DIY: CHANGE MANUAL TRANNY OIL

[ttufrosty]

It is not that difficult to do. If you can change the engine oil you can probably do this. Though the nuts are a little bit tougher to get at. I did not put my car up on jacks but was still able to squeeze my 6 foot 200 pound frame under enough to do all the work.

Keep in mind I am making no GUARANTEES on this work. What you do is at your own risk. If you dont feel you can do the work. THEN DONT.

It is basically a few simple steps.
1. Locate the nuts to be removed.
Drain plug - Viewed from under the drivers side tire and looking back. Notice Big White Sticker.
8015
Fill plug - Viewed from top of car looking down from next to air box. Use as a point of reference to find from bottom. Same big white sticker.
8025

2. Loosen the fill plug FIRST with a 24mm socket. Do not skip this step. If you remove the drain plug first and cant get the fill plug off you are screwed.

3. Loosen the drain plug use same 24mm socket. Place an oil pan underneath. Then completely remove the drain plug. The oil will come gushing out. Now would be a good time to drink a beer (If you are of age) and let the oil drain out.
8022

4. Replace the drain plug and gasket (if gasket is worn replace) and re-tighten to 29 foot-lbs of torque.
8024

5. To fill from the top you need to jury rig you a little fill tool. I got about a 3 foot length of vinyl tubing and attached it to the end of my funnel. Then I ran that down to the fill plug from the top.
8019

6. Remove the fill plug and gasket. Insert the tubing into the fill hole. Will require you to lower the tube from the engine compartment and then insert the tube from below.
8020

7. Add oil to funnel. I used Royal Purple 75w-90 Max Gear Oil, but any brand will do so long as it meets the specs required by Toyota. 2 quarts will do.
8016

8. Oil going into car from top.
8018

9. Oil going into car from bottom.
8023

10. Once you have put all 2 quarts in, go ahead and remove the tube, but make sure the oil pan is under the fill plug. The car requires 2 quarts but with the little bit of remaining oil from before and the 2 quarts you have added there will be some extra. Wait until it levels off. Don't worry the correct amount of oil is supposed to be 0.05mm below the fill plug. So once it levels off it should be correct.
8021

11. Put the fill plug and gasket back on and re-tighten to 29 foot-lbs of torque.

Your done. Check for leaks. Drive nicer shifting car.

If you need clarification on anything I have done let me know and I will try and give you an answer as to how I did something.

And if I did something completely wrong. Please let me know so it can be fixed and no one else does it.

Enjoy.

[uncleyaris]

Great dIY!! BTY how many miles did you have on the car?

[ttufrosty]

29,000k miles, 1 year. I drive about 95 miles a day round trip to and from work.

[ttufrosty]

The service manual says to check at 30k and replace at 60k. However, since I drive as much as I do and since I was experiencing some grinding of gears especially 1st and 2nd. I decided to switch to synthetic.

The change was more to switch to synthetic rather than because it was due for a change.

[nisyota]

cool write-up... i was thinking about going to the dealership cuz i couldn't find the drain plug and fill plug...

Now, my question... I have an automatic sedan... what kind of oil should i use for my tranny? Does Royal Purple or Mobile1 have anything?

Thanks

[fuji]

I am assuming this can also be applied to automatic transmission cars as well. Just need different transmission fluid. Any ideas on the specifics of the transmission fluid needed for autos?

[nisyota]

looks like on an automatic there is a dip stick... woo hoo. lol

should be the same drain and fill process except that we have to start up the car and move through each gear (slowly at first) and not floor it until you think the oil has gone through the tranny... i think. thats what i have to do on my truck.

on the dip stick it also says that its not necessary to change the ATF on "Normal" driving conditions... hint:hint: NORMAL. even though i have a stock yaris sedan, i still try and race those porsche. LOL

[supmet]

for automatics, the ONLY transmission fluid recommended is World Standard Genuine Toyota Transmission Fluid - and its 250 bucks at the stealership.

with that said, I had dexron put in before I read the TSB, and haven't had any problems in 10k miles.

[nisyota]

so pretty much the auto guys are screwed... no one makes anything compatible?

[PetersRedYaris]

so pretty much the auto guys are screwed... no one makes anything compatible?
Wal-Marts Super Tech brand of of fluids has two tranny fluids that say right on the bottle they are compatible with With Toyota type WS. But, for the cost ($3 vs $5.50 a quart), I would just go for the genuine WS...

Nice manual tranny DIY...

[yaris-me]

Thanks for the DIY. :thumbsup:

[nisyota]

oh, its only $5.50qt? supmet said it was $250... thats more than my trucks transmission oil.

I guess i don't really have to change it, but for peace of mind, i am. :D

[detroiter]

I just changed my auto trans fluid about a month or so ago, it was about $8 a quart and it took about 4 of them. $32 vs $250 to have the stealership do something you can do yourself in 30-45 mins.

[nisyota]

heck, i should have done that today... $32... thats cheaper than changing the oil. LOL

THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S HELP!!!

I love the DIY section. LOL

[Morgan]

Good DIY, You can fill from the reverse sensor or vehicle speed sensor if you don't like side fill (its messy!) BTW the "official" amount is 1.9 qts if you fill from the top - when I had the battery out, both sensors were easy to get to :)

[schleppy]

Fantastic write up! This should be made sticky and added to the DIY manual!

As a side note, a buddy of mine is a Toyota mechanic and he said one of the few things he thinks people need to do more often is change the tranny fluid. He said every 15k if you drive a lot. It's cheap insurance...

[IllusionX]

UHHHH..... digging old thread up...

I'm not sure if i did it right, i took ~1 3/4 Quart out only??
Yet, filling it with 2QT did not over fill it. Or i now i have too much oil in there??

[Shroomster]

just to clarify for those of us with auto transmissions....what you all are doing is just draining and filling the trans pan.

what supmet stated was $250 was probably a fluid exchange (flush and fill)

which takes all the fluid out including that in the torque converter.

