87 Camry - Auto Transmission fuid change

What did he charge you, the trans has a drain plug its a 2 minute job to drain and fill, to drop the pan is a 30 minute job. I drain from my plug every 10-15, and drop the pan at 30-?. If he charged trans fluid cost that is fair. but he did an incomplete job. The only way to know if a filter needed changing is cut it open. If color was good before you changed it and it shifts ok I would wait.

Hi ..

he charged me $50 for the transmission fluid change + differential oil change. he said if he had to change the filter it would have taken him (1-2 hrs) and would have charged me $60 more.

Is this a reasonable charge ?

(Engine oil change + filter was $20 .. but that is separate)

The 88-91 take trans fuid in the differential, check what he used and what yours requires. A full trans service is maybe 60+ in itself so I guess you are ok. I believe your Power Steering takes Trans fluid also, I just use a turkey baister to remove the old.

Thank you, Sir.

I will follow up with my mechanic.

Is using a turkey baster the recommended way to change the power steering fluid?

How about brakes? Just use a turkey baster (sounds easy), or is it better to drain the master cylinder and purge the air out (more work)?

A turkey baister is a quick way for power steering, and really not the best way. Brakes should be flushed with new fluid as water is absorbed by the brake fluid and corrodes brakes parts from the inside.

Was this transmission fluid change a drain-and-fill or a complete flush?

I just did the turkey-baster method with the power steering. I don't think it's ever been changed in 10 years, but my dad might have done so before he gave me the vehicle. I was able to get maybe 1/2 of the liquid out of the reservoir with the baster - the baster was really wide.

Is the fluid from the reservoir mixed thoroughly with fluid throughout the power steering system, like the fluid from the transmission would be thoroughly mixed? Or is the liquid just sedentary, resting with no mixing?

It mixes, in 6 months it wil be dirty again, change a few times and it will be clean, but most camrys use ATF in the power steering, the cap should state what to use.

Oh good. Yeah, my manual said Dexron II, but of course I put Dexron III in there. No incompatibility I hope.

I guess I'll just do it along with the regular oil change (and tranny oil change). Sure seems easier than disconnecting the hose and pumping it out.

Now about that brake fluid... :)

the Dexrons are compatible, and the same. They have just come up with newer improved versions hence the I,II, and III