chuckler

oh man...sounds scary...i'm gettin a 250 MT in a few weeks...i hope i don't run into the same problem

Shoafb

Pretty much all of them seem to have the problem. When you test drive it drive around in stop and go traffic for a bit first. The problem seems to get worse once the clutch is warmed up a bit. Then try slipping the clutch on a hill and see if you hear some "rattle" and other worriesome noises.

If there is no noise please come back and let us know.

Thanks.

Gernby

iTrader: (1)

This makes it sound even more like a throwout bearing to me. Not a defective one, just a poorly designed one.

silverbuli

Thanks bang-on what i'm getting too. Well it's good to know that I'm not the only one who recognizes there's a problem. Now we must join forces and fight the common enemy!

Silver

9520G

What part of jersey are you from? I asked a couple days ago if anyone had an 07 with manual trans, I'm very curious to see if lexus fixed this problem, well noice cause everyone has it.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I doubt it. It looks exactly like the one they used in the Supra, and it's a pull type clutch too. Bet money (and quite a bit) it's the flywheel. The first time my Supra made a bad flywheel noise I just happened to be next to an old pickup truck. I thought he had a bad muffler as I was accelerating from 35 to 45 mph. Then it happened again with no truck anywhere. I learned to drive around it because it only happened between 35 and 40 mph in fifth gear.

As you release the clutch, there's a lot of harmonic vibration going on from the slipping/sticking action of the friction material. If anything in the flywheel noise damping system isn't happy about it, there will be unpleasant noise, and it will sound like it's coming from the engine.

I'd bet a lot of money too that the throwout bearing is not the source of the noise.

Gernby

iTrader: (1)

I certainly wouldn't bet against you. I've never seen a Toyota clutch, but I'm sure it isn't designed much like a Honda S2000. However, the symptoms are identical.

FWIW, the S2000 had a hydraulic clutch with a master / slave cylinder that pushed the release fork "see-saw" lever. The thrwout bearing was a really loose bearing that rested between the pressure plate and release fork. Anytime the clutch was disengaged, that bearing had to center up and find an equilibrium with the 2 components it was in contact with which caused a lot of rattling.

andone

Wow and i am starting to worry about what i am getting myself into. I special order my manual is250 in the end of Nov and i hope if don't get the same problem when i get my car. Does anyone with a 07 is250 manual have this problem and please keep us posted.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Take a look at this pic. I expect you'll see a lot of similarities. They reduced the parts count significantly, but the basic design is the same.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Take a look at these two - they look like siblings. Now you know why I suspect the flywheel. The unfortunate thing is, there is nothing in the service manual about checking the flywheel damping system. Maybe because it isn't new technology anymore, but there should be a basic check for the flywheel damping in the manual. There definitely is in the Supra manual.

Gernby

iTrader: (1)

lobux,

I still wouldn't bet against you, but I feel like the symptom that you described from your Supra doesn't sound nearly as much like the IS250 manual symptoms as they do the S2000 symptoms. Actually, the '00-'01 S2000s did have symptoms that sound more similar to your Supra's, but that was a different problem (resonation of the springs in the pressure plate) that was resolved in hte '02+ model years. The throwout bearing issue was never resolved AFAIK.

BTW, the 1st set of pictures with the "clutch release hub" looks a LOT like the throwout bearing on the S2000. Although, the S2000's bearing had WAY fewer parts.

silverbuli

I'm really glad that there are some "experts" on here. I wish Lexus had some staff that had troubleshooting knowledge rather than just some monkey's who know how to replace components randomly. I'm not a car expert but I told them from day 1 that "I don't think it's the tranny - the noise seems to be coming from the engine."

I'll let you guys know how this story ends. The bottom line is the chances of me ever buying another Lexus are less than 1% - they seem to make the crappiest MT cars. Don't even get me started on the number of people I've already talked out of buying a Lexus

Silver

06LexIS

Same here, my car has now 25K and the noises are still there. It sounds like a bunch of marbles being thrown around in there, I've complained a million times, it's been documented on every oil change but they always say the same *****, "there's not that many 6 SPD RWD IS250's around here, so these complaints sound like isolated incident", meaning the way I drive the car.

I changed my tranny oil to Mobil 1 synthetic 75W-90 and it has helped in terms of the notchyness feel/grinding 2nd gear issues but it hasn't been solved.
My IS250RWD is my daily commuter and the miles are pilling on quick, maybe I might see things before you guys do.
I've had from dash/sunroof rattles, several re-alignment problems, front tires replacement @10K, tranny noises(replaced oil @15K) but the motor is strong.
I wish the tranny was the same.
My .02 cents.

Raf

9520G

Yeah I too myslef have the noise but no mechanical problems, I blocked it out of my head already since i know there isn't a fix for it, I gave up with lexus a long time ago.

Gernby

iTrader: (1)

Mobil 1 synthetic 75W-90 in a transmission?!!?

You need to drain that out right away! It is a gear lube, not a transmission oil. Your synchros are disolving as we type!

EDIT: According to the owner's manual GL-5 is recommended ...