sorry for the odd question here, but I smell some burning, hmm, was I pushing my GS4 too much. Transmission oil was rather black, wondering when or how often we change Tran oil?

 

Burning smell can be caused by many things. Brakes, tires, oil leaking onto exhaust manifolds.

Does the actual transmission oil smell burnt? The fact that it's black means it should have been changed long ago. Do a complete flush (not just drain and fill) ASAP.

Factory recommends trans fluid flush every 30k miles.

 

can a pep boys or similar flush? costs? flush means they do what extra?

 

Don't know if Pep Boys can do it. A flush means that almost all your old fluid is removed. Just a drain and refill only changes a fraction of the fluid because there's a LOT of fluid left in other parts of the transmission.

If Pep Boys says they can do it, make sure they use the right fluid. You should use only Toyota T-IV fluid, so if Pep Boys doesn't carry that fluid, buy it from the dealer and make them use it or go elsewhere.

 

Pep boys does a "Transmission Fluid Exchange Service, Complete exchange of all transmission fluid from transmission converter and cooler. " for $90

using something from ShiftRite? TUFF?

I guess I have to find Toyota type IV,

Also, there is a local Toyota Dealer, should I just trust them with it, much cheaper than a Lexus Dealer?

or sohuld I just find the fliud, and go with anyone who can do a flush?

 

I forgot to mention, their computer system said my car uses the 'black' fluid, others use red

I am thinking don't trust their fluid at all, but just curious as to what they may have meant

 

PhantomZX,
Which factory recommends transmission fluid change every 30,000? My Lexus owners manual, and the transmission dip stick, says fluid change not necessary

Now, my Lexus dealer service department says every 15,000 miles the transmission fluid should be serviced. What they mean by this is they drain off what is in the converter, and refill. That is, they change about one fourth of the fluid.

I had mine flushed, total fluid change, at about 30,000 and will not do it again. Unless it got to smelling burnt.

 

mine shows possible flush every 30 judging by the forms in the back of the manual

anyone trust www.aamco.com ?

 

Specs:

CPO 1998 GS400, bought three years ago in the 40K miles range, now has 83K, no Tran fluid exchanges since.

After calling AAMCO and several Toyota and Lexus dealers, most feared deposit breakups with a power flush, thus causing more damage than good, and recommended several drip and replacements first. I am off to a Toyota dealer, who will do a flush, and then type IV, and filter and screen, only because he said if I experience slippage afterwards, I will notice it fairly immediate, and can then take it to Lexus (I only have till March 25th left on CPO warranty). Hope I am doing the right thing; I do see my Tran oil slightly black, but I am also able to see some red on the dipstick. Other have told me Lexus/Toyota engines and Tran parts don't experience too many issues, so here I go...

 

Why even take the risk of doing a flush? While you might be fine w/ doing a flush and no problems result, I would HIGHLY suggest that you go with what "several Toyota and Lexus dealers" say about breaking up the deposits too quickly with a powerflush. I would just initially do about 3 initial drain and refills in 1 visit and skip the flush just for that reason, so that deposits are slowly freed (esp. in the case of your car's tranny). If you do a flush, you could "shock" your A/T with too much deposit loosening and clogging up your A/T and causing it to fail.

Save yourself the potential headache and do a few drain and refills initially (in the same visit), then one drain and refill per oil change for the next 3-4 oil changes. That way, it'll be easier on your A/T and it will loosen the deposits slowly and get them into liquid suspension and not clogging your A/T's internal parts with a big jolt of freed deposits a flush would do. Doing a flush is NOT worth the risk, esp. in your case.

You can do a drain and refill yourself:

http://lexusmodz.netfirms.com/GS_DIY...il/index1.html

You can buy Toyota T-IV anywhwere from $3.79/Q to $6.99/Q, depending on where you buy it (Toyota dealer is much cheaper--same stuff).

Here's a good website by BananaGS to do some other service items on your GS:

http://lexusmodz.netfirms.com/

 

Thanks Seattle, I did it already as per the following, would still like to hear your thoughts: I think I might be experiencing the opposite, too much 'play' or free space

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=63709

 

I looked again and you're right - I couldn't officially find it anywhere. I believe I did read it on a few other posts here.

 

There are flushing machines that do not add pressure into the system. It is like a big syringe that taps into the line going from the transmission to the radiator.

http://www.automotivetools.com/cgi-l...html?E+scstore

The fluid pressurized by the TC going into the radiator pushes up on the plunger which feeds clean ATF into the radiator (tranny cooler). Thus, there is absolutely no more pressure than what is going through the transmission under engine idle. There should be no risk of loosening deposits with this method.

 

The Toyo Dealer used this:

http://www.bgprod.com/bgconsumer/bgs...nsmission.html

 

Phantom, while you are correct in that there are flushing methods that does not directly damage the AT by active pressured loosening of deposits, it's that you're getting too much new fluid into the A/T and giving it a 'jolt' of sorts that will cause your ATF damage. ATF fluid has cleaning detergents and surfactants and among other additives in it. When new, these cleaning agents help clear up any deposits that arise; however, over time, the cleaning agents lose their cleaning ability, and deposits start showing up in your A/T. Say you nelgect your AT and don't do any service say for 80k miles, this allows ample time for the deposits to build up over time.

In a transmission that has not had any regluar service, while it seems like a very good idea to flush out all of the ATF and replace it with all new ATF, you'll do probably more damage than good as you'll loosen too many particles/deposits ALL at once. Some will go into a safe liquid suspension, and some will break off as solid chunks. These chunks will eventually go into a safe liquid suspension over the course of a few thousand miles, but in the meanwhile, they will clog up the internal parts of your AT, causing it to overheat and eventually fail. That's why oftentimes, neglected AT that get flushed fully with new fluid often fail within 1 week of the flush.

While it's good to get new ATF fluid with new cleaning agents, it can be too much of a good thing. That's why most dealers will NOT do a flush on a car that has a spotty service history, and they will only recommend a few drain and refills for the time being (to allow those cleaning agents, albeit at a lower concentraion) to SLOWLY clean up deposits in your AT and get them safely in suspension, instead of giving them the shock of all new fluid, which can remvoe too much, too fast.