maybe because i lifted the front of the car on jacks. it wasn't that hard to do (if i had all the parts at once) and to be honest i haven't notice a huge difference but it is smoother. at least if anything I'm averaging 28MPG-32MPG

^^ should be 24mm.

thanks, youre right. i was guessing it was 23 or 24mm so i bought both. I returned the 23mm when i recycled my oil, so no biggie.

I just changed my gear oil with MT-90 and I absolutely love it. It was so smooth right out of the shop. I had a local shop change it for 20, in about half an hour. It is well worth changing to this oil.

I just changed my gear oil with MT-90 and I absolutely love it. It was so smooth right out of the shop. I had a local shop change it for 20, in about half an hour. It is well worth changing to this oil..

im so happy 100% everybody is saying the same thing because i have 3 bottles of it sitting next to me right now - im just waiting for a good time to change it. I think im going to change it next weekend or the weekend after that.

Its pretty much like butter shifting now, theres no 'crunch' noise when you shift. It is alot easier to shift into reverse too. No double clutching needed.

How tight do you make the plugs when you put them back on?

No need to torque them super tight...just good and snug like you would do with you engine oil drain plug

yeah.. i accidentally torqued the drain plug a little too much after i was done (making sure they were tight and stuff)... and uhh... crushed the gasket.. :shock:... it got a leak and yeah.... had to open that sucker up to replace it....

my friend helped me remove it and plugged it with his finger while we quickly replaced the gasket and put the plug back on without losing too much oil (and the tranny case was still abit hot... :doh:..)

thank you dave at stevens creek scion for saving me from my stupid mistake.. :)

yeah.... don't over tighten it.

when you say u over tightend it ..did you REALLy put force into it? ....im just wondering because I might actually do mine tomorrow and can not run into the same problem you did.

yeah.. i put ALOT of force into it.. :doh:.... car was lifted up.. used my body with a fairly long wrench...

oops... yeah.... umm... i wish i could give you numbers,,, but use your nest judgement... i wasn't thinking at the time when i did it.

read about this a while back, now maybe I'll give it a shot one of these days

yeah.. defiinitely worth it in my opinion.

cost me about $25 to do?

I have the s/c in my car. I was not able to get my hand down to where the sensor is. If I would have known that before hand I would have performed the swap before my s/c was installed a few weeks ago. Please put that in your top post.

When you tighen it ,don't put all you strength into it. Minimum force was needed.

yeah.. defiinitely worth it in my opinion.

cost me about $25 to do?

I think I paid $8/bottle. So yeah, around $25. It's definately a good product.

I have the s/c in my car. I was not able to get my hand down to where the sensor is. If I would have known that before hand I would have performed the swap before my s/c was installed a few weeks ago. Please put that in your top post.
you probably would have an easier time filling up using the fill plug itself. for about $6-10 you can find a nice pump that you can use at an auto store or somewhere. otherwise using a transmission funnel thing might be difficult.. it's cheaper.. but i would think a pump is much more convienent and worth it to buy.

I have the s/c in my car. I was not able to get my hand down to where the sensor is. If I would have known that before hand I would have performed the swap before my s/c was installed a few weeks ago. Please put that in your top post.
you probably would have an easier time filling up using the fill plug itself. for about $6-10 you can find a nice pump that you can use at an auto store or somewhere. otherwise using a transmission funnel thing might be difficult.. it's cheaper.. but i would think a pump is much more convienent and worth it to buy.

interesting - i didnt know the piece would be that cheap. do you have a pic online of the product I would need?

unless you rig it w/ a tube and bike pump (or car tire pump) ....the pumping units are around $2-3,000.00

what..?! you're smokin'...

i bought something like this for $6
http://www.stealth316.com/images/adf-pump.jpg

Please explain what the inside of the transmission looks like. What is stopping all of the fluid from comming out when you are pumping something in from the bottom? .... Is there a lip or something you are putting this over so it will stay in there? .....im just having a hard time thinking about this since gravity. ...but there must be a simple answer.

huh..??? you fill it up through the fill plug....

it only needs 2.5 qts.. which is where the fill plug is. fill until it starts coming out of the fill plug.

btw.. that valvoline pump i heard was about $4 at an auto store.

Oh the fill plug isnt directly on the bottom? When I could barely get my hand down to the sensor I didn't even both going further. I put my air filter back in and called it a day. The pictures I saw of the fill hole made it look like it was right on the bottom - thats why I was having a problem understanding this.

www.summitracing.com is where i got my 3 bottles of MT-90 for those of you wondering where to get it.

yea thats where I got mine ...but if you want to save the $10/handling .... maybe somewere local -- But - most locals places I think will not stock it.

check the redline website.. it shows you local dealers and will say if they stock just motor oil, or the entire line.. and you can check by calling as well.

i found this little race shop that's a little hidden, but close to me.. and they sold everything redline for me for $7 a bottle.. bought me motor oil as well there... sweetness :P

How often should you change out the fluid?

uhh.. 25-30k miles..?

i changed mine with redline mt-90, feels smooth when shifting to 1st and 2nd. feels like my shifter is loose.

uhh.. 25-30k miles..?
ok thanks. I have 15k and I think I changed it out at like 4k.

uhh.. 25-30k miles..?

most people do it around 35k'ish

great write up man... i'm going to do this change out.

i have one question though, i see that our owners manuals say "Manual Transaxle, 2.5 quarts". is there any reason to open the fill plug up and pour in redline until it comes out of there?

