Changing R154 trans fluid

[mkIIIman089]

Okay, so I'm about to change the fluid in my trans, got the car on stands etc. I like to locate everything I need before I go ahead head 1st into things. Now, the TSRM is very vague, the drain plug I believe I found, but the filler hole (I don't know if it is plugged or not even) that oil supposedly pours out I don't see anywhere.

Also, from what I heard around its much easier to pour from the inside with the shifter removed. How exactly do you do this? I don't have the shifter removed completely yet, but once you unbolt the little square underneith the rubber boot is that where you pour? Will the entire shifter come out once that is removed?

Simple question I know, but I am very unexperienced with Supras yet.

 

[shaeff]

ok, i dont know about the r154, but on my w58 the filler hole is on the driver's side up right on the side of the tranny.

the shifter hole trick is pretty straight forward. all ya gotta do is pull the trim (center console), unbolt the boot around the shifter, then unbolt the four bolts for the shifter. the whole stick should pop out. make sure the car's in neutral when you do it. (and blocked and whatnot so it doesnt roll)

the hole that you see there is where you pour the tranny oil into. if ya stick your nose down near it, it'll smell just like gear oil, that'll clue ya in

hope that helps!

-shaeff

 

[CSquared]

Okay, so I'm about to change the fluid in my trans, got the car on stands etc. I like to locate everything I need before I go ahead head 1st into things. Now, the TSRM is very vague, the drain plug I believe I found, but the filler hole (I don't know if it is plugged or not even) that oil supposedly pours out I don't see anywhere.

Also, from what I heard around its much easier to pour from the inside with the shifter removed. How exactly do you do this? I don't have the shifter removed completely yet, but once you unbolt the little square underneith the rubber boot is that where you pour? Will the entire shifter come out once that is removed?

Simple question I know, but I am very unexperienced with Supras yet.

Yeah i went ahead and filled it from the shifter. It was a lot easier that way. As far as the fill plug... the fill plug is on the drivers side of the transmission up on the side. Youll notice it is the only bolt on the drivers side of the tranny and i believe it is like a 20mm or something like that.

The drain plug i think i was mid tranny on the passenger side. Both the drain and fill plug are the same size. It's a pretty big socket and if you dont have the shorter ones or a nice wrench you wont really be able to get to the fill plug.

As far as the shifter... I drained it all out of the bottom. Then you pull your headunit out depending on whether or not its aftermarket. Unscrew your shiftknob.(helps to get the boot off if you have the car in 4th.) Then just rip that whole consold thing out.

Then there are like 8 bolts i think. That's all there is to it. Keep in mind there is going to be a little vinyl type cover that hides the other bolts on the shifter. After you get all the botls you just pull the shifter out. Personally i just measured out the correct amount with this wierd funnel thing i happened to find in my garage. Then just dump it in through the hole. Be careful though because that shit stinks and does not come out of the interior.

Also keep in mind the fact that i would get either the fill plug or shifter out first before i went and drained the oil(just a precaution)

 

[aye mate]

Fill it through the shifter! Its so messy trying to fill it through the fill plug. You don't have to use the stupid pump thing just poor it right in.

 

[turboa7mgte]

get a manual pump in the boat section at walmart and do it from undernieth the car. Takes me about 10 min. to do mine. I think the pump cost me about $5 and its alot easier than ripping your shifter off to do it IMO.

 

[lagged]

get a manual pump in the boat section at walmart and do it from undernieth the car. Takes me about 10 min. to do mine. I think the pump cost me about $5 and its alot easier than ripping your shifter off to do it IMO.

even though i do it through the shifter hole, i would much rather do it through the filler hole. with my head unit it is a real PIA to get the thing back together cause it stretches the rubber trim and makes the radio have a real tight fit.

so :werd:

 

[TONY!]

It comes down to a matter of preference I guess. I used the pump as turboa7mgte mentioned about four times so far. You have to be there under the car and pump that thing for like...was it two minutes. Being in that position & doing like what seemed to be 150+ reps (pumps) can be tiring. But I just say to myself, "BE A MAN!!" & just do it. My poor arm usually gets so tired...and my neck too from hold my head up all that time LOL.
Just out of couriousity, I am going to try it through the shift hole as mentioned.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Well, actually being that I don't own a headunit/stereo it was super easy for me to get to the shifter.

I was definitly not going to drain it before I got the shifter + filler plug out, I didn't want to risk being able to not fill it back up again.

Thanks guys, you helped a lot!

 

[screaminglemon]

i like to remove the fill plug (its a 24mm by the way) and then fill it up through the shifter hole. when it leaks out the fill hole, i know its full. no need to measure and no dealing with pumps.

the first time i did it it smelled REALLY bad. almost as bad as the old diff fluid. so if that stuff has been festering in your tranny for 15 years, like im sure mine was, then make sure you have some ventilation. or at least a barf bag handy.:barf:

 

[mkIIIman089]

Yea, I noticed as soon as I got the rubber boot off of the shifter I would smell gear oil... it is some pretty nasty stuff.

Mine *shouldn't* be festering... however, the previous owner obviously was mildly retarted for putting in 0W-15 in the engine so you never know what he did to the trans... thats why I'm taking it upon myself to change it, lol.

 

[wulfstan]

I filled through the fill hole with a mechanical pump from NAPA. I later read on forums that you could do it through the shifter. I alwasy wondered about the amount, but I guess leaving the fill hole open until it pours out would be full. Is there any problems with over filling?

 

[CPT Furious]

Only thing I could maybe think of is fluid expansion. Then it might be forced to leak out of the weakest spot if it is too full.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Isn't that how it says to fill it? Until it spills out the fill hole?

 

[CPT Furious]

Out of the fill hole, yes. I was just thinking if someone put TOO much in through the shifter and it ends up being well above the fill hole. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[mkIIIman089]

I just thought that it would run out of the filler hole regardless... It's possible to over fill it going through the shifter hole?

I havn't done it yet because the filler plug is pretty tight in there and the wrench I'm trying to use (has some play) I'm not sure if its going to destroy the bolt if I start to push on it hard.

 

[Squid699]

i like to remove the fill plug (its a 24mm by the way) and then fill it up through the shifter hole. when it leaks out the fill hole, i know its full. no need to measure and no dealing with pumps.

Easiest way to do it.....used a 24mm closed end wrench to take out the fill plug and pur in from the top. Just make sure you have a large funnel and don't get any on the interior - it will never stop stinking!

 

[CPT Furious]

I don't think I'm explaining myself very well. What I'm saying is some people choose to leave the filler hole in place and then dump in the fluid through the shifter hole. This way, you're not going to need to remove the fill plug, but you won't be able to tell how full it is. Make sense?

 

[CSquared]

Depending on how well it drains the fluids when you pull the plug... I wonder on average what percentage of the tranny fluid drains when the plug is pulled.

Anyone want to take a stab?

Like i said i measured out 3.2Q or whatever with a measuring device/funnel thing i had. So maybe i am a little over... but oh well.

Tranny still feels nicer now.

 

[mkIIIman089]

My filler plug is very tight and that bolt seems pretty soft... I'm just afraid I'm going to strip the thing. I need to wait until I get another better wrench and just slam it until it breaks free.

 

[CSquared]

My filler plug is very tight and that bolt seems pretty soft... I'm just afraid I'm going to strip the thing. I need to wait until I get another better wrench and just slam it until it breaks free.

That's what happened to me. I had the correct size socket and everything but i felt the bolt start to strip.

originally i didnt want to do it from the interior either but after that i was like "f- it"