Mother of all changing ATF in tranny threads - Level set instructions link in post #1
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dannyk1113 (02-17-22)
#19
Lexus Champion
Honestly, IMO, there's no problem to having fresher fluid. Yeah...Lobuxracer sends in his fluid, they analyze it...etc. In the end...think about it...stuff breaks down. Heat cycling is bad. No oil lasts forever.
If you have 50k miles on your car, AND changing the fluid MIGHT help it...why not? OK...fine...it's premature...you're changing it too early. You're wasting money because you're changing it when it doesn't need to be. You're putting contaminants into the transmission.
Honestly, I don't buy it. Unless you're an idiot, or your service tech is an idiot, i don't get how you can put more contaminates then what you're actually taking out.
If a company comes out and says...we've developed an engine oil that lasts 100k miles...do you believe it? Does the transmission oil not work as hard as the engine oil? Just because the transmission is sealed it can't be introduced to contaminants? In my opinion, oil breaks down. It doesn't protect like it used to, therefore, it needs to be replaced.
You can either spend potentially $400 to replace the fluid...$800 once you get to 100k miles...or maybe when you hit 150k miles, you can replace your transmission...which is $3600 for a rebuilt transmission + $1000-$1500 in labor. Since I'll take my chances and spend the money to have the fluid replaced. By the time I've hit 200k miles, I've spent 800 on new fluid rather than spending $4600-$5100 on another rebuilt transmission.
The interesting thing that we MIGHT not see is how the car will hold up beyond 100k miles because we have no idea how many members will be keeping their cars. Plus there's only a hand full of us that have high mileage IS Fs.
Next weekend, I will be looking at the transmission fluid. If it's black, it's going to get replaced. I'll take pics.
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Marc780 (05-20-23),
Rx350driver (08-25-24)
#20
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Look at this link. Look at the ATF that Joe Z pulled out of his car at 50k miles... I'm replacing my fluid this weekend after having about 13k miles on it to see how it looks to new fluid.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/7470703-post66.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/7470703-post66.html
Side note I don't believe in keeping fluid for the maximum mileage given especially if you drive it a little more aggressive then others. I already planned on changing my fluid early next year just because my car is about 5 years old. Still a young pup in mileage just being careful with it.
#21
Moderator
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The interesting wild card here is that Lexus, who would a.) be supremely interested in taking more of your money and b.) supremely concerned that word would get out that their transmissions blow up at 80k miles or whatever, are the ones putting out the recommendations not to change until 100k miles.
Put another way, why wouldn't Lexus recommend that you change the transmission fluid earlier? The dealers stand to make more money in service and if it led to greater longevity, you'd think Lexus would want it done. Almost always they are the ones recommending service BEFORE it is really necessary, not after.
Put another way, why wouldn't Lexus recommend that you change the transmission fluid earlier? The dealers stand to make more money in service and if it led to greater longevity, you'd think Lexus would want it done. Almost always they are the ones recommending service BEFORE it is really necessary, not after.
#22
Put another way, why wouldn't Lexus recommend that you change the transmission fluid earlier? The dealers stand to make more money in service and if it led to greater longevity, you'd think Lexus would want it done. Almost always they are the ones recommending service BEFORE it is really necessary, not after.
#23
Lexus Champion
Its preventive maintenance. No one ever said that your warranty will be void if you replace the transmission fluid early... Where are your reading this?
#25
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So, this thread bings uo very many thoughts andquestions. I remeber though at 45k asking the dealer to do a tranny flush even though it states the fluid is life long, etc. They aid they could not warranty trans if I requested a change. But now Im at 81K I am considering this service...Any thoughts?
#26
Tech Info Resource
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Not sure about SOMEHOW dirt got into my box dude. I never opened it up. All the particulates inside the oil was from the gear box it self so you can't say that dirt was some how introduced to the gearbox.
Secondly, I don't know what those guys are doing at Blackstone, but if you look at the UNIVERSAL AVERAGES, how come the numbers are different from your oil vs my oil considering we both use the same oil and the same transmission?...
Secondly, I don't know what those guys are doing at Blackstone, but if you look at the UNIVERSAL AVERAGES, how come the numbers are different from your oil vs my oil considering we both use the same oil and the same transmission?...
I didn't say you got dirt in your gearbox, but I also don't know who serviced your car, what they did, and how it might have impacted your results other than we can see you have insoluables, and I don't. It's possible the breather on your gearbox was defective and allowed contaminants to get into the oil. It's also possible the pressures were a little off and you suffered excessive brake wear and heat degradation as a result.
If you send in your oil and find it has insoluables, it would be prudent to change it out. If it doesn't and there's nothing unusual in the sample, it's not prudent.
All the claims of recommendations to change the ATF are unfounded. There is NO published information about how frequently or infrequently the unit needs the ATF refreshed. Lexus Corporate does not include ANY ATF service in the recommended maintenance schedule at all. They only say inspect for leaks and damage.
Again - just like the engine OCI - Lexus pays nothing for servicing the car. The owner has the responsibility to follow the service schedule at the owner's expense. So they don't have any reason to say never service the ATF unless the transmission has been repaired because it does not cost them anything either way.
It's pretty clear from the numbers your transmission had much more wear than mine. I think that's the only conclusion anyone can reach from the two results. It really would be valuable to know why they're different, but we're not able to dive into this because we don't have all the information about what normally fails, why it normally fails, and specifically what went wrong with your gearbox to cause it to fail - the ATF is a symptom, not a cause. Arbitrarily changing it because you're afraid doesn't mean you will or won't have the same issue, it just means you believe changing the fluid will make things better. There are no guarantees of any kind suggesting your gearbox will last longer by changing the fluid unless there is a clear indication something is wrong or something is trending wrong in the wear metals.
#27
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (1)
This is not true...no one knows for sure that it's the same exact 8-speed transmission in the new 3IS F Sport that's in the IS F. There's no confirmation of this. Just because it has an 8-speed transmission, doesn't mean it's the same. Does the BMW 3-series have the same transmission as the IS F? They both have an 8-speed transmission. I'm not being a smart ***, just trying to prove a point.
Confirmation - it is the exact same 8 Speed transmission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lED-x...ature=youtu.be
Digger08
#28
Pit Crew
The real problem(s), IMO, are a high mileage transmission oil change interval DESPITE a wide range of operating conditions, topped off with no way to easily inspect the fluid. It's a recipe to sell more transmissions and reduce vehicle service life in the long run.
#29
Tech Info Resource
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Confirmation - it is the exact same 8 Speed transmission
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lED-x...ature=youtu.be
Digger08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lED-x...ature=youtu.be
Digger08