When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I did regular drain and fills on my LS460 all the way up until I traded it in at 178,000 miles. Tranny shifted beautiful. I even dropped the pan and change the filter the first time I did it. Love the transmissions in these cars!
I personally feel that a transmission fluid exchange via cooler lines is the way to go for maximum value. I would use a Lubegard Transmission Flush then exchange all the fluid out with fresh stuff (or perhaps even run some cheap dextron vi or other WS alternative until it ran clean) and then go a complete WS refill. Did this with my 430 and had no issues despite doing this at 125k miles.
Do it. I did mine at 123k....not sure if it was ever done, but fluid was nasty. Did the method via cooler line. Also changed the filter. Used MaxLife synthetic. 2000 miles later no issues, shifts are more precise now as well.
Also, I noticed on my scanner that normal trans temp was hovering around 200F....that is pretty warm, and that beats up fluid.
Ok so performing 3 drain and fills, is not an option for me as I am not doing the work myself, Nor do I want to.. I will let Lexus do it so if they **** up they can buy me a new transmission.
So can someone describe this coolant line method and this something they would do do you think as normal procedure?
And lastly can the filter only be changed by dropping the pan?
What is Lexus's stated procedures for transmission outside of the US?
I don't know what others refer to when they say, "coolant line method", but I used the cooler lines to exchange all the fluid in mine, wasn't any huge deal. Remove the lines from the radiator, put tubing on both, run the 'hot' line to a five gallon bucket, run the 'cool' line to bottles of fresh fluid (or a large bucket of it for speed and ease of operation), and you can let the transmission's pump do the work, just let it idle, and DON'T let the 'cool' line go dry.
The filter is accessible only after pan removal.
Outside of the US, changing the fluid is prescribed every 80K miles, or thereabouts.
My Ls460 came to me used with a complete trans fluid exchange done at a Lexus dealer,12 qts. I drained the fluid anyway to find it black as coal. I drained and filled it 3 times and replaced the filter the last time. Hence then I ignored all the Lexus Dealer service history and redid everything myself. Because you get charged for something it doesn’t 100% mean it was done.
How many miles did it have? It should not be black as coal unless it has well over 100K miles and was driven really hard or something is wrong. That sounds like someone put the wrong fluid in it at some time. I think I did my first drain and fill in my GS430 at over 80K miles, it did not have the so called "lifetime fluid" but it was still a reddish brown with no noticeable particles when wiped it on a paper towel, the old fluid does look much darker in a plastic milk jug when it comes out but even new fluid looks pretty dark in a plastic milk jug but it clearly red when you wipe it on a paper towel. After doing my first drain and fill, it was pretty red and close to newer fluid on the second one, just one drain and fill probably goes a very long way in extending the life of the fluid/tranny.
I don't know what others refer to when they say, "coolant line method", but I used the cooler lines to exchange all the fluid in mine, wasn't any huge deal. Remove the lines from the radiator, put tubing on both, run the 'hot' line to a five gallon bucket, run the 'cool' line to bottles of fresh fluid (or a large bucket of it for speed and ease of operation), and you can let the transmission's pump do the work, just let it idle, and DON'T let the 'cool' line go dry.
The filter is accessible only after pan removal.
Outside of the US, changing the fluid is prescribed every 80K miles, or thereabouts.
how complicatef and risky is changing the filter? Is it prescribed maintenance when you change the oil outside of the US?
How does lexus change the oil outside of the US? What method do they use?
I have a 2006 GS430, and I know the transmission is vastly different than the LS460, but when I bought my car, I saw the transmission service history below. I was nervous thinking the owner was doing this to try to fix an issue with the transmission. Turns out he just believed it was a good preventive service and had the dealer perform it. I'm approaching 120k miles and the transmission shifts like butter. I probably should have a drain and fill done since it hasn't been done since 2014.
how complicatef and risky is changing the filter? Is it prescribed maintenance when you change the oil outside of the US?
How does lexus change the oil outside of the US? What method do they use?
Changing the filter is super-easy, just potentially messy.
I changed mine at about 108K miles, when I changed the fluid (and the fluid was done, per Blackstone Labs). I'm not going to change it, the filter, again, just fluid...and even that will be a while because it has synthetic in it, now, and I removed all of the old stuff.
I have no idea how they change it, merely what we've come up with, here, and we're a clever group.
I don't know what others refer to when they say, "coolant line method", but I used the cooler lines to exchange all the fluid in mine, wasn't any huge deal. Remove the lines from the radiator, put tubing on both, run the 'hot' line to a five gallon bucket, run the 'cool' line to bottles of fresh fluid (or a large bucket of it for speed and ease of operation), and you can let the transmission's pump do the work, just let it idle, and DON'T let the 'cool' line go dry.
The filter is accessible only after pan removal.
Outside of the US, changing the fluid is prescribed every 80K miles, or thereabouts.
does lexus prescribe synthetic fluid for the tranny? Reason I ask is the idiots at this Lexus will not “install” anything they don’t sell.
A transmission flush via the cooler lines is not necessarily good for the trans. The machine used in those usually runs the fluid out by running the fluid backwards under pressure. Seals are not really designed to do that efficiently. You can get away with it but it can also cause issues. Just be aware. Places sell flushes because it is easy to do, a high profit center. And, the old filter is still sitting in there.
Also just using a bucket of fluid and letting the internal pump do it may not be successful... if the pump is too strong you could suck up fluid faster than it can drain or not fast enough... Be Careful.
The age old method of doing a filter (dropping the pan) and topping off the fluid does not get all the fluid out. The torque converter holds a large amount of fluid (several quarts) and it does not gravity drain. The fluid left in the converter is the reason why as soon as you start the car the new fluid changes color as it mixes with what was left in. Thus, maybe the 3 fluid change mentioned above, all about diluting what was in the torque converter.... If your pan has a drain plug you could do the pan/filter, drive for a few miles, then simply drain it and replace the fluid and be pretty comfortable the fluid is good for at least another 80-100K and the new filter does its job. If I was towing a lot then naturally the service intervals are shorter.
If it were me, I'd stick with dropping the pan, replace the filter up in it, refill and just go down the road. As a general rule what bit is left in there is not going to hurt anything.
I just engage all the gears while letting the pump push out 2 to 3 quarts. Then stop the engine and gravity fill from the other cooler line. Rinse and repeat until I've used the whole case. This has worked for me twice on my 400, once on my 430 and once on the 460 without any issues. You can't really do this on the GS 350 so i let it sit overnight and can get almost 4 quarts out with the drain and fill method.
Just had the transmission fluid drain-and-fill yesterday on our 2013 LS. This is probably the first time it has been done in the car's 96K miles. The shifts were acceptably smooth before but it would sometimes jerk a little when putting into gear. After the drain-and-fill there is zero movement when putting the car in Drive or Reverse and the shifting is so creamy smooth now. I should have done the service sooner but had not realized it wasn't performed yet. For $75 I may do it a few more times with future oil changes to make sure more of the old fluid is exchanged out. I love this car!
09-21-18, 04:47 PM
