Trans flush
Thread Starter
Rookie
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 78
Likes: 1
From: LA.
Trans flush
The dealer asked me a while back if i wanted them to do a full trans flush with a special back flush machine or a regular drain and replace filter.He said there is a lot of oil left in the trans and it is the only way to get it out and also purge the trash out. Is this true and will the flush make the tranny last longer?
Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,110
Likes: 77
From: OH
True that a drain and fill leaves a lot in the cooler and torque converter. But, the flush machine stirs up a lot of junk that should be left alone. With all those small passages the last thing you want is crap pumped through the system.
Several drain and fills is much safer than one flush. IMO
Several drain and fills is much safer than one flush. IMO
Pole Position
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: NC
Is this a Lexus or Toyota dealer? As I stated in other posts, the Lexus dealer here in Charlotte has told me over and over that they ONLY do drain and fills.
Over at the Toyota dealer they'll do flushes, drain an dills, pan drops, whatever I want.
BTW, never do a flush!
Over at the Toyota dealer they'll do flushes, drain an dills, pan drops, whatever I want.
BTW, never do a flush!
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 1,385
From: Austin, TX
Just to set the record right.
There is a forced flush via auxiliary pump machine and also a flush via tranmission pump. So there is a way to flush safely.
If you have followed the posts, there is no direct correlation of failure rates with fluid changes [more frequent change does not mean NO failure ... obviously I am not recommending drain and fill beyond the recommended interval].
One should monitor the fluid status and replace earlier than recommended or follow the recommended interval.
But if it makes you sleep easier, drain and fill more frequently.
Salim
There is a forced flush via auxiliary pump machine and also a flush via tranmission pump. So there is a way to flush safely.
If you have followed the posts, there is no direct correlation of failure rates with fluid changes [more frequent change does not mean NO failure ... obviously I am not recommending drain and fill beyond the recommended interval].
One should monitor the fluid status and replace earlier than recommended or follow the recommended interval.
But if it makes you sleep easier, drain and fill more frequently.
Salim
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CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 1,385
From: Austin, TX
^^ The right way, using the internal pump is to dump and fill at the same time. You break the loop and fill as much as you dump from the break.
I have a '99 FWD reaching 140k, with drain and fill at recommended interval.
Salim
I have a '99 FWD reaching 140k, with drain and fill at recommended interval.
Salim
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Lexus Champion
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,110
Likes: 77
From: OH
Is there a machine that does this or do you have to pour down the dipstick tube and try to keep up?
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 103
From: Sacramento, California
The traditional flush machine has this capability. I did it on my Ford F150. As said you fill while the fluid is being pumped out. Worked great. Yu need an extra qt or two to make sure the tranny is topped off.
CL Community Team
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 1,385
From: Austin, TX
I am providing information only, as I have not done the transmission flush.
Adding the fresh fluid from the dip stick for the flush, would not work right. The fluid circuit must be kept complete, so the new fluid must be added at the break point.
Salim
Adding the fresh fluid from the dip stick for the flush, would not work right. The fluid circuit must be kept complete, so the new fluid must be added at the break point.
Salim
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 959
Likes: 2
From: New Jersey
Anyone else find it odd that almost every Toyota dealer has a flush machine and almost no Lexus dealers have one?
I let a Toyota dealer flush my trans and it died soon after. Of course there is no actual proof that the flush caused the failure, but if I could do it all over again i would have stuck with my drain and fills.
I let a Toyota dealer flush my trans and it died soon after. Of course there is no actual proof that the flush caused the failure, but if I could do it all over again i would have stuck with my drain and fills.
Pole Position
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,054
Likes: 103
From: Sacramento, California
actually the original owners manual in the 99 said every 60k....however I recommend every 15k especially if you do a lot of city driving or hill driving. I was doing mine at 30k and the tranny failed at 100k....two states away....well documented on this site.