Lexmex

TunedRX300,

What are you up to on your mileage?

TunedRX300

67K on the clock. I did two drain and fill with Toyota T-IV for the last two years. There should be three magnets in the pan, plus one the drain plug. However, ATF have to be close to these magnets for them to work. From what I understand ATF must go through the filter to be circulated from the pan so it is critical to keep the filter clean.

Lexmex

I took another look in my manual and remember the last time we pulled the pan, that shoud be a snap to do the above. Will wait until you do it and post photos and then go ahead and then will do procedure on my own with photos. I am at 108K.

They were really specific on the placement of those 3 magnets by the fluid strainer.

Purdy99

I doubt I'm mechanicaly inclined enough to do it myself, but I'll definitely get the dealer to do it if you guys find cleaning the filter helps. Thanks for keeping us informed!

TunedRX300

Update folks, tranny filter is not the cause of the noise. Might be a noisy pump that works extra hard to pump ATF, especially at cold startup.
I changed the transmission filter, which is integrated with the oil retainer by dropping the tranny pan. I even drained out 7 quarts of ATF from the tranny cooler, torque converter, tranny pan, and the transfer case. The noise is still there.
Will call my shop to change both serpentine and PS/AC belts since I need to replace my belts but I doubt aged belts are to blame.

DaveJ

Thanks for the update. I'm taking my RX in to the dealer next week to flush and replace transmission fluid. From what you experienced it probably won't fix my RX's tranny noise, but it's overdue for a fluid change anyway. I'll post again on the results.

Purdy99

Thanks for the update!

How did the filter look, and was there much metallic buildup on any of the magnets?

TunedRX300

The filter does not look bad at all after 68K. However, about 80% of the filter can not be examed because it is enclosed with the metal shell of the oil retainer. All three magnets have a layer of metal shavings that took me an entire sheet of shop towel to wipe off.
Filter/Oil Retainer

Tranny Pan

Magnets Clean vs Dirty - Kit Kat anyone?

Metal Shaving

Lexmex

That's good news.

I will have to take a look at mine and see if any porcupines are lurking there. I may not get to it until next weekend as I planned to do some minor aesthetics this weekend on the RX.

Lexmex

TunedRX300,

I won´t have access to a new filter down here, but did you get the sense that upon removal after the pan that it could be washed out with water, as I imagine any particles (if I find any) might be on just one side of the filter?

My uncle said that he has seen some nasty particles in some older vehicles and we will see after I get my second car (an early 1970s vehicle) with an auto tranny.

TunedRX300

The filter is enclosed in the metal shell of the oil retainer, unless you have those water squirting hose that dentists use to wash you mouth, you won't have access. But my filter looks clean but I can only see 20% of it...

Fern

Sorry folks,

I had to repost this question on the topic.

My focus on original whining noise was exactly that.... whining noise AND... more specifically when decellerating in 2nd gear.

So.. I take of when engine is cold at ambient temperatures below 10deg celcius and if car gets up to lets say 70-80 km/hr and I decellerate, I get an annoying whining sound coming from what appears to be the trani. This is only for the first 5-10 minutes, then everything returns to normal. Until I turn off the car and things cool down again.

Anyone experience this problem.

I found various topic on the web about Toyota trani whine, but nothing about what causes it or how to resolve, just one comment about possible trani outut shaft issues, which frankly are scaring me:
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...mission-whine/
http://www.4x4review.com/discussions2/robots/2248.asp
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/fj60_trannyswap/
http://www.doeuv.com/Temperature-rel...ne-754240.html

Lexmex

Fern,

Actually, I have heard this (sounds a little less on accelerating), but I still hear it on decelerating and I attribute it to the tranny still needing time to warm up.

Every time I am about to take a long trip outside of Mexico City (say going to Texas), my father and I will start up the vehicle and wait exactly 13 minutes as that is when the coolant reaches its max level in my vehicle. My RX handles normally after those 13 minutes.

However, I usually just start it and go. Then I am on an approach road to the toll plaza less than 5 minutes away, I get that whirring sound upon deceleration to the toll plaza after zooming it up to that 40 to 50 mph equivalent, even though I could take it up faster without the tranny fighting me.

Sometimes even when on the toll road itself I still hear it, but after that temperature gauge reaches about normal, no issues.

On the track, I usually park my vehicle for a short period of time, coolant down the radiator with some water (doesn't hurt it) and then start it up about 30 to 45 minutes later and wait at least 4 minutes. Now, after running the 1/4 mile and decelerating I sometimes get that whirring sound, but on the following run less than 2 minutes later, nothing.

RNDRX

Ours does it to but have had no problems from it.

Have had issues with it delaying it's shift from second to third until the motor is warmed up. Mainly in temps below 50 degrees first shifts of the day.......................?

DaveJ

As expected, flushing and refilling the tranny fluid didn't change a thing regarding the whirring transmission noise. The oil needed changing anyway. Hopefully the noise won't turn into a much larger transmission problem.