RCM83

iTrader: (1)

Ugh nobody seems to know the right answer to this question. The transmission is actually one of the only things I worry about with this car, especially with a lot of spirited driving on my end.

ISFpat

iTrader: (10)

#inbeforegroupbuyonnewtransmissionsjustincaseoursblowsup

digger08

iTrader: (1)

It's so unreliable,... Lexus just put it in the new FSport IS 350.

Digger08

Just F Me

This is not true...no one knows for sure that it's the same exact 8-speed transmission in the new 3IS F Sport that's in the IS F. There's no confirmation of this. Just because it has an 8-speed transmission, doesn't mean it's the same. Does the BMW 3-series have the same transmission as the IS F? They both have an 8-speed transmission. I'm not being a smart ***, just trying to prove a point.

Honestly, IMO, there's no problem to having fresher fluid. Yeah...Lobuxracer sends in his fluid, they analyze it...etc. In the end...think about it...stuff breaks down. Heat cycling is bad. No oil lasts forever.

If you have 50k miles on your car, AND changing the fluid MIGHT help it...why not? OK...fine...it's premature...you're changing it too early. You're wasting money because you're changing it when it doesn't need to be. You're putting contaminants into the transmission.

Honestly, I don't buy it. Unless you're an idiot, or your service tech is an idiot, i don't get how you can put more contaminates then what you're actually taking out.

If a company comes out and says...we've developed an engine oil that lasts 100k miles...do you believe it? Does the transmission oil not work as hard as the engine oil? Just because the transmission is sealed it can't be introduced to contaminants? In my opinion, oil breaks down. It doesn't protect like it used to, therefore, it needs to be replaced.

You can either spend potentially $400 to replace the fluid...$800 once you get to 100k miles...or maybe when you hit 150k miles, you can replace your transmission...which is $3600 for a rebuilt transmission + $1000-$1500 in labor. Since I'll take my chances and spend the money to have the fluid replaced. By the time I've hit 200k miles, I've spent 800 on new fluid rather than spending $4600-$5100 on another rebuilt transmission.

The interesting thing that we MIGHT not see is how the car will hold up beyond 100k miles because we have no idea how many members will be keeping their cars. Plus there's only a hand full of us that have high mileage IS Fs.

Next weekend, I will be looking at the transmission fluid. If it's black, it's going to get replaced. I'll take pics.

Brian85ISF

Dam dude that me feel very uncomfortable to read. If you change your fluid before 100k you void your warranty? Which means they are not confident that you, or someone paid by Lexus to do a good job.

Side note I don't believe in keeping fluid for the maximum mileage given especially if you drive it a little more aggressive then others. I already planned on changing my fluid early next year just because my car is about 5 years old. Still a young pup in mileage just being careful with it.

vbb

iTrader: (3)

The interesting wild card here is that Lexus, who would a.) be supremely interested in taking more of your money and b.) supremely concerned that word would get out that their transmissions blow up at 80k miles or whatever, are the ones putting out the recommendations not to change until 100k miles.

Put another way, why wouldn't Lexus recommend that you change the transmission fluid earlier? The dealers stand to make more money in service and if it led to greater longevity, you'd think Lexus would want it done. Almost always they are the ones recommending service BEFORE it is really necessary, not after.

FastPaced

This is a interesting point.

Just F Me

Its preventive maintenance. No one ever said that your warranty will be void if you replace the transmission fluid early... Where are your reading this?

VtotheJ

iTrader: (2)

Had my diff fluid changed at 28K. The person who works on my car at the dealer also owns an ISF.

Brian85ISF

It took me a while to find, but it was posted in the link you requested I look at. Also for those with the stock cats, or even upgrading. Do you think heat coating the ones next to the transmission will help reduce the temps around it? Since it is covered by 2.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

Mine says Aisin transmissions, yours does not say anything about where they got their universal averages. Without knowing whether they filtered the averages in yours the same way they did mine, there's no way to know why they're different.

I didn't say you got dirt in your gearbox, but I also don't know who serviced your car, what they did, and how it might have impacted your results other than we can see you have insoluables, and I don't. It's possible the breather on your gearbox was defective and allowed contaminants to get into the oil. It's also possible the pressures were a little off and you suffered excessive brake wear and heat degradation as a result.

If you send in your oil and find it has insoluables, it would be prudent to change it out. If it doesn't and there's nothing unusual in the sample, it's not prudent.

All the claims of recommendations to change the ATF are unfounded. There is NO published information about how frequently or infrequently the unit needs the ATF refreshed. Lexus Corporate does not include ANY ATF service in the recommended maintenance schedule at all. They only say inspect for leaks and damage.

Again - just like the engine OCI - Lexus pays nothing for servicing the car. The owner has the responsibility to follow the service schedule at the owner's expense. So they don't have any reason to say never service the ATF unless the transmission has been repaired because it does not cost them anything either way.

It's pretty clear from the numbers your transmission had much more wear than mine. I think that's the only conclusion anyone can reach from the two results. It really would be valuable to know why they're different, but we're not able to dive into this because we don't have all the information about what normally fails, why it normally fails, and specifically what went wrong with your gearbox to cause it to fail - the ATF is a symptom, not a cause. Arbitrarily changing it because you're afraid doesn't mean you will or won't have the same issue, it just means you believe changing the fluid will make things better. There are no guarantees of any kind suggesting your gearbox will last longer by changing the fluid unless there is a clear indication something is wrong or something is trending wrong in the wear metals.

digger08

iTrader: (1)

Confirmation - it is the exact same 8 Speed transmission

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lED-x...ature=youtu.be




Digger08

Jowett

The real problem(s), IMO, are a high mileage transmission oil change interval DESPITE a wide range of operating conditions, topped off with no way to easily inspect the fluid. It's a recipe to sell more transmissions and reduce vehicle service life in the long run.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

You believe the media? They get this stuff wrong all the time. We'll know for sure when the New Car Features is posted on TIS. Probably August time frame.

Just F Me

^^^I was gonna say the same thing, but refrained my comments.