tinman

I just performed a transmission flush on my GS300 with 90K on it. Amazingly, I think it had the original factory fill fluid in it, unless it was changed at the 30K service, but I looked at the 30K service paperwork and it wasn't on there.

I had noticed that the trans just wasn't shifting like it used to. I replaced the transmission filter with a Wix filter kit, gasket included. Holy crap! Never do this! It's an amazingly annoying job to drop the transmission pan thanks to a large bracket that holds the exhaust which blocks just one trans pan bolt! GAHHHH! I imagine the huge bracket is there, and bolted to the bell housing in that way, so that if the exhaust gets hit hard from the bottom then the engine will move up too. Otherwise the exhaust system would move up, and the engine wouldn't causing damage to manifold/gasket issues on exhaust side? Anyway, moving right along... I bolted everything back up and filled it with Toyota T-IV. Then I did a flush by removing the oil cooler line coming from the radiator (passenger side). I got ~5 quarts of black fluid out before it was cheery red (I never noticed how T-IV really looks like cheery candy... too bad it doesn't taste like it). Driving it around, it's like having a new Lexus! Buttery smooth shifts.

vwynn

iTrader: (4)

Congrats!

when you remove the hose did you keep the car on?? please elaborate on that what exactly did u do?? step by step please

VNN326

iTrader: (21)

niceeeeeeee

tinman

Basically, i just did this, as posted on the DIY thread sticky:
http://www.amsoil.com/faqs/ATF_and_F...Procedures.pdf

I would recommend not changing the filter unless you have reason to. I got the filter out and it was dirty, but not so bad that it needed changing.
Five things that I found out while doing this 1)that the transmission pan plug has a crush washer on it. It's a 1 time use washer. I would advise getting a few of these if you visit the dealership to get Toyota T-IV. They will be able to look up the part number. It's a common part, they should have it in stock. 2) checking the fluid level after you complete the flush is a pain and will read wrong. After you complete the flush, put the car back down on the ground (off the jacks), and let it sit for a while. Then start the car up, run through the gear selector (Park to L and back again) then check the fluid level (ATF should be checked with the car running). The reason it reads wrong is because you have just added ~5 quarts of fluid through the dip stick tube. When putting the dip stick back in, it gets coated in oil on the way down so much so that it's impossible to tell exactly where your fluid level is. Let it sit for a short time and the trans fluid will drain out of the dip stick tube. 3) You're probably going to need a different funnel for this. Get one with a long plastic or rubber neck coming out the bottom. The transmission dip stick tube is low, kinda half next to/under the intake runners. This makes it very hard to get the fluid in with a standard funnel. It makes a mess. Trust me. It's messy. Sigh. 4) The return hose FROM the radiator TO the transmission is the one you want to use for the fluid replacement. It's the one on the passenger side that stays on the passenger side. You will have to take off the under engine cowl to see it, but there are two rubber tubes that meet metal lines right under the crank pulley. Those are the tubes I'm talking about. 5) Contrary to what the Lexus service manual says the dip stick tube did not separate into 2 pieces when I dropped the pan. It does have 2 pieces, and it's clearly designed to do that, but it didn't. Take the nut off that holds the top of the dip stick tube to the intake before you drop the pan. This will make life easier.

Things I would have done differently: If i would have still wanted to change that filter, even knowing what i know now, I would have had a shop wrench that big exhaust plate loose before i started this job. I could not get it off myself after 10 years of rust. That would have made this job so much easier. Also, I tried to install a Magnefine filter on the transmission cooler return line (same one you take off to do the flush). It doesn't fit on the 2000 GS300 return line. There isn't enough room. It probably would fit on the cooler feeder line?

speedaddic

iTrader: (10)

warning***if you've never done a tranny flush on your car and it has high mileage, and or if you don't know if the previous owner has done it, DONT DO IT****

You loosen up all the gunk that has built up through the years and it starts floating around in the tranny....say goodbye to the tranny.

fordsvtmfl

iTrader: (13)

That is only "sometimes" true. I did my first flush at 160k and have had zero problems.
It doesn't have as much to do with the mileage as the condition of the trans fluid.

And OP I would ALWAYS recommend changing the trans filter, I cant think of a single reason you wouldn't. Thats like changing the oil and not the filter because you think its not that dirty.

tinman

In this case, I believe you are incorrect. Since i had the pan off i got a good look at the valve body and the bottom of the pan. It was very clean. No gunk visible. The filter was also in good condition (as noted above). Further, i'm going to be installing a inline filter for this transmission to take out the gunk that might be floating around. Even further, i don't think this is a hard and fast rule. I'll post about this in, say 10K miles if you wish. But I'm thinking I won't have much to report.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

This flushing method is as safe as it gets for a flush. It's essentially a big drain and refill process. The flushing that you want to avoid are those that use chemicals to clean out your transmission, or by forcing fluid through.

tinman

The reason i said that was because it was such a pain and the filter was pretty clean anyway. It was really just that bracket that made this a problem. If you have a way of getting it off, change it. Does the Lexus service manual have a mileage recommendation for the trans filter?

djspawn00

I would have to disagree also... if you do a flush and problems occur... you had problems to begin with.

I've done tranny fluid changes on several high mileage vehicles where the fluid wasn't changed before and I've never had a problem.

speedaddic

iTrader: (10)

guys...this has been a rule of thumb for long before our cars were manufactured...look it up..if you have your tranny flushed at one of those "lube" shops and your car is over 100k, a lot will make you sign a waiver...I don't pull these things out of the air...it was just a warning...

one more thing...are you calling a drain and fill a flush? Or actually flushing it out? Drain and fill is not a flush and is not what I'm talking about.

tinman

Thank you for the warning, however I'm still pleased that I did this flush. I will post in a few weeks or months with the results. I've put 140 miles on it so far, nothing noteworthy to report.

speedaddic

iTrader: (10)

did you use chemicals and compressed air to flush? Or did you undo the pan and drain the fluid and replace the filter? What you probably did was a drain and refill NOT a flush. you need to use a machine to FLUSH.

newgsman

iTrader: (4)

I am no mechanic but I think the concern with flushing is more with the power flush that some garages perform. The drain and flush that we perform in our driveway shouldn't dislodge any more gunk than normal tranny operation would. I too have done the drain and fill (complete 12 litres) on high mileage with close to 200K kM without any problems. The old fluid was very dark when changed.

vwynn

iTrader: (4)

He's not doing the crazy machine that runs the fluid backwards with chemicals. the way he did it was pretty much replace the amount drained from the return line