[IllusionX]

this clearly states manual transmisison...

[Shroomster]

this clearly states manual transmisison...

yeah and for some odd reason a few posts up someone was questioning this topic for their auto tranny. sorry for the mis-confusion

[andaconda]

UHHHH..... digging old thread up...same go's here!
Going to change to "Amsoil Synthetic Manual Transmission and Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90 API GL-4 (MTG)" after 7000 miles on the odometer. I have ground way too many gears from lack of pressing the clutch in all the way. I will feel better about getting the original gear lube out of the tranny.
I don't have a 24mm socket but the 15/16 I have fits well. The conversion is 24mm = 15.118/16 inch. Should I use my 15/16, or go buy a 24mm?

[Lazerdot]

I bet a good 24mm socket would be worth having. All my tools are with my Karts, leaving me with standard tools(and few of um), really like having metric around.

Doin the same with my car soon..., only 14k on it though. AX might be beating it up some though. Sooner the better I guess.

[advocate]

I was experiencing some grinding of gears especially 1st and 2nd. I decided to switch to synthetic.

Did you notice smoother shifting after the oil change?

edit: just noticed this was a necro'd thread. damn my luck.

[MUSKOKA800]

I don't have a 24mm socket but the 15/16 I have fits well. The conversion is 24mm = 15.118/16 inch. Should I use my 15/16, or go buy a 24mm?

I used a 15/16" (6 point impact type) socket today when changing over to synthetic. It fit just fine. :thumbup:

[UTVitz]

I made the switch to Redline MT90 a month ago-big difference-I have not missed a shift since it's that smooth. MPG's seem to stay in the mid-to high 40's now rather than the lower 40's before. Very much worth the $24 for two quarts of the stuff. I tried Mobil 1 gear lube at first-but learned that is a GL-5 and although that's ok according to Toyota it was not prefered as GL-4 was-so I through $18 away on some mobile 1 by mistake. Very happy with the Redline MT90 in the Yaris.

[bronsin]

What makes that oil purple? Purple dinosaurs? Food coloring?

[mikenacarato]

http://www.royalpurple.com/rp-company-history.html

[bronsin]

I know....snails!

[mikenacarato]

apparently you cant read.

[bronsin]

They said its purple because its the color of royalty. But they didnt say how they made it that way.

[Henry G.]

Royal Purple is average stuff at best. Read the technical reviews.
Redline MT-90 is top notch stuff. This is a 15 minute job at worst if you have the right tools. You will notice smoother shifting and that grinding while going into reverse will all but disappear. Its a no brainer especially if you drive 25k miles a year like I do.

[ddongbap]

I'm rocking NEO oil.

[dorman68]

Great write up!!

[andaconda]

Going to change to "Amsoil Synthetic Manual Transmission and Transaxle Gear Lube 75W-90 API GL-4 (MTG)" after 7000 miles on the odometer. I have ground way too many gears from lack of pressing the clutch in all the way. I will feel better about getting the original gear lube out of the tranny.
I don't have a 24mm socket but the 15/16 I have fits well. The conversion is 24mm = 15.118/16 inch. Should I use my 15/16, or go buy a 24mm?

Followup:
I did the change to Amsoil.

A couple of tips tho:

I jacked up the drivers side of the car so that I could get to both plugs easier - but while I was draining, I let the car down off the jack, and then jacked it back up again to finish the job.

I did use my 15/16 socket with no problem.

Have the pan ready - I mean really ready - when I pulled out the filler plug, it came gushing out and missed my pan by a mile -- like all over the frame members, all over the jack, all over the driveway -- So be ready for it!

Have a helper on top with the fill funnel while you hold the fill tube in the fill hole -- you don't want to waste a precious drop of this expensive gear lube.

Don't over tighten the plugs. They're not that tight - 29 foot pounds.

Now I can't honestly tell any difference, but the cold weather hasn't come yet and I don't have but a couple of miles on it.
But at least I know it is changed out and I feel better about it.

My kid has been ribbing me about this switch from dino to synthetic. He said "you'll do anything to squeek one more mile per gallon, won't you!"

[jamal1984]

the pictures is down, can someone reupload it?

[schleppy]

I put in AMSOIL MTG (http://www.amsoil.com/catalog.aspx?code=MTGQT-EA). I only have 9500 miles on the car, but it made a difference. There is less resistance in the gearbox at all speeds, especially low speeds. I've heard it only gets better with time.

I had access to a lift, but the job was VERY simple. I could have done it without a lift easily. Get yourself a funnel with a long tube, two quarts of fluid, and a 15/16th wrench.

It's worth doing. I'll probably change the fluid again in 20,000 miles. Why not?

[Boost Addicted]

just to clarify for those of us with auto transmissions....what you all are doing is just draining and filling the trans pan.

what supmet stated was $250 was probably a fluid exchange (flush and fill)

which takes all the fluid out including that in the torque converter.

Agreed, however I'm looking at Mitchell On Demand as I type, and it says the automatic transmission fluid capacity is 2.6 quarts, or 2.5 liters... Compaired to that of which another member above replaced 4 quarts.

It just struck me when I saw the capacity vs. what someone else put into the car after a drain. Figured I'd mention the spec..

The manual trans is 2.0 quarts or 1.9 liters.

And to get to my actual point here, I'm wondering how you guys like the Royal Purple? I've heard mixed reviews... I must confess, I'm actually a Volkswagen guy (My girlfriend owns the Yaris) and people weren't too impressed with it in the 6 speed GLI's which is what I have. And I want a REALLY good synthetic for the Yaris (5 spd) because I noticed it has no syncro for reverse, and sometimes when you put it in reverse (yes, with the car stopped) it gives a quick sharp grind and kinda lurches the car slightly. Can't be good... And I don't want metal shaivings causing havoc. So what do you think is the best synthetic trans fluid out there? Thanks guys!

