Changing the oil in the CVT Toyota Corolla

Regular oil changes in the 2014 Toyota Corolla CVT remove wear products and increase the life of the unit. The procedure can be carried out in a garage, which reduces the cost of maintaining a car for the owner. When refueling, use genuine fluid or oils that meet Toyota approval requirements.

Changing the oil in the variator removes wear products.

What oil should be poured into the Corolla variator

The design of the variator uses 2 shafts with adjustable conical surfaces. Torque is transmitted by a laminar belt, a special fluid that is injected into the crankcase reduces wear and provides a higher coefficient of friction.

The tray has a filter that traps wear products, at the bottom of the box there is an additional magnet for collecting steel chips. The manufacturer strictly regulates the characteristics of the fluid, the quality of which determines the service life of the contacting parts and the reliability of the transmission.

Recommended by the manufacturer

To fill the unit, a special mineral-based liquid Toyota 08886-02105 TC and Toyota 08886-02505 FE is used (the type of material being loaded is indicated on the neck). The FE version is more fluid, both versions correspond to kinematic viscosity 0W-20. Contains phosphorus-based additives to reduce wear and calcium-based compounds to remove and neutralize foreign matter.

Liquids do not adversely affect copper-based alloy parts.

Quality analogues

Instead of original materials, Castrol CVT Multi, Idemitsu CVTF, ZIC CVT Multi or KIXX CVTF fluids can be used. Some manufacturers use a synthetic base that is resistant to degradation and provides good wear protection. Aisin CVT Fluid Excellent CFEX (Art. No. CVTF-7004), manufactured by Exxon Mobil Japan specifically for Aisin transmissions, may be used. The products of alternative suppliers are not inferior in quality to the original liquid, but they cost 1,5-2 times cheaper.

Castrol CVT Multi can be used instead of original materials.

Features of changing the oil in the variator

When servicing the box, use a torque wrench and carefully clean the threads from dirt. With excessive force, you can break the bolts, it is very difficult to remove the remains of parts from the crankcase. For example, the filter mounting bolts are rated for 7 Nm, while the drain plug requires 40 Nm. When installing the cover in place, the bolts must be tightened with a torque of 10 N * m crosswise (to ensure even contact of the mating surfaces).

How often should you change

The service life of the fluid is in the range from 30 to 80 thousand km, depending on the operating conditions. There were cases when cars passed up to 200 thousand km without refueling with new oil. At the same time, the variator worked without jerks and other signs of malfunction. If the car is constantly operated in the city and travels short distances, then the box needs to be repaired after 30-40 thousand km.

Cars that often drive on country roads require a fluid change after 70-80 thousand kilometers.

Volume

CVT crankcase capacity in Toyota Corolla is about 8,7 liters. When servicing the box, part of the liquid is lost when the level is set, so a reserve of 2 liters should be left. For a partial replacement with 3 drains and fills, you will need about 12 liters of oil, for a short procedure with a one-time update, a 4 liter canister is enough.

The volume of the crankcase is about 8,7 liters.

How to check the oil level

The design of the box does not provide a probe for checking the amount of liquid. To determine the level correction, it is necessary to start the engine and move the selector through all positions.

Then you need to unscrew the drain plug, excess oil will drain through the overflow pipe located inside.

If the liquid level is below the acceptable level, replenish the supply and repeat the test until the material exits the tube (the appearance of individual drops indicates that the level has stabilized).

Instructions for changing the oil in the CVT Toyota Corolla

Before starting work, it is necessary to cool the power unit of the car to room temperature. Some owners leave the car on a lift or in the garage for 6-10 hours, because the heated variator valve body can fail when filling with cold liquid, there is a coarse cleaning element inside the box; no fine filtration cartridge was installed on Toyota Corolla cars.

What will be required

To work on machines manufactured in 2012, 2013 or 2014, you will need:

• a set of keys and heads;
• new oil, new filter and box cover gasket;
• measured thickness of mine drainage;
• drain plug washer;
• medical syringe with a volume of 100-150 ml with an extension tube.

