04-06 Sealed Transmission fluid change interval? (The Mother thread)
 

I am confused here.

I got a 05' LS430 with the 6 speed tranny that runs on the Toyota WS fluid, it doesn't have a dip stick and I can't find the fluid fill hole.

My question is, where do you put the fluid in and does the fluid even have to be change at all?

I know the 01'-03' LS430 have a dip stick, runs on the Type T-IV fluid, and those need to be change and you put the fluid in thru the dip stick hole.

Anyone knows?

I notice there is no dipstick too!
My 01 has it!
Any auto tranny needs oil change, so there is gonna be a fill up hole!
I will find out soon!

the ls430 has a sealed transmission. it's not just a drain and fill like other cars. to properly check the fluid level and figure if you need to add or remove, the fluid needs to be in a specific heat range. To hot or to cold and your level may be off.

Any Toyota trans that uses the WS (World Standard) fluid, the interval is supposed to be a 100k mile fluid. I personally would replace it at 60k miles (same time the 60k svc is done).

The replacement procedure is a pain in the ass (trust me on this one). Basically, you dain it out from the drain plug, then reinstall the drain plug tight. Then you need to remove the overflow plug (which should be near the drain plug), with the over flow plug removed, you need to fill WS fluid in the fill port which will need to be accessed from under the vehicle (like a manual trans style). Keep filling until the WS fluid leaks out from the overflow plug and reinstalled the overflow plug. The engine then needs to be started up and ran to so many degress then stop the engine. Remove the overflow plug and check to see if any fluid spills out. If not fluid comes out (and it probably won't), you'll need to continue the procedure by removing the fill plug and adding WS fluid until it overflows again, then plug the overflow drain plug and start the engine again, then check the overflow port again, the needs to be continued until you see the WS trans fluid spill out right ater you stop the engine.

You'll know if you did it right and have the correct amounts of fluid. Cause if you don't then trans will slip BAD.

When I perform this at work, it normally takes about 5-6 times till everything is okay. I highly rec that you take it in to you Lexus dealer for this. It's not worth doing it yourself.

FYI. And if you do decide to do it yourself. Good luck.

teamplayer,

Your input is exactly what I am looking for, thank you ;)

I just talked to a guru at my local Lexus dealer's service department, a few things he said conflict with what you said, now I am not saying who is correct here, if you ask me, I would trust you more then the guys at the dealers, I just like to relate what he said here so you can tell me if he is wrong.

According to him, all Toyota Tranny using the WS fluid are sealed tranny, the fluid is good for 200k miles, it never needs to be change. The fill hole is located between the bell housing on the tranny and the engine, so there is no way to put tranny fluid into the tranny if the tranny is bolted to the engine. The only way to replace the tranny fluid is remove the tranny from the engine.

But you said the fill hole can be access with the tranny installed in the car.

I believe you more then the guru.

Can you be more specific with the location of the fill hole? Also, normally the fill hole and the overflow hole is the same hole, you put fluid in until it overflow, but you said this tranny, the fill hole and overflow hole are 2 separate holes?

Thanks.

I dont recommend asking the dealer to perform a maintenance service such as this one, if they arent too intersted in doing so. Especially since they know 100% you would never know if the service was done back there.

Stuff like this, and fuel filter are on the dealers hate list from my experiance. I'm sure teamplayer would have more experiance.

I believe teamplayer was describing the procedure for a SEALED system. The pre-04 non-sealed systems are a simple drain and re-fill through the dip-stick tube.

Correct?

I agreed with you 100%.

I normally take anything the dealer say with a grain of salt, to me, most of those people are very ignorant. But I always ask anyway, even though I rarely believe anything they say, it never hurt to ask.

And believe me, no dealer would ever work on my car if it is not completely necessary. I do most things myself or take it to my trusted private repair shop.

I appreciate you looking out though ;)

100% correct.

First off, I work for Toyota (not Lexus) but I do have access to Lexus information. I just checked the TSB's and service manual and it states, that the fluid is a 100,000 mile fluid and is for the life of the vehicle. I find it contradicting as most of our cars will last for over a 100,000 miles.

It is a sealed system but the trans do have service ports (ie. drain plug, fill plug and an overflow plug). And the trans does NOT have to be removed to replace/add fluid. If that were the case, then people who accidentally drain the trans fluid will have to remove the trans inorder to fill it again. Toyota does not design/engineer there vehicles like this.

So according to the service manual:

On the left (drivers) side of the trans, there is a plate held on with 2 bolts, removed that plates to access the refill hole/plug.

Both the overflow plug and drain plug is on the bottom (on the trans pan). The overflow plug is offset on the side edge of the pan and needs to be removed with a hex/allen wrench. The drain plug is a 14mm bolt and is located further back in the center of the trans pan.

