When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I noticed a quite obvious difference in torque converter behaviour: with the WS, the torque converter clutch would disengage immediately once the foot is off throttle (almost any speed). with T4, it's normal.
I'd like to ask a question:
Now, the level is exactly between min and max. Should I add some to bring the level to max (need to buy)? What's the difference between min and max? Is it 1/2 or 1/4 litre (quart)?
Thanks in advance!
You are good to go. That is why there is a min and max.
Just do another drain and fill in about 16k-20k km.
But that is only my opinion. It's cheap insurance.
In 16-20 km or 16-20k km? I drove a bit today and measured. Seems to be ok. I'll check the fluid condition next week and see, but since they changed the pan last week (and used 6 litres of WS, the fluid on the dipstick was all violet-red as opposed to pink-red) I guess everything down there should be gone already. I also drove a little before today, so the WS probably has washed away all there is to wash.
I'm also thinking about changing the power steering fluid (seems to have never been done). The manual says DIII, so I'm thinking about getting a litre of Castrol Dex III and do the turkey baster thing. The car seems to be solid, so there's no need to do a full flush. I may unfasten the serpentine belt if I'm happy, and turn the pump by hand a bit. Probably will work.
Oops, yes I meant every 16k-20k km. You could do another 2litre change when you do your next oil change if you feel too much of the WS fluid is still in there.
As for the PS fluid, I originally pulled the tank and tried to remove as much of the fluid as possible. The tank was very dirty and I used a rag with a rod to Move the rag around the sides of the tank. To get the fluid out of the rack and pinion, I turned the wheel left then right several times, engine off. This removed more fluid. It's a very messy process.
Now I just use a mityvac to remove the fluid from the tank. I use Dexron VI for the PS fluid because it is backwards compatible with Dexron III.
Oops, yes I meant every 16k-20k km. You could do another 2litre change when you do your next oil change if you feel too much of the WS fluid is still in there.
As for the PS fluid, I originally pulled the tank and tried to remove as much of the fluid as possible. The tank was very dirty and I used a rag with a rod to Move the rag around the sides of the tank. To get the fluid out of the rack and pinion, I turned the wheel left then right several times, engine off. This removed more fluid. It's a very messy process.
Now I just use a mityvac to remove the fluid from the tank. I use Dexron VI for the PS fluid because it is backwards compatible with Dexron III.
Thanks. I actually was quite surprised because I found no noticeable trace of WS (could still be some, but the color and smell was consistent with new T4. Shifting now also feels better than I've had felt in this car. Seems even under minimal throttle shifts are immediate (seen on the tach).
I'll probably use a hand pump for the PS. It's non-invasive and easy and quick. I don't mind doing it every day for a week.
I noticed a quite obvious difference in torque converter behaviour: with the WS, the torque converter clutch would disengage immediately once the foot is off throttle (almost any speed). with T4, it's normal.
I'd like to ask a question:
Now, the level is exactly between min and max. Should I add some to bring the level to max (need to buy)? What's the difference between min and max? Is it 1/2 or 1/4 litre (quart)?
Thanks in advance!
You may want to look at TSB TC003-99 which talks about the limitations/requirements of changing your transmission fluid from OEM to something else.
I once read one or two horror stories about people who went from T-IV to something else.
You may want to look at TSB TC003-99 which talks about the limitations/requirements of changing your transmission fluid from OEM to something else.
I once read one or two horror stories about people who went from T-IV to something else.
Please share these horror stories, I for one would like to know what brand fluid they were using. I did read the WS fluid is not correct for the SC430 transmission.
Also, please post this TSB, because most people don't have access to the TSBs. Or at least, tell us how we can access the TSB.
I did my research before using the Valvoline MaxLife and it will not void the Lexus Warranty.
BTW, think about something, who makes the T-IV fluid? Could it be Valvoline?
Some people say there sre many crooks in the car repair business. That **** dealer really is a bunch of crooks.
I did a drain and refill this morning. The fluid that came out was newer than before but definitely not completely new.
They first charged me six litres of ws. Then told me completely replaced with t4. I think they used 2 litres of ws and later did a drain and refill with 1.8 litres.
Really confirms that you can't rely on the color on the dipstick.
Some people say there sre many crooks in the car repair business. That **** dealer really is a bunch of crooks.
I did a drain and refill this morning. The fluid that came out was newer than before but definitely not completely new.
They first charged me six litres of ws. Then told me completely replaced with t4. I think they used 2 litres of ws and later did a drain and refill with 1.8 litres.
Really confirms that you can't rely on the color on the dipstick.
****ing *******s.
Never completely rely on the color of the dipstick, usually fill a cup with used and compare to out of the bottle.
I can't recall where I heard the horror stories. I researched this back in 2009 when I went to my first fluid change on my Toyota Solara.
An important sentence in this doc is "With the exception of mixing ATF Type T with Type T–IV fluids, different types of fluids must not be mixed."
On every car I've ever owned I'd drain/replace the fluid every 10/15k. On my newly-acquired 2003 SC I did it once when I got the car, then dropped the pan and replaced the filter (and fluid), and then did a drain/replace 3 more times. All within a span of about 8k miles. Whenever I do the drain/replace on my Solara, the color of the fluid that comes out is a nice cherry red - every single time. That's because I've been doing it since the car was new.
The newer Toyota trannies use WS. When specified WS, nothing should be used other than. Highly suggest not even fluids that say that they are equal to or better than WS.
WS is expensive for a reason, they should last a long time. The color is not as critical as the old TIV. They are supposed to be used on sealed trannies. But we all know better that fresh fluid is better than tired fluid.
I've made two more fluid changes. The car runs fine. However, the fluid I got out of the transmission hasn't changed colour at all since I changed the fluid on 17 June. That's six litres of new ATF not making a difference?
Does this mean water is making its way into the transmission? I did an experiment last month adding some water in new fluid. The ATF loses translucency even with just a couple of drops of water.
There's no sign of oil in the coolant (of course, since coolant is on the high pressure side, this isn't surprising even with a leak).
IMO, I think your fluid is just fine.
It's difficult to keep it looking brand new.
I flushed almost all of the fluid at once and it looks like yours.
If you pour a little on a rag or just look at the dip stick, it will look very red and clear but when you place it in a bottle it will look like your fluid.
IMO, I think your fluid is just fine.
It's difficult to keep it looking brand new.
I flushed almost all of the fluid at once and it looks like yours.
If you pour a little on a rag or just look at the dip stick, it will look very red and clear but when you place it in a bottle it will look like your fluid.
Good to know. I'll do one last fluid change in a few days. If the colour improves, I'll do another one and finish my stock.
Btw, I've been using Mobil 3309 (from two different sources) for the last three changes. It smells just like how my fluid did the first time I drained the transmission. But, the T4 I bought at Toyota (France) smells different - just like I said in one of the first posts, it smelled a bit like gear oil (or indeed Dexron 3).
Since the old fluid and the 3309 from two different sources smell the same, I'm suspicious that the T4 in France is not good. So either way it's not a bad idea to do another exchange. I got a small, battery-driven electric pump that does this job really well.
05-31-16, 10:31 AM
