surflife5

I have a 99 GS400 with over 200,000 and I cant remember ever flushing the transmission. I bought the car at 100,000 miles. A mechanic I know says not flush the transmission at this point because it might completely ruin it.
Is this true and what other options do I have?

bizzy928

I don't understand how a flush could ruin your transmission.

Your other option would be to get a transmission drain and refill, then a couple of months later, do it again. After the 2nd drain, 99% of the fluid should be "new".

geko29

I wouldn't "flush" your transmission, which is a process where your trans fluid is replaced by detergent and then replaced again with new trans fluid. But a full fluid exchange, where 10-12qts of trans fluid is used to make sure all the old fluid is gone, isn't such a bad idea, especially at a mileage such as yours.

Lexmex

Drain and fill it...

surflife5

I'll definitely look into a drain and fill. Thanks guys.

mitsuguy

iTrader: (2)

gotta agree with everyone on this one...

flushing ~can~ be harmful (there is much controversy on this), and the older a trans gets, the more harmful it can become...

not saying it would ruin it, but it could...

I have a trans flush machine sitting about 100 feet from me right now, and I still only drain and fill my trans...

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

Several drain and fills is what I would do. If you insist on a flush, do NOT do a power flush. Instead do a t-tech machine flush which uses no extra pressure.

surflife5

I went to the Lexus dealer and they said not to even drain and fill the transmission fluid with such high mileage. They said the corosion that has built up in the transmission is actually preventing leakage. I thought maybe I can just add some fluid (Type lV). What do you guys think?

narfy

use a flush machine and do a fluid exchange with it.. no detergents/chemicals...

Max707

Follow the dealers advise.

toy4two

at that milage? No do not flush it, drain and fill.

damon

Just out of curiousity , don't you have to drain a little to see what the hell that looks like??

Even if you drain & refill only 1 quart it is bound to help the fluids performance from a temperature standpoint. Hell, poor it back in if it really starts to slip.


BTW: Would not do it again but when I first got my 94 LS I did a flush on a BG machine at a Toyota dealer with T-IV fluid. Also used the BG pre-flush product. No problems. My fluid is now clean as a whistle & I keep it that way.

Max707

That's the ones I've heard problems with, when someone puts anything but the correct transmission fluid in their transmission. I guess some of these cleaners can cause problems

damon

Max 707,

If you properly use the BG pre-flush product that I used (part # 106), the car is never actually driven with it in the transmission or resevoir. It is for immediate pre-flush only & is meant to clean valve bodies & filter screens.

The crap it supposedly removes never recycles or floats free because it is flushed out immediately by the machine.

Having said all this it is much easier & cheaper to do drain & refills.
Can be done much quicker & easier than an oil change.

Max707

I'm just telling you what I've heard. I also talked with a transmission expert at SEMA last year and he stated you should "NEVER" put anything in your transmission other then the manufacture recommended transmission fluid. But it's your vehicle you can do what you want