Auto Transmission Fluid Change - Anyone Done It?

[ColinBarber]

On 10/29/2019 at 6:34 AM, iwonder said:

It's worthwhile replacing the fluid in the gearbox. Lexus advise every 60k for heavy use applications. If you remove the sump pan and strainer it will drain most of the oil.

That won't even replace a 1/5 of the fluid. Most will be held in the TC or valve body. But start to do that at 60k miles and then every 20k miles to keep things healthy. Otherwise do a full replace every100k miles.

[Alfalfa]

I also nothise that the engine is getting the normal temprature faster now than before, the 250 was much slower to get rigt temprature than my old Is200. But now i dont think its much difrence att all. Strange.

[canon.dmajor.3]

Hello everyone my first post and I have a 2009 is250 auto 55,000 miles and am very,very pleased with it,no problems and I wondered if a preventative gearbox oil change was a good idea. I called lexus twickenham a couple if years ago and they said it was sealed and they would not do it,and so I wondered where people were getting the auto gearbox fluid changed?And if it was a simple procedure?
Thanks in advance to all on this forum.

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[ColinBarber]

3 hours ago, canon.dmajor.3 said:

Hello everyone my first post and I have a 2009 is250 auto 55,000 miles and am very,very pleased with it,no problems and I wondered if a preventative gearbox oil change was a good idea. I called lexus twickenham a couple if years ago and they said it was sealed and they would not do it,and so I wondered where people were getting the auto gearbox fluid changed?And if it was a simple procedure?
Thanks in advance to all on this forum.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
 

Welcome Jim.

As there isn't a drain plug on the transmission it is a little more involved but not difficult for any garage or competent DIYer. There are two main methods:

• use the fill hole to insert a tube and draw out the fluid in the pan.
• unbolt the whole pan

Note however that both methods will really only change 1 to 1.5 litres of fluid out of the 7.2 litres the transmission actually holds - so this doesn't make a big difference unless it is repeated again and again.

Also note that the fill procedure isn't difficult but time consuming because you keep having to check the level as you fill, then go through all the gears, then get up to temperature. Once up to temp and level, you then have to add 0.4 litres.

[Alfalfa]

13 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

Welcome Jim.

As there isn't a drain plug on the transmission it is a little more involved but not difficult for any garage or competent DIYer. There are two main methods:

• use the fill hole to insert a tube and draw out the fluid in the pan.
• unbolt the whole pan

Note however that both methods will really only change 1 to 1.5 litres of fluid out of the 7.2 litres the transmission actually holds - so this doesn't make a big difference unless it is repeated again and again.

Also note that the fill procedure isn't difficult but time consuming because you keep having to check the level as you fill, then go through all the gears, then get up to temperature. Once up to temp and level, you then have to add 0.4 litres.

I did a flush without the detergent in the flushstart , using only the gearbox oil in the flush machine. The machine name is BG Produkts PXT. And they need a special fitting for the 250.

i live in Norway and did the job in a Toyota Store, i was also told by Lexus Norway that they have never flushed a 250. So i am probably the first in Norway to do this.  I can only say that the gearbox is much faster in gearing after the flush.

[canon.dmajor.3]

Thank you both colinbarber and alfalfa and any one else who contributes to this discussion,I have got some very good information from you both and will speak to my local mechanic and see what he says thank you both for your help.

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[Beamish]

14 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

As there isn't a drain plug on the transmission it is a little more involved but not difficult for any garage or competent DIYer.

Hi Colin,

Are you refering to the A960E transmission fitted to the RWD IS250 Gen.2 as my understanding is that both a drain and a level plug are fitted to the pan.

This is a job I intend to undertake shortly so I have been doing a little research. The diagram below of the A960E  shows the two plugs fitted to the transmission pan.

 

 

Regards, 

Declan

[Alfalfa]

There is a drain plugg and a level plug on the pan, but you only get about 1 liter oil out, so if you like to change the 7.2litre you have to use a flush unit.

[ColinBarber]

4 hours ago, Beamish said:

Hi Colin,

Are you refering to the A960E transmission fitted to the RWD IS250 Gen.2 as my understanding is that both a drain and a level plug are fitted to the pan.

Regards, 

Declan

My mistake, I was under the impression that it didn't have one - makes things easier. 😀

[zoricib]

Considering doing this as my car just got over 100k miles now. Any recommendations for shops around Coventry/west midlands? 