You will need a set of wrenches and sockets to get the job done.

Preparing for the procedure

To change the oil in the variator on a left-hand drive or right-hand drive car (Corolla Fielder), you must:

1. Drive the machine onto a lift with a level surface and remove the engine compartment protection. Work in a garage with a viewing hole is allowed if there is a flat floor. The room must first be cleaned of dust and protected from drafts; the ingress of abrasive particles into the parts of the disassembled variator can lead to incorrect operation of the valve body valves.
2. Using a 6 hexagon wrench, unscrew the plug marked Check located at the bottom of the gearbox housing.
3. Replace with a container and collect about 1,5 liters of liquid, and then unscrew the overflow tube located in the hole. The same key is used to remove the element, about 1 liter of oil should come out of the crankcase. For collection, it is recommended to use a measuring container that allows you to determine the volume of the drained material.
4. With a 10 mm head, we unscrew the crankcase mounting bolts and remove the crankcase part from the box for washing with solvent or gasoline. There are 3 or 6 magnets on the inner surface (depending on the year of manufacture of the car), additional elements can be installed by the owner and are supplied to the aftermarket under catalog number 35394-30011.
5. Remove the old gasket and wipe the mating surfaces with a clean rag.
6. Remove the 3 filter mounting bolts, then flush the hydraulic block with carburetor cleaner and wipe it with a lint-free cloth. It is recommended to blow the assembly with compressed air to remove dust particles that may interfere with the normal operation of the valves.
7. Install a new filter element with a rubber o-ring and tighten the fixing screws. In addition to the original cartridge, you can use analogues (for example, JS Asakashi with the article JT494K).
8. Install the cover with a new gasket in place; additional sealants are not required.
9. Loosen the fasteners and remove the left front wheel, and then remove the 4 fender fastening clips. The fill plug must be accessible. Before unscrewing the lid, it is necessary to clean the surface of the box and lid from dirt.

To change the oil, it is necessary to remove the protection of the engine compartment.

Oil filling

To fill in fresh liquid, you must:

1. Replace the tubeless drain plug and fill with new fluid through the side channel. The volume must correspond to the amount of drained old oil. For filling, you can use a syringe with an extension tube, which allows you to accurately dose the liquid supply.
2. Check that there are no material leaks at the junction of the sump and crankcase, and then start the engine.
3. Move the selector to each position to allow you to flush the transmission with fresh fluid.
4. Stop the engine and unscrew the oil drain plug, which may contain wear debris. The box cover does not need to be removed.
5. Screw on the measuring tube, and then pour fluid into the variator.
6. Set the level on a running machine, the separation of drops from the tube hole is considered the norm.
7. Screw in the filler plug (torque 49 Nm) and install the drain plug in its place.
8. Install the fender, wheel, and powertrain crankcase.
9. Check the operation of the gearbox while driving. Vibrations and jerks are not allowed during acceleration or braking.

In the conditions of a service center, the fluid level is adjusted after the oil has warmed up to a temperature of + 36 ° ... + 46 ° С (the parameter is determined by a diagnostic scanner). The procedure takes into account the thermal expansion of the oil; when servicing in the garage, the owners start the engine for 2-3 minutes to warm up the box. If during the service the oil pressure sensor or the SRS system controller was replaced, then the calibration of the electronic systems is required, which is carried out using diagnostic equipment.

Partial oil change in Corolla

The partial replacement procedure preserves the filter and does not require removal of the sump. The owner must unscrew the plug and measuring tube, drain some of the liquid, and then bring the level to normal. Manipulation is repeated 2-3 times, increasing the concentration of pure oil. Since the owner did not change the cartridge, did not clean the lid and reservoir magnets, the liquid quickly becomes contaminated with wear products. The procedure can be performed as a temporary measure to improve the performance of the variator, but a complete fluid change is more convenient.