Regular maintenance , located the Hpu, under the air filter and noticed my fluid was low and dirty color of the beer I drink, so I didn't have my sweet little oil pump I use on my sailboat at home well just so happens my girl, had a nice little bottle of soft soap at the kitchen sink, we'll yeh I stole it, washed it out, blew air through it with the good old wind pipes and went back to the SMT pump tank, stuck it down in and pumped all the nasty brown fluid out and replaced with dot 4, simple and easy just like my women. This works great . Nick
Changing SMT fluid
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I'm planning to do this as well. When I went to the auto parts store, the only DOT 4 brake fluid they had was labeled "DOT 3 & DOT 4 - synthetic". Is this the way all DOT 4 is marked and will it work for the SMT? Detailed information said that it was OK to mix with other brake fluids.
I was surprised to also see DOT 5 Synthetic brake fluid. It specifically said NOT to mix with other types of brake fluid, that it wouldn't harm plastic or rubber and it does not absorb water. This sounds like it would be ideal for the SMT if you had to replace the HPU and hydraulic compontents.
I was surprised to also see DOT 5 Synthetic brake fluid. It specifically said NOT to mix with other types of brake fluid, that it wouldn't harm plastic or rubber and it does not absorb water. This sounds like it would be ideal for the SMT if you had to replace the HPU and hydraulic compontents.
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896 Posts
I don't think all bottles are labeled DOT 3 and 4, but I think the one you are talking about is Valvoline and it is DOT 4. I used that in my car for awhile with no issues.
Use DOT5 only in a system designed for DOT5.
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661 Posts
Does anybody know if this is a good product?
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...1l-ferodo-america_10241031-p?searchTerm=dot+4
If not can you guys suggest something else?
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...1l-ferodo-america_10241031-p?searchTerm=dot+4
If not can you guys suggest something else?
I have an unopened can of Toyota SMT fluid sitting in my garage about an hour south of you if you'd like to throw me an offer on it.
But honestly, anything marked DOT4 should work just fine. The analysis done by - aw jeez, I forget who did it - showed the factory fluid to be basically DOT3 + caster oil.
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1,029 Posts
glad to be so well remembered...
DOT3 is good
DOT4 is better for the parts but may have to be changed more often because of hydration
DOT5 big no-no, silicon based and will eat at your seals
DOT5.1 dunno, won't try because dot 4 works great as it is
It's the thought that counts....
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661 Posts
I just changed the fluid a couple of days ago, I got a pump and pumped out about 8oz of fluid, I repeated this four times (after cycling the transmission to have the fluid exchange) to make sure I changed out as much as possible.
Wow I have never touched that stuff and the old fluid was dark black and had some flakes in it.
I am currently using Ferodo DOT4 brake and clutch fluid. --> No problems so far.
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1,847 Posts
Dark Black... that's scary! And Plebian and Mike V crack me up. And my last fluid change, I cleaned it out with DOT4 and then added what was left of my SMT fluid just to get a little castor oil in it because I REMEMBERED what Plebian said.
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1,115 Posts
Just did mine (roughly 170k) and it went swimmingly. Old fuild came our light brown...looked not bad.
By the way: air box removal is trivial if you realize to look under are filter for the two bolts.
By the way: air box removal is trivial if you realize to look under are filter for the two bolts.
Thank you changing SMT fluid
8 years after selling my 1992 MR2, I decided it was time for new MR2. I found a 2003 SMT (130000 miles) with "transmission issues".After reading about various issues the price was right and decided to give it a try. After getting stuck without being able to put it gear until I waited a half hour, before the car went iinto gear I drove home.
It was time to address the problem. Following the tips, I removed the air box (filter was black) and checked the SMT fluid. As predicted it was low and honey brown. Removed about 10 onces of the old fluid and replaced with dot 4.
Replaced what we're probably the factory plugs and oil/filter. Put the air box back with a new filter. The moment of truth arrived. Started the car and drove about 30 miles in traffic and highway. Drove like a different car, more power and shifted without problems So far so good. Thank you for the advice. I keep you posted.
Keith M
8 years after selling my 1992 MR2, I decided it was time for new MR2. I found a 2003 SMT (130000 miles) with "transmission issues".After reading about various issues the price was right and decided to give it a try. After getting stuck without being able to put it gear until I waited a half hour, before the car went iinto gear I drove home.
It was time to address the problem. Following the tips, I removed the air box (filter was black) and checked the SMT fluid. As predicted it was low and honey brown. Removed about 10 onces of the old fluid and replaced with dot 4.
Replaced what we're probably the factory plugs and oil/filter. Put the air box back with a new filter. The moment of truth arrived. Started the car and drove about 30 miles in traffic and highway. Drove like a different car, more power and shifted without problems So far so good. Thank you for the advice. I keep you posted.
Keith M
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201 Posts
So how did the SMT fluid change work out? Any issues? Just wondering...
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Hello everyone my first visit to this site and already some very useful info. I am experiencing the same stuck in 'N" disconnect the battery for 10 minuets and away we go problem that I've read about in other parts of this blog. My Spyder is a 2005 with 80k and I'm thinking I need to flush the HTP resivour located under the air filter box but there does not appear to be a filler cap to unscrew. Is this a closed system on the 05's or am I missing something?
Thanks for any help.
Thanks for any help.
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2 Posts
Phattires, Thanks for your prompt reply and advise. I did get the top removed from the reservoir, checked the fluid level and condition. I was surprised to find the fluid level above the seam and real clean. so clean that when I dipped a piece of white card stock in the fluid there was no discoloration at all. Amazing because the car has 80k on it, 50k I've driven myself. Trips from Virginia were all long haul to Calif ,Maine, Florida and The Outer Banks of NC. It's a trip car not a daily driver so perhaps the low shifting numbers have helped.
So, tomorrow the new SMT fluid will be delivered and I'll try the flush . Thanks again, I'll let you know how it turns out.
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4,147 Posts
Clean is always a good thing . I didn't know the smt fluid was still available , most of us just use brake fuild with a little castor oil mixed in . Just make sure it's not Ravenal
Here's a link with more info then you need ....
Change SMT fluid
I finally changed the SMT system fluid out of the reservoir today. 1st Toyota (Tacoma Washington) shipped me a can of factory fluid for $110. (Dealers in Florida and Ohio refused, saying it was a hazardous material.) I removed the heat shield from the side of the HPU pump, but that was a...
www.spyderchat.com
My 2003 SMT has a little over 40k on the car (previously driven gently by a retired couple). Even though the mileage is low would you change out the fluid due to age? What ratio of caster oil to DOT 4? I can probably find some OEM SMT fluid but it's way more expensive than brake fluid. Thanks.Clean is always a good thing . I didn't know the smt fluid was still available , most of us just use brake fuild with a little castor oil mixed in . Just make sure it's not Ravenal
Here's a link with more info then you need ....
Change SMT fluid
I finally changed the SMT system fluid out of the reservoir today. 1st Toyota (Tacoma Washington) shipped me a can of factory fluid for $110. (Dealers in Florida and Ohio refused, saying it was a hazardous material.) I removed the heat shield from the side of the HPU pump, but that was a...
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