Why not just dump in 2.5 quarts after draining it out?

^^ you can do that too. but the fill plug is where the 2.5 qts should start coming out anywho.

Is there a special way to lift the car, i.e...from the side or just from the center and put on 2 stands? Not sure if it would make the fluid flow out easier. Great instructions though. :bow: I printed them out and ordered MT90 yesterday and am getting it tomorrow and doing the work tomorrow night after work. Is it tricky to get to the drain plug? Seems like in the picture, there is the center mount cross member in the way. Maybe it's just the pic.

nothing's in the way.... just make sure you have a 24mm wrench.

If you put too much gear oil in, you can lower the pressure through the lines b/c the suction would have to work harder b/c there is more oil. And also, you can put your car on jack stands to get to the bolts, but after you loosen the drain bolt, slowly lower the car back down to make sure that you get as much of the old fluid out as possible. Then raise it back up and put the bolt back on. Open the fill hole. Bring the car back down, but not all the way. Just close to where the tires touch. Fill the trany from the top and keep an eye on the fill hole. If you're already at 2 bottles and nothing has come out, just go to the 2.5 mark that everyone and the manual suggest and close the fill plug. Lower the car. If you're OCD and still a bit unsure, just add about 2 shot glasses more of fluid and you'll be fine. 3 qts would just be too much.

I havn't done it yet on my tC, 8000k, but I'm doing it tomorrow this exact way. I've worked on cars for about 4 years and done all my own work to my truck. Granted, getting under a truck is easier than our cars though. :P

Thanks for the great DIY write up. :clap: Changed mine out yesterday with no problems. Took about 30-40 minutes total.

I can feel a very noticeable difference when shifting. Its great!

i am just placed my order with Summit Racing. I am glad to hear good reviews of other who used RedLine MT-90.

I saw Redline have MT-90 NS that doesn't contain friction Modifier. It allow ynchronizers come to equal speeds more quickly, allowing faster shifting and much easier low-temperature shifting.

Has anyone hear of MT 90 NS??

nope.. redline has the 75W90 NS though..
but i've never heard of MT-90 NS

it is on
http://www.redlineoil.com/

^^ yeah... i don't see it listed:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b28/SquallLHeart/mt-90.jpg
the 75W90 NS and 75W140 NS listed underneath are GL-5 type

I swapped mine - i guess its smoother .... I never shifted real rough but I guess it makes a difference from 3rd to 4th. Overall - from what I hear - its a good product.

nope.. redline has the 75W90 NS though..
but i've never heard of MT-90 NS

you were right, my mistake.


I just change gear oil today. i didn't remove the sensor plug.
Here are the step after i put the tC on Jack Stand.

1) I loosen the Fill Plug first, (make sure i can fill it after i drain it)
2) then i took off the Drain Plug with a wrench. It took me a few try to position the wrench to make room. it is pretty tight down there.
3) Put the Drain Plug back on after it finish draining.

Then i use a long funnel.
4)Drop the funnel from the engine bay area.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/gammatnt/car%20stuff/reline3.jpg

5)Go under the car to put the end of the funnel in Fill hole.
6) Move the draining pan under the fill hole to catch the extra fluild.
7) After dumping about 2 1/2 bottle of Redline MT90. You should see the extra fluid come out. ( u can see it from by looking straight down from engine bay area)
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/gammatnt/car%20stuff/redline.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/gammatnt/car%20stuff/redline4.jpg

Remove the funnel and put back Fill Plug.

One more thing,
DON'T OVER TIGHTEN THE DRAIN PLUG

Well I have my 3 bottles of mt-90 sittin here, but the dealer just told me that anything other than Toyota's own fluid will void the warranty. So I dunno, I don't want to void the warranty on my tranny, but I'd really like to have smoother shifting! Anyone else's dealership say no way to this one?

The truth about voiding your warranty (http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55338)
just change it... :P
One more thing,
DON'T OVER TIGHTEN THE DRAIN PLUG
^^ haha... :doh:..... i did that too.... wasn't pretty to fix... :shock:

Well I have my 3 bottles of mt-90 sittin here, but the dealer just told me that anything other than Toyota's own fluid will void the warranty. So I dunno, I don't want to void the warranty on my tranny, but I'd really like to have smoother shifting! Anyone else's dealership say no way to this one?

why would you tell the dealer you are doing this? is the dealer your mom or something...?

if you follow that dealership's logic, using anything other than toyota branded oil in your engine for an oil change would void your warranty...doesn't make much sense does it? thats because it's just not true.
the dealership would have to find the fluid as the cause of a problem...if you even have a problem.


just follow what i posted earlier in this thread to avoid problems...and goto a different dealer
just a special note to anyone who has existing tranny problems and is trying this out to see if it makes any big difference. keep your old fluid. the dealership will probably not work on your car if your tranny problems exist and you have new non-toyota fluid in your tranny, they may even void your warranty.

