Motor oils and everything you need to know about motor oils

Strange as it may seem, let's start with the fact that the manufacturer does not provide for changing the oil in CVTs on Toyota cars. He only suggests checking its level every 40,000 km and, if necessary, topping it up to the required level.

However, in practice, things are such that sometimes replacement is still required. Let's consider what kind of oil to pour into a Toyota variator, and how to do it correctly. We will also not ignore other gearbox options.

When to think about changing the oil

Some signs cannot be called determining the need to change the oil in the gearbox, as they can be caused by other reasons. Some even require removing the pan from the variator, which already means changing the oil, although, if desired, you can return the old one.

An oil change in a Toyota Corolla is necessary if:

• The oil has dropped to a low level - with minor changes, top up, and with large ones, it makes sense to replace the oil completely;
• The car began to consume more fuel than usual;
• The acceleration of the car became slow, that is, its dynamics dropped;
• Metal shavings were found in the variator - it requires disassembling the variator (removing the pan).

Contrary to the manufacturer's instructions, we recommend checking the oil level in the variator every 15,000 km.

Features of changing oil in a variator

When servicing the box, use a torque wrench and thoroughly clean the threads of dirt. Excessive force can break the bolts, making it very difficult to remove remaining parts from the crankcase. For example, the filter mounting bolts are designed for a torque of 7 Nm, and the drain plug requires a force of 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 planes).

How often should you change

The service life of the fluid ranges from 30 to 80 thousand km, depending on operating conditions. There have been cases when cars traveled up to 200 thousand km without refueling with new oil. At the same time, the variator worked without jerking or other signs of malfunction. If the car is constantly used in the city and drives short distances, then repair of the gearbox is required after 30-40 thousand km.

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

Volume

The capacity of the variator crankcase in the Toyota Corolla is about 8.7 liters. When servicing the box, some of the liquid is lost when the level is set, so you should leave a reserve of 2 liters. 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 will be enough.

Crankcase volume is about 8.7 liters.

How to check the oil level

The design of the box does not provide a dipstick for checking the amount of liquid. To determine the level correction, you must 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 tube located inside.

If the liquid level is below the permissible level, replenish the supply and repeat the test until the material leaves the tube (the appearance of individual drops indicates stabilization of the level).

Oils for Toyota Corolla CVTs

The question of which oil can be poured into a Toyota Corolla CVT and which cannot is very interesting and relevant for many car owners, since factory oil is not officially supplied to Russia. What is known about these gearboxes?

Let's start with the fact that the oil you fill must have the CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) label in its name - which, in fact, is what a variator means.

The factory oil for these purposes is called TOYOTA CVT FLUID TC.

You can choose the following types of oils: synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral.

The original oil, despite the lack of official supplies, can still be found on the shelves. It has the following characteristics:

Some Lexus and Toyota models have CVTs into which a different oil is poured - ATF WS. This oil has a very long service life, which can even be interpreted by the manufacturer as lifelong.

Gear oil is a petroleum product that tends to thicken over time, which will certainly lead to increased fuel consumption. High-temperature deposits may also appear due to oxidation.

This type of motor oil is characterized by reduced viscosity, which is indicated by the WS (World Standard) prefix in the name. Manufacturer: ExxonMobil. Country of origin: Japan.

As a replacement for factory oil, if you cannot find one on sale, you can offer the Idemitsu CVTF option. It is universal and suitable not only for Toyota cars, but also for almost all continuously variable transmissions.

The manufacturing plant is proud of its unique package of additives, which, according to them, promotes the smoothest possible gear shifting - and for any driving style, including aggressive.

The oil provides a high degree of protection for transmission parts such as hydraulic control unit parts, pulleys and plate belts.

It has high resistance to temporary oxidation, which guarantees stable viscosity throughout its service life at high temperatures and loads.

When to change

In addition to the recommended period, which relates only to ideal operating conditions, owners often, depending on operating conditions, change the oil in the Toyota Corolla Axio variator:

1. In harsh temperature conditions in the presence of low or especially high temperatures, owners change the transmission every 50 thousand kilometers. This is due to the properties of the material, since at the same time the oil serves as a cleaning fluid for mechanical parts and also for cooling at high temperatures. When a car is used in extreme conditions, the properties of the substance decrease over time, the liquid thickens, used work appears during operation, and accordingly all its properties deteriorate.
2. During towing or long trips, the change interval can be extended to 70,000 kilometers. Since such loads are not recommended by the manufacturers themselves and do not damage the boxed device itself, it is advisable that a fresh product is always present in the system, as well as its timely replacement.

If there are small runs, the change interval varies depending on the number of years it has. Over time, even without load, the transmission loses its properties due to a chemical reaction. Based on this, many experienced motorists recommend, regardless of the distance in kilometers, changing the substance at least every 3-4 years.

