Step By Step Instructions

[T1z3R]

Word of mouth is the best advertisement, surely there's someone!?

One of my infamous rules of thumb is that the cheaper the mechanic, the worse his work will be. But there are exceptions!

One of the problems we have is that we own vehicles that are neanderthal, but with electronics. In general, mechanics these days can't diagnose problems and fix things; they need a computer to diagnose what's wrong, then they merely replace the part the computer tells them to.

You need to find an old school mechanic in his 40's or older, he'll be very busy, won't advertise, won't have a flash poncy tool box, his garage will be outwardly manky, he'll be pretty manky himself, he will not own a diagnostic machine and will be surprisingly well off. He'll not rip you off, because he is reliant on your good will for his living. A bit like me really! But I don't do jobs any more...

and the best place to find one of these guys is in a social club on a fri/sat night with two or three guys of similar age drinking pints and nips.

sounds like you just described my ex's dad there Albannach. hes been in the business for almost 40 years after starting out on buses and marine plant. doesnt charge a lot. has lots of happy customers. shame hes my ex's dad really

[Brummie]

Word of mouth is the best advertisement, surely there's someone!?

One of my infamous rules of thumb is that the cheaper the mechanic, the worse his work will be. But there are exceptions!



You need to find an old school mechanic in his 40's or older, he'll be very busy, won't advertise, won't have a flash poncy tool box, his garage will be outwardly manky, he'll be pretty manky himself, he will not own a diagnostic machine and will be surprisingly well off. He'll not rip you off, because he is reliant on your good will for his living. A bit like me really! But I don't do jobs any more...

Bang on! if the garage looks like an F1 pits get back in the car and fcuk off rapidly, they haven't any mechanics there just component replacers. The bloke you are looking for generally works on his own and his garage is usualy down an alley in a row of old lockups. The only way you will find these mechanics is by word of mouth. The pub or workingmans clubs are a good place to start.



Must learn to type faster, beaten to it again

[nigel129]

1 - Get in truck and start engine
2 - Drive it to someone who knows about automatic gearboxes
3 - Ask them to change ATF for you
4 - Go for coffee
5 - Return to transmision specialist
6 - Give them some money
7 - Get in truck and drive home

Failure to follow the above advice will, I fear, result in catastrophe...

Well thats a useful answer, didnt someone once say we all have to start somewhere, me for one, not to tight to pay, but keen to start doing my own minor servicing, there are one or two useful replies to my question but it seems on the whole many answers have strayed into whether you can trust a garage, which sort of negates your reply.
As a pretty qualified IT geek, i wouldnt send someone from a forum whos asking for a bit of advice, to PC World and pay thre the nose if i could spend a short while trying to help by way of a "step by step" explanation of how to remedy a problem, or avert one.
If i actually get under the car and not feel competant, then maybe a garage would be the answer, however, i asked because id like to have a go. Strong advice to leave it to someone who knows better may have been more help than your reply. Feel free to contact me when your puter packs up and ill multimap a selection of local repair shops for you.

Nigel

MCSE Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
MCAD Microsoft Certified Application Developer
MCSA Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator
MCDST Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician
MOS Microsoft Office Specialist

[nigel129]

Mate, just use the 'Search' function and you'll find all the information you need.

Here are some links to get you started:

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...ANGE+ATF+FLUID

http://www.hiluxsurf.co.uk/forums/sh...ANGE+ATF+FLUID

http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/v...ic.php?t=11838

Thanks, did try a search or two before posting but seemed not to find anything specifically to the point. will try your links, thanks for taking the tie to reply.
nigel

[nigel129]

The transmission oil sump plug (on mine) actually has DEX11 stamped on it.
If you just drain off what you can get out of there, and then replace that through the transmission dip stick, thats what most people do. You will need some pipe and a funnel to get it in the dip stick hole.

This however will not replace all the oil in the system, as most of it is left in the torque converter, and there is a filter which requires removal of the exhaust to get to (mine has not been changed in the last 6 years with no obvious sign of detriment).

To do the job properly you will need to go to a specialist.

If your oil is still a nice bright red colour then I wouldn't bother changing it, it goes dark brown and has a burnt smell when it goes off.

Thanks for a relativly direct answer, ive gleaned enough from what little ive found so far that i wont get it all out, but maybe what i can will be enough to revitalise whats left. Although i dont think my fluid is burnt, its NOT red,(more a light orange)but doesnt smell, though i get a ATF light when pulling. Ive no idea when it was last changed, had the truck now for a year and ive done little to keep up with things like this so thought it was time to "have a go"(filters, fluids etc) Read up on the two bucket method and apart from i think thats a bit beyond my capabilities at the mo, i have no way to get all the wheels off the floor, the ony jack i have lives in Scunthorp, married to m auntie Joan. You see now why i want to start having a go at things (i hope)
thanks
nigel

[tintin]

Well thats a useful answer, didnt someone once say we all have to start somewhere, me for one, not to tight to pay, but keen to start doing my own minor servicing, there are one or two useful replies to my question but it seems on the whole many answers have strayed into whether you can trust a garage, which sort of negates your reply.
As a pretty qualified IT geek, i wouldnt send someone from a forum whos asking for a bit of advice, to PC World and pay thre the nose if i could spend a short while trying to help by way of a "step by step" explanation of how to remedy a problem, or avert one.
If i actually get under the car and not feel competant, then maybe a garage would be the answer, however, i asked because id like to have a go. Strong advice to leave it to someone who knows better may have been more help than your reply. Feel free to contact me when your puter packs up and ill multimap a selection of local repair shops for you.

