Gs400TRD

Does anyone do this for a Lexus? especially since they have to flush it with the Type T4 fluid expensive if I have to buy 20+ liters? My service rep was not up to speed on what was involved, but the local toyota dealer said they only do a flush for cars that use the factory toyota transmision fluid. Will I be ok just doing a drain and refil every 15k miles??? thanks. I drive agreesively once in awhile and I live in a hot humid climate (93F+ in the summer and 85%+ humidity) thanks.

PERRYinLA

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=34784

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=44067

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=44405


There are other threads, if you want to perform a search.

Also, if your current fluid is bright, strawberry red, and does not smell "like burnt toast", then it is in good shape and you can just replace the 2 quarts that drain from the drain plug every 15K-30K miles. A few quarts are "stuck" in the torque converter and won't drain out of the plug opening- only a full flush will get that stuff out.

///MDex

Before wwest jumps in here and tells us all we're silly for even considering..........

I don't know about flushing - I thought I remembered reading a thread that a dealer told someone, they didn't even have a flushing machine since Lexus never recommends it.

That said, I think its a good idea to change, especially if you have mods, like a higher stall torque converter and a tranny cooler. I plan on doing so every 10k or 15k. Another piece of cheap insurance as far as I am concerned. I'm in a similar region where temp climb into the 90s with similar humidity levels, and I also put my foot into it a little more than the average driver I'm guessing.

itsallgood

I drive kinda hard, so I change mine every 10K and flush every 20K.
If your Lex delear doesn't have a flushing unit because they should. Try checking the local Jiffy Lube, they should have one.

Lvangundy

I went through this over like a billion posts..

just do it. It improves the shifting. Just make sure they change the filter (about $60 bucks) and do a complete flush with a flush machine. And make sure you get the toyota 'type IV' fluid.

Dexron doesn't have the additives for smooth shifting.

PERRYinLA

...but I thought that, for the few days you had Dextron in it, that your shiifting had improved?

I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but weren't you happy with how the transmission performed with Dextron II in it, until everyone started posting warnings to only use Toyota Type IV?

You're the only one I know that put something besides Toyota Type IV in your car, so I'm interested in how you thought it worked.

Gs400TRD

I called another dealer and they quoted me $300 for the flush. I think I'll continue with the drain and a refil every 10-15k miles. I'll change the filter at 80k.

AlBoston

It is better to just leave the damn old fluid in there then just draining and filling. The new fluid can loosen deposited sludge in the transmission which is very bad. You are better off getting it flushed every 30K. They dont use tranny fluid to flush it, they use some liquid to emulsify the sludge and recondition the seals in the transmission to prevent internal leaks which cause delayed shifts and slamming into gears. Flushing also gets all the fluid out of the torque convertor and other areas, draining the fluid from the pan only gets about 1/3 the fluid out, those clutch packs are soaked in fluid. The ECT-i is a pretty complicated transmission, take good care of it and it will take care of you .

itsallgood

Well I took my car to goodyear and had my friend flush the trans I think they used a "winn 2000" tranny flushing machine. I saw my friend hook up all the lines, pour about 3 1/2 gallons into the flushing machine and started my car turned the machine on and in about 20 min the flush was complete.

I just bought my friend lunch for the job, but I think goodyear charges around $60.00 for the flush if you bring the fluid. Atleast that's what they charge here in Hawaii.

I bought the fluid from Lexus, there's only 1 dealership on this island, for $29.00 a gallon.

Aloha

SupraCoup3

I had a flutter in the torque converter that turned into a vibration in the torque converter from not changing the ATF. I swapped out 2 Quarts @ a time. With the 1st 2 quarts that I ever changed the transmission characteristics changed dramatically. The car no longer jumped when going into gear, and the vibration & flutter was gone.


Flushing the ATF is important. Of course I've got a 4sp w/ overdrive.... it's a rather old tranny, but the idea proably would still hold for the newer Lexus trannies.


BTW: is SC400 tranny the same as the LS400?