Yea, another manufacturer coming up with a "sealed for life" transmission to save a few bucks.
Best to get the info' about the fluid from a dealer. Use the wrong type and it can cause problems.
The owner isn't expected to check the transmission fluid. In fact your prevented. They deleted the fill tube/dipstick. The thing is with a dipstick you could see when the fluid needed changing.
There is probably a plug on the side of the FJ transmission that will allow you to take a sample of fluid to see if it needs changing. I don't think it's a good idea to try to check the level with the engine running. Most likely you will get covered in fluid. If there are no visible leaks it's best to assume the level is ok.
Without a fill tube its going to be a real pain to change the fluid yourself. I suggest this is one job best left to a shop with a transmission fluid changing machine. With the engine running the transmission pumps the old fluid into the machine via the lines to the transmission cooler. By means of displacement, it replaces old fluid with new in the correct measure. Another advantage to using a shop with the fluid changing machine is that by having the engine running it also ensures the fluid in the torque converter is also replaced.
Past experience has taught me, heat ruins the tranny fluid and bad tranny fluid = big expense.
If you are going to keep the vehicle for many years get the fluid changed periodically.
The dealer will tell you it has a cooler already. It does, one built in the radiator.
Cynical of me I admit, but I guess the manufacturer figures any damage caused by not changing the fluid when needed won't come to notice until the vehicle is well out of warranty.
To me cooling a trany with near boiling water isn't exactly ideal if you intend to tow a big trailer or do lots of slow off road stuff.
I intend to tow a trailer. I'm going to have an extra cooler fitted.
Post edited by: Stu, at: 2007/03/23 09:06
Post edited by: Stu, at: 2007/03/23 09:11
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