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Originally Posted by MagicRat
The second, scary thought is the idea that the transmission fluid change machine is a good idea.
It is not. An automatic transmission pan MUST be dropped and cleaned out and the filter MUST be changed to provide the best possible service.
There is a reason why almost all transmissions do not have drain plugs. This is to FORCE the mechanic to drop the pan in order to remove the fluid, thus making a clean- out and filter change easy.
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I agree that that is a good idea, but that procedure does not change a significant portion of the transmission fluid. You also need something to change the fluid stuck in the valve body and the torque converter. They don't see fresh fluid unless you pump fresh fluid through the system. Given a choice between the two maintenance procedures, I have come to the opinion that exchanging the majority of the fluid is preferable to dropping the pan and changing only a small portion and the filter.
The torque converter in Toyotas really needs a drain plug as is seen in some other brands.
I guess the right way to do it is to pull the pan and then circulate fluid through it as described in the following article:
http://www.gadgetonline.com/TransFlush.htm