Newbie Transmission question

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Jun 14, 2009 | 04:55 PM

governor

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Driver School Candidate

Joined: Jun 2009

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From: Colorado

Newbie Transmission question

I just bought a 2000 RX300 last weekend. The vehicle has 131000 miles on it. It is the AWD drive version. Love the ride! We call it our cloud car. The other vehicle we have is a 1996 RAV with 197000 miles on it, so you can image the difference in ride quality. The question I have is: what RPM is your vehicle turning when you are doing 70 mph? In the RX, I am running about 2900 RPM, while in the RAV, I am only turning about 2500 RPM. The RAV is FWD only with an automatic trans. I would have thought the Lexus would be turning at a lower RPM than the RAV. By the way, the RAV is a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder.

--John

Jun 14, 2009 | 05:11 PM

Lexwang07

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Joined: Jan 2006

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From: CA

RX300 had 3.0 liter V6 engine better passing power compare to Toyota RAV inline 4 engine. 80 percent torque available at 1800 rpm thru 6300 rpm. Both SUVs had different breed of 4 speed automatic transmission doesn't mean as same.

Jun 14, 2009 | 06:32 PM

AlexusAnja

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From: NY/NJ

Not a low runner...

Quote:

Originally Posted by governor

... The question I have is: what RPM is your vehicle turning when you are doing 70 mph? In the RX, I am running about 2900 RPM, while in the RAV, I am only turning about 2500 RPM. The RAV is FWD only with an automatic trans. I would have thought the Lexus would be turning at a lower RPM than the RAV. By the way, the RAV is a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder.

--John

That sounds about right. The RX's transmission is "missing" one gear for real economical highway cruising. I haven't looked in awhile, but 65 mph was around 2500-2600, so the extra 5-10 mph and 300 rpm is about right. By comparison, my LS430 does 70 mph at under 2000 rpm. That is a real "cloud car."

Jun 14, 2009 | 06:45 PM

sktn77a

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From: Chapel Hill, NC

I think the lower gearing on the RX300 (compared to, say, an ES300) is a concession to the car's potential use off road (a rare, but possible, scenario).

Jun 14, 2009 | 07:43 PM

vanguy

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Joined: Jul 2007

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From: PA

Quote:

Originally Posted by governor

Our 99 AWD is similar with much higher RPM than other cars when doing over 70 mph. I always thought there was something wrong with the transmission that it is not shifting into OD. But I saw many postings that seem to indicate the car does run at higher rpm.