i'm not trying to do anything less than legit, but if your have existing tranny problems and you try this to fix them...and the problems still exist, you better swap back in the old fluid before you go to the dealer.

also if you are unsure, please read the following thread:
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55338

why would you tell the dealer you are doing this? is the dealer your mom or something...?

if you follow that dealership's logic, using anything other than toyota branded oil in your engine for an oil change would void your warranty...doesn't make much sense does it? thats because it's just not true.
the dealership would have to find the fluid as the cause of a problem...if you even have a problem.


just follow what i posted earlier in this thread to avoid problems...and goto a different dealer
just a special note to anyone who has existing tranny problems and is trying this out to see if it makes any big difference. keep your old fluid. the dealership will probably not work on your car if your tranny problems exist and you have new non-toyota fluid in your tranny, they may even void your warranty.

i'm not trying to do anything less than legit, but if your have existing tranny problems and you try this to fix them...and the problems still exist, you better swap back in the old fluid before you go to the dealer.

also if you are unsure, please read the following thread:
http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=55338

:roll:
Wow dude, did you have a bad day or something? You need to calm down and get off my back for real. Don't you have anything better to do with your time? I was merely stating my experience with the dealership which may be helpful for some people unlike your comments.

No, I didn't say hey momma dealership I'm gonna change the tranny fluid...wtf...I simply asked if they would do the work since the car was already there for regular maintenance. Whats the big deal? They said no, thats their policy and its not gonna change no matter what kind of motor oil justification you come up with. Its not my policy, I never said I agreed with them. Simply means I can do it myself or go somewhere else. Thanks for your overwhelming common sense though.

Nowhere did I say OMG this could void a warranty dont anyone do it!!! I bought the redline fluid for a reason, its gonna go in, just not at the dealer whos says they will void the warranty.

Please excuse me for letting people know that *most* dealership service centers will probably not do this fluid change with anything other than their own fluid.

LOL this forum is gettin so lame, no wonder people are leaving. And thanks for the link, really, how about you go ahead and refer yourself to some of the "people are a$$holes on here" threads.

Anyhow, nice write up Instigator. Its been very helpful to many people. Myself included as I'll probably do this myself when I get a chance. Have fun with that new STi! :D

:roll:
Wow dude, did you have a bad day or something? You need to calm down and get off my back for real. Don't you have anything better to do with your time? I was merely stating my experience with the dealership which may be helpful for some people unlike your comments.

No, I didn't say hey momma dealership I'm gonna change the tranny fluid...wtf...I simply asked if they would do the work since the car was already there for regular maintenance. Whats the big deal? They said no, thats their policy and its not gonna change no matter what kind of motor oil justification you come up with. Its not my policy, I never said I agreed with them. Simply means I can do it myself or go somewhere else. Thanks for your overwhelming common sense though.

Nowhere did I say OMG this could void a warranty dont anyone do it!!! I bought the redline fluid for a reason, its gonna go in, just not at the dealer whos says they will void the warranty.

Please excuse me for letting people know that *most* dealership service centers will probably not do this fluid change with anything other than their own fluid.

LOL this forum is gettin so lame, no wonder people are leaving. And thanks for the link, really, how about you go ahead and refer yourself to some of the "people are a$$holes on here" threads.

Anyhow, nice write up Instigator. Its been very helpful to many people. Myself included as I'll probably do this myself when I get a chance. Have fun with that new STi! :D

my bad, it was late and i spent way too much time at offtopic's forums, some of the bad mouthing rubbed off on me, sorry dude, i take back what i said

but yeah, a toyota dealer will never use anything other than the recommended toyota fluids.
mt90 is a great alternative to the toyota branded fluid in your tranny right now. some of my friends have swapped for mt 90 and put 50k+ miles on the car, without any problems arising. it seems to be a safe swap.

but if you are unsure or have existing tranny problems, do yourself a favor and save your old fluid, that way there will not be any warranty voiding because of the new fluid

^^Hey no prob, yeah it was late and your post caught me on edge. :) I agree though, from what everyone has said so far, the mt90 seems to be a great swap. I'm anxious to get it in my car. Your idea to keep the old fluid is def. a good one, I will do that just in case. But yeah, its all good, happy moddin bro :silly:

i'm just wondering for anyone that has already done this swap, who has put the most miles on they're car since then
some of my friends have done this before, but none of them own tCs

i'm just wondering if i would encounter any trouble down the line from doing this on a tC, synchro grinding, rough shifts etc. (i really doubt it though, because synthetics seem to work great)

i made a trip out to summit and picked up 3 bottles of fluid and a long funnel. then went to sears and picked up a 24mm and 27 mm socket...too bad they were 12pt, but they were 1/2" drive and half price clearance! woohoo!

^^^^ bump to answer my question, thanks!

shouldn't be any problems... it's just replacing oil... it's just better oil

it won't cause any more problems if the stock fluid was in it.
for the most part.. it makes the sychros happier.

i just did this. it took me about an hour, because i was dickin' around the whole time and trying to be careful, talking on cell phone etc.

a few pointers i'd like to add:
-make sure you have a 24mm and 27 mm socket. 6pt sockets are prefered, but all i could find was 12pt at 1/2" drive. don't buy the sockets that are like 3 inches long, you wont be able to access the drain plug. also, you should probably have an extension of at least 6" to get to the bracket bolt that holds the reverse sensor wiring, but it isn't totally neccessary.

