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Auto Gearbox Oil Flow

Graham Whitehead

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Jun 19, 2019
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great_britain
Can anyone tell me the direction the gearbox oil flows through the radiator cooler |?

As I am sitting in the car, is it left to right or right to left, I have searched and googled for ages.

Reason is I think I have an air lock as No pumping through the radiator, so I was going to do what we used to do years ago and prime it from the radiator pipes using a Y joint and another piece of hose

Fitted new gearbox filter, oil and a rad, now I don't have drive at all

Thanks
 
Can't see any pointers in my haynes manual but I'll have a look in my other manual tomorrow. Only thing I can see online is this Tacoma (US truck but uses similar drivetrain to the Prado) radiator that says in on passenger side (LHD of course)

http://www.radiatorhelpline.com/2018/01/1995-2004-toyota-tacoma-all-aluminum-radiator.html


I think it pumps out passenger side and returns from drivers side, is that what you think, I also have a haynes manual and for a change its not very good
 
I mean it pumps out of passenger side pipe, goes through cooler and returns to gearbox from the drivers side pipe / rad
 
I mean it pumps out of passenger side pipe, goes through cooler and returns to gearbox from the drivers side pipe / rad
If there is a way you can think to check it on mine I'm happy to do so, bit hesitant of removing the pipes with the trouble you're having but anything else I'm happy to try. Maybe I could at least find which hose to which boss on the trans? Would that help?
 
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I think it pumps out passenger side and returns from drivers side, is that what you think, I also have a haynes manual and for a change its not very good
That would not concur with the Tacoma link but that's not really reliable here tbh.

If you watch YouTube then mustie1 has lots of videos recovering from a pink milkshake situation on his wife's 4Runner. Similar drivetrain and trans. Don't have time to watch myself but he is a great watch regardless.
 
That would not concur with the Tacoma link but that's not really reliable here tbh.

If you watch YouTube then mustie1 has lots of videos recovering from a pink milkshake situation on his wife's 4Runner. Similar drivetrain and trans. Don't have time to watch myself but he is a great watch regardless.


NO PLEASE DONT REMOVE YOUR GEARBOX PIPES

Dont want you to have any problems

Nothing I can do for a week now anyway, I have found a gearbox in ireland and another torque converter, will see if that cures the problem
 
No I won't mate don't worry! My wife would kill me if I did and it sprayed ATF all over her Mitsubishi!

I do hope your new gearbox and TC work for you, good luck with them!
 
I can't remember, but it's fairly easy to find out. Trace the lines back to the box. The one that is on the higher side will be the return line. The lower side will be the line entering the cooler.
 
I can't remember, but it's fairly easy to find out. Trace the lines back to the box. The one that is on the higher side will be the return line. The lower side will be the line entering the cooler.

Thank you for that. I am
Away for a bit now. Will check when I get back
 
If there’s no oil flow its because the pumps isnt working. You wont be suffering an air lock as its a positive displacement pump.
 
If there’s no oil flow its because the pumps isnt working. You wont be suffering an air lock as its a positive displacement pump.

Thanks for that. Is the pump on the gearbox or on the end of the torque converter Was pumping ok before the oil change so why go now. Or is this all a nasty coincidence ?
 
Thanks for that. Is the pump on the gearbox or on the end of the torque converter Was pumping ok before the oil change so why go now. Or is this all a nasty coincidence ?
Hi Graham sounds more like not enough oil in the box mate... How did you drain and how much did you put back in?
 
Hi Graham sounds more like not enough oil in the box mate... How did you drain and how much did you put back in?

I took 5 Ltrs out, I put 5 ltrs back in, but after running and getting hot it needed another ltr, took it slightly over the top and still the pump was not working.

Do you know where three pump is, I have another gearbox coming, so I will be attempting to take old one to bits to repair it, I have repaired manual boxes before but never an automatic, but it does not work anyway, so cant make it worse, just wondering if the pump can be got to easy ? haynes is usless for this car usally very good
 
I took 5 Ltrs out, I put 5 ltrs back in, but after running and getting hot it needed another ltr, took it slightly over the top and still the pump was not working.

Do you know where three pump is, I have another gearbox coming, so I will be attempting to take old one to bits to repair it, I have repaired manual boxes before but never an automatic, but it does not work anyway, so cant make it worse, just wondering if the pump can be got to easy ? haynes is usless for this car usally very good
The pump is up above the valve body above the filter. My guess is that in replacing the filter/changing oil some debris has got dislodged and is blocking something in the valve body. I'd be more inclined to remove the filter and valve body, give both a damned good clean out and refit with new oil to see if that sorts it. I'm no expert on auto boxes so that's about the limit of my knowledge.
 
Oh and have a look at askorto.com.au there's some good build up pics on there that might help you work things out
 
Graham,
if you have air in the lines, it won't be a problem.
The pump pick-up element / filter is at the bottom of your gearbox.
If the pump is working it will push the oil trough the lines. (and push out any air)
- You could check for bent or damaged flat tubing. (most unlikely)
- Check for clogged filter or malfunction / stuck pump.(disconnect left or right hose at radiator and keep bucket in place and have someone start engine, shift from park to neutral, oil should flow)
If not: 1) your atf level is to low or 2) filter is clogged, or 3) pump is broken

Good luck,
 
UPDATE ON THE LACK OF FLOW

I took the gearbox sump off, and the new filter was totally clogged with some sort of dirt, no metal particles just a load of rubbish... SO, a lot of you wont agree with my solution, but here is what I have done

I took a new filter, and cut the gauze out of it in the uptake and the intake, so there is a semi unrestricted flow, I have taken off the pipes from the left hand side of the cooler (Bottom of the rad) and put an inline filter in there, a steering rack Oil filter was used.

(For everyone's info As you sit in the car, the oil comes into the cooler from the left pipe and returns through the right.)

This is not only easy to change when this happens again, but undoing the sump all the time cant be good for the threads in the gearbox.

I will change this every week, and as it is plastic, I can cut it open to inspect it, a mechanic friend said do this for a few months changing about 2 ltr of oil a week and it will run clear.

As I said a lot of you wont agree with this solution, but after a few months or until it runs clean I will replace with the correct filter

Comments appreciated.....

G
 
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