/rant lol

[gonzo452001]

I put it in my manual yaris I am not that impressed with it on cold morning I feel a little grind when I put it in 3rd gear until it gets warmed up I have been thinking about trying something else

[UTVitz]

I put Redline MT-90 in this last summer and love it. And now that winter temps are here I couldn't be happier with the decision to use it. I never really notice a cold shift difference vs. warmed up like I used to. And reverse engages a lot smoother than it did before the change. Give it a try-two quarts will set you back about $22 most places.

[gonzo452001]

I think I will

[gonzo452001]

shouldn't we use the 75w90 instead of straight 90w

[gonzo452001]

Ok the mt90 is 75w90 ordered 2qts from amazon

[Boost Addicted]

I put Redline MT-90 in this last summer and love it. And now that winter temps are here I couldn't be happier with the decision to use it. I never really notice a cold shift difference vs. warmed up like I used to. And reverse engages a lot smoother than it did before the change. Give it a try-two quarts will set you back about $22 most places.

Awesome, I was thinking of using the Redline in both her Yaris and my Jetta. I've heard good things, and I can pick it up locally for 12 bones without having to pay shipping. I'll post back up after the fluid change and tell you guy how I feel about it.

[Hershey]

you won't be disappointed . Takes a little time to get the full benefit . Work through all the gears , including reverse .

[sleey0]

Just replaced my MT tranny oil today at 22k miles and WOW! What a damn difference.

Good to get the old gear oil out of there and some new - I bought the car used at 19k miles and who knows howthe original owner drove it or grinded 'em;) lol

REDLINE 75w90 FTW!!!

[Hershey]

It's amazing . No more grinding , smoother shifts , and no clunk into reverse . Used it in a '08 we had . Better cold shifting too . Enjoy :burnrubber: .

[sleey0]

I know it!

I really didn't think it would make a difference ESPECIALLY since the old oil that drained out was very clear and seemed still good.

I wonder what brand and type of oil Toyo uses as the factory fill for the MT tranny.

[Shroomster]

^^^something that has a lot of assembly lube in it most likely....

[sleey0]

Yeah, you are prob right. lol

[DeathBeard]

Is 75w90 the correct weight for 5 speed?

[Hershey]

Is 75w90 the correct weight for 5 speed? yes , GL-4 as well . Not GL-5 .

[sleey0]

Hmmm.

I used red line 75w90 that was GL-5.

Is this going to be an issue? What are the drawbacks to using this oil vs. the MT-90 which is GL-4?

[Hershey]

is it this one www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=47&pcid=7 or this one www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=46&pcid=7 ? If it's the 75w-90 NS GL-5 you should be fine . Says has improved copper corrosion protection for life of syncro . Give them a call at 1-800-624-7958 and ask if it's compatible with the YARIS . They're very helpful .

[sleey0]

It is the NS 75w90.

I'll call em up. Thanks!

[Hard_Yaris]

Replaced my Manual Transmission oil with red line approx 10,000km ago.

The old oil in the transmission was a shimmery sliver blackish sludge... for sure worth draining the old stuff.

[sleey0]

Wow.

Mine was very clear and had 22k miles on the tranny oil.

Shouldn't have been black sludge.

[Hard_Yaris]

I bought the car and it had about 80,000km. I'm Sure the dealer did not change the oil at the recommended interval.

Had a Echo before with 200,000km before it was a write-off.... Great Cars!

[nick.dollimount]

I finally did this yesterday! ...after asking about it last year sometime... I have 57,000Km on mine. The stuff that came out of it was pretty dark; almost black. It smelled awful... I couldn't get the smell out of my nose for hours afterward. Anyway, down to the important part... it made a good difference. Especially putting it into reverse! And if it's true that it only gets better, I'm very excited! Unfortunately, I couldn't get any of the good brands that were mentioned throughout this thread and I was stuck with buying Motomaster brand. Fully synthetic 75w90 stuff. It seems to be doing the trick though. Anything that's better than before is good in my books.

Funny though, the last 2 times I took it into the dealership to get things checked, one of which was Tuesday, I explained how the shifting has become a lot harder to put into gear. Both times they had on the receipt, "Test drove, shifting normal for Yaris." Now I'm really tempted to give them a call and let them know how my shifting is now after changing that out. On top of that, before ever getting them to check it, I had called about it prior and asked about changing the transmission oil. The guy on the phone said there isn't anything for the transmission to be changed. WTF....

All in all, I'm really glad this forum is here. Doing my own maintenance is a million times better. It's cheaper, it gets done faster, and I don't have to deal with lazy people lying to my face.

[fumoffu1089]

i just bought redline Mt90. Just wondering do I need to flush out the factory oil before refilling it with the good stuff?

[sleey0]

No, you don't need to flush.

Just make sure you do the change on a level surface to get most of the old oil out.

On another note, has anyone ever smelled redline's gear oil? HOLY FUCK!

That stuff is the NASTIEST shit I have ever smelled. And that is saying a lot because I was an RN for 7 years.

[ddongbap]

Okay, so the NEO I had before, is crap. Made all my gears grind.

Redline Lightweight Shockproof oil. That stuff is a trump card in the hole.

[grimjuk]

Hey guys, I've been driving my '07 Yaris YRS hatch for about a week now, I've driven ~200 kilometres, and I've noticed that getting into reverse is a little touchy, and third is a little rough.

The car was at 61800k's when I purchased it, what are the chances the tranny fluid has been changed? Should I have a go at changing it? I have next to no mechanical experience with cars, what are the odds of something going wrong?

[fnkngrv]

Just ordered myself 2 qts for the change to occur soon. 30 bucks with shipping thru Summit. Seems like 25-30 bucks is what you pay to get it up my way. No one is an authorized retailer for the MT90 within 150 miles of me in the States.