-remove your airbox, it's so much easier, and while your at it, check your air filter and replace if totally dirty

-i didn't use ramps and i dont have access to a lift. instead i jacked up the left side of the car and used a jack stand. then i removed the front drivers side wheel to access the bolts on the tranny.

- the reverse sensor uses 27mm socket, it's in there pretty snug, but becomes loose quickly, so watch it when you crank on the bolt, so you don't rip up a wire or something.

- the drain plug is right up against the frame, i couldn't get a good amount of leverage, so i tapped it a couple of times with a hammer and it came loose. this is wear a shorter socket is key, because you will not be able to fit a socket that is bigger than 2" in there.

- the fill plug with the sticker on it is easy and is pretty much the same hardware as the drain plug

-like many people said, keep the reverse sensor in when draining. i kept in the fill plug also. it glugged out fluid for about a minute before quitting. of course i saved my fluid in case i have any trouble in the future and have to bring it into the stealership. after draining, snug up the drain plug, of course don't overtighten.

- make sure you add fluid when the car is level, so you can see when you have the correct amount, by it flowing out of the fill plug. snug up the fill plug and the reverse sensor, but don't crank them on super tight. you need to add 2.5 quarts


at first i wasn't totally impressed. everything seemed like normal...then i noticed that all my shifts were quieter. i had been getting a light crunch sometimes when i shift 1st to 2nd, like a lot of people do, now i don't get that anymore.

the biggest improvement is downshifting. i'm pretty good at rev matching, but in the tC, 2 out of 3 times it would still result in a bump/sway. now it's much smoother and i can do most downshifts without much motion transfer at all. it also seems to help out a little when i use my a/c, because my shifts were horrible when the a/c is on, now they are a little smoother.

up shifts also have improved and gotten rid of the bump/sway.

i picked up my redline mt-90 tranny fluid from the summit store. it's not that far from my college, so it was no big deal. 3 bottles came to $23.85 + tax. i really think this is an awesome change compared to stock. combined with all my other shift mods, it really makes driving much easier and enjoyable.

and one more thing. i had grinded 2nd gear maybe 3 times, i grinded 3rd gear once, i grinded 4th gear once, i grinded 5th gear once, and i grinded reverse twice...i learned on this car, what can i say! although all the grinds were within the first 2 months of ownership. some people said that they're tranny oil was gold colored when they drained it. we know that it's actually bronze that they are seeing.
mine was honey brown colored and had no bronze flakes or coloration at all...i don't understand

just picked mine up, came out to $28 something with tax at my local Redline Automotive store.

how did your 12pt socket work? I already have a 12pt 24mm socket, and was wondering if it would be better if i picked up a 6pt for this.

No, if the 12 point fits on it, use that. More grip. Mine was a bit of a pain to get off so I'm glad I used a 12 point b/c even then it rubbed a corner a little round.

jus did this mod yest when i went to track and i love it, shifting does feel smoother and less notchy

i know this question has been asked but i wasn't sure whether it was answered or not. after how many miles should you change your tranny fluid?

i know this question has been asked but i wasn't sure whether it was answered or not. after how many miles should you change your tranny fluid?

i don't see why you couldn't do it immediatly.

Does this also work with autos?
I have not looked into it much, but I have an auto 07 tc and was wondering if I can put mt 90 into it.

Does this also work with autos?
I have not looked into it much, but I have an auto 07 tc and was wondering if I can put mt 90 into it.

no, auto trans need atf fluid

is your auto trans shifting that rough enough to warrant a fluid swap?

so redline mt90 tranny fluid can't be found at a local auto store? it has to be ordered online? 3 quarts right? 75w90 is the one right?

Does this also work with autos?
I have not looked into it much, but I have an auto 07 tc and was wondering if I can put mt 90 into it.

no, auto trans need atf fluid

is your auto trans shifting that rough enough to warrant a fluid swap?

No, but I was just wondering.

so redline mt90 tranny fluid can't be found at a local auto store? it has to be ordered online? 3 quarts right? 75w90 is the one right?
their website has a thing to type in your zipcode and find local and mailorder redline dealers. i think the site was redlineoil.com or something. yes three quarts and mt-90 is the one......

so redline mt90 tranny fluid can't be found at a local auto store? it has to be ordered online? 3 quarts right? 75w90 is the one right?
their website has a thing to type in your zipcode and find local and mailorder redline dealers. i think the site was redlineoil.com or something. yes three quarts and mt-90 is the one......

thanks for all your help brownbanana :bow:

FYI, the torque specs for the drain plugs are 36 ft/lbf. Nice having alldata. :D

The gears are still smother than before, but my 1st to 2nd gear grind came back after a few months. It only happens on cold starts.

Just changed my fluid to Valvoline 75w90 fluid.
Shifts great, took about half an hour to do.

