MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

We bought my '95 SC4 about 4 months ago. She only has about 43,000 original miles.

Anyway, she's got a few [what seem like] minor problems that could escalate to be more serious.

Under acceleration from a stop, there's hesitation. It almost feels like the car is just waiting to downshift (even though it's got no where to go) and anticipating you to floor it. It makes for a slightly jerky right througb about 10 MPH max. It also does this at about 40 MPH (I think it was around 1,200 RPM?).

Another problem (again, under acceleration from a stop) is a faint 'grinding' noise. Dad was driving in the car with me this morning and his rough diagnosis was that it's the tranny getting into gear. It sounds like a skid plate is dragging for a second, or the tire is slipping in some gravel.

These could be as minor as checking/flushing/changing the tranny fluid, but I wanted to run it by you guys as well to hear your thoughts.

The car is under full bumper-bumper warranty for 3 years from the date of purchase (I forgot the exact date in Feb.) Price shouldn't be a problem- its covered. Worst case scenario- new tranny, correct?

Thanks,

G.A.

Pic: http://photobucket.com/albums/v196/M...t=DSCF0264.jpg

MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

No information?

Thomas C

You basicly answered your own questions. Flush your tranny and see if the symptoms still exist. It's a good thing that your still under warranty.

Nomis

Do a search for "hesitation" and "shudder". The shudder at 40MPH has to do with the Torque Converter Clutch Lockup - both problems are not easily fixed. I had a flush and it did reduce the 40MPH shudder. As for the low rmp studder or hesitation - someone stated it had something to do with the EGR. Either problem, although annoying - are not catestrophic failure items or anything, so my advice is to live with it unless you want to replace the TC or trans completely.

MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

Thanks.

The entire drivetrain is under full warranty, so worse case scenario is we just replace the tranny.

We'll go ahead an flush it and see how it goes.

JspecSC3

iTrader: (4)

I sort of have the same problem with my transmission but its not as bad. Mine hesitates a little but only because I do Neutral drops when I launch. Doesnt really bother me much because I will be replacing the whole thing with a 5speed transmission. Its kind of weird that you are experiencing these types of symptons at only 40k miles. I'd say get it flushed.

IronCobra

Carefull how much money you put into this. I had the SAME PROBLEM with my 95 SC400 I had a few years ago. I did EVERYTHING from replace the tranny 3 times (under warranty) me buying the first one though, replace the Center Support Beering, replaced the driveshaft 2 times (again under warranty).

I first tried flushing everything and cleaning everything.

I also had the hesitation problem. I had Hendricks Lexus (Charlotte) clean the throttle body 2 times, I replaced plugs, I had all sensors checked.. Nothing would fix that problem either. I usually had the problem in the morning when the car hadn't been driven for a while.

I ended up trading the car in with the problems. I probably spent nearly $5,000 on attempted repairs. Nothing ended up working.

I had both Lexus of Jacksonville, and Hendricks Lexus both attempt to repair the problems and neither knew where they were coming from either.

My car had 52,000 miles on it...



Good luck man!

Nomis

Wow, uh, yeah - you pretty much snuffed out whatever hope I ever had in solving the problem on my 95SC4. I was thinking maybe it was the trans ECU possibly. But as much as I am a perfectionist, I have come to live with this issue. If anyone has solved this issue by all means let us know.

techsc400

iTrader: (6)

I have the same problem with my 95 SC400 (80K miles).
This noise is very light weight grinding noise. It sounds like something is grinding some cover such as skid plate or transmission oil pan...(light weight metal plate grinding sound) and sound is there only when the car is moving.

First time, I thought that it might be from the part of exhaust pipes.
I can only hear it when the car is moving(20-40miles), not in the idle. This makes me think something to do with the transmission.

I replaced the 80% of tranny oil without taking off the tranny oil pan and it did not fix the sound problem.
In our SC, there are two or three small mgnetics attached inside of tranny oil pan to collect metal dust. These magnetics are the only loose part (only attached to the pan with its own magentic force) inside of tranny oil pan that I can think of. I guess that these magnetic force got weaker as time goes and they might be loose and touching the tranny and making the noise.

Noise is there especially right after I made a rapid right or left turn and start accelate again (20-40miles).

My next bet is trying to flush the tranny oil with oil pan out and remove the magnetics.

Let us know what you found and good luck.

MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

Yes! That's exactly the sound the car makes. It sounds like a wimpy skid plate or the lower cover under the engine bay dragging. If I put my foot into it enough, I don't really hear it. That might just be the exhaust/engine noise drowning it out though. I don't hear much of it though after 1st and 2nd gear. It might just be a coincedence, but I don't remember hearing it with the ECT on Power mode.

Another thing I hear is a scraping sound when coasting. It's loud when it echos off of a curb or another parked car. It might just be some rust in the wheels. This should be pretty easy to fix with some brake work and new wheels.

techsc400

iTrader: (6)

I bet I know what the problem is.
I had the same experience right after the break job.
I noticed that you have the same crome wheels as mine. It is the crome plate peeling off from the inside of your rim. Check out inside of the rims, there might be the crome skin peeling off and still attached to your rim, and scraping the break housing when it turns.

I look forward to hear from you what ever you find out about the first problem since we have the same problem!!! I will do the same.

MongooseGA

iTrader: (6)

That might be the problem. The chrome is bubbling in the back of the wheel. However, I didn't notice it peeling any place that it would make contact with anything else (ala brake system). Hopefully I can get some new shoes when these tires wear out and just put some snow tires on the stockers.

Dad and I want to take it by Lexus soon to check the tranny out. If need be, we'll just drop some sort of GTE drive train in there.

Now I have to sell Dad on the idea

IronCobra

That can't be the problem. I actually had the problem before and after I replaced my rims and brake system on my 95 SC400. The grinding noise I had was very faint and could only be heard if you had the radio off and the windows up. It was only heard when you would press and hold the gas right at the point of the driveshaft catching (usually between 20-40mph). It was probably doing it at higher MPH's also, but the engine drownded it out.

I also had a fluttering noice coming from the center of my car.

When I took it to the BOTH Lexus dealerships they BOTH heard and felt the same things I did, but after they BOTH tore the car down niether could find the problem.

One actually said "It sounds like someone drilled a Cell phone mount too deep into your center consol and went through your tranny housing . That just sounded stupid, but "if" that were even possible it would not explain why I still had the problem 3 transmissions later.

I personally think it has something to do with the connection between the engine and the tranny.