[Kazimodo]

Well after all the warnings , I was expecting to have a fight
withthe fill plug , but NO , nothing , didn't have a 24mm socket ,
so I used a 15/16 inch socket , just checking for clearence from floor
to fill plug , without really trying and it came loose , same for drain plug
100,000 KM on Yaris , first manual trans oil change on this car ,
came out still golden color , no smell (compared to auto trans smell :eek:)
I put in the 75W90 semi-Synthetic
that I could find at Canadian Tire , blue bottle , it is GL4 ,
the other more expensive one is GL5 , no thanks .
I didn't want to run around town looking for Amsoil or redline
so I'll be the Ginney Pig with this oil .
I'll let you all know if any thing feels weird .
If it feels weird I'll look for Amsoil next change .

[bankrobber]

No, you don't need to flush.

Just make sure you do the change on a level surface to get most of the old oil out.

On another note, has anyone ever smelled redline's gear oil? HOLY FUCK!

That stuff is the NASTIEST shit I have ever smelled. And that is saying a lot because I was an RN for 7 years.


All gear oil is like that after used. I drained the axles in my 3/4 Dodge in the Garage and the smell got into my A/C in the house. Just having the drain pan sitting on the floor

[yaris2010RS]

this is gonna seem like a stupid question but im thinking of changing my tranny oil..... its a 2010 and it only has 31,xxx km on it..... im jsut sick of the the grinding into reverse and i do drive fairly hard and feel a better quality oil would benifit. what do u think? is it worth it? i was thinking either royal purple or redline.

[soloecho2]

Id go for the Redline MT 90.

[rningonfumes]

Will do this soon, does anyone have the pics saved ( or is it just my computer that they don't show).

Second question is where to get Redline?

[jamal1984]

i'm on Royal Purple now, and my gears still grind somehow, reverse still stuck on cold morning, first gear still stiff, maybe Redline next time and compare.

[Hershey]

ROYAL PURPLE likely to be a GL-5 which is the same as the factory fill which causes the grinding and clunking into reverse . You'd want a GL-4 , like that of REDLINE MT-90 . Does make a big difference . Better shifting on cold days with MT-90 . Changing the gear oil is easier than a oil change . After the fill of the GL-4 , work through all the gears ( reverse too ) and before you know it shifting is a breeze .

[Shinare]

I called around, found a place local that will sell the redline MT-90 for $9.95 per qt. Going to do this this weekend. I've noticed since I got the car that reverse is pretty chunky if not a little grindy at times. Will try this. No problems with any of the other gears.

Going to have to buy a few things first. I've never seen a funnel like pictured in the DIY. I'm going to have to get something similar to put it in that side plug. I also don't have a torque wrench. A friend of mine that I work with who also works on motorcycles says 29 ft-lbs of torque is not very much. Just a slight muscle flex as your tightening it after its all the way on. (course he's a pretty big guy so that's relative) Should I buy a torque wrench just for this? Is the torque that important? I also will need to get some kind of pan to drain it into. Do i just take the used oil to wal mart or somewhere? It's probably a good idea to buy something to transport the old oil in rather than in the open pan in the back seat, heh. Goodness, this is adding up.

[marcus]

this is gonna seem like a stupid question but im thinking of changing my tranny oil..... its a 2010 and it only has 31,xxx km on it..... im jsut sick of the the grinding into reverse and i do drive fairly hard and feel a better quality oil would benifit. what do u think? is it worth it? i was thinking either royal purple or redline.

lol..even new car can grind on reverse..you have to know a trick.. all you need to do is slap it on any forward gears before reverse..i use first or second gear then reverse and youll be grindless fro life unless ur synchro goes.

[Shinare]

lol..even new car can grind on reverse..you have to know a trick.. all you need to do is slap it on any forward gears before reverse..i use first or second gear then reverse and youll be grindless fro life unless ur synchro goes.

Wow, did not know this. Sounds like a great tip!

[Hershey]

Do this if you don't have a torque wrench . Take a medium to fine SHARPIE permanent magic marker with black ink and draw a line on the drain fill plugs and the tranny itself so they line up . Then write D.P. ( drain plug ) or F.P. ( filler plug ) on the plug so when you put them back in you'll be using the same plug so they will line up . Can tighten it just a bit more beyond the mark on the tranny , if needed .

[Shinare]

Went out to take the pic for my avatar just now and drove to a different parking place in the sun. I went from driving around in first to putting it into reverse to back into the parking place. Slight grind in the gear as I placed it into reverse. *shrug* hopefully the gear oil change will help.

[yaris2010RS]

i'm on Royal Purple now, and my gears still grind somehow, reverse still stuck on cold morning, first gear still stiff, maybe Redline next time and compare.

inside the engine bay on ur tranny check ur linkages and grease/oil where felt needed. my 5th and reverse were stiff and toyota did this for me now all gears go with with ease

[jmjonesey]

Just wanted to say thanks OP for posting this, I am doing a ton of 60k maintenance on my car, new plugs, new brake pads, and now thanks to you i have new tranny oil :-) much obliged!

[Irish]

Another thanks to the OP for this very helpful thread. I just passed 100,000 miles on my '07 and even though the dealer said that the transmission oil didn't need to be changed, I went ahead and bought some MT-90 from amazon.com and changed it today in addition to the coolant. Many thanks for this forum.

[JDfan33]

Great thread and thx for the great pic's

[ecc_33]

I just changed my trans fluid today at 55,400 miles, Tranny fluid looked as good as new when coming out. No metal flake look to it. Installed 75w-90 Royal Purple and went for a drive. Well don't waste your 30 bucks on this oil. My car did shift better. On cold days before it would be stiff or hard to get into gear down shifting to second and to first. It is better, but not as good as I was hoping. In 5,000 miles when I change my oil I will be going to MT-90 and will update you guys on how that performs.

[Hershey]

Big difference , when cold shifting and no clunking into reverse . After the change , take it out for a spin and work through all the gears , including reverse . Not long after you'll be in for a smooth transition . :burnrubber:

[ecc_33]

drove 70 miles round trip from home to work than back. Still not as impressed as what i figured it will be. like I said I will change it again at 60,000 and try red line. When I first took off this morning it was about 40* out. It did shift amazing when the car was cold. But after about 10 miles it felt almost as if it was the old fluid. Oh well. It would be nice if it got better after a few more miles. Time will tell.