I will be doing this ~every 15k miles to be safe.

are the plugs easy to twist out?
should i do this when the car is warm or cold?
because i just changed my motor oil and that oil filter is a b**** to get off...

how much did your redline fluid cost you??

8$/qt. for me

ok well im about to go get it

how much did your redline fluid cost you??
$7/qt for me.

9.99 a quart for me, wow it helps, ive been having problems shifting lately and its really helped me out

Ok well i just orderd 3 bottles from summit, hopfully i get them for the weekend so i can change the fluid saturday. Also i got a summit t-shirt and hat for 7$ more total $41.00 :ttth:

Hey guys, I'm in the process of doing the oil change myself....so I went out to look for some mt-90 but I only found D4-ATF: Automatic/manual tansmission/ transaxle fliud. On the redline website it is listed under the manual oils. http://www.redlineoil.com/products_gearlubricants.asp?productID=49&subCategoryID=17&categoryID=7

So does anyone recommend me NOT to use this? and why so? Thanks

^^ do u have Auto or Stick?

if u have auto... u cannot use this oil... this oil is only for MT cars... u need an ATF...

also, ive had experience with these oils and they work wonders in your tranny... although, i would use a mixture of 2qt of MT90 and .5-1.0 qt of MTL, both redline products.

I gots a manual...I put it in already. But i just figured if it was listed un manual it's there for a reason

:shock:..... ATF = auto tranny fliud....

:ponder: hmm.. seems that it's listed in both the manual and auto section..

how odd... a versatile oil..

though... i doubt it's going to provide much of a difference between stock... as the mt-90 is geared towards a manual tranny.

*shrugs*.. i wouldn't have done it.. but seems to me it was safe.. at least

just ordered mine!

Since I got my car, I had always been a little disgruntled with rough 1st to 2nd shifts in the cold.

After 22,000 miles, I figured I might as well try the this. I did the change using Royal Purple Max-Gear 75W90 fully synthetic.

At first, everything was better, but I did notice the car having a lot of trouble going from 2nd to 1st (at a dead stop at just about idle.)

It's been 2 weeks now, and after a few really cold mornings, I'm taking the car to the dealer the next chance I get. Even once warmed up, 1st-2nd and 2nd-3rd shifts ALWAYS grind slightly. This is unacceptable.

Also I'll mention that fully synthetic fluid is a recommended remedy to the problem, and Royal Purple 75W90 will not void the warranty.

I've noticed some people with major tranny issues in other threads, and thats where I'm headed...

Fredzy hows your reverse on a cold morning? Mine sucks, most of the time i got to run it through all the gears to get it in. I also have that 1st to 2nd crunch like you said, but if i shift 1st to 2nd at around 3500 rpm it seems ok...

My reverse can be rough, and usually requires a run into 1st before i can get in. Since reverse is not synchronized in the tC, this problem can't be fully solved.

You could probably get in every time after only putting it in 1st gear... sometimes when I'm impatient and I go for reverse and it won't let me in, I just let the brake off and let the car budge slightly, allowing the gears to move and it falls into reverse.. but be careful with that.

Yea, I have been getting into 2nd at higher rev's lately now, but usually because I'm so ____ed at my gearbox that I haul off down the road like I'm driving a Mustang or something haha.

Lol, same thing here, I don't know. Iv'e been wanting to go to the dealer also but i know whats going to happen. There just gonna take the car for an hour or two and give it back and say that its supose to be like that or that they cant make it repete that problem..

I am going to do whatever I can to build a case on this transmission problem before I go to my dealer - though I'm not sure how.

Check out some other threads in the tC drivetrain/power forums, like this:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=112768&highlight=

I'm not going to print off these guys posts and show them to ol' Gus the car salesman and say "Put a new transmission in, please!" ... but I'm definitely going to make sure they know in their honest little hearts that there is a problem, haha.

A friend of mine who also had a tC switched out his MT oil with the Royal Purple and while it was good at first, he soon started having some grinding and chatter like what you're describing. I had been looking into the Redline MT90 and so we ordered some together from Summit and his problems went away immediately.
I've looked around the internets and while a GL-4 or GL-5 spec 75w90 gear oil is recommended for our transmissions i think perhaps a GL-4 might be preferable. The royal purple you bought mentions having some kind of extra friction modifiers in it and i think our synchros don't like it. Royal Purple is a GL-5, while the Redline is GL-4.
You might want to try switching to the Redline before making any great demands of your dealership, i'm sure they're not going to give you a new transmission just for the problems you've been describing, especially since you changed your fluid, you know how dealerships can be.
I'm in no way an expert on gear oils or anything, but that has been my experience in changing out the tranny fluid and i thought i'd pass the info along. I'd encourage you to look into both products side by side and see for yourself.

http://www.redlineoil.com/products_gearlubricants.asp?productID=46&subCategoryID=17&categoryID=7
read the MTL tech info at the bottom

http://www.royalpurple.com/prodsa/mgeara.html

Encouraging words, Missile... I'm def gonna try the MT90... should have just ordered some in the first damn place!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4897647549985392214&q=anti-everything&hl=en

Watch out for anti-everything guns Missile!

