Bill Dowd

you pose a good question there are plenty of people who will answer your question as well as me. Each has a different story I hang out at a transmission shop they don't recommened a flush with that much mileage I would agree you can have a independent trans shop drop the pan and check for any metal or clutch material. After they put back on the trans pan refill the trans ask them to do a drain using the drain plug on the transmission pan which all lexus have. I would have them do a few drains running the engine about 10 minutes between each one to get the trans fluid to mix well with the old fluid and this way your start to clean up the old fluid. I you can work on the car yourself do your own drains check with lexus how much the pan holds in fluid. A friend of mine had a shop do the first drain and we did the rest about 6 of them over a weeks period and the oil was a bright red. We also used Mobil one synthetic fluid this is only an option or you can use toyota type 4 fluid it is cheeper and is the same as the lexus type 4. The only reason I use mobil one synthetic I can run it for 30,000 to 40,000 miles with no problems. My 91 lexus has 200,000 miles on the same trans and puts up with 3-5 hours of traffic daily in Southern California which tears up trannys so far no problems I also run a trans cooler again an option. I drive 3,000 to 3,500 per month and the trans still shifts great in all the traffic .

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

for the last time bill, Mobil1 specifically states that their "mobil1 ATF" (the "universal one") is NOT suitable as a toyota type-IV replacement.

hell, they make another fluid that WILL work.
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/..._ATF_3309.aspx

hobojoe

Pure I know this and would only put back in T 4 or the Acceptable Mobile, im just curious as to what everone else thinks about doing it at such a high mileage with only 1 flush ever done to it.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

i didnt comment on the flush issue, personally i think as long as its done properly the transmission wont have any problems.

hobojoe

And by properly you mean.... im going to assume a good tranny shop does it, or i do repeated drain and fills...

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

yea, no jiffy lube crap

damon

I just had a first time flush done on a 90 LS (226,000) that was having problems & was due in a tranny shop pending the outcome of the procedure.

All went well & it is now back on the road. I did have to provide/purchase 9 quarts of T-IV to insure we got the fluid we wanted.

Bill Dowd

Hello Pure Drifter,
Thanks for the comeback, I agree with what you said and on the other side I talked with the engineers at mobil and they said that the first gen lexus trans would run the mobil one fluid. and now the fluids are changing and from about 1997 to now using friction modifiers also have you heard about the new trans fluid from toyota and lexus call world service never needs changing and so far there are no other trans fluids that will work with it. and when you want to get a trans service only the dealer can do it at present costing about $160.00 to $200.00 and the trannys are sealed no more trans dip sticks the same as the BMW sealed trans. what are your thoughts about this new way of building trans that are going 100,000 miles with out service . I also heard the new world service oil might be dino oil going 100,000 miles this should prove interesting the way the americans drive thier cars.

hobojoe

OK cool good to know someone else did it without a hitch i thought the tranny held something along the lines of like 12 quarts though?

damon

The new Toyota/Lexus fluid is called ATF WS. part 08886-02305
Around $42.00 a gallon. It is used in the trans-axle of the Prius.

The official Toyota reasone de etre:
"It is important to reduce the viscosity of automatic transmission fluid (ATF) in order to improve fuel economy. However, in general, low-viscosity fluid can cause metal fatigue, wear, and seizure. It is necessary to increase the viscosity of the fluid at higher temperatures to maintain the durability of the automatic transmission (AT). The key point is the selection of the base oil and the viscosity index improver (VII) with both a high viscosity index (VI) and excellent shear stability. On the basis of this concept, a new-generation, high-performance ATF named WS was developed. WS can achieve the highest level of fuel economy, while maintaining the durability of the AT".

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I have not heard if it is backward compatible but would guess that it is.
I have heard of independant shops that have it in stock.

Fairly certain an A341E transmission holds 8.8qts.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

i highly doubt that it is backwards compatible otherwise toyota would have phased out the T-IV fluid.

They did just that with the older TII fluid when TIV was introduced.

damon

One of the better post I have ever seen here:
This is from "SeatleGS400" in July of 2003.
An exacting guy to be sure.


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"For each drain and fill process (drain the ATF, refill with 2 quarts, drive around town for at least 5 min to mix the new and old ATF), here’s how much of the old ATF fluid remains (the GS400’s A/T capacity is 9 quarts)":

Percentage Old AT Fluid Remaining after a ATF Drain and Refill Process, and susequent Drain and Refills
(1) 77.8%
(2) 60.5%
(3) 47.1%
(4) 36.6%
(5) 28.5%
(6) 22.1%
(7) 17.2%
(8) 13.4%
(9) 10.4%
(10) 8.1%

19psi

i'd flush it. the trans in these things is very well built and should not have any problems at your mileage.
i had no idea of the history of mine when i bought it with 132K. i looked at the trans fluid, it was brown, so i flushed it. no problems whatsoever.

steveski

I can't imagine why you would not flush it since it is very easy and takes just a few minutes. A quart of ATF T4 costs between $4 to $8 depending on where you buy it. It would not matter to me how many miles are on it or if it was ever done B4 I would still do it IMO

hobojoe

Thanks guys Got my apt for a flush this weekend, brining my own Type T though just to be sure