Just wondering if anyone has ever heard of a GS4 motor or tranny having to be rebuilt?

If so, was it because of something stupid like the owner going 100,000 miles without changing his oil, or somebody putting sugar in the tank, or the owner going nuetral drops from a dead stop? Or was it just from normal\aggressive driving?

Was it modded, or stock?

I've heard the 1UZ-FE is practically unbreakable no matter what the milage as long as the fluids are changed with consistancy. But I haven't heard much about the transmission.

So how long can I expect this car to get me from Point A to Point B before it requires a motor or tranny rebuild or replacement?

 

Someone I know destroyed (fried) their tranny, I think from putting in a racing torque converter and driving like a mad man (including torque braking to burn rubber like crazy). It was expen$ive to fix.

 

Approx. 6 months after I had my PI T/C installed, I had a problem with my tranny. Essentially it got low on fluid (which will kill any tranny - but I always checked all fluids weekly). The tranny shop's theory was the pump went out causing a loss of fluid which then destroyed the T/C causing a whole lot of metal to run through the tranny. Lexus' official position was I had an after market T/C which failed - translation...no warranty I pay for everything.

So I got a new pump and put back my stock T/C while PI rebuilt the one I bought from RMM (no charge for that at least). I was having the tranny fluid drained and replaced weekly with all kinds of metal coming out each time. Tranny didn't feel right so I figured I'd have it rebuilt. I was going to go with SRT, but it seemed like their turn around time would have caused me to spend 2 to 3 months in a rental (and based on what I've read from other members - maybe even longer). So I sent it to Level 10 - they turned it around in a week. This was two years ago and it's been running great ever since.

 

Klyn... how much did it cost for the rebuild?

 

Cost of the Level 10 rebuild was $3,250 - plus the cost of a rental car for two weeks.

 

No issues witht he GS except for a small oil leak last week fromthe cam seal which required replacing. My SC400 required an engine rebuild after 140k. Lack of proper oil maintenance was to blame for that. Engine was failrly straightforward to rebuilt. The GS engine is even easier (knock on wood) to rebuild. No ignition wires, cap/rotor to worry about.

 

Six years as Lexus tech, never done any major engine repair on the 1UZ-3UZ yet. So do the rest of 33 techs(Atlanta and Gwinnett location) and some of them work for Lexus since 1990. If we have to do one, nobody know how..lol The same go to the tranny. With regular maintenace you'll be alright.
Last year I got one 1992 SC400 towed in because the car overheated and die on the highway. I've found out that some shop put aftermarket radiator and forget to tight the lower radiator hose. The hose came loose and the SC loose all the coolant. The owner drive it until it die from overheated(ECM shut off the engine). Lift the SC up, put the lower hose back and tight up the hose clamp. Filled up with coolant and she is on her way home. .

 

Wow! That's great to hear from a Lexus Tech!

 

ya!

 

That is awesome, and a total confidence builder VVT - nice to know whe can bolt a few things on, and still get high reliability by taking care of our vehicles.