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By Corollan8085, November 12, 2014



Hello guys, hope you having a wonderful day..!

I am thinking to have my 2000 Corolla, with 212,400 miles flush and change Automatic Transmission Fluid.

The fluid looks just fine, still red but since I bought this car a year ago, I do not have information when the fluid has

changed. So I am thinking to change transmission fluid but would you change the transmission filter as well?

I believe this car have not changed filter at all, would be good investment for this car?

Lastly, I talked to one of mechanic in my local, to see how much it would cost me to flush and change the transmission fluid and have filter change, he says with all the labor, it would cost me about $350. Do you think its reasonable price?

Thanks..!

That seems on the high side, but also depends on your area (labor rates). I've seen quotes for a full flush run from as little as $120 to as much as $300 for a FWD transaxle. Also depends on how they will flush it - machine flush (dipstick flush, cooler line flush, intake pump flush), run the engine to flush, etc.

If the fluid still looks OK, might not need a full flush, just a drain and refill. You can drop the pan and change the filter - dropping the pan will give you a good indication of there is anything to worry about.

Car takes plain old Dexron III ATF. Filter is more of a screen than an actual filtering media, but so inexpensive, just easier to change it out instead of trying to clean in. If it has a 3-speed automatic, you have to drain and refill the differential separate, as that is completely isolated from the transaxle drain and fill. About 2.5 quarts comes out of the transaxle, 1.5 quarts comes out of the differential. On the 4-speeds (w/OD) - they share a common sump, about 4 quarts comes out of a drain and refill.

You can also do a DIY flush - lots of directions on how to do this at home. That's how I've been doing my 2002 Corolla with 4-speed automatic - takes about 3 gallon sized jugs of ATF to completely flush out the system. Total parts cost easily runs under a $100 - about $60 in fluid (synthetic ATF), $20 for the filter, pan gasket, and drain plug crush washer - couple of cans of solvent, shop rags, small funnel to refill the fluid and a couple of hours of my time.

Thank you,

fishexpo101

Its funny, that my 2000 Corolla does not need to replace filter at all.

Just talked to a guy at the Toyota dealer shop (Parts)@ Puente Hills, CA, they don't even sell filter for my model.

He says just wash the original filter and put it back to where it is and reassemble the pen with new gasket.

NOW, another question came up to me,

Should I clean the filter anyways + Replace the gasket

Or

Should I just drain the old fluid and add some new transmission fluid and not replace gasket.

One of my friend says I do not need to replace the gasket (transmission) if I do not have leaking transmission fluid. (My fluid is not leaking)

But the guy at the dealer shop (Part) says its old car, I should have already replaced the gasket..

Of course newer is better (sometimes) but do you think its really that necessary?

Thanks..!!

Part of it depends on the last time the pan came off the car. If it never saw any maintenance over this time - I'd definitely get a new pan gasket, new crush washer for the drain bolt, and new filter, if you can get your hands on one (they usually sell them in the aftermarket kits - I think the one I have is a Wix branded one).

The gasket - it made come off in one piece as still look OK, but can be heavily distorted. Most of the OEM pan gaskets were either cork, rubber, or composite material - all of them will distort when the pan bolts are tightened. Some of the materials - might have dry rotted and have micro cracking on them. So they will start leaking once you put it back.

Same with the drain plug gasket - thin crush washer. You could reuse it, and I have reused mine in the past - but I also stick to a pretty short schedule. Plug that didn't leak initially will leak down the road, just the nature of the crush washer. Not many threads on that pan, so I didn't want to push my luck and give it a little extra torque to bite into that used plug gasket.

Personally, I do drain and refills at 30K mile intervals - as my driving conditions put a lot of strain on the transaxle (lots of hills, extensive idling in traffic, occasional towing, etc.) At 60K mile intervals (every other pan drop) - I drop the pan, clean or replace the filter, clean the bottom of the pan, clean the magnets on the pan, replace the gasket - even if it looks OK, replace the crush washer - even if it looks OK.

fishexpo101Paul79UF

Thank you so much, both of you..!!

The dealer did not have filter but Pepboys did for $21.00

Replaced the filter and added new ATF, runs great..!



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