Transmission fluid change.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 49
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From: TX
Transmission fluid change.
Okay so I just got to 105k miles on my RWD 2014 Lexus IS 350F 8 Speed
ive done all maintenance and fluids, except the trans
Riverside Lexus told me not to worry about it as it’s lifetime but I doubt any fluid last forever….
I now live in Texas and my local dealership doesn’t recommend it either, the thing is this is my Daily and I also drive it very spirited, should I replace fluid at transmission shop or how do I go about this…
I’ve had the car since 60k miles but in the car fax it doesn’t show it was ever changed and I never done it due to dealer telling me it will be fine. What should I do? Is it to late? Will I damage something doing the fluid change now?
something tells me it’s beyond time to replace this fluid.
ive done all maintenance and fluids, except the trans
Riverside Lexus told me not to worry about it as it’s lifetime but I doubt any fluid last forever….
I now live in Texas and my local dealership doesn’t recommend it either, the thing is this is my Daily and I also drive it very spirited, should I replace fluid at transmission shop or how do I go about this…
I’ve had the car since 60k miles but in the car fax it doesn’t show it was ever changed and I never done it due to dealer telling me it will be fine. What should I do? Is it to late? Will I damage something doing the fluid change now?
something tells me it’s beyond time to replace this fluid.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 1,752
From: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
I would suggest changing the fluid now, a few times.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 345
Likes: 95
From: Ontario, Canada
I would suggest changing the fluid now, a few times.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
Basically, I still advocate for at least one drain and fill at 60k miles (100k km), but the above states that doing multiple drain/fills to get as much of the old fluid out might be detrimental if there is a lot of suspended clutch particles in the fluid.
Edit: I found this thread that says the suspended particles are useless to the clutch pack discs as they have already separated from the discs.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/maint...ion-fluid.html
Last edited by GNS; Apr 25, 2022 at 08:57 AM.
I would suggest changing the fluid now, a few times.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
I did mine 3x and what a difference. Buttery smooth shifts.
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Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 49
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From: TX
I would suggest changing the fluid now, a few times.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
yeah no I don’t have time to change the fluid my self I would take it to a local transmission expert with good reviews to do my car….
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: TX
I would suggest changing the fluid now, a few times.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
It's only a drain and fill, so you'll roughly get 3 litres out.
You may want to drain and fill it 3 times in close proximity to each other.
You'll never be able to do a positive exchange of fluid, so this is your best option.
If you wanted to do this at home, you will need to very level and be able to access under the vehicle.
Also you will need a pump to pump the new fluid from the both into the tranny.
Obviously it's easier to do this at a shop, but expect it will cost.
yeah so I did the differential fluid because when I shift from P to D I hear a loud Tud sound. Still there so I’m assuming it’s just time to replace transmission fluid as it never been done.
I’ve serviced the entire car all fluid including the Brake fluid and radiator.
This is the last thing I have to do but decided to get some more data on this subject as I don’t want to break my IS lol I love this car to much plus it’s my daily.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: TX
car does shift smoothly once warmed up though, at cold start if I drive it it will hold a gear and shift late like at 3-3.5k but i found on this forum other Lexus do that at cold start, Anyways I always let it warm up for a minute or two before I take off, and don’t drive hard until 30mins of operation. Once everything up to temp.
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Mar 2021
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From: TX
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 1,752
From: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Here comes the mega multi-quote response!!
The transmission has a Strainer (not a filter) in the pan. So the first point of fluid pickup is the Strainer, any particles too large will be stopped by the Strainer and simply float around in the pan.
Any particles too small to be stopped by the Strainer would be insignificant to impact anything in any way.
People...change ya fluid!
You can't flush tranny fluid on a 3IS...problem solved.
That is purposely done by the ECU to allow the engine/tranny to reach operating temp as fast as possible, mainly for fuel economy purposes. Delayed shifting and delayed shifting into the highest gear is normal when the vehicle is cold.
Cars have actually be doing this for decades.
Starting after the turn of the century (depending on specific vehicle model) all Toyotas use WS Fluid (WS=World Standard).
Guaranteed after 2007 (if not a little sooner) all Toyotas are using WS fluid, whether the tranny is sealed or not.
I watched a video where a Toyota tech recommended doing just one drain and fill. If the car has gone for too long without a transmission fluid change, he says not to touch it at all. His reasoning was that there is suspended clutch material in the fluid, and that taking out all the old transmission fluid and replacing it with new fluid will remove these 'reinforcing particles' of clutch material. Is there any truth to this? I mean, it sort of makes sense that the clutch particles suspended in the fluid medium would be compressed between the clutch pack plates to reinforce whatever clutch material is left, but I wanted to know if this is actually the case.
Basically, I still advocate for at least one drain and fill at 60k miles (100k km), but the above states that doing multiple drain/fills to get as much of the old fluid out might be detrimental if there is a lot of suspended clutch particles in the fluid.
Edit: I found this thread that says the suspended particles are useless to the clutch pack discs as they have already separated from the discs.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/maint...ion-fluid.html
Basically, I still advocate for at least one drain and fill at 60k miles (100k km), but the above states that doing multiple drain/fills to get as much of the old fluid out might be detrimental if there is a lot of suspended clutch particles in the fluid.
Edit: I found this thread that says the suspended particles are useless to the clutch pack discs as they have already separated from the discs.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/maint...ion-fluid.html
Any particles too small to be stopped by the Strainer would be insignificant to impact anything in any way.
People...change ya fluid!
car does shift smoothly once warmed up though, at cold start if I drive it it will hold a gear and shift late like at 3-3.5k but i found on this forum other Lexus do that at cold start, Anyways I always let it warm up for a minute or two before I take off, and don’t drive hard until 30mins of operation. Once everything up to temp.
Cars have actually be doing this for decades.
Guaranteed after 2007 (if not a little sooner) all Toyotas are using WS fluid, whether the tranny is sealed or not.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 390
Likes: 82
From: San Diego
FYI you will need a 24" wrench with a slight offset or else you will need to remove additional parts to get to the fill plug.
I highly recommend a drain and fill. Be careful to follow the fluid level adjustment procedures correctly.
After doing 1 drain and fill and adjusting fluid level, my car shifts 10x better when cold.
I highly recommend a drain and fill. Be careful to follow the fluid level adjustment procedures correctly.
After doing 1 drain and fill and adjusting fluid level, my car shifts 10x better when cold.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 6,260
Likes: 1,752
From: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Think of it like a differential, there is a drain plug and a fill plug...that's it.
Technically the tranny has a drain plug, fill plug, and an overfill plug (used to adjust the fluid level).
For my car I do a drain and fill every 50K kms...which it's actually due for now.