Here's an excerpt from Toyotechs.com: "The transmission flush process calls for first running a cleaner/solvent through then followed by a Dextron [sic] 3 transmission fluid flush then a BG shift additive."

In just one sentence, they have 4 ways to ruin a tranny. No wonder the Toyotechs.com guys see so many RX tranny failures. Genius.

Try mine: A little boring, but it got my tranny over 130K miles without any issue. Drain-n-fill every 30K miles with Toyota Type IV. Do it more often if you wish. Maintain proper fluid level.

 

OK Guys,

I changed the filter, fluid and pan over the weekend and the truck is up and running (pretty much back to normal).

The pan magnets had a ton of metal filings on them as well as a piece of wire about 1.5 inches long and about the width of a human hair. The filings looked scary. I took pictures but last time I tried posting them on this forum, I think they were to large (memory wise) to post so I couldn't. If some one can tell me how would be great. I'll give it a try.

The filter I took off the car was a paper filter, which was puzzling b/c I thought the OEM filter was usually a wire mesh (which is why I never changed it and only did the drain and fills). Had I known it was paper I would have changed it a lot sooner.

I guess all the filings from the 8 years of driving clogged up the filter so the transmission was starved for fluid. I did notice a medium-high pitched whining noise when I started the truck up before I actually changed the filter. Prob the pump straining to pick up the fluid.

After I changed and the truck was pretty much back to normal, I was gald that I didn't bring it to a shop b/c I was prepared for the worst and if they were unethical and told me that I needed a rebuild I would have gone for it (bye bye $2500-$3500).

Who knows what will happen in the future and how much longer my transmission will last, but one thing is for sure I will definitely do the transmission service on a regular basis now.

 

I'm glad you reported your experience, that greatly helps us in this forum (and hopefully Lexus, too).

For the photos, there is a program that I use, http://www.wisdom-soft.com/downloads/downloadfiles.htm
see http://www.wisdom-soft.com/downloads...hunterfree.exe

that is a screen capture program. I basically then trace along the edges of the photo and then put it into a .gif format that fits the size requirements for our site.

If you want, shoot me a PM with your email and I can see if I can get the photos up for you.

 

I used Photoshop Elements software, less than $100, to resize the photos to within the stated maximum size. If you send the photos to bob2200 [at] aol.com, I'll resize them and send them back to you.

 

Just sent you the pics to your e-mail......thanks.

 

OK here they are (thanks bob2200 for resizing):

Warning!!!! May not be suitable for the faint of heart:

 

More pictures.....looks like something out of a sci-fi horror movie.....

 

The round object in the picture is a dime (so everyone can get an idea of size).

 

So here's the question to you more experienced transmission guys.............is the amount of metal filings that you see considered "normal" for 8 years worth of driving without ever changing the filter but with doing drain and fills? (not complete flushes).

 

HarrierAWD - why so???

 

I`ll be honest with you,I dont like the way that looks,And what concerns me more is the fact that the trans was starved for fluid.You might be okay for a while,but it`s definitely on borrowed time.

 

I agree, it's very unsettling. That's why I said "Who knows what will happen in the future and how much longer my transmission will last?"

The transmission was fine during my 1000+ mile trip and started acting up within 50 miles of my house on the return trip, so I'm hoping that the transmission wasn't too badly affected. The actual whining noise started the next few days after I came home and started her up to test drive and try and trouble shoot the symptoms.

So far she's acting perfectly normal......but only time will tell.

 

Filings are one thing, but if you find any chunks of metal...that's not a good sign. It's hard for me to distinguish between the filings and any chunks, but from the first picture I don't see chunks.

 

I did see a piece of very thin wire, I think you can see it in the first picture. The middle magnet on the right, the thin piece sticking out to the right.
But no real chunks of metal.

The spikes protruding out of those magnets are not solid and just dissolved/disintergrated once you touch them.

I know that filings are normal and that all transmissions will produce such filings but what is considered "normal"?

 

Normal wear is normally a fine gray silt.Of course all transmissions will have a some what different style as to their wear.