I went to my local Toyota dealership today, had a 9 am appointment to get my SC400 flushed with Type IV ATF. Jackass at the dealerhship there was so confident on the phone (twice!!!) that he had the fluid I needed. so I get there, he tells me "oh this needs special fluid you will have to go buy it from Lexus. Anyhow, besides the point that he has wasted my whole morning... I consent. I stay calm. I want the flush right? Anyhow, he tells me:

Yeah, it usually takes 12 quarts, but by 16 because they might need extra for the flush. Now at $8+ a quart I am a little leary of handing him over all 16 quarts that I just bought. So. is this guy pullin' my chain or what? I have ready every thread here on clublexus that deals with tranny flushes for the SC400 and have seen nothing about needing 16 quarts.

SWB

 

how is it possible that the toyota dealership does not have the Toyota branded type T-IV tranny fluid? the 92 SC400 has the same A341E tranny that the LS has, my factory service manual shows 8.7 quarts for a dry fill...

 

12 should definitely be enough- the ATF coming out at that point will be very clear. Running another 4 quarts is way overkill.

 

I've done the flush twice with my '95 SC400 and each time used only 12 qts. to do the job. By the last quart, the fluid was pretty clear (like PerrtyinLA's experience).

Each time, I got the juice from my local Toyota dealer for $4 a quart. I did ask the counter for a deal on a case.

 

The atf fluid is just regular typeIII from what I remember.The Type IV is not needed until the VVTi engines were made.If they do a real flush then they hook the vehicle to a machine through the cooler lines.The machine only holds a certain amount of fluid.The machine I used was around 15qts.

 

You are thinking of the SC300. The SC4 is different.

Check your ATF dipstick or your owner's manual to be sure, but my 1992 SC400 takes Type-IV, not Dex III.