The following bellowis the procedure I copied from the service manual:

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID
ADJUSTMENT
1. BEFORE TRANSMISSION FILL
_ This transmission requires Toyota Genuine ATF WS.
_ It is necessary to refill the transmission with the correct
amount of fluid.
_ The vehicle must remain level while adjusting fluid level.
2. TRANSMISSION PAN FILL
(a) Remove the two bolts and transmission case cover.
(b) Remove the refill plug and overflow plug.
(c) Fill the transmission through the refill hole until fluid begins
to trickle out of the overflow tube.
(d) Reinstall the overflow plug.
3. TRANSMISSION FILL
(a) Fill the transmission with the correct amount of fluid as
listed in the table below.
(b) Reinstall the refill plug to avoid fluid splash.
Performed Repair Fill Amount
Transmission pan and drain plug removal
1.3 liters (1.37 US qts, 1.14 Imp. qts)
Transmission valve body removal 3.9 liters (4.12 US qts, 3.43 Imp. qts)
Torque converter removal 5.3 liters (5.60 US qts, 4.66 Imp. qts)
Entire transmission assembly 5.3 liters (5.60 US qts, 4.66 Imp. qts)
HINT:
If you cannot add the listed amount of fluid, do the following:
(1) Install the refill plug.
(2) Allow the engine to idle with air conditioning OFF.
(3) Move the shift lever through entire gear range to circulate
fluid.
(4) Wait for 30 seconds with the engine idling.
(5) Stop the engine.
(6) Remove the refill plug and add fluid.
(7) Reinstall the refill plug.
4. FLUID CIRCULATION
(a) Allow the engine to idle with the air conditioning OFF.
(b) Move the shift lever through entire gear range to circulate
the fluid.
5. FLUID TEMPERATURE CHECK
NOTICE:
_ On vehicles equipped with air suspension, perform
step (c) if it necessary to jack up the vehicle while the
engine running.
_ The fluid temperature should be less than 30_C (86_F)
before beginning the fluid temperature check.
(a) With hand-held tester
(1) Connect the hand-held tester to the DLC3.
(2) Select the tester menus: OBD/MOBD, ENGINE,
DATA LIST and A/T.
(3) Check A/T OIL TEMP.
(4) Allow the engine to idle until the fluid temperature
reaches 46_C (115_F).
(b) Without hand-held tester (Using D shift indicator)
(1) Connect terminals between CG (4) and TC (13) of
the DLC3 using SST (09843-18040).
(2) Move the shift lever back and forth between N and
D every 1.5 seconds for six seconds.
(3) The D shift indicator on the combination meter
comes on for two seconds. This indicates that the
fluid temperature check mode has been started.
(4) The D shift indicator will come on again when the
fluid temperature reaches 46_C (115_F) and will
blink when it exceeds 56_C (130_F).
(5) Allow the engine to idle unit the fluid temperature
reaches 46_C (115_F).
(c) For vehicles with air suspension (Using D shift indicator)
(1) Connect terminals between CG (4), OPA (11) and
TC (13) of the DLC3 using SST (09843-18040).
Terminal OPA is connected to prevent air suspension
height adjustment from occurring when the vehicle
is lifted off the ground with the engine running.
(2) Move the shift lever back and forth between N and
D at 1.5 seconds interval for six seconds.
(3) The D shift indicator on the combination meter
comes on for two seconds. This indicates that the
fluid temperature check mode has been started.
(4) The D shift indicator comes on again when the fluid
temperature reaches 46_C (115_F) and will blink
when it exceeds 56_C (130_F).
(5) Allow the engine to idle until the fluid temperature
reaches 46_C (115_F).
6. FLUID LEVEL CHECK
NOTICE:
The fluid temperature must be between 46_C (115_F) and
56_C (130_F) to accurately check the fluid level.
(a) Remove the overflow plug with the engine idling.
(b) Check that the fluid comes out of the overflow tube.
_ If fluid does not come out, proceed to step 7
_ If fluid comes out, wait until the over-flow slows to
a trickle and proceed to step 8.
7. TRANSMISSION REFILL
(a) Install the overflow plug.
(b) Stop the engine.
(c) Remove the refill plug.
(d) Add 0.4 liters (0.42 US qts, 0.35 Imp. qts) of fluid.
(e) Allow the engine to idle and wait for 10 seconds.
(f) Proceed to step 6.
8. COMPLETE
(a) Install the overflow plug with a new gasket.
(b) Stop the engine.
(c) Install the refill plug with a new gasket.
(d) Install the transmission case cover with the two bolts.
Torque:
20 Nm (205 kgfcm, 15 ftlbf) for overflow plug
39 Nm (400 kgfcm, 29 ftlbf) for refill plug

Now thats detail information!!!!!!!

teamplayer, again, thank you for your input.

Just to make it clear, I never had any doubt with what you said at all, again, the guy at the dealer is wrong, to me, they are always wrong. It doesn't make any sense at all that the tranny have to be remove in order to put fluid in.

You were right, it sounds like a pain in the butt to do the refill!

yes sir, teamplayer sure is a teamplayer!

Yes, but for other reasons. LOL.

No problem fellers. Anything I can help with.