[Mr Vlad]

Find a auto gearbox specialist. A reputable one. Theres a machine by Launch the ATF 501S which pumps out the old oil with new. I priced the job about 6 months ago and was told it'd be around £500. I was going to get mine done but a knackered alternator got in the way.

[ahmed-abrar]

22 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

Find a auto gearbox specialist. A reputable one. Theres a machine by Launch the ATF 501S which pumps out the old oil with new. I priced the job about 6 months ago and was told it'd be around £500. I was going to get mine done but a knackered alternator got in the way.

blimey, £500 seems a bit strong?

[zoricib]

Called up 3 local-ish places and they all quoted under £300 for a sump down, filter and gasket replacement and refill. Will get it booked in for the new year

[Mr Vlad]

The quote I got was for a FULL flush meaning every last bit of old oil replaced with fresh new oil and filters so £500 is very fair.

Bogdan £300 will only replace upto 2.5 litres of oil out of near 8 litres.

[zoricib]

17 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

The quote I got was for a FULL flush meaning every last bit of old oil replaced with fresh new oil and filters so £500 is very fair.

Bogdan £300 will only replace upto 2.5 litres of oil out of near 8 litres.

Thanks for the heads-up. Will make sure to ask how much they can take out & replace. They all mentioned replacing filters and the gasket so thought it would take all the oil out. 

I thought the flush meant they add detergents/chemicals for a deep clean.

[Mr Vlad]

Yes Bogdan the full flush starts with a chemical clean. I'll be getting mine done next year.

[zoricib]

Just now, Mr Vlad said:

Yes Bogdan the full flush starts with a chemical clean. I'll be getting mine done next year.

let us know how it goes - aiming to have mine done in February

[Mr Vlad]

I'm looking between April and May for mine. 

[Alfalfa]

On 12/1/2022 at 9:52 AM, zoricib said:

Thanks for the heads-up. Will make sure to ask how much they can take out & replace. They all mentioned replacing filters and the gasket so thought it would take all the oil out. 

I thought the flush meant they add detergents/chemicals for a deep clean.

I flushed my 250 vith 250000km on the meter, the Lexus mecanic chief told me to skip the detergent in the Flushing to avoid debris to kome loose and get stuck in the solenoids, i foloved is guidanse and is wery pleased vith the result.

[Ozzay]

Yes I did it at 86,000 miles roughly.

Full 5+ litres of oil changed. Original fluid Aisin I think it was with the new filter and gasket seal around the pan.

Made a difference. Could tell it was smoother and it definitely pulled better. This was back in 2021 June/July.

[SeanR]

Curious if anyone has ever heard of a gearbox failure purely down to the state of oil ?

[toffee_pie]

Auto oil is auto oil, it's nothing magical and Sealed for life is a scam and nothing more than planned obsolescence. It's not just Lexus. Subaru, Honda and plenty others as well I am sure are on board - how better to replace cars than get expensive parts fubared due to lack of oil change. Transmission units are ridiculous expensive, I made sure to replace the fluid on mine twice in my ownership, so far less than 70k miles and it's a manual but a replacement is going to make you cry.

Replacement fluid should be done as if it's a manual, so in or around 70k - forget what manufacturers tell you. Get some tools, find the correct torque for the sump nut, get the correct oil and just do it. It's not like you are launching a rocket 

[Spark plug]

Mine is starting to stick in the low gears longer than she usually does. But changes up eventually. 87000 miles on her now. I'm thinking it's time for a oil change. She had full service history till 72000 but no mention of automatic transmission fluid change so don't know if it's ever been done. 

[toffee_pie]

Flushing is a terrible Idea on transmission boxes too, another money spinner for garages. There's no need to flush oil but if you really need to do it then the best way is flush it with more.. oil. Take it for a drive flush it and refill. 

The problem with flushing is your replacing oil with watery solvents and that is not good for high precision tolerance parts that need lubricant of a specialist viscosity, also you risk lodging gunks of particles in solenoids or whatever is inside this transmission and eventually it will get clogged to such an extent it won't work anymore and your going to get rough gear shifts and eventually it probably will just size up.

 

 

[Mr Vlad]

There's been too much negatively regarding flushing an automatic gearbox. Don't flush because it'll knacker the gearbox. My question is Where Is The Proof?

I've talked with specialists who work on gearboxes on Porche BMW Ferrari Rolls Royce etc etc and they advocate flushing.