stanleybg

Hello friends.Just before winter comes my lexus gave up.One day coming back from home ot uphil i pressedn gas kick donw and it chanded to kick donw very hard.Then two day it changed gear hard when i wanted power.When driving slow it changes okey.After when going from stationary to first gear it was shaking the car.On reverse it was shaking very hard.But still going.I was going to the shop 20 km away it stoped going in overdrive.Than i stioped on uphil to wait a car.After that i presed the gas and it was staying only in first gear.I came back home.And on cornering there was some grinding noise coming then on straigh in goes away.I changed transmission fluid with filter 16000km before that happened.The fluid was with black dust.After the change may be 1000 or 2000km the same dust in new oil.I used ENEOS FULL Syntethic.It seems the gearbox needs repair.A removed tranny filter and it was stuck with black debris.I cleaned Valvebody and electric valves.I want opinion.There are some upgraded parts for valve body and welded ping frong planetary? Is it worth upgrade it and drive it ? Or it will break again.I love my Lexus but don't know what to do.Repair cost is half of the vehicle price.I can put second hand gearbox but it will break again.Did some of you rebuild the tranny with this upgrades and is it success ? I will change the oil and filter every 30 000km that is not problem.

stanleybg

I have no error codes in ECU.

salimshah

Sad to hear your transmission gave up on you. Transmission seems to be the weakest part in RX. Please share your maintenance history. We have been struggling to find out the reason of failure. When members have gone the fix-up way, they have replaced the planetary gear with steel parts instead of aluminum (alloy?).

If you do a search you will find plenty of threads to read.

The ECU Check engine light usually has to do with emission issue and it does lock out certain gears when it senses the emission issues are bad that the compensation may cause other problems.

My advice would be get en estimate for repairs .. which can range from 2K-5K [depending on who does the repair and what parts are used]. Lexus typically do not fix x-mission in house and they either have serviced transmissions or send the vehicle out for repairs.

Good luck with your decision and I hope that the issue is minor ... not needing the replacement.

Salim

stanleybg

Thank you.I read a lot for this problem.Strange think is i changed oil before 16 000km.Full change.With disconectin oil cooler line and it took like 13-14 liters to get out old dark oil.After that may be 1000-2000km new oil get blacked too.This meand burned.I dont have history.I own car just for 16 000km.When i bought it it was like 128 000km.I changerd everythink.Full maintance.Engine and Tranny.Why it should go dark after 2000km.I suspect valvebody.There is some upgrade from SONAX for this valvebody.It says it is sealing critical oil pressure areas.Like main oil pressure line and other that are for oil cooling.See this - http://www.ebay.com/itm/251674459783?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITIf valve body is not doing it's job it can apply clutches whe vehicle moves and this can burn them and make metal dust in oil.Such a great vehicle with such bad engineering inside.This lexus are very strong suspension , cheap to repair suspension , cheap engine maintance.Perfect vehicle.I do my car repairs my self , and i know many thinks for cars.First time have auto transmission.One place i read that the dust ihn oil is starting from torque converter and this is making gearbox broken.But i don't have any experiense for torque converters.I found a website in USA that is selling Bulletproof torque converter for this gearbox.It costs about 500$.But i am not sure is it torque converter the problem I want to rebuild tranny to became heavy duty and will put Amsoil inside.
If i had money will buy toyota tundra.5.7 they are bullet proof all around.I have a friend with superhcarger installet from TRD.Can't beleive what power and solid is there But it cost's money that i can't afford.

salimshah

Lets hear from other members.

I personally am never in favor of flush (aided/unaided). When you stir the system the sediments can end up any where.

I do recommend [and followed] drop of the pan and cleaning any sludge and clean the filter [99 came with metal screen] and reinstall the pan.

Theories abound about the source of the problem, fluid, pump, load, high-rpm during warmup, planetary gear and so on.

No vehicle is perfect. Back in '99 getting 100,000 miles o trouble free service was the gold standard.

I have never worked on transmission(s) so I cant suggest much .. other than you needing special equipment, clean environment and must be armed with transmission service manual from manufacturer [not the generic type].

Salim

stanleybg

My maing concern is after rebuild will this gearbox last more than that ? Of course with fluid and filter changed every 30 000km.Because to pay half of the car for 100 000km and then the same it's not worth I cany buy a house here for this money
Did someone of you have rebuild and what is his opinion after that?I will use welded pins planetary.
Many cars has transmission problems , BMW , Infinity , Hondas , Mercedes (it has 5G Tronic wich can handle 1000Nm , and breaks too).I want to repair it and drive it , but if it will get broken again in 100 000km it's not worth it.Better sell the car and buy nex model RX wich does not have such transmission problems.

stanleybg

Oil that i drained is completely burned.very dark brown.The gearbox is working only in first gear.Do you think i can try replace the oil and filter ? If the gearbox is working in first gear is it possible that the front planetary broken ? I think if planetary is broken the car will stop moving?

salimshah

It all depends upon how adventures you are?
You can service the whole transmission, do a partial service ... remove each solenoid, test clean passage ways.
If any metal gave way you will see the pulverized metal or broken pieces when you drop the pan,


Note: maint only asks for drain an fill.
extra maintenance is fro pan clean/change filter/, scrub pan.
Service: is more than maintenance .. may require partial disassembly and cleaners ... overhaul.

Salim

thomas1

When my planetary gears died, their was metal debris in the pan. The valve body also had metal particles. Pretty much toast when at that stage.

lexina

One thing I can tell you, toyota type-4 fluid is not that good; it slips, jerks, and clunks badly quite often. I can tell when it refuses to up shift, it will jerk and clunk hard like transmission is falling apart if I force it to shift. Drain and refill does feel better, but it didn't last long and problems came back. I have switched to Castrol Transmax Import Multi Vehicle ATF and can't be happier. It feels firm on the shifts and has not slipped, jerked, or clunked ever since.

You can try the cheap route first with drain and refill multiple times, but I think it is too late to revive it. It's good idea to take Salim's suggestion to drop the pan and investigate how severe it is in there.

stanleybg

First time 16000km ago when i changer oil and filter there was some metal particles on magnet.Not too much but there was some.Now after dead it has only black dust.No metal shavings.Valvebody i opened and cleaned it very well.There was no metal shaving in valvebody.It was very good condition.I am thinking to put Amsoil and new filter to see what will happen.I have never slippery gearbox.It was moving without any slippery at all.When gearbox died and going only into first gear on cornering there was some very bad screaming from the gearbox or transfer case i don't know exactly.First think to do is to upgrade the valve body , then open the gearbox and see what is inside.

stanleybg

Did some of you rebuild their transmission? And after rebuild how it is working ? Any difference ?