TourX transaxle drain & fill today. A DIY tutorial.

[Hunter Mike]

Just thought I would share my d&f on the Aisin 8spd transaxle in the current Buick Regal TourX DT(and many others). Turned out to be pretty easy for anyone mechanically inclined and able to read transmissions temperature and follow instructions. It took about 1/2 hour.

I did it because I’m not a believer in lifetime fluids. Some smart people on BITOG give convincing arguments to get the factory fill out early. Specifically the posts by Jim Allen and Molakule Here. I’ve done transaxle service on Aisin 6-spds before and it was more difficult.

Tools & supplies needed:

13mm socket to r&r belly pan
T40 torx to r&r inner trans drain plug
17mm Allen hex to r&r outer trans drain plug
8mm Allen hex to r&r fill plug
3qts of your favorite AW-1/WS compatible fluid(I used Toyota WS)
Funnel long enough to reach fill plug
Scan tool able to read trans temp
Ability to lift the car level front to back & side to side +/-1 degree

The fill plug is on top of the trans right under the PCM and the master cylinder. First rule of trans service is make sure you can refill it! The drain is obvious under the car. There is “standpipe” inside the drain plug that’s sets trans fluid level at a certain temperature, for those who aren’t familiar. The specified temp range for level check is 35-45C, which I verified with a Toyota publication for a Camry which uses a variation of this trans. As a side, the Toyota trans holds 9 qts total.

I drained 2.75qts out then refilled with 3 qts. I wasn’t sure if it would spray out of the fill hole so I recapped it. On the 6spd I did before it was known to spray the underside of the hood if you didn’t. I had preheated the new fluid to 35C so after I started the car it only had to wait about a minute to hit 35C on my Scanguage II. About a cup came out until it turned to drops and I sealed everything back up.

I’m just a do-it yourself guy and not a professional reviewer so I didn’t take pictures. If you have any questions I would be glad to answer them.

 

[L J]

How did the old fluid look and how many miles on it?

 

[Crispy]

Regarding the quantity of fluid in this change (3 qts.) and the amount referenced in Jack GS' dealer job here (16 qts.), I have an observation/suggestion/idea to bounce off the group. Jack GS mentioned that the dealer "flush" accounted for the difference. I did an ATF fluid change in our old Volvo not long ago. In order to get most of the fluid out of the torque converter and changed but short of dropping the pan, I did it through the cooler line at the radiator. You disconnect the line and route an extension (plastic tubing) to a container. Start the car and pump out one or two quarts. Turn the car off and put in the same amount of new fluid in via the fill pipe. I did this until my case of fluid was gone. Re-connect the cooler line. Done. It was pretty slick and I felt like I was doing a pretty complete change. C.

 

[Hunter Mike]

Crispy, I have also disconnected cooler lines to do a more complete change on a 4L60E. The return line was rubber and easy to remove. It was an older trans and I wanted more out, and there was no drain plug. On my Regal it’s a new transmission and a couple drain & fills will ensure that it will stay clean. Theres only ~7qts total in the trans so the d&f procedure changes 1/2 each time. I wouldn’t recommend removing the cooler lines as it appears to be a joint connector for return and supply.

To correct my first post it takes about 3.5qts during the drain and fill procedure. I just did mine again this week because it’s so easy and I was changing all the other fluids.

Here’s a flow chart courtesy of Toyota:

 

[Hunter Mike]

For those who DIY or can bring your own fluids to a shop, Autozone has Idemitsu TLS-LV on clearance for $4/qt. It’s their equivalent of AW-1 and Toyota WS...the spec’d fluid for our 8-spd Aisin transmission, not the 9-spd.

I found enough for 2 changes at one store and a quick look showed plenty at nearby stores. Unfortunately, you can’t look up inventory online, it show sold out at every store.

 

[Ghosthawk]

Only Three quart capacity? I've never heard of an auto trans holding so little.

 

[Rhetoric]

Crispy, I have also disconnected cooler lines to do a more complete change on a 4L60E. The return line was rubber and easy to remove. It was an older trans and I wanted more out, and there was no drain plug. On my Regal it’s a new transmission and a couple drain & fills will ensure that it will stay clean. Theres only ~7qts total in the trans so the d&f procedure changes 1/2 each time. I wouldn’t recommend removing the cooler lines as it appears to be a joint connector for return and supply.