Encouraging words, Missile... I'm def gonna try the MT90... should have just ordered some in the first damn place!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4897647549985392214&q=anti-everything&hl=en

Watch out for anti-everything guns Missile!

Ack! :D

Yes, Royal Purple has graphite friction inhibitors which eventually begin to wear into the metal contacts as time goes on. Redline MT-90 is GL-4 complient and has no graphite in it.

Encouraging words, Missile... I'm def gonna try the MT90... should have just ordered some in the first damn place!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4897647549985392214&q=anti-everything&hl=en

Watch out for anti-everything guns Missile!


The final shots at night with the trailer rounds is amazing. Looks like a flame thrower.

Would you think the Royal Ppurple could cause any permanent effect on the shifting performance, if as you say it causes some sort of undesireable wear on contact surfaces?

It seems to me that a boundary layer of sorts (perhaps a product of the graphite stuff) is preventing the synchro's from doing their job. Hopefully a switch to MT90 will result in complete reversal of those effects - I don't see why an oil could cause permanent damage - even to brass.

that is exactly what the problem is with the royal purple. the graphite works very well, and too well at that. it is very smooth operating at first but then builds up a layer on the contacted metal. That layer begins to effected driveability in engines as well as tranys. I would do the swap but do it this way.

To ensure that you get it all out, drain the royal purple, get 2.5 quarts of GL-4 compliant trany fulid, drive it around for a few miles (50 or so doing a lot of shifting to ensure that the fluid works its way up through the trany), drain that fluid and refil with 2.5 quarts of MT-90.

To ensure that you get it all out, drain the royal purple, get 2.5 quarts of GL-4 compliant trany fulid, drive it around for a few miles (50 or so doing a lot of shifting to ensure that the fluid works its way up through the trany), drain that fluid and refil with 2.5 quarts of MT-90.

Aw man, that's what I was thinking, too. What a pain, at least 50 bucks wasted here :cry:

Yeah..............it blows ..............sorry bud :(

Anyone know if the filler and drain plug gaskets are the same as the engine oil drain plug gasket?

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y46/IronSnake/E350.jpg

The transmission fill and drain plug gaskets are much lager than the engine oil drain plug gasket.

^^ 24mm.. pretty big.

is there any harm switching back to regular motor oil?

huh....?

this isn't motor oil.. this is a tranny oil thread.

wow. i havent read this thread in a while, thought this was the synthetic motor oil one. Im an idiot!

is there any harm switching back to regular motor oil?

To answer your question..........no, there's no harm.

is there any harm switching back to regular motor oil?

Nah, going back to conventional oils after using synthetic won't hurt anythning, just dont mix conventional/synthetic oils.

How hard is it to remove that reverse sensor? Does it pull out or twist?

I am NOT refilling this thing through the fill plug again.. That was the worst.

How hard is it to remove that reverse sensor? Does it pull out or twist?

I am NOT refilling this thing through the fill plug again.. That was the worst.

1 1/16 socket is needed.
haha, you should have never done that. Just extra work. It's really easy. Here's the DIY:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=120673

How hard is it to remove that reverse sensor? Does it pull out or twist?

I am NOT refilling this thing through the fill plug again.. That was the worst.

1 1/16 socket is needed.
haha, you should have never done that. Just extra work. It's really easy. Here's the DIY:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=120673

Thank you kind sir!

NP :)

1 1/16 socket is needed.
haha, you should have never done that. Just extra work. It's really easy. Here's the DIY:

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=120673
uhh... :rofl:

you linked the thread to itself...

OH................. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

DOH! :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh: :doh:

I had my local mech swap it out for me for $20...I think it was worth it lol

I replaced the Royal Purple MaxGear with MT90 and things got a lot better (considering the Royal Purple made the car much worse than it originally was.)

I can't really say that shifting is better now with the MT90 than with the stock fluid, but it is smoother once warmed up.

I think I'm gonna give this one last shot on my next oil change and change the tranny fluid again using redline 75W90 NS fully synthetic. This is a gear oil that meets the tC's GL-5 requirement (something MT90 does not do) and has no friction modifier in it - the stuff in the Royal Purple that f*cked my day up.. I think.

I took my car to the dealer with regard to grinding gears and clunky shifting when cold and they said that nothing is out of the ordinary - BIG surprise.

As a mechanic, I can say that about half the time a customer comes in with some weird noise or quirk, the car runs perfectly normal. Just one of those things I guess...such is life, lol.

But then some mechanics just don't want to be bother'd with guessing games. (not you) but most. Some mechanics drive broken down work trucks so when they get in a new car with a small problem there like " Wow this cars great runs nice ect. ect " I'm just saying that i've had my fun at dealerships and come to learn that most mechanics should be called Parts Changers!

I went to Advanced Auto Parts... the guy looks up the Trans Fluid/Gear Oil in a book they had... and came back with 4 Quarts of Valvoline 80W-90 GL-5 Gear Oil. Is this the right kind or should I return it?

It's this stuff:
http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/product_detail.asp?product=2

i had installed the ingalls damper, the nst shifter cable bushings, then the creative compacts short shifter. shifting was inproved greatly, mostly by the short shifter.

but then i figured i'd spend the extra $30 and do the redline MT90 as well and it was totally worth it. with all these mods put together shifting in my car is perfect. highly recomended.

