New Hachi owner... Trans fluid location?

[Knudsen]

Actually, Plex´ way is the same way Toyota subscribes to do it :wink:
Just unscrew the drainplug on the tranny, and when the oil comes out - the level is perfect.
But it CAN get messy, transmission-oil is a bitch if you spill it inside the car. And thats why i would recommend Red´ way to do it, i did the same when i changed my own.

[cannabolic]

trigger happy americans

take chill pills...

is this something that started way past or now??

[Mux213]

Red, keep your cool mate

Plex has every right to tell his views even if others think it may be wrong. Thats the great thing about this forum, we can tell him he's wrong, and others reading it can make up their own mind
There are many roads that lead to Rome, some are just less bumpy

Plex, be gentle to Red, just like you, the guy is entitled to an opinion even if you don't agree.

Now get out of each others hair and make up. Friendly admins orders

[Red]

Knudsen-
Really? The only reference I find to filling trany fluid in my 1985 FSM, is MT-23, the page dealing with reinstallation after a tranny has been removed. That says "14. Fill with transmission oil" without saying anything further about where or how. The next step is "15. Install shift lever" but that, of course, has to be taken in context--the entire tranny has just been removed, overhauled, and replaced! It is going to be bone dry, not partly filled to an unknown level, and the interior parts were already all removed.
Otherwise, you've still got to remove the center console, remove the shift lever boots (plural) and get in there. If there's anything about routine service fills in there, I've missed it.

I guess the Japanese took their inspiration from British motorcycles, using a vertically split housing to ensure that if the gasket leaks, you'll lose all the fluid and make a mess on the floor. Or perhaps MacArthur taught them to do it that way, in order to keep down the competition?<G>

[Knudsen]

Red
Im really really sure :wink:
In the workshop manual, theres a step by step guide to change the tranny oil on the T50. One of the steps, is removing the shiftermechanism and pour the oil that way. A bit risky i might add...

[Red]

Knudsen-
I went back to look again after a more thorough caffienation. Bear in mind that I have the 1985 US FSM, and that later years and other geographies may differ.

In the "MT" manual transmission section, there is nothing on routine maintenance fills. Only the reference that I mentioned before for complete replacement/reinstallation.

But this time I started in the front of the book in the "MA" routine maintenance section, and sure enough, there is one and only one official factory procedure, page MA-22 in my edition. MA-22 section 20 "Replace manual transmission and differential oil".

Wanna guess what it says?<G> Three steps and three steps only, the same three steps for either/both:

(a) Remove drain plug and drain the oil
(b) Reinstall the drain plug
© Add new oil until it begins to run out of the filler hole.

That implies, although it does not expressly state, that one should be adding the oil via the filler hole, since it also implies the filler hole will be open in order to let that oil flow out of it.<G>

I have no idea how critical the level is or how much tolerance there is in it. Typically the T50 "never" leaks or consumes oil in normal use between service changes, but like any other gearbox if you overfill it you will foam the oil and oxidize it, and if you underfill it, something may not get lubed. I don't lose any sleep over it, I've just come to learn that the "factory" way may not always be the best way to do things--but it usually was written up that way for a reason. Economy, performance, liability <G> whatever.

Knowing that a "new" GTS seat, while they were available (into the very early 1990's in the US) was about $1000*US and had to be assembled from separate parts, I suspect the factory would have been very eager to make sure the oil couldn't get on the fabric. Even if it was faster or simpler to fill from the top.


[*My seats were stolen in 1995, so yes, I had to get quotes to rebuild it. I think it was $1000 per seat, I remember Recaro's at $800 were a cheaper option. Recaro made rails to fit at that time, too.]

I've known some damn good shadetree mechanics (a southern US term for a guy who works under a shady tree in his yard, no formal garage, usually hoists engines from a strong branch with a come-along) and some who were outright geniouses at what they did. More often...they're just dicking around and trashing cars. As engineering has gotten more subtle and more electronics have crept in, it's gotten damn hard to figure out what "invisible" stuff really is important in a car, much less why something was done any particular way. Only thing that's fairly certain any more, is that the factory doesn't spend a cent unless they HAVE TO. Heck, one cent each on fifty million cars...I wouldn't be so fast to spend 'em either.<G>

[Plex]

Thanks for calling me a shade-tree mechanic Red! That made my day actually


You're right, who would want to ruin perfectly good seats? thats why you have to be careful when you fill it, and not trust some 8 yearold to do it for you

I've had offers to work in shops and such, even had an offer at Toyota in Beaverton, OR. I did not want to make my hobby turn into 'work' and not want to work on cars anymore. So I joined the chAir Force and now work in the intelligence field... Imagine that.


EDIT: Potty mouth? hahahaha wow.