To correct my first post it takes about 3.5qts during the drain and fill procedure. I just did mine again this week because it’s so easy and I was changing all the other fluids.

Here’s a flow chart courtesy of Toyota:

@Ghosthawk: He states around 7 quarts total.

 

[RiojaTourX]

For those who DIY or can bring your own fluids to a shop, Autozone has Idemitsu TLS-LV on clearance for $4/qt. It’s their equivalent of AW-1 and Toyota WS...the spec’d fluid for our 8-spd Aisin transmission, not the 9-spd.

I found enough for 2 changes at one store and a quick look showed plenty at nearby stores. Unfortunately, you can’t look up inventory online, it show sold out at every store.

Are you sure TLS-LV is right? And that AW-1 and Toyota WS are the same? I was looking at Idemitsu's website and they don't list any ATF for the Regal with the Aisin 8spd.

 

[Hunter Mike]

Are you sure TLS-LV is right? And that AW-1 and Toyota WS are the same? I was looking at Idemitsu's website and they don't list any ATF for the Regal with the Aisin 8spd.

Yes, and yes. It’s now down to $2

 

[Wlepse]

Thanks for the reminder, I swung by two AZ on the way home. One was all out of TLS-LV but had other trans fluids on sale and the second had a few so I grabbed them. Paid less for several qts than I would have for just one at of OEM fluid.

 

[Jmlo96]

I managed to get 10 quarts of the Idemitsu fluid from Autozone for 2 bucks each. The guy at the register couldn't even believe it was correct. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Slim69]

Just thought I would share my d&f on the Aisin 8spd transaxle in the current Buick Regal TourX DT(and many others). Turned out to be pretty easy for anyone mechanically inclined and able to read transmissions temperature and follow instructions. It took about 1/2 hour.

I did it because I’m not a believer in lifetime fluids. Some smart people on BITOG give convincing arguments to get the factory fill out early. Specifically the posts by Jim Allen and Molakule Here. I’ve done transaxle service on Aisin 6-spds before and it was more difficult.

Tools & supplies needed:

13mm socket to r&r belly pan
T40 torx to r&r inner trans drain plug
17mm Allen hex to r&r outer trans drain plug
8mm Allen hex to r&r fill plug
3qts of your favorite AW-1/WS compatible fluid(I used Toyota WS)
Funnel long enough to reach fill plug
Scan tool able to read trans temp
Ability to lift the car level front to back & side to side +/-1 degree

The fill plug is on top of the trans right under the PCM and the master cylinder. First rule of trans service is make sure you can refill it! The drain is obvious under the car. There is “standpipe” inside the drain plug that’s sets trans fluid level at a certain temperature, for those who aren’t familiar. The specified temp range for level check is 35-45C, which I verified with a Toyota publication for a Camry which uses a variation of this trans. As a side, the Toyota trans holds 9 qts total.

I drained 2.75qts out then refilled with 3 qts. I wasn’t sure if it would spray out of the fill hole so I recapped it. On the 6spd I did before it was known to spray the underside of the hood if you didn’t. I had preheated the new fluid to 35C so after I started the car it only had to wait about a minute to hit 35C on my Scanguage II. About a cup came out until it turned to drops and I sealed everything back up.

I’m just a do-it yourself guy and not a professional reviewer so I didn’t take pictures. If you have any questions I would be glad to answer them.

Thanks for this. Piece of cake to change out the fluid thanks to your info. Hardest part was getting the car level. I solved the funnel issue using clear plastic tubing to snake into the fill opening. Thanks again!

 

[fredzy]

Hey all, and thanks @Hunter Mike for the writeup!

Does anyone know whether the TourX can be put into the AT fluid temp detection mode manually, without a scan tool?

It is a well known trick for these transmissions in the Toyota world, where you jump pins 4 and 13 in the OBD connector, start the car and then perform a sequence of shifts back and forth in N and D until it goes into the mode and has its way of telling you when the fluid temp is in range to be checked.

My scan tool can't tell me AT temp and the auto parts stores around me don't have one to lend me that can read it.

Thanks!