Toyota - toyota T4 Automatic Gearbox Fluid - Supplier ?

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 22 Dec 2007 16:23
toyota T4 Automatic Gearbox Fluid - Supplier ? - Surrey_Scientist


Does anyone know where you can obtain Toyota T4 automatic transmission fluid as used in their newer automatic gearboxes on current shape avensis.

Want to do a complete fluid change on a higher mileage vehicle.

Not listed on independent toyota parts specilaists websites, and motor-factors don't seem to be able to get hold of it and some haven't heard of it.

I don't really want to buy from Main-dealer as oils/fluids always an arm & leg from them.

There are some US websites where it doesn't look too expensive compared to Dexron III but of course the shipping is the problem. Over there it seems to be readily obtainable from motor-factors, but not over here - why ???

IS there a substitute fluid that could be used eg. Dexron III or another brand , especially if the fluid were to be changed at every service ?

Does anyone know the differece between this T4 and Dexron III etc.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 22 Dec 2007 16:33
toyota T4 Automatic Gearbox Fluid - Supplier ? - Screwloose

Valvoline's synthetic Maxlife ATF is listed as meeting Toyota T-IV spec.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 22 Dec 2007 17:05
toyota T4 Automatic Gearbox Fluid - Supplier ? - Aprilia
You could try one of the 'multi-brand' transmission oils from Valvoline (as mentioned above), Amsoil, Redline D4.

The genuine Toyota stuff comes in a 5 litre can (Part No. 08886-82025) and is not much more expensive that the multi-brand oil. I would go with that personally. (reckon on about £10-13 a litre).

You CANNOT use D-III. T-IV is a more highly friction modified oil and using D-III can result is torque convertor lock-up shudder and stick-slip in the clutch packs.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 22 Dec 2007 17:29
toyota T4 Automatic Gearbox Fluid - Supplier ? - Surrey_Scientist


just looked up the valvoline stuff and it does say Toyota T-IV

(I assume T-IV is the same as T-4 and the roman numerals is just the same as numbers ?!)

It also says compatible with toyota T fluid - an older spec I assume like a dexron II ?

Also on similar sites noticed the AMSOIL as well.

Just a question on these new fluids as they seem to be "all-singing & dancing" and suitable for so many apps. if you read the spec sheets.......

If the T-IV spec is more highly friction modified, then presumably this Valvoline and AMSOIL stuff is also as friction modified ? But is the level of extra friction the same for all the different specs or is the spec of these multi-fluids just close enough to all of them to be OK for all these applications

How can they then specify this much newer fluid can be used in older transmissions that take DII or DIII - surely the different frictional charatceristics will not suit these older transmissions as they were designed with the older fluids in mind ?

Or does having higher friction improve/not affect the working of the older 'boxes as they slip less ?

Is there some kind of testable spec for the level of friction the fluid provides, as with viscosity indices given in the datasheets ?

As a scientist I am always keen to get some hard data-figures so I can compare specs like-with-like.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 22 Dec 2007 17:51
toyota T4 Automatic Gearbox Fluid - Supplier ? - Ruperts Trooper
Searching US websites may be a blind alley - a number of automatic transmission fluids available there are simply unavailable in Europe unless you ship it directly - eg Castrol Transmax J, Castrol Import Multi-brand Transmission Fluid and Nissan Matic-J.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide