So I have a 94 ES300 and would like to change the transmission fluid. It was suggested that I dont do in a lack of better words "power flush" but do a drain and fill. Now just looking at the owners manual it calls for Dexron II. After researching I believe that this fluid isn't sold anymore. What fluid should I go with as not to cause any problems? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

I would strongly recommend the following procedure (I am assuming your year has an external tranny cooler; I think it does):

1) Buy a filter and gasket kit.
2) Drain then drop the pan. Clean out the pan bottom and magnets. Replace the filter and re-install the pan.
3) Refill with clean new fluid.
4) pump out old fluid via the cooler lines until clean fluid comes out. Like this:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/10...lush-pics.html

5) Then do the drain/fill every 30k.

If you don't drop/clean the pan, your new fluid will quickly re-solubilize contaminants that fell out of the dirty old fluid. You can do drain/fills until the cows come home on older, high mileage cars and feel good. But you aren't really doing that much "good." You need to get the schmutz out and start clean.

FLUID: Dex II is wholly superseded with Dex III. Dex III is superseded with Dex VI. I would use DexIII. Dex VI is a different viscosity, and with different viscosity modifiers in it and while "compatible," does not really play well. I would suggest one of the two following fluid options:

a) Castrol Transmax High Mileage - available at Walmart usually or Autozone in gallon jugs at a good price ($20/gallon or less on sale). Any Dex/Merc or such will work, but this one has some added value to it.
b) If you have a Pep Boys nearby, they have a Pennzoil multi-vehicle on sale for $3.90/qt. Check their website. It is a pre-Platinum full synthetic, Dex III. Now discontinued (hence the price), but a good value. You can order it online and pick up in store. At <$16/gallon, it's a great value.

There are a host of other fluids that can work, this gives you two very good ones widely available at very good prices.

Of either, get 3 gallons. 10/11 quarts should do the tranny, then you have at least a quart left to do your PS system. Like this:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/10...p-rebuild.html

For both systems, this will give you a good baseline and then you can maintain.

 

^good stuff, but I disagree on Dex VI not playing well. I've stuffed it into several '88-'01 Aisin transmissions and it's worked great so far - it is a thinner fluid, but shear properties are nearly the same (on paper). For all but one of the aforementioned transmissions I used Valvoline MaxLife Dex/Merc, and they shift buttery smooth (except for the ones with worn accumulators, usually 200k+) and respond quickly. The one exception was an A247E in an '00 RAV4 FWD, which got O.G. ACDelco Dexron VI. That one shifts a little (just a little) harder than the rest.

Dexron VI is fully backwards compatible with Dexron III applications with two exceptions IIRC: certain heavy-duty Allison transmissions (seal incompatibility, those will require expensive TranSynd) and I think a couple Dexron IIIH applications.

 

You are right, I should have phrased that more carefully. It will work and will "play" for sure. I chose the words poorly and did not fully explain my reasons for suggesting a DexIII type.

VI is slipperier and much more "friction modified." Coupled with the thinner fluid, I find it yields harder shifts when the TCC is involved. That is what I meant to say. The reason for that, is because of the now-standard technique of pulse width modulation for lock up and it's needs for a different clutch material and fluid to handle the higher heat. When that fluid then gets in an older style on/off type system, it delays the lock-up just a bit too long sometimes.

It's more of me being very picky on this issue and noticing the difference, than it really being incompatible.

 

Cool, what I've noticed on A-series transmissions is that the RPM drop when locked up is much more noticeable on the tach. I have an A140E with aged Dexron III in it, and it drops down slooowly a couple hundred RPM, and another that is freshly filled with MaxLife - drops within a quarter second.

 

Anyone got a video or link to somewhere for a tranny drain and fill for a 2001 Lexus ES300?

Also, how would I find out what my transmission is and what filter I need? I know there were 2 different transmissions for those years?

 

It should be noted that the cooler return is to lubricate reciprocating components. Not feeding fluid in at the rate it comes out is not suggested. Yes, many will get away with as the fluid is there leaving a film but this process taking more than a minute is bad....

Revised:
Using pan bolt dump all fluid.
Start engine for like 5 to 8 seconds.
Capture another 1 to 1.5 qts from drain pan.
Pull pan and replace filter. Install pan and drain bolt.
Add 2 qts. Start engine for 45sec.
Add remaining fluid.
Check when warm and top off as needed.

 

It's the same as almost any transmission with a dipstick many vids on Youtube. The procedure posted by 2013FSport is how I do it.
2001 used only the U140E I strongly suggest you get the filter from Toyota or Lexus, the made in China filters have questionable quality and materials.

 

I got this kit, will it fit? Says U141E though? Is that a typo?

 

There might be a U141E in other markets. The part numbers specifically 35330-06010 is what fits your car. I am not a fan of cork gaskets they tend to bond to the pan and need to be scraped off. I bought a filter kit which came with a neoprene gasket that can be reused several times. I tossed the filter though.

 

Ahh ok. This car was purchased in Ottawa used with 50 k km on the odo from a certified Lexus dealership. It's a Canadian car. I remember a long long time ago I got my tranny fluid changed, and I remember the gasket I had wasn't the correct one. I had this kit in the basement. I believe I bought 2 a long time ago just in case, they were on special.

I'm going to try the drain and fill method. I had my tranny rebuilt maybe 40 - 50 k km ago. Not sure if I should just clean the filter and whatever is there / reattach, or put this new one on?

 

The filter is a dense felt like material it can't be cleaned.

 

Yeah don't use a cork gasket. I use the Beck/Arnley or Wix kits that come with a rubber pan gasket. Will work better than cork in the long run, and much easier to deal with when you need to replace it.

Pan bolt torque is 69 in-lbs, go in a criss-cross pattern across the edges. Retorque after the initial torquing. Drain bolt has a German torque of gutantite, but you can go 36 ft-lbs if you really care.

 

Fixed that for 'ya!

Noted, yes, the return line does indeed lubricate some areas before returning to the pan. BUT - without load, and with the area full of fluid (in addition to the film), there's simple no risk. This is the procedure almost universally unused, with no demonstrated damage in decades anywhere.

The suggested revision leaves a transmission 1/2 filled with worn fluid, albeit it is a small improvement on a simple pan drop and fill. I stand behind the original suggestion, as will most others.

GASKETS:
I get excellent life out of cork gaskets dressing them with Permatex Aviation #3. I won't put on a critical gasket of any type without it. It will also make removal and clean-up later easier and a non-issue. But don't take my word for it, check the reviews here:

 

Fixed that for 'ya!

Noted, yes, the return line does indeed lubricate some areas before returning to the pan. BUT - without load, and with the area full of fluid (in addition to the film), there's simple no risk. This is the procedure almost universally unused, with no demonstrated damage in decades anywhere.

The suggested revision leaves a transmission 1/2 filled with worn fluid, albeit it is a small improvement on a simple pan drop and fill. I stand behind the original suggestion, as will most others.

GASKETS:
I get excellent life out of cork gaskets dressing them with Permatex Aviation #3. I won't put on a critical gasket of any type without it. It will also make removal and clean-up later easier and a non-issue. But don't take my word for it, check the reviews here:


The other trick with critical gaskets is to:

a) install them
b) leave sitting overnight (dry well - no fluids in crank/tank/etc.)
c) re-torque again after 24 hours.
d) re-fill and put in service.
e) re-torque a week later

This will compensate for the "set" all gasket materials will take after initial compression. Along with some #3, this sets you up for a really long, leak-free service life.