I went to Advanced Auto Parts... the guy looks up the Trans Fluid/Gear Oil in a book they had... and came back with 4 Quarts of Valvoline 80W-90 GL-5 Gear Oil. Is this the right kind or should I return it?

I looked at a chart that compared different weight oils, and it seemed like he 80W was a lot heavier than the 75W that the car calls for. I would return it and order some Redline to be safe.

I found a place that sells Redline 75W90 NS online,

http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?form_prod_id=488,587_130&action=product

Could you be my test subject and order 3 qts of the 75W90 NS and see how it runs??? It should work better than the MT90 considering it fits the cars' specifications 100% unlike the MT90.

This chart is pretty much the same as the one I looked at. Royal Purple gave me their viscosity chart because they felt bad that their gear oil nuked my car, but I can't find any links to it, so I searched and found this. Look in the gear oil column and you see the major difference between 75 and 80 weight.

http://www.silogramusa.com/TechInfo/ViscosityEquivalents.doc

Our car requires GL-4....GL-5 will create excess noise and wear on your synchros.

I found a place that sells Redline 75W90 NS online,

http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?form_prod_id=488,587_130&action=product


I buy my MT-90 through that website. Excellent site.

^^great site and great product :)

In my owners manual it says GL-4 or GL-5 in the back, but somewhere else it said only GL-5. I figured GL-5 can't hurt... I'll do anything to speed up those synchros...

GEAR AND SYNCHRONIZER WEAR PROTECTION

Most manufacturers of manual transmissions and transaxles recommend an 80W or 90W GL - 4 lubricant. GL - 5 gears oils which are required in hypoid differentials are not used in most synchromesh transmissions because the chemicals used to provide the extreme pressure protection can be corrosive to synchronizers, which are commonly made of brass or bronze. Typically, the use of a GL - 5 lubricant in a synchromesh transmission will shorten the synchronizer life by one half. The extreme pressure requirements of spur gears and helical gears found in transmissions are not nearly as great as found in rear-wheel drive differentials. A GL - 4 lubricant provides adequate protection for most manual transmissions, unless a unique design consideration requires the extra protection of a GL - 5.

http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/redtech4.htm


I would stick to GL-4 since it's designed for more use in synchroed tranys rather than just differential gears.

This is a very helpful tech guide, thank you!

This should be in the tech area - so next time I have to explain to Toyota tech what they're supposed to be doing I can find it easier. :doh:

Great writeup!!! This question may have already been asked or may not have, I just didn't want to read through 11 pages. Anyway, when you fill the tranny with new fluid, do you have the car sitting perfectly level on jackstands? Or do you just have the front of the car propped on jack stands? Because that can affect how much fluid it takes to start coming out of the fill plug when you fill it up. Thanks in advance for any answers.

It takes the 3 quarts. Whether its on a slant or sitting perfectly, as long as you get it to take all 3 quarts, you are fine. Anyway, I don't think that 3 quarts fill it to the VERY top. Just like we feed 4 quarts of oil to the motor, but you can probably fill it with 5 before it hits the very top. This is because it expands as it heats. So don't worry about it since the car will obviously be cold.

i still didnt do mine yet. ive had the oil at my house for a while now.

I've swapped from MT90 to Amsoil 75W/90 GL4 gear oil. A good bit smoother than redline.

Here's my review on it:
http://www.clubsciontc.com/forum_thread_9599-Amsoil-75W-90-GL4-gear-oil--review-.html

Well I did the swap today after a particularly long day at work. Here are a few things learned -

1) The transmission drain bolt is in a very tight spot. I was able to get to it with a 15/16" wrench. The sockets I had would fit but I couldn't get the ratchet handle into that spot.

2) Transmission fluid is very thick and slick (and messy).

3) Bolts holding in fluid have gaskets. I'd completed the swap with no problem whatsoever and was ready to pull my tC off the jack stands. I pulled the drain pan out and there's a gasket sitting there. A quick look at the drain and fill bolts informed me that the drain bolt was missing a gasket (and was starting to drip fluid), so I got my drain pan, gasket, and wrench ready, unscrewed the bolt and with MT90 flowing all over my hands replaced the gasket and the bolt. Then went on to complete the process a second time hoping I'd lost less fluid during the gasket replacement than I had remaining in my final MT90 bottle. Luckily I had enough to fill the transmission to the point of fluid coming back out of the fill hole.

4) Feeling like an idiot for the above experience quickly went away as I took my first test drive around the neighborhood.

It was a relatively easy swap, and well worth being covered in transmission fluid!

I'm doing this as soon as I find an oil changing partner to learn first hand from. :P

Best way is to jump right in! And have lots of paper towels!

I've swapped from MT90 to Amsoil 75W/90 GL4 gear oil. A good bit smoother than redline.

Here's my review on it:
http://www.clubsciontc.com/forum_thread_9599-Amsoil-75W-90-GL4-gear-oil--review-.html

Anyone else have some more input on the amsoil.....hows it been running web....i have 3 quarts at home im getting ready to swap in!!