[rningonfumes]

Can't see Pics.

[Hard_Yaris]

just to clarify for those of us with auto transmissions....what you all are doing is just draining and filling the trans pan.

what supmet stated was $250 was probably a fluid exchange (flush and fill)

which takes all the fluid out including that in the torque converter.

What about the manual transmissions? is there more oil left in the transmission when we drain and fill? This one guy was trying to sell me a $200 transmission fluid flush and fill.

Does anyone know?

[ExocetCom]

Brief necro, but wanted to thank the OP for the informative DIY guide. Drained and filled my RS 5MT with Redline MT-90 today and even after only a dozen km of testing, it feels great. Shifts are smoother than on the stock gear oil, and the entire process only took an hour or so.

For those with Tanabe DF-210's installed you can reach both the drain and fill plugs without jacking the car, but it's pretty cramped. I did have to loosen the under-air dam shroud to get good access to the bolts.

Interestingly, I loosened the filler bolt with an air tool and, not knowing that the bolt only had about 3/4" of thread on it, took the entire thing off in one swift go. The result was more than a cup of gear oil spilling out. The two quarts I added after the drain got me right to the proper fill (i.e. right at the bottom of filler plug), but it makes me wonder how I got so much oil in there before.

tl;dr, Redline MT-90 is great so far, process was simple and cheap for DIY, lowered cars can be refilled without jacking, though it is more difficult.

[Hard_Yaris]

Yes Thanks OP!
Redline MT-90 is the BEST! GL-4 all the way!
Just did another Transmission fluid change.
I found it easier to remove the entire air box to gain access to the fill plug from the top with a funnel and tube.

[bronsin]

Do this if you don't have a torque wrench . Take a medium to fine SHARPIE permanent magic marker with black ink and draw a line on the drain fill plugs and the tranny itself so they line up . Then write D.P. ( drain plug ) or F.P. ( filler plug ) on the plug so when you put them back in you'll be using the same plug so they will line up . Can tighten it just a bit more beyond the mark on the tranny , if needed .

Hmm interesting thing to do. But would it work if you changed the sealing washer? (also unecessary)

Torque wrench complete overkill for something like this however. Manual says something like "Torque the oil filter with a torque wrench. If you dont have one take it to your dealer for proper torque."

Just intimidating the public Im afraid. The bastards. Actually torqueing the OF to their spec will prolly result in it being nearly impossible to remove IME.

[maximapitko]

this is gonna seem like a stupid question but im thinking of changing my tranny oil..... its a 2010 and it only has 31,xxx km on it..... im jsut sick of the the grinding into reverse and i do drive fairly hard and feel a better quality oil would benifit. what do u think? is it worth it? i was thinking either royal purple or redline.

reverse gear does not have a synchro. This is pretty common on cheaper cars.

I changed the gear lube in my 07 sedan at 100k with mt90. The original fluid looked as good as new...

[Boyaris]

Great info. But that only drains 1 3/4 qts. of fluid and there is 4.9 qts. so how do you get the rest out?

[yaris0128]

Thank you very much for this how to thread sir! Just changed my fluid a few minutes ago and it worked great!

[Hershey]

Hmm interesting thing to do. But would it work if you changed the sealing washer? (also unecessary)

Torque wrench complete overkill for something like this however. Manual says something like "Torque the oil filter with a torque wrench. If you dont have one take it to your dealer for proper torque."

Just intimidating the public Im afraid. The bastards. Actually torqueing the OF to their spec will prolly result in it being nearly impossible to remove IME.

This method worked for the '08 YARIS 3 door w/ 5 speed manual . The permanent marker remained for a while . If I remember correctly , reused the washer from the factory . Would get a new one when doing a second change of gear oil .

[dan4yaris]

Excellent DIY! Just be advised, when you are filling using the vinyl tube with the funnel the oil runs very slow so be patient!

Also, you must use a 24 mm socket, there is some metal on the way when you try to remove the drain bolt. I tried with a wrench it just did not work!

excellent pics to help locate plugs.

drain plug parallel to the drivers tire!

fill plug parallel to the front bumper!

[zondakaka]

where can i find a similar guide for the cvt k410 transmission

[Illryion]

Just used this guide - Easy Peasy. Thanks Guys.

[CoryM]

A suggestion to all owners, but specifically while doing this job:

Make sure your vent is clear as well. The transmission has a vent on it to allow for the expansion of the oil/air inside. Otherwise the seals have to deal with the pressure and will eventually fail. These vents often clog, and mine was plugged when I got the car with 38000km on it. A good indicator it is plugged is you will hear a hiss of air as you open the fill plug.

I can't recall exactly where the vent is on these cars. iirc it's just behind the shifter. A little white(?) plastic knob that you twist and wiggle a little to free up any junk.

I'll try to find a picture.

Cheers.

[CoryM]

Pretty sure this is it. Grey metal cap I think.

[ijose 845]

Hey this is a great diy but I'm having difficulty finding the fill plug is it on the bottom front by the airbox or on the side?

[Em_]

i did it my self about 2 months ago

it's in the front as you look at the engine

[ijose 845]

okay thanks! im doing mine tommorow i just wanted to make sure i got everything mapped out before i do it llol

[Hershey]

You using a torque wrench ? May want to mark one plug as F.P. ( filler plug ) .

[kyote]

i didn't notice this thread until I already did the job, and apparently I over-torqued the nuts. i was assuming they were crush washers like on my honda. is this a problem?

also, my oil was very dirty at 26k.

[ijose 845]

hey i did my gear oil change i added 2 quarts and nothing leaked out? im guessing it didnt it didnt need to level itself out? should i add more? or just leave it the way it is

[Hershey]

The 2 qts. will be fine .

[dfhnpdx]

Thanks, ttufrosty...This is how I will be spending my Saturday morn. Great DIY post...:smoking:

[The Spectacle]

Great DIY and I just want to give a few notes for anyone tackling this in the future.

