doggystyl

Hi, I have a doubt about the location for the drain plug and fill plug on the CVT on my 2010 RX450h.

Front differential :
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...1&d=1490740167
I believe the red circle is the drain plug and the green circle is the fill plug.

But a video on youtube makes me doubt concerning the filling side :
The guy fills transmission fluid by a plug located on the other side of the CVT, by the driver side. This plug faced the left front wheel.

I took a picture of mine, circled in green.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...1&d=1490740655

Rear differential : I think it makes no doubt about the plug location.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/att...1&d=1490740655
Red circle for the drain plug, green circle for the fill plug.

Can you help me please?

Kind regards.

salimshah

2 suggestions.

1. Always loosen the fill bolt before attempting to loosen the drain bolt. Just imagine the aggravation if the filler gets stripped or you are unable to budge it while the fluid is all drained out.

2. To fill make sure the vehicle is horizontal. You can use a longer pipe with the funnel.

Salim

doggystyl

Yes I know, always unscrew the fill bolt first. But I'm not sure about the fill bolt location on the front diffrential ?

Clutchless

Look at this from a thread in the hybrid forum. It is the service manual page in PDF that shows what you need to change it.

salimshah

Thank you Clutchless for sharing.

Attachment is my first visual to RX-450H manual. Printed service manual of yesteryears had a different outlook .. larger pictures and Torques on picture.

SET the vehicle to FWD inspection mode ---> can some one explain that.


Salim

Clutchless

I have read those instructions about that part and think it makes no difference. It is just a more complicated way of saying to recheck the fluid level again after driving and the vehicle is warm. Fluid may expand a bit when warm and some may flow out if you do this.
It is something I have never done.....and have had no transmission issues and I think it makes no difference and bet your local Lexus mechanic does not do it either.
I have done several hybrid transaxle drain and fills on both my former CT200h and current HS250h. One each I opened up the fill and drain plugs, Then filled it back up until fluid ran out the fill hole. Just like changing the fluid on a manual transmission or differential. Make sure the vehicle is level when jacked up.
I do not think they are that sensitive to fluid levels, as long as it is near overflow on the fill hole.

doggystyl

It is exactly what i needed (at least concerning the front transaxle), thanks a lot. Now it is confirmed that the procedure featured in the youtube video is ok, this man is right !! I have to fill by the the opposite side of the CVT drain plug, that means the plug in front of the left front wheel.
But still no idea what is the plug/bolt on the same side of the drain plug just above the axle ?
Because the procedure with the RX400h shows that drain and fill plug are on the same side https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hyb...ial-plugs.html

doggystyl

I think it can be done only with a diagnostic data tool.
Just need to drive a little warms up the CVT, it would work the same.

thomas1

Hey what I do is after I fill, I just run the transmission thru the gears drive, reverse, and end at park and recheck the level....Man you are already diving in on your new wheels...

thomas1

Weird the plugs look like they are about same height in relation to axle shaft, but I have the RX400h and maybe it is different, I am going to have to look at mine to see if it has that plug....might be easier to pump the fluid in.

Clutchless

I use a fluid transfer hand pump to put the fluid back into the transaxle. It does get a little messy changing bottles and with the overflow! Put a lot of newspaper on the floor!

thomas1

That is what I use also, those original pictures are from my RX400h. By the way did anyone notice the filth in the utube video? That is how my fluid looked at 89k miles. Remember fluid additives break down and there is no such thing as lifetime anything when you are talking mechanical devices. Maintenance promotes longevity.

thomas1

I have 199k miles on my RX400h and change my fluid yearly... The fluid is always a little dirty (around 15k miles)

salimshah

Getting off topic:
Learning starts now.
Meaningful driving over the weekend.

Salim

thomas1

Enjoy you ride Salimshah, Watch your gas peddle, it is truly a hotrod. Nice thing is the mileage never drops to the level of the RX300.