My ISF broke down today, Major transmission fluid leak!!!

[d3ron]

56 minutes ago, Arqum said:

26k not had the issue but nipping it in the bud now. 

Lol i think you may be a bit premature. I think were looking at 100k miles plus with this issue. 

 

 

[Arqum]

My car is a 2009, so tbh age is also a factor. 

[d3ron]

2 minutes ago, Arqum said:

My car is a 2009, so tbh age is also a factor. 

Which is why I suggested we document mileage. 

We're driving pretty bullet proof V8's, not highly strung exotica. 

Mine has 105k +, but had the radiator replaced in 2018 during service ( I don't know why) and I have warranty until Jan 2022. 

But I'm fairly sure this issue has affected less than 2% of the ISF's in the country based on peak figures of 220. 

 

[Arqum]

But for the sake of the cost and the damage it can do its totally worth getting sorted. 

[Northern isf]

2 hours ago, Arqum said:

But for the sake of the cost and the damage it can do its totally worth getting sorted. 

Got to agree, it's next job on my car I've also parked it up until I can get the job done. 

[d3ron]

@Twellsie how many miles and what age is your car?

[Toothy]

6 hours ago, d3ron said:

@Twellsie how many miles and what age is your car?

 

On 8/14/2020 at 11:13 AM, Twellsie said:

120k

And 2008. It's on his profile.

[paul99]

Not sure how easy it would be but once the failed rad is removed it would be interesting to have it cut open to see where it failed, might indicate a design fault or if its internal corrosion due to age. 

[NothernDan]

3 hours ago, paul99 said:

Not sure how easy it would be but once the failed rad is removed it would be interesting to have it cut open to see where it failed, might indicate a design fault or if its internal corrosion due to age. 

I'm keeping the removed part for that very reason 😁

[NothernDan]

6 minutes ago, NothernDan said:

I'm keeping the removed part for that very reason 😁

Although mine hasn't failed..... Yet! 

[4969_LXS]

Hi guys,

I've managed to find an exploded diagram of the radiator from Club lexus. Someone has written on it in relation to where a split can occur. The radiators are known to fail along the top and bottom end tanks as well as our recent mixing fluids scenario.

With regards to the mixing of fluids, I'd either put it down to metal fatigue, due to cycling loading from heat cycles causing a split in the ATF heat exchanger somewhere. Or corrosion from none distilled water being inserted into the cooling system which in turn eats away at the ATF cooler.

When I swap my radiator, I'll be looking to have a nosey at the insides with a borroscope.

Mine is a 2008 with 66k on for reference and it has not failed.

[ColinBarber]

highly unlikely to be due to corrosion on the inside - most people will service their vehicle at Lexus who use pre-mixed Toyota pink SLL coolant. The LS430 failures where we have pictures of on these forums from are joint failures or external corrosion on the connectors.

e.g. 

 

[scott-o]

3 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

highly unlikely to be due to corrosion on the inside - most people will service their vehicle at Lexus who use pre-mixed Toyota pink SLL coolant. The LS430 failures where we have pictures of on these forums from are joint failures or external corrosion on the connectors.

e.g. 

 

It does look like that is what has happened to the OP doesn't it, total loss of fluid. 

[Twellsie]

after a stressful couple of weeks, the car is now home and runs like a dream!!!

[Arqum]

Sorted! What was the final damage and parts list? 

[scott-o]

Glad you got sorted! I think you've caused a spike in radiators being ordered!

What was the issue in the end? Did the connection to the transmission cooler fail and drain your gearbox of fluid, rather than it fail internally and mix the oil/ coolant?

[Twellsie]

1 hour ago, Arqum said:

Sorted! What was the final damage and parts list? 

Gearbox, fluids, rad assy, came in just over,  came in around £2.2k (mates rates on labour)

[Arqum]

That's better than what lexus were saying on the account of guess work. Did you go OEM rad or upgrade with a sperate cooler for the gearbox? 

[Twellsie]

1 minute ago, Arqum said:

That's better than what lexus were saying on the account of guess work. Did you go OEM rad or upgrade with a sperate cooler for the gearbox? 

yeah thats why the decision was made to pull it out of Lexus, I wasnt confident that they had fully diagnosed the issue, it felt like they were just gonna keep changing parts till they found the issue, it was getting close to £2k in labour at Lexus, so this route was a bit of a no brainer!

yeah standard Lexus rad

[Arqum]

Good on you mate. Anything else that was found out of the ordinary? 

[Twellsie]

1 minute ago, Arqum said:

Good on you mate. Anything else that was found out of the ordinary? 

nope all good

[Arqum]

Well done. Total peace of mind for you now. What you gonna do with the old box? Refurbed? 

[Twellsie]

5 hours ago, Arqum said:

Well done. Total peace of mind for you now. What you gonna do with the old box? Refurbed? 

Undecided, I really don't have the space for it to honest, open to offers

[Arqum]

What’s the costs of a referb?

[Twellsie]

10 minutes ago, Arqum said:

What’s the costs of a referb?

CTS quoted me circa £3000 to remove refurb and refit, including fitting the rad flushing system etc, so I'd guess £1500-£2000 for just the refurb.

 

the garage that fitted the new box was pretty confident there was no coolant in the box, the drained the ATF and kept it for me to see and there didn't seem to be any water sitting in the top of the ATF