- I didn't do this on my car until 75k. The fluid came looking brand new with no metal shavings. However, I was having some issues with the shifter being stubborn in cold weather, especially reverse. After the fluid change, the tranny shifts better than it did stock (as far as I remember)

- A lot of people are recommending Redline, Royal Purple and other exotic oils...you don't really need that stuff. I used Pennzoil Syncromesh out of Autozone for like $8 a quart and it like I said, it shifts better than it did brand new. For reference, here's what it looks like: http://pennzoil.com/other-car-products/transmission-fluids-and-gear-oil/manual-transmission-fluid/

- The 24mm socket size for the fill plug was impossible to find in 1/4 inch. I ended up buying a 1/2 to 1/4 adapter to do the job.

- Buy whatever you need so you can do the fill from the top. I used a hand-actuated vacuum pump that I used to bleed brakes and it was a major PITA to do under the car. I did my best to put all 2qts in, but really as long as you can stick your finger in the fill hole (lol) and feel fluid, you've got enough in there.

[yaris2010RS]

To add^ its alot easier to fill the fluid from the reverse sensor port

[DeathBeard]

Where is the reverse sensor plug located, seems like a less messy way than filling from the bottom? Can someone take a picture

[Fatty Lumps]

Just want to give a thank-you for the DIY. Made the job simple for me, faster than changing the oil.

I'm also interested curious about the reverse sensor fill method if anyone has a reference image?

[YarisPH]

Hi guys! First post here but been lurking for a while. Just wanna say thanks to the one who made this DIY guide! I used 2 quarts of Redline MT-90 on our 2008 Vios (Yaris sedan's name here in the Phils.). Car has 42K ++ kilometers on the ODO. Will observe the gear changes later on, as I've read a lot of good feedbacks on this oil. Many thanks again Yarisworld. :)

[elo179]

Can someone post a link to Amazon with Red Line that's MT-90 GL4 75w90 that has been recommended.

I can only seem to find MT90 that is 90w. Or if I do find the 75w90 MT-90 it's in 5 qt.

I don’t know the difference from 75w90 and 90w but it seems most of you are recommending the 75w90.

If possible would like it sold or shipped by Amazon to take advantage of prime shipping.

[hw6515]

did you try:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=+MT-90+GL4+75w90

Be careful with amazon prime.......it's kind of addictive ;)

[elo179]

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you know if the oil link below is a 75w90, I know Amazon doesn't always do a good job with product descriptions and it say's 90w but am not sure if there is a difference.

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-50304-Manual-Transmission/dp/B000CPCBEQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t

[hw6515]

Try this link, still prime.

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-50504-MT-85-75W-85/dp/B004D4URV6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364487309&sr=8-2&keywords=MT-90+GL4+75w90

[Hershey]

Go here to possibly find a local dealer , http://www.redlineoil.com/dealers.aspx and here for details http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=46&pcid=7 . Let us know of your purchase and if any improvemnets in performance .

[elo179]

Go here to possibly find a local dealer , http://www.redlineoil.com/dealers.aspx and here for details http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=46&pcid=7 . Let us know of your purchase and if any improvemnets in performance .


No local dealers within 50 miles. :(

[elo179]

Try this link, still prime.

http://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-50504-MT-85-75W-85/dp/B004D4URV6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364487309&sr=8-2&keywords=MT-90+GL4+75w90

I looked at that and it's 85w, not sure what the difference is from 90w but Amazon tells me that it's not compatible with my Yaris :)

Which is an 07 manual hatchback that lives in the south Texas heat.

[Hershey]

elo179 , you could ask a local private owned auto parts to possibly order it for you . That's what I did . AMSOIL has MTG ( 75w-90 , GL-4 ) synthetic and is usually easier to purchase . MTG , http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/transmission-fluid/manual/manual-transmission-and-transaxle-gear-lube-75w-90/ . Good Luck .

[regal]

Anyone have a part number for the drain plug washer?

[jason214]

Drain/Filler Plug P/N: 90341-18033
Drain/Filler Plug Gasket P/N: 90430-18008

[wilbrod]

Thanks for the tutorial. As mentioned by others, the oil did gush out. All the oil must have come out in less than 5 seconds. I was thinking of letting it slowly drip out when it started coming out just before the bolt comes completely out and I should have :)

Somehow I had never changed the oil for the manual transmission and it was probably [over]due, currently sitting at 147 000 km... lots of highway kms but should have done it before.

I used the marker trick and it worked really well for the top bolt. Bottom one fell in the oil pan and the mark came off.

Filling it up with a funnel from Canadian Tire with a hose attachment worked like a charm.

Looking up from underneath:
51050


Where I put the funnel. I moved the air filter cover sideways a bit to make the funnel go in a little more
51053

Funnel used:
51052
Cheers!

[Hershey]

Well done :clap: . On occasion during an oil change I drop the drain bolt in the oil bucket and have to fish around for it :tongue: . Keep us informed on any improvements with the new fill . Well worth the mess .

[wilbrod]

I was a bit doubtful that I would see any difference as the shift stick was moving around really well with the old oil. Well now I can hardly believe it but it is actually slicker. I would think that the biggest difference will be in winter driving.

Oh and I didn't have a 24mm socket or a 1/2" ratchet(as most 24mm sockets seemed to be 1/2" inserts). Found many at the pawn shop. Got the ratchet AND the socket for $4 all in!

[Hershey]

Can't go wrong at that price . Lady luck must be on your side .

[7:34pm]

Sorry but my Yaris is base model and didn't come with an owner's manual.

What type of fluid is recommended for the 5spd manual? Is it 75w90?

thanks

[bronsin]

Wilbro how did your engine compartment get so dirty? :iono:

I hope you changed the AF too! :eek:

[Nigel8600]

I was having the same problem shifting into first (at a very slow speed, maybe 2MPH?) so I found this thread and changed my gear oil to MT90 2 days ago. I cant believe how smooth it shifts now, its like butter........ BUT............. it still grinds when going into first... even when going into 2nd gear just before. Agghhhh

[Hershey]

Let us know if the grinding disappears over a period of time .

