138,000 miles
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
138,000 miles
I have 138,000 miles on this thing. Any suggestions. I had one of the lead technicians at the Lexus dealership drive it around and he told me that it drove perfectly. I then asked about transmission fluid additives and he said that he would have the fluid in the transmission replaced if it was his car. So I replied about the transmission being sealed and having lifetime fluid and his response was that it is the same basic ATF fluid, just sealed without a dipstick as to remove any potential for error concerning fluid level. What are everyone's thoughts on this? Are there any other services you would recommend having done?
2006 IS 350
2006 IS 350
#3
Advanced
whatever the book says. At that mileage, I personally will have my mechanic replace my tranny fluid, diff fluid, brake fluid, belt, plugs and coolant. I will not allow any power flushing, just empty and refill fluids.
#4
I recently had mine done also at about 110k and it drives and shifts 10 times better. It shifts a lot smoother and grabs harder when i accelerate. Before it was kinda sluggish and didnt feel like it grabbed well. I had it done at my local Lexus dealership and it cost around $110 total. Probably the best hundred bucks i spent in a while.
#6
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
I recently had mine done also at about 110k and it drives and shifts 10 times better. It shifts a lot smoother and grabs harder when i accelerate. Before it was kinda sluggish and didnt feel like it grabbed well. I had it done at my local Lexus dealership and it cost around $110 total. Probably the best hundred bucks i spent in a while.
Now, with all of that said and understood. How do you all feel about replacing the ATF with the Amsoil variant and possibly an additive for higher mileage cars mixed in?
Last edited by fng; 01-01-13 at 09:25 AM.
#7
I recently had mine done also at about 110k and it drives and shifts 10 times better. It shifts a lot smoother and grabs harder when i accelerate. Before it was kinda sluggish and didnt feel like it grabbed well. I had it done at my local Lexus dealership and it cost around $110 total. Probably the best hundred bucks i spent in a while.
Trending Topics
#8
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (20)
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NC
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In regards to your Amsoil question. When you have the fluid drained only a small (ish) percentage of the total amount is actually going to come out. I would probably just stick with OEM fluid.
#10
Pole Position
iTrader: (4)
Its consider lifetime because there is no real way to drain the fluid. As other threads have stated, its physically impossible to drain much more than 10% of the fluid at a time, even with special machines.
Because you cant ever fully drain it, I would recommend sticking with only OEM fluid since you don't want to be mixing fluids together.
Because you cant ever fully drain it, I would recommend sticking with only OEM fluid since you don't want to be mixing fluids together.
#11
Do you have some experience that makes you feel strongly that it's better not to replace the fluid? Thanks again.
Note: On the LS 430, GS and IS, the transmission and transmission fluid are a completely sealed unit. Therefore, periodic checks and replacement of the transmission fluid are not required, and there is no dipstick on the transmission on these vehicles. Any repairs that require adding or replacing fluid should be performed by a qualified technician following procedures in Lexus service and repair publications.
#12
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
To clear this up a bit:
What lexus and the book/manual says:
it's a lifetime fluid in a sealed transmission, and does not, ever, need changing.
What was true up until maybe 18 months ago:
It was physically impossible to change a significant amount of the fluid. Anyone paying for a fluid change before then was being ripped off by a shop that was draining about 10% of the total fluid (all that comes out if you pull the "drain" plug) and replacing that 10%, then charging for a "transmission fluid change"
What is true now:
You CAN do a fluid change now, but it requires special equipment and hooking up to a machine. Why? See below:
The unit is sealed. The 'drain' plug doesn't get much fluid out.
You can't use the cooling lines either- because unlike most cars, they contain coolant not transmission fluid.
They run to a heat exchanger built into the side of the transmission.
And here lies the trick-
A company that builds fluid exchange machines (which normally just hook to the cooling lines) designed an adapter the exact size and shape of the heat exchanger.
So to change fluids you would need to do this:
Disconnect the coolant lines from the heat exchanger
Remove the heat exchanger
Replace it with the special adapter
Connect the fluid exchange machine to the adapter
Run the machine to change out the fluid
Remove the machine
Remove the special adapter
Reinstall the heat exchanger
Hook the coolant lines back up
Top off the coolant and transmission fluid to proper levels.
All of which, again, the manual says never to do... but at least it's physically possible now.
Anyone who plans to have it done anyway, insure they're doing the above, and not ripping you off by just changing 1-2 quarts using the drain plug.
What lexus and the book/manual says:
it's a lifetime fluid in a sealed transmission, and does not, ever, need changing.