Oils for automatic transmissions Toyota Corolla

The oil poured into a Toyota Corolla automatic and other models must also have a certain set of properties (performance, viscosity, physico-chemical).

It is designated by the abbreviation ATF and must meet the requirements specified in the vehicle's operating instructions.

The following brands of oils are used for Toyota cars:

• Toyota ATF Dexron III - this oil has excellent pumping properties at low temperatures;
• Toyota ATF WS is an original oil with very low viscosity;
• Toyota ATF TYPE T-IV - contains hydrocracking oils and proprietary additives. Meets almost all requirements of the Toyota automaker;
• Mobil ATF 3309 is an excellent oil from a renowned brand. High stability when operating at high temperatures;
• Top Tec ATF 1200 is an oil with antifriction additives that provide extreme pressure properties, allowing better preservation of gear pairs under shock loads and high speeds.

Replacement procedure

In addition to the oil recommended by the manufacturer, you should have a new pan gasket, as well as a fill hose, a set of wrenches and hex keys. Keep in mind that the CVT does not have a control probe, so it is extremely important to fill the volume of fluid equal to the volume that was drained.

1. Remove the plastic cover covering the variator housing. It is held in place by bolts and plastic clips.
2. Then carefully remove the longitudinal beam to the right of the variator. It is secured with four bolts. After removing the rod, access to all the bolts holding the pallet opens. It's also easier to remove the pan lid without it. Be careful - there will be some oil in it.
3. Remove the pan and gain access to the drain plug, which must be unscrewed with a 6mm hexagon.

Not all the oil will flow out through the plug, only a part (about one liter).

Insert the 6 hex into the drain hole without unscrewing or unscrewing the plastic level tube.

Once removed, the oil will continue to flow.

When unscrewing the bolts around the perimeter of the sump, there is no need to tilt it; Carefully drain off the remaining oil.

Note - the height of the drain hole thread is about 1.5 cm. This means that during a partial replacement, a certain amount of old oil will still remain in the box, since it is impossible to completely drain it without disassembling the pan.

The oil filter is secured with three bolts. After removing the filter element, the remaining oil under the control unit will flow out.

After removing the oil filter, it and the pan must be washed. After installing the filter, install a new gasket on the pan. Reinstall the pan by tightening the bolts, then screw in the plastic level tube and screw in the drain plug.

• To add oil, remove the side shield, which is held in place by two clips. Unscrew the nut (24 heads) located at the top of the variator housing. Through the hose you need to pour 200-300 ml more oil than was drained.

Oils for manual transmissions

The oil for Toyota Corolla mechanics is also not chosen according to your liking. The original composition is called Toyota Gear Oil Manual Transmission LV 75W.

• It was developed by Denso specifically for cars of the manufacturer in question.
• Provides low friction coefficients in highly loaded units of the unit, increases its service life.
• You can also use universal transmission oil Toyota Gear Oil Universal syntethic 75W-90.

Advice! Oil changes in manual transmissions should be done every 40,000 km.

What kind of oil

The Toyota Corolla is available with a manual transmission and a V-belt continuously variable variator MultiDrive S, so the choice of transmission oil should be based on the recommendations provided by the manufacturer specifically for the gearbox of your car.

Mechanics

For manual transmissions, the manufacturer recommends that when choosing gear oil, adhere to API GL4 and SAE 75W specifications.

Considering that a new car with a manual transmission is filled with original Toyota oil from the factory, in the future we recommend using oil for the Corolla gearbox - Toyota Gear Oil Manual Transmission Getriebeoil LV GL4 75W MT (article 08885-81001). This oil is recognized as the best option and has received many positive reviews.

It so happens that for some reason it is not possible to fill Toyota oil; in this case, we recommend paying attention to the fairly high-quality German analogue Ravenol MTF 3 75W, which has proven itself well.

Variable speed drive

The K111 variator enjoys a controversial reputation among Corolla owners. For some, this transmission twitches, for others it works like a clock. Despite this, the Corolla CVT can be considered a reliable transmission, but one that loves quality service and moderate loads. In gratitude, you will receive a lot of driving pleasure and hundreds of thousands of kilometers of trouble-free mileage.

The Aisin K311 Corolla 160/170/180 variator is filled with Aisin oil from the factory, so when replacing it with oil from the same manufacturer, we recommend filling it with Aisin CVTF7004.

In addition to the “original” transmission oil, the Corolla CVT can also be filled with original Toyota CVT Fluid FE oil for low temperatures for use in cold climates (part number 08886-02505) or CVT Fluid TC for warmer climates (part number 08886-02105).

When operating the Aisin transmission under moderate loads, it can last more than 300,000 km.

As a replacement for original oils, it is permissible to fill in Ravenol CVT Fluid, ZIC CVT Multi, KIXX CVTF, Castrol CVT Multi, but it is worth remembering that the original oil is preferable and is considered the best, so if you want to save money and avoid problems in operation, it will not work, since We highly recommend not saving on a variator.