[En4sir]

After purchasing my 2009 3-door hatchback new and putting 165,000 miles on it I decided today (after reading this thread) to change my manual transmission fluid. I followed the advice offered by many here and would like to add a few little tips that I did that should benefit others.

I took some 2-foot long 2" x 8"'s scrap I had laying around and placed a section of 2" x 8" in front of each tire. I then drove the car onto the lumber to increase the ground clearance by another 1.5 inches. It may not sound like much but every bit helps especially when gaining access to the drain plug underneath the car without having to use a jack.

I loosened-up the filler plug just enough to make sure that it could be removed, then removed the drain plug. Draining the transmission fluid without removing the filler plug prevented the transmission fluid from gushing out. After draining about a quart of fluid I then removed the filler plug to allow the transmission to drain completely. No messy spillage anywhere.

I attached a clear vinyl hose 5/8"od / 1/2" id to a small funnel. The hose fit perfectly in the filler hole of the transmission - nice and snug.

Unfortunately I could not find Redline MT90 anywhere locally, so I decided to use Amsoil Severe Gear SAE 75W-90. I referenced the Amsoil website to make sure it could be used in my Yaris.

I test drove the car afterwards and there is a noticable difference in how the transmission shifts - nice and smooth.

Thanks to all the valuable advice posted here in this thread, a job that my local Toyota dealer wanted a $198.95 to do, I did for $25.00 and it took a total of 25 minutes to do.

[frambach]

I decided to use Amsoil Severe Gear SAE 75W-90. I referenced the Amsoil website to make sure it could be used in my Yaris.

I test drove the car afterwards and there is a noticable difference in how the transmission shifts - nice and smooth.

Thanks to all the valuable advice posted here in this thread, a job that my local Toyota dealer wanted a $198.95 to do, I did for $25.00 and it took a total of 25 minutes to do.

I used Severe Gear as well. I have put 30,000 miles on the lubricant and have been well pleased.

AMSOIL lists Severe Gear as a GL-5 product. Can anyone find (in writing) where Toyota says the Yaris C50 has to have a GL-4? Just curious, I'd like to see it.

When a transmission MUST have a GL-4, AMSOIL makes sure they recommend a GL-4. On the Yaris, the first recommendation is a GL-5.

[rningonfumes]

I don't think you'll find anything in writing from the manufacturer that GL-4 is for the Yaris. It's just a general consensus that GL-4 is reviewed by members to feel better for their Yaris. If you search any of the terms ie GL-4 and you'll find that it works better for our synchros among other things.

Here is one particular thread: http://yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36585&highlight=gl-4


You probably should have used AMSOIL 75W-90 GL-4 Transaxle Lube...it's what I used and GL-4 is better for the transaxle than the severe gear GL-5, which is meant for differentials.
Nice and succint from this thread:
http://yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25393&highlight=gl-4&page=2

[Hershey]

GL-4 is preferred . The AMSOIL Manual Transmission and Transaxles Gear Lube is GL-4 . If it's not giving poor shifting ( grinding , etc. ) you should be fine .

[sheekeebut]

Drove my lowered sedan onto 1" thick concrete tiles at the front. Just enough space to floor jack the front up and start working. Thanks OP, you've saved me $200+ in quoted service fees, plus given me some knowledge every Yaris enthusiast should have.

For the record: Motomaster synthetic 75W90, GL-5.

If our manual says says GL-4 OR GL-5, then I shouldn't worry so much about using GL-5. The Toyota engineers would be in deep trouble if they designed a gearbox without considering that they prescribed an oil grade that can harm yellow metals.

[spookybathtub]

Make sure your vent is clear as well. The transmission has a vent on it to allow for the expansion of the oil/air inside. Otherwise the seals have to deal with the pressure and will eventually fail. These vents often clog, and mine was plugged when I got the car with 38000km on it. A good indicator it is plugged is you will hear a hiss of air as you open the fill plug.


Cory, how did you clean the vent? When I removed the filler plug, some air hissed out, so apparently my vent is clogged. From the photo you posted, I can't figure out where it is. Is the vent a bolt, or simply a hole? Can it be cleaned with a squirt of compressed air?

[tmontague]

I wouldn't mind knowing where that vent is either. I have changed my trans oil at 87,000km when I got my Yaris but will be doing it again before the winter as I'm at 122,000km and I want to put synthetic in. I didn't hear any air release the first time I did it but I'd like to check it.

[spookybathtub]

I looked around yesterday, and I think I found it where Cory labeled in that drawing. After removing the air box, it's visible from the top. It's an aluminum cap about 1/2" diameter and 3/4" tall. It spins freely, and I pulled it off with vise grips. It looked totally clean under the cap, but I blew it off with canned air anyway.

[donpalino]

A suggestion to all owners, but specifically while doing this job:

Make sure your vent is clear as well. The transmission has a vent on it to allow for the expansion of the oil/air inside. Otherwise the seals have to deal with the pressure and will eventually fail. These vents often clog, and mine was plugged when I got the car with 38000km on it. A good indicator it is plugged is you will hear a hiss of air as you open the fill plug.

I can't recall exactly where the vent is on these cars. iirc it's just behind the shifter. A little white(?) plastic knob that you twist and wiggle a little to free up any junk.

I'll try to find a picture.

Cheers.


Driving a 2010 Hatchback, 5 door, manual with 80K miles
Came back from the dealer after replacing the axle seal, which showed some leaking. Opened the filling cap and heard the hiss so I am sure I have to clean the vent. Now waiting for the MT-90.

Thanks for all the inside info.