What was true up until maybe 18 months ago:
It was physically impossible to change a significant amount of the fluid. Anyone paying for a fluid change before then was being ripped off by a shop that was draining about 10% of the total fluid (all that comes out if you pull the "drain" plug) and replacing that 10%, then charging for a "transmission fluid change"
What is true now:
You CAN do a fluid change now, but it requires special equipment and hooking up to a machine. Why? See below:
The unit is sealed. The 'drain' plug doesn't get much fluid out.
You can't use the cooling lines either- because unlike most cars, they contain coolant not transmission fluid.
They run to a heat exchanger built into the side of the transmission.
And here lies the trick-
A company that builds fluid exchange machines (which normally just hook to the cooling lines) designed an adapter the exact size and shape of the heat exchanger.
So to change fluids you would need to do this:
Disconnect the coolant lines from the heat exchanger
Remove the heat exchanger
Replace it with the special adapter
Connect the fluid exchange machine to the adapter
Run the machine to change out the fluid
Remove the machine
Remove the special adapter
Reinstall the heat exchanger
Hook the coolant lines back up
Top off the coolant and transmission fluid to proper levels.
All of which, again, the manual says never to do... but at least it's physically possible now.
Anyone who plans to have it done anyway, insure they're doing the above, and not ripping you off by just changing 1-2 quarts using the drain plug.
#13
Driver
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: NC
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I got mine transmission fluid change at 140,000 miles and I cant really tell a difference in shifting. I got it done at the dealership for approximately $220. I did it for a piece of mind, but the one thing I can tell you that is my transmission do slip on rare occasion after i got it done.
#14
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Its consider lifetime because there is no real way to drain the fluid. As other threads have stated, its physically impossible to drain much more than 10% of the fluid at a time, even with special machines.
Because you cant ever fully drain it, I would recommend sticking with only OEM fluid since you don't want to be mixing fluids together.
Because you cant ever fully drain it, I would recommend sticking with only OEM fluid since you don't want to be mixing fluids together.
To clear this up a bit:
What lexus and the book/manual says:
it's a lifetime fluid in a sealed transmission, and does not, ever, need changing.
What was true up until maybe 18 months ago:
It was physically impossible to change a significant amount of the fluid. Anyone paying for a fluid change before then was being ripped off by a shop that was draining about 10% of the total fluid (all that comes out if you pull the "drain" plug) and replacing that 10%, then charging for a "transmission fluid change"
What is true now:
You CAN do a fluid change now, but it requires special equipment and hooking up to a machine. Why? See below:
The unit is sealed. The 'drain' plug doesn't get much fluid out.
You can't use the cooling lines either- because unlike most cars, they contain coolant not transmission fluid.
They run to a heat exchanger built into the side of the transmission.
And here lies the trick-
A company that builds fluid exchange machines (which normally just hook to the cooling lines) designed an adapter the exact size and shape of the heat exchanger.
So to change fluids you would need to do this:
Disconnect the coolant lines from the heat exchanger
Remove the heat exchanger
Replace it with the special adapter
Connect the fluid exchange machine to the adapter
Run the machine to change out the fluid
Remove the machine
Remove the special adapter
Reinstall the heat exchanger
Hook the coolant lines back up
Top off the coolant and transmission fluid to proper levels.
All of which, again, the manual says never to do... but at least it's physically possible now.
Anyone who plans to have it done anyway, insure they're doing the above, and not ripping you off by just changing 1-2 quarts using the drain plug.
What lexus and the book/manual says:
it's a lifetime fluid in a sealed transmission, and does not, ever, need changing.
What was true up until maybe 18 months ago:
It was physically impossible to change a significant amount of the fluid. Anyone paying for a fluid change before then was being ripped off by a shop that was draining about 10% of the total fluid (all that comes out if you pull the "drain" plug) and replacing that 10%, then charging for a "transmission fluid change"
What is true now:
You CAN do a fluid change now, but it requires special equipment and hooking up to a machine. Why? See below:
The unit is sealed. The 'drain' plug doesn't get much fluid out.
You can't use the cooling lines either- because unlike most cars, they contain coolant not transmission fluid.
They run to a heat exchanger built into the side of the transmission.
And here lies the trick-
A company that builds fluid exchange machines (which normally just hook to the cooling lines) designed an adapter the exact size and shape of the heat exchanger.
So to change fluids you would need to do this:
Disconnect the coolant lines from the heat exchanger
Remove the heat exchanger
Replace it with the special adapter
Connect the fluid exchange machine to the adapter
Run the machine to change out the fluid
Remove the machine
Remove the special adapter
Reinstall the heat exchanger
Hook the coolant lines back up
Top off the coolant and transmission fluid to proper levels.
All of which, again, the manual says never to do... but at least it's physically possible now.
Anyone who plans to have it done anyway, insure they're doing the above, and not ripping you off by just changing 1-2 quarts using the drain plug.