I've swapped from MT90 to Amsoil 75W/90 GL4 gear oil. A good bit smoother than redline.

Here's my review on it:
http://www.clubsciontc.com/forum_thread_9599-Amsoil-75W-90-GL4-gear-oil--review-.html

Anyone else have some more input on the amsoil.....hows it been running web....i have 3 quarts at home im getting ready to swap in!!

It's been running great :)......smooth shifts and positive engagement :).

dude just did this yesterday and it's a hell of a lot smoother...so happy i did this thanks!!!

The only tool I noted that would be needed to get this done was 1 1/16 socket with a 10" extension. Do you recall what other sizes will be needed to loosen bolts, etc?

have a 15/16 wrench handy for the drain plug down below b/c a socket that big wont fit!!!

Yep. Unless you have a nice, thin socket wrench you'll need a wrench to get to the drain bolt.

I just did this swap two days ago and its great!! It has gone into reverse on the 1st try every time where with the old fluid it took up to 3 trys. Some things i noticed was why remove the reverse sensor? Napa sells a gear oil pump that attaches to the bottle for $4, i did mine this route and it worked great. Also it ONLY takes 2.5 quarts..the owners manual states this and i filled mine when it was off the jack on level ground and at 2.5 it started spilling out the fill hole as it should when its full. This is a must do mod!! Def worth the time, money and effort!!

Reverse sensor or pump. Just shows you there's more than one way to skin a cat . . . erm . . . add gear oil to your transmission.

is redline MT-90 the best to use?
what about mobile 1
or royal purple

I used Amsoil 75W/90 GL4 about a month ago and its been great!

I think the consensus is any of the gear oils you listed will feel better than stock when shifting. I'm happy with the MT90, some folks swear by amsoil, others love the royal purple. You can't lose!

I would avoid mobil1 of the ones you listed. Not that there is anything wrong with it, it just isn't as good quality as the others IMO and this is a fluid that will be in your car for an extended period. The top 3 (not in any order) seem to me the redline, royal purple, and amsoil. Any one of the 3 and your golden, just choose the one with the best price!

thx to all who contributed this thread...
just ordered my 3 bottles
cant wait to see good results

I used Amsoil 75W/90 GL4 about a month ago and its been great!


Amsoil FTW :)

good write up ima sure use this in the future but when u fill the tranny wouldnt fluid be coming out through the "Fill Plug" while ur putting tranny fluid in even tho that is suppose to indicate that its full??

yes, when u see the fluid coming out of the fill plug, that mean it is full.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a156/gammatnt/car%20stuff/redline4.jpg

i stuck a long funnel to the Fill Plug and adding fluid until i see it over flowing.

Is this the fluid to use for the tranny??
http://www.jscspeed.com/universal/fluids/redline_mt90.htm

^^^^^yes

Yo wuts the difference between the mt-90 75w90 and mtl 70w80 if any since they are both gear oil??? sorry im new to this transmission thing.

maybe this can stop the grinding i here...

ok so i have a 07 auto tc the gear shift fine but i am going synthetic on my oil and i wanna do it on my trans to so do i do the same as a manual trans or is it a different method for a auto trans and wat fluid would i use from royal purple, redline and amsoil? would really apperciate the help

this is for manual only
it says so in the beginning of the thread

so where can i find the one for automatic cuz i tried searching for it but had no luck if anyone knows i would apperciate it

just ordered some royal purple

heres the site:
http://www.americanmuscle.com/royal-purple-max-gear-75w90-gear-oil.html

This method worked well for me and thanks for the pics...Remember a 15/16 WRENCH for the drain plug. A standard socket will not fit.

great write-up, definitely gonna do this soon.

i used like a hugeass 24 mm wrench for the drain plug i believe.

the reverse sensor plug on the top where i filled, i didnt have a socket big enough to even go over it. i went to advance and picked up a 1 and 1/16th. worked great.

scratched my arm on the hood latch mechanism when i was tryin to break the bolt loose though.. ah well

any help for those of us with auto?

just so you know auto doesnt use the same fluid

how long do the mt-90 last?
My car have 35k miles since last change.
It is time to change again?

I made a switch from Royal Purple to Redline MT90. I do not feel a significant difference. Shifting through the gears feel the same.

any help for those of us with auto?

http://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=3474844

I ordered some Amsoil GL-4 75w-90 for the gearbox. I'm hoping to get it swapped in the middle of the week.

I only have 1700 miles on the car but I'm switching it out hoping it'll shift smoother. I've grinded the gears a couple of times from not paying attention.

I also ordered some Amsoil 0w-20 100% synthetic motor oil and a Amsoil oil filter.

I figured that since I'm a dealer, I should use the product on my Scion like I did for my previous car and parents' cars. :P I'll probably end up doing twice a year oil changes. I'm figuring to average about 11,000 miles a year. The Chicago summers and winters can be pretty bad.

Guys,

Where can I find 6 point sockets in 27 and 24 mm at?

its ok to fill the tranny until it drips out of the fill plug?

yes... it's supposed to be at the level to where the fill plug is

2.6 qts. no more, no less.

I dont think you want to go with a socket, a wrench is better. I used a 15/16, it was close enough.