[Exiwolfman]

I looked around yesterday, and I think I found it where Cory labeled in that drawing. After removing the air box, it's visible from the top. It's an aluminum cap about 1/2" diameter and 3/4" tall. It spins freely, and I pulled it off with vise grips. It looked totally clean under the cap, but I blew it off with canned air anyway.
And now ur gone have to replace it with new ...they are not to be removed ,caps that is ...if stuck spray penetrating fluid free it up clean off with brake clean .
They are also used on the axles on Tacoma and tundra almost all Toyota's .

sent from my S4 on Mars

[spookybathtub]

Mine went back on just fine... what's the problem?

[Exiwolfman]

No problem... Just saying no need to take it apart and risk damage yours may or maybe not ok that's all

sent from my S4 on Mars

[donpalino]

Found this pdf about multiples oils. Keep in mind is sponsored by AMSOIL. Also ignore the rating at the end. Kind of crappy weighting system.

http://www.syntheticwarehouse.com/brochures/g2457_gearlube_study.pdf

[attrapereves]

Just changed mine. I used RedLine. There is a noticeable difference in shifting.

[wilbrod]

Wilbro how did your engine compartment get so dirty? :iono:

I hope you changed the AF too! :eek:

I do a fair amount of driving on dirt roads when I go climbing.. I change both air filters regularly as they get dirty quickly!

[valchrist90731]

Royal Purple is average stuff at best. Read the technical reviews.
Redline MT-90 is top notch stuff. This is a 15 minute job at worst if you have the right tools. You will notice smoother shifting and that grinding while going into reverse will all but disappear. Its a no brainer especially if you drive 25k miles a year like I do.

If your grinding while shifting into reverse. Learn from your mistakes. Put the car into first gear then shift it in reverse. Grinding is due to the driver most of the time.

Have patience with your car and it will drive smoother.
This was to inform all on how to reduce grinding when shifting into reverse.

This was written respectfully as possible.

[07liftback]

Just got two quarts of the Redline MT-90 GL-4 Transmission fluid from ebay for $34 shipped. Hopefully it fixes my occasional second gear and reverse gear grind.

[fnkngrv]

If your grinding while shifting into reverse. Learn from your mistakes. Put the car into first gear then shift it in reverse. Grinding is due to the driver most of the time.

Have patience with your car and it will drive smoother.
This was to inform all on how to reduce grinding when shifting into reverse.

This was written respectfully as possible.
I will be as respectful as possible as well. This issue with shifting into reverse with the stock or other conventional fluod is a known issue. Expecting someone to shift into first just to shift into reverse is unacceptable. Telling someone to be patient isn't a cure to the problem. Sure, it is possible that drivers are over anxious to shift, but the issue has even been noted in published reviews. Once again reviewers could be over anxious to shift, but they have experienced many many manual transmissions in most cases so they have firm ground to stand on regarding the behavior. I have driven a few dozen different manuals from various vendors and have experienced this only on well worn transmissions not brand new ones. I had the issue within the first 1000 miles. Changed to synth and bam, resolved. There is a reason why so many manufacturers are switching to even requiring synthetic; it is a much more tolerant and better working lubricant.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[tmontague]

Just sources some Redline MT-90 from a local store near me for $21 a quart, not too bad a price. I'll be picking it up later this week and putting it in this weekend.

I get a slight quick grind when shifting into reverse in the morning in my driveway and I'm currently running 75w90 synthetic. Not much better than oem just a little thinner in the dead of winter.

I'll leave my thoughts on here once I test it out.

[tomm9050]

GL-4 or GL-5 WHat's the difference. What's the verdict on what's best?

Thx

[tmontague]

GL-4 seems to be what give much smoother shifting over GL-5. I've installed my GL-5 tranny fluid but haven't driven the car to try it out yet.

[tomm9050]

What about Amsoil 75/90? It only comes in GL-5. Any suggestions?

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/gear-lube/severe-gear-75w-90/?code=SVGQT-EA

[strandrrs]

Hi -

I have a 2009 5-door hatchback Yaris.

Thanks for the great DIY instructions and photos - so helpful.

Can I just add the Toyota transmission fluid there? Do I have to drain it? If so, can I drain it from the bottom, the same way as the manual?

Thanks so much!

[Aclosefriend]

Thanks for this. I bought a 08 Hatchback a few months ago with a 5 speed MT with 65k miles. This was so easy and the shifting is much much smoother now. Only took 20 minutes, and most of it was waiting for the fluid to drain and for the fresh thick gear oil to flow down the tube.

[Evansba2]

please is Redline synthetic oil, API GL-4 Gear oil
SAE 75W80 manual transmission oil good for Yaris.

[dogsridewith]

Thanks for this. I bought a 08 Hatchback a few months ago with a 5 speed MT with 65k miles. This was so easy and the shifting is much much smoother now. Only took 20 minutes, and most of it was waiting for the fluid to drain and for the fresh thick gear oil to flow down the tube.
Which oil did you go with?

[Rigo93shred]

I just got a yaris 2 door hatch 5 speed with 105k miles and idk if the tranny oil has ever been changed it shifts nice never had a standard but i dont hear grinds or anything in mine the previous owner had it for 3 years and never mentioned trany oil change should i change it along with all fluids just to start fresh or would new oil mess up my tranny cuz its good i sort of cant stand not knowing if its clean or not and if its never been changed should damage happen to it???? Sorry for the long post 1st car and i wanna baby it good

[timbstir]

So I did my gear oil yesterday and I took the fill plug off first, and when I did oil started to pour out (less than a quart), did this happen to anyone else?

[tmontague]

That is fine it just likely wasn't overfilled before due to the front end being jacked up higher than you had it.

FWIW I over fill my trans fluid by about half a quart

[IllusionX]

Not much came out when I did mine. Had a flat surface though.

Then poured 2qt in, small quantity came out and that's what I left it at.

Sent from my VTR-L09 using Tapatalk

[timbstir]

Yeah it wasn't much that I had pour out, it was up on jack stands. The worst part was that I wasn't anticipating it so I didn't have a catch pan ready at the time so I had to spend the next half hour trying to clean my friend's garage. I put in about to quarts on level ground afterwards and it seems to be doing fine, it shifts way smoother than before.