Michael88

Just want to pass along. My 1998 LS400 was hesitating between 2nd-3rd when it was cold for a second or two. I have used this product in a ford and it did great. However, in my Lexus I had horrible results! I put only 3-4 tablespoons directly into the check/fill tube and now it shutters HARD in every gear shift if you reach 3000 rpms. If you drive normal and not reach 3000 rpms it does fine, and in fact the hesitation between 2nd-3rd is gone. If you put the accelerator to the floor, the shutters are in every gear and hard. I would even say dangerous, as the tires will screech as it shifts into too low a gear. So, I parked it and did a quick 2 quart drain and fill with T type IV. The extreme shifts improved, but shutters still happen at 3000 rpms. This weekend, I will be doing an 8 quart flush with T- type IV at the tune of about $75. It might require new filters, too. BEWARE!

dicer

Cool thank you for doing the possible expensive experiment. The lexus transmission is very fussy with the type of fluid to use. A lot of people and even I would bet transmission shops seem to think a one size fits all fluid is good for them as well. It may work, for awhile, but given the correct fluid and not hot rodding and changing it ever so often, the transmissions will out last pretty much everything else on the car.
There is a possibility that the lucas stuff is absorbed into the friction material, and will permanently bond, so all the fluid changes in the world may not help it.
That is what the stuff is designed to do, to try to improve slipping shifts by altering the friction materials. When you mentioned a delay in shift I first thought maybe a sticky shift valve / solenoid or the like.

Michael88

Just finished speaking with Lucas, and they claim the best thing to do is not drive car until after a complete transmission flush with Type T IV. They said my driving the car for ~45 minutes after adding Lucas transmission fix will not cause this product to bind to any of the inner parts. They also said the car can sit the couple days until the weekend and does not have to flushed immediately. So, the lesson is never put this product in an LS400 and if you have, then park the car until you can do a complete flush. I will follow up.

Leeroy

Get your trans mount checked out

jaaa

Thanks for coming back and sharing your story. Always nice to know(good or bad) how repair efforts came out.

spuds

Very good info.Thank you for sharing that!

Losiracer2

The Lucas Power Steering Stop leak isn't any good either. I had a 90' honda accord w/ 250k miles that leaked a pint a week and the only thing that cured it was this No Leak power steering stop leak made by Stabil. Unfortunately it couldn't stop the massive gusher from my recent 1989 Accord, I needed a new rack and pinion for that just this week.

oldskewel

iTrader: (1)

Credit to Lucas for trying to give you helpful advice rather than just deny that their product could have been problematic, which is what most companies would probably do. Different things will work in different situations.

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

thank you for sharing!
lots of us know only to stick with type-IV ATF since these trans are hyper sensitive to anything else, as seen here.
a flush of the stuff should remove most of the lucas you added, and hopefully get rid of the hesitation altogether.

I had hard shifts on my auto Tacoma, like you with chirps from 1st to 2nd, and it all went away immediately after a flush with type-IV (same stuff for the LS400).
previous owner used generic stuff, and overfilled it.

and losi, Honda is also hyper sensitive to fluids.
only use genuine Honda MTF in your trans as well as PS fluid.
I'm such a stickler for OEM fluids that even my coolant in my CB accord is OEM Honda blue.
have you ever heard of Urea grease? Hondabond? magical stuff!

Michael88

UPDATE - I am very pleased to say that a full tranny flush and refill brought my LS400 back to glory days high performance. Honestly, I never experienced this LS400 performing this well before. I will share. The vehicle had regular maintenance at the dealer, so I assumed the trans fluid has been changed before. I bought a trans filter and gasket kit thinking I would be changing them, and let me say that just wasn't happening. After taking 19 10 mm bolts out of the pan, I found the red seal on the pan of this transmission was not budging. Removing this pan would have required LOTS of force, thus damaging the pan. I wisely stopped the plan to change the filter and gasket. Apparently they used the red liquid pan seal on these, I don't recommend anyone trying to remove their pan unless the transmission is out of the vehicle. That being said, I unhooked the return trans line form the radiator (it is the longer of the two rubber hoses, driver's side) and placed it in a clear 1 gallon juice container (rinsed and dry of course). I marked the clear container for 2 quarts so I could measure what comes out. I started the vehicle and watched the fluid fill the container to 2 quarts mark. I shut off the vehicle and added 2 quarts of Valvoline MaxLife Dextron LV full synthetic (which listed to be compatible with Type T-IV Lexus and Toyota) I emptied the clear container. I repeated this and it took a total of 16 quarts to flush and fill until the fluid came clear red when emptying the catch bottle into the recycle waste jug. This is important, because about 8 quarts into the flush, dark fluid would only come out at the end of a cycle, but if you look at it when you poured it to waste you could see the entire cycle would be quite dark. Thus I chose to buy another 2 jugs (4 quarts each) at $18 a pop. When it ran completely clear red, I dropped the car on to level ground and checked the fluid level by the dipstick and finished the top off.

This car was shuddering after adding only 3 tbs. Lucas trans fix. It was also having mediocre acceleration, occasional not start situations, and just kind of meh performance. I was absolutely shocked to find the true acceleration of this engine. The shifts are awesome without any hesitation, shudders, or delays. I can hear the engine roar, and was shocked to see it return to "racing" ability. I would not race my cars, but I know this car can run with the best of them from experiences in my youth.

I did an engine oil and filter change, too. After seeing the improvement from a neglected trans fluid change, I determined the engine oil change might have been skipped, too. It was, so new synthetic change and wow smooth as silk. IF YOU ARE HAVING IDLE PROBLEMS, poor starts, mediocre performance, then flush your transmission. I know it may seem counter intuitive, but this is what I learned at 210k miles and a 20 year old LS400. Also, I don't think the islanders in Hawaii actually did the last transmission flush maintenance. They just drain 2 quarts from the pan and replaced it.

spuds

My 98 with 245xxx miles has had the 2 quart tranny fluid change with each oil change.That tranny is as smooth as silk and accelerates like a scalded kitty.
Amazing how important tranny fluid is to these cars.