Hi,
Newb here with a question that I searched for thru the forum. Hopefully I did not miss an answer anywhere.

Just got a 98 GS300 with 89k miles on it. I have been reading up on the forum about things to look at and watch for. Today I decided to do a drain and refill on the transmission. I had 4 quarts of Toyota T-IV fluid to cover me. I drained it into a clear gallon tea pitcher with quart graduations on the side. It drained about 2.5 quarts out, actually just a tad under 2.5. I refilled it with 2.3 quarts and checked my level and it was a little high but I thought maybe it was fluid running down the fill tube making the dipstick read high. I drove it around to get it hot and it runs fine. Old fluid was dark red but not burnt. Came back and checked it and the level was about a 1/3 of an inch above the hot full mark. I drained about a 1/4 to a 1/3 of a quart out and drove it around again and it was still at the same level. How does this happen? I did not add any more than I drained and the level was spot on before I drained. Should I let it sit overnight and check it again in the morning?
Will it hurt anything to run it a touch over till I can drain it tomorrow evening? It shifts as good as it did before I changed it, perhaps a touch smoother.
Thanks for any insight. I have changed fluids plenty of times before in other vehicles but this is a first.
Thanks,
Rob

 

Are you measuring with engine on?

 

Yes, engine running after shifting thru all gears and back to Park. I then leave the engine on and check the fluid.

 

did you checked fluid level before draining?
make sure that you park car on level surface

 

well, hmm, the manual indicates the drainfill is 2quarts, so if you got 2.5quarts out, the most likely explanation is that it was .5quarts too high before you started.

If you put in 2.3 quarts then took away .25 you are are about 2quarts, so should be close to where you need to be..

 

The level was perfect a few days ago. I am also checking it on a level surface. I had it on ramps when I drained it so I figured it was going to give me a little more than 2 quarts out. I guess the only thing to do logically is drain so more out and get it down below full then top off very carefully. I don't want to risk messing it up by it being too full. Sure there is a reason it has a low and high marking.

Next time I do a drain and fill I will top off with just at 2 quarts regardless of what comes out and then add more if needed. Lesson learned here.

Thanks for the responses.
Rob

 

Well, I drained out what I thought would be more than enough to take me to midway on the hot side of the stick but I ended exactly on full for the hot end. raytseng seems to have been correct, it must have been overfilled to when I checked it several days ago but maybe I had not let it get hot enough to show it was overfilled when I got it. Anyway, from here on out no matter what drains out 2 quarts goes in and then I top it off from there.
This weekend will be the differential and power steering fluid. Provided the car is level there won't be much of a chance of overfilling the differential.

Rob

 

You did not have it hot enough the first time. Always check it hot. The cold mark is just a estimate, the hot one is the one that counts. Anywhere on the hot hash marks is good so aim for the center.

 

i find it accurate to check when the transmission is hot. i usually run it for at least 15 mins the park on level ground and check. never overfill or else it will foam up.