Hey scotty thank you for all of the quality content you provide to the world. Truly a stand up guy.
So I have a 2001 corolla s with right around 50k miles I purchased last year from an elderly woman. This one was made in the NUMMI plant out here in California. It is an automatic and runs like a clock.
I was wondering if I should be draining and filling the transmission fluid, or leaving it alone? And what type of transmission fluid I should be using?
Also, I'm not sure when the last time the brake fluid, power steering fluid,or the coolant were changed. What kind of coolant should I be using in the 2001 corolla?
And what is the best way to drain the brake fluid, and the power steering fluid?
Just wanting to take proper care of my vehicle. I change the oil every 5k miles already.
Thank you for your unbiased and honest personality we have all come to love.
Have a great day!
Steve
I would change the transmission fluid now and all the other fluids really break engine oil power steering fluid use Toyota fluids they are the best.extra doing all those just go to the Scotty kilmer channel and search for how to do each one and you'll see a video
@scottykilmer
Thank you for your time and help!
@scottykilmer
should I be dropping the pan and replacing the transmission filter and gasket when I drain the transmission oil?
Do some research on if your car even has a transmission filter. Lots of videos on youtube of people changing their fluid. I know a lot of toyotas have these metal screens and they never have to be replaced. However if it has a traditional filter, then yes you will have to drop the pan to replace it.
@alban123
from what I've researched. it is a screen. and you're suggesting that the screen inside of a Toyota transmission never needs replacing?
Yes. They are completely made out of metal and do not need replacing.
If you are really worried about it, you can take the pan off and clean the screen with something brake parts cleaner or alcohol, but people usually find them perfectly clean when they do that. Scotty mentions these metal filters in his transmission fluid replacement video if you wanna check it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-nhSpJjYyE&t=115s Hope this helped!
Yes this is a screen filter. It has no paper element inside. Its up to you man. Personally, I would just drain the fluid and fill back up. I wouldn't bother with the filter or dropping the pan. That's what I've been doing with my 03 corolla for years and its what scotty did in his video.
@alban123
ok. sounds good to me. thanks for the advice
I changed the transmission fluid yesterday, about 3.75 qt came out, and I put the same back in. the old fluid was not all that dirty, just a slightly darker red than the new fluid. after a few test drives through my neighborhood it appears to be shifting smoother.
I also changed the coolant, flushed with about 4 gallons of distilled (per the instructions on the label of the Toyota red coolant). mixed the undiluted coolant 50/50 with distilled water and filled her back up while the engine was running with the cap off and the heater on until I did not see anymore air bubbles rising to the top. the coolant that came out was red, slightly dingy but not all that bad actually. I'm beginning to think that the elderly woman whom I purchased this vehicle from had the corolla serviced quite regularly.
I think the power steering and brake fluid will have to wait until my next 3 day weekend ( 2 weeks from now)
Thank you for your advice and guidance.
Steve
@steven7685
I came back to see if anything happened with your case. Sweet! Yeah, old ladies usually take care of their cars (unfortunately, some shops take advantage of that and sell them unneeded services). All the best.