SupraCoup3

Hmmm... I finnaly got around to swapping out 2 quarts of my ATF. but I did it in an unusual fashion... maybe I'll make a picture how to out of it, unless I did something terribly wrong!

I took a clear PVC hose, and pulled out the ATF dipstick.

I then put the hose in the place of the dipstick.

First I tried using my mouth to get a siphon going... but yes, burt T-IV fluid tastes like chicken (well not really)

So I hooked up the PVC hose to a shop vac, and used a cut off 2L soda bottle to measure out 2 QTs of burnt (as in dark black, looking like used engine oil) ATF.

I then put in 2 Quarts of toyota T-IV ATF fluid, and checked along the way by putting the dipstick in, until it was full.

I thus avoided having to ever go under the car, or break off the bolts. Somone else here did that right?

Anyhow, it was wicked easy, and I did it in a 1/2 hour. The only down side was that the ATF costs $27 @ the toyota dealership I went to....


Cherio!

Black94RX-7TT

Hrmph. Does your car not have a drain plug on the transmission pan? Mine does. Makes it easy as pie.

SupraCoup3

yea it does... I just don't like driving it up onto ramps -- the ones I have aren't wide enough....

Lex Luthor

You're kidding, right?

SupraCoup3

Jon,
I don't trust the ramps I have -- they are old and too narrow for the tires I have up front... They're 7" wide ramps, perfect for a honda civic or something, or put both of them side by side for one tire!
I went and checked out autozone -- the ramps were wider but did not have a gradual enough incline -- I'd never be able to make it up (ahhh front lip spoiler) without a 2x6 or 4x12 assisting**.

I like these ones -- they're good for a mazda miata, so they should work.
http://www.cruiserbits.com/cgi-bin/d...4&PlateID=4256

(from responses so far, it seems people really don't like my unusual way of draining ATF)


** purple heart wood made from South America is great -- it's about as hard as iron. When using it to build a deck, the nails from a nail gun wouldn't go in if you didn't hit it just right. It's exremely dense too. Great stuff... but it does cost a small fortune to buy.

gadgetSC

Supracoup,
There is a company called Griots Garage that sells a suction device w/measured container that is designed to do what you did. I have watched a friend us it on his corvette. I thought it worked great and have considered doing it myself. My only concern is not changing the filter.
I think they advertise that you could drain your engine oil through the dip stick also. It has a long skinny flexible tube that is supposed to reach the bottom of the oil pan or trans pan.

gadgetSC

SupraCoup3

hmmm interesting. I'll check it out.


additionally, while looking for ramps, I came across this...

http://www.mustangworld.com/ourpics/News/mwramps/

could be useful.

VQT

Question: You know that checking the trans. fluid with engine running and the the fluid is hot (operating temperature)?

SupraCoup3

Q: You know that checking the fluid w/ the engine running, means that the fluid is hot?

A: Tastes Like Very Hot Chicken!


no, not really. I let it cool down some, and filled it up using the manual's suggested level for cold tranny fluid.

Black94RX-7TT

I can say de-facto that those ramps will work. Those are exactly what I used this afternoon.

You use purpleheart to lift the car up with? It IS a Lexus....but sheesh...LOL My dad would KILL me if he saw me using exotic hardwoods to lift the car up with.

Lex Luthor

SupraCoup, Purpleheart ramps, that's classy. I use plain Jane Black dense ABS ramps from Pep Boys, they were $20-25, they're wide enough for my tyres, the incline will clear the front, and they have a nice wall at the end to keep knuckleheads from going too far. They're like a toothless hooker, nothin' pretty but sure gets the job done. ATF not only tastes like chicken, but it's a great hair conditioner, check it out for yourselves.....