Nigel

MCSE Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
MCAD Microsoft Certified Application Developer
MCSA Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator
MCDST Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician
MOS Microsoft Office Specialist

Good answer nigel!

[sv1000spilot]

You'll get used to the way threads go off topic on here, it often happens

Why do you need to get the wheels off the ground? There's plenty of room to get bucket to where pipes join cooler.

[dieselboy]

Not round these parts...

I've been ripped off so many times that I will only use a mechanic / garage if my situation is totally desperate.

The question is how do you know that the garage is 'honest and knowledgeable' ? My favorite is the 'sensor game' where they say its your xxx sensor so you pay them to change it and the problem continues. Then they say it could also be your blah de blah.. No mention of a refund for the sensor that didn't need changing... Basically they have no idea.. This has happened to so many people at my work that it's not even funny.

Can't even find a decent place to do a wheel alignment round here..

Rob.

may be the best thing would be to ask advice on hear or search for your problem,
then you can book the car in for "xxx replacement" without questions or quizzes.
i agree though, some mechanics dont have a great deal of experience or knowledge.
i think the older the mechanic - the more experienced / wiser.

[Maverick]

Thanks for a relativly direct answer, ive gleaned enough from what little ive found so far that i wont get it all out, but maybe what i can will be enough to revitalise whats left. Although i dont think my fluid is burnt, its NOT red,(more a light orange)but doesnt smell, though i get a ATF light when pulling. Ive no idea when it was last changed, had the truck now for a year and ive done little to keep up with things like this so thought it was time to "have a go"(filters, fluids etc) Read up on the two bucket method and apart from i think thats a bit beyond my capabilities at the mo, i have no way to get all the wheels off the floor, the ony jack i have lives in Scunthorp, married to m auntie Joan. You see now why i want to start having a go at things (i hope)
thanks
nigel

I understand exactly where your coming from, before the truck I didn't spin spanners at all, now i look after all the work on my own and my sisters truck.

Draining the sump, and replacing does make a difference if your oil is getting old. If you can measure the amount that comes out, it will make it easier to now how much to put back in (just saves some of the guess work) normally it's somewhere in the region of 4 litres on mine.
The ATF light normally is temperature related, so it might be worthwhile checking your radiator. the temperature got higher than normal this year and after checking the lower half of my radiator (where the transmission cooler is) is full of (Salisbury) mud, also consider an additional transmisson cooler if you tow alot (a job I'm currently in the process off).

[dieselboy]

Bang on! if the garage looks like an F1 pits get back in the car and fcuk off rapidly, they haven't any mechanics there just component replacers. The bloke you are looking for generally works on his own and his garage is usualy down an alley in a row of old lockups. The only way you will find these mechanics is by word of mouth. The pub or workingmans clubs are a good place to start.



Must learn to type faster, beaten to it again

not strictly true, sometimes those expensive diagnostics machines help in finding (and fixing) an issue that could otherwise be difficult and expensive!

[nigel129]

You'll get used to the way threads go off topic on here, it often happens

Why do you need to get the wheels off the ground? There's plenty of room to get bucket to where pipes join cooler.

i thought id read that to pump it out the engine had to be running and in gear so that the fluid pumps into one while new is sucked up from the other bucket.(hense figured wheels had to be off ground and free to turn)
nigel

[sv1000spilot]

As I managed to pump all my atf out while moving (due to split pipe) I can't be sure, but pretty sure that even in neutral oil will be pumping round the cooler.

If not you could drain most out then put into drive with brakes on.

[nigel129]

As I managed to pump all my atf out while moving (due to split pipe) I can't be sure, but pretty sure that even in neutral oil will be pumping round the cooler.

If not you could drain most out then put into drive with brakes on.

this is one of the bits i found, sounds like a nightmare, rasgets,JACKS cleaning fluid ect
http://www.toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/v...ght=atf+change

[nigel129]

The other prob im having is those kind enough to give a guidline, seem to think i know where the bits mentioned are, let alone what they look like. Id prob end up disconnecting the brake line (if i knew where it was)



Anybody got any pics or somthing showing the underside of a 2.4 auto, maybe even labeled, sump, pipe, plug, you get what i mean.

[biosurf]

The way to change the lot involves pulling hoses off either side of the bottom of the rad, putting one in a bucket to get rid and the other in a new container of ATF. One sucks, the other blows (like those twin sisters I still haven't met) and it replaces the entirety of your ATF fluid and is by far the best way to do it.

As a confessed mechanical numpty I did it the other way which involves draining as much as you can via the drain plug. Basically get the front of the Surf off the ground if you want more room to play with and slide on your back along the rear edge of the front wheel until you're head is under the middle of the Surf and below where your gear lever is.

You should see a boxy looking piece of metal under where the gear stick is. It will have a drain plug (basically like a bolt to remove) at one end of it in the middle.

Follow the instructions on the other threads (if memory serves do it after a short run so its warm (Careful its not too hot and burns you) Also I seem to remember its best to have the surf level so you could always undo the drain plug half a turn whilst the surf is up on stands so it saves you straining and fiddling later on.

Put something to catch the fluid underneath it and (ideally wearing plastic gloves) undo the drain plug and leave it to run out until it stops (be aware it may not run straight down so have a reasonably sized container.

Claen around plug and screw it back in then work out how much has drained out then refill with the same amount. You have to refill via the ATF dip stick tube. I found a double page form a magazine folded into the longest, thinnest tube possible and duct taped up worked well)

dont overfill. Go for a decent run so its hot, stop, with foot on the brake go though all the gears and check the level wioth the engine running.

Too much ATF can be almost as bad as too little so do be careful.

this is based on 2nd Gen 3 litre but I presume its the same or similar on 2.4