usoff89

iTrader: (2)

Yesturday, I left the house and got about 5 mins down the road when I noticed the temp gauge moving around alot. Took the car back home and noticed a small puddle of tranny fluid in the garage before I pulled it back in. I'm thinking its my radiator? I have not gotten under to really see where its leaking from yet, I will tomorrow. But I was thinking about ordering a new radiator so it will be here tomorrow.

Just wanted to get everybody's thoughts on this. The leak looks like it came more from the front (under the radiator). I need a new one anyway, as the current one has a crack in it. It has a temp fix on it, but it isn't leaking anything from there.

LScowboyLS

are you sure it is not the power steering system, which uses red tranny fluid and is notorious for leaking?

the temp gauge moving around a lot is likely unrelated to the leak

deanshark

Your temp gauge moving around means you have air in the coolant system, seeing how it has a temperary fix on the crack in it.

As cowboy said; it could be the PS fluid leaking. If you still have the lower engine cover (mine flew off on the highway, WOW) the fluid can be coming from the back, or the side, and rolling across the cover and dripping out the front. So to find a leak that cover will have to come off. When you change the radiator you will see where the other leak is. The only way to know where it's leaking is to look for it.

UNCNOR

iTrader: (1)

Was surprised to read that power steering fluid and automatic transmission fluid are the same product.Am I understanding this correctly?Is this exclusive toToyota/Lexus or is it universal?Thanks.

deanshark

Not the same product. Tranny fluid can be used in power steering pump, but power steering fluid can NOT go in the tranny.
This is for any car, not just Toyota/Lexus.

UNCNOR

iTrader: (1)

Is there an advantage to using tranny fluid in the power steering pump?

deanshark

It's cheaper.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

it's the right viscosity and what the system was designed for.

the PS uses Dexron III/Mercon spec trans fluid, not Toyota T-IV like the transmission.

LScowboyLS

Actually tranny fluid can not be used in Honda/Acura power steering systems, they are unique, they also cannot use the "power steering fluid" you find at an auto parts store either, only genuine Honda PS fluid, otherwise they will burn up, seen it happen many times!

deanshark

Oops, my mistake. I've never owned, or worked on, Hondas or Acuras. Thanks for correcting me. Ya learn something new every day, or at least every other day.

usoff89

iTrader: (2)

Ok fellas..... I went out and looked at it today after installing the ecu with my new caps! I totally forgot that I was running the oem toyota coolant which is red. My buddy at lexus had given me a couple jugs of it, and I forgot that when I replaced a radiator hose awhile back I filled it with the red stuff. Sorry guys for the false alarm. I'm going to go pick up a new radiator tomorrow morning after I go pick up my strut rod bushings from lexus.

Thanks everybody