GENERAL INFORMATION AND MAINTENANCE 1-55
- Remove the drain pan and wipe any excess oil from the area around
the hole using a clean rag. Clean the threads of the drain plug and the drain
plug gasket to remove any sludge deposits that may have accumulated. - To keep from engine oil spilling onto the engine cover, it may be nec-
essary to remove it prior to the filter. - With a filter wrench, loosen the oil filter counterclockwise and back
the filter off the filter post the rest of the way by hand. Keep the filter end up
so that the oil does not spill out. Tilt the filter into the drain pan to drain the
oil. - Remove the drain pan from under the vehicle and position it off to the
side. - With a clean rag, wipe off the filter seating surface to ensure a proper
seal. Make sure that the old gasket is not stuck to the seating surface. If it
is, remove it and thoroughly clean the seating surface of the old gasket
material. - Open a container of new oil and smear some of this oil onto the
rubber gasket of the new oil filter. Get a feel for where the filter post is and
start the filter by hand until the gasket contacts the seat. Using the filter
wrench, turn the filter an additional % turn. - Install the drain plug and metal gasket. Be sure that the plug is tight
enough that the oil does not leak out, but not tight enough to strip the
threads. Over time you will develop a sense of what the proper tightness of
the drain plug is. If a torque wrench is available, tighten the plug to 27 ft.
Ibs. (37 Nm).
'•Replace the drain plug gasket every time you change the oil to
prevent leakage. - Through a suitable plastic or metal funnel, add clean new oil of the
proper grade and viscosity through the oil filler on the top of the valve
cover. Be sure that the oil level registers near the F (full) mark on the dip-
stick. - Install and tighten the oil filler cap.
- Open the hood and fill the engine oil tank. The fluid level on the
tank should read FULL or F. - Start the engine and allow it to run for several minutes. Check for
leaks at the filter and drain plug. Sometimes leaks will not be revealed until
the engine reaches normal operating temperature. - Stop the engine and recheck the oil level. Add oil as necessary.
Manual Transmission
FLUID RECOMMENDATIONS
All Previa van manual transmissions use Grade GL-4 or GL-5 with the
viscosity of SAE75W-90 gear oil.
LEVEL CHECK
I See Figure 159
The oil in the manual transmission should be checked at least every
15,000 miles (24,000 km) and replaced every 25,000-30,000 miles
(40,000-48,000 km), even more frequently if driven in deep water.
- With the vehicle parked on a level surface, remove the filler plug from
the transmission housing. - If the lubricant begins to trickle out of the hole, there is enough. Oth-
erwise, carefully insert your finger (watch out for sharp threads!) and check
to see if the oil is up to the edge of the hole. - If not, add oil through the hole until the level is at the edge of the
hole. Most gear lubricants come in a plastic squeeze bottle with a nozzle;
making additions simple. - Replace the filler plug and tighten it to 27 ft. Ibs. (37 Nm). Run the
engine and check for leaks.
Fig. 159 Use your finger to check the level of the manual trans-
mission fluid
DRAIN & REFILL
I See Figure 160
- The transmission oil should be hot before it is drained. If the engine is
at normal operating temperature, the transmission oil should be hot enough. - Raise the car and support it properly on jackstands so that you can
safely work underneath. You will probably not have enough room to work if
the van is not raised. - The drain plug is located on the bottom of the transmission. Place a
pan under the drain plug and remove it. Keep a slight upward pressure on
the plug while unscrewing it, this will keep the oil from pouring out until
the plug is removed.
** CAUTION
The oil will be HOT! Be careful when you remove the plug so
that you don't take a bath in hot gear oil.
M/T
Drain Plug
Fig. 160 Insert new gear oil into the manual transmission
through the fill plug hole