Mk3 Gs300 Gearbox Service

[1meanmachine]

Tried over at engine & transmission but no joy. Hopefully someone over here can help.

Hi guys,

any mk3 owners out there that have had a gearbox service carried out.
Also any out there that have just left it well alone. Your thoughts on
this please. And any decent places I can get this done in the Bedfordshire area.

My car is on 77k and I'm considering a gb service.

Regards Mal.

[dave1]

Is there any specific reason to warrant this? What do you intend doing as a gearbox service?

If it is performing as it should then leave well alone.

[1meanmachine]

Is there any specific reason to warrant this? What do you intend doing as a gearbox service?

If it is performing as it should then leave well alone.

Hi Dave,

I just thought it would be good to change the oil and filter as it's been in there for 10 years/ 77k. I know it's sealed for life but what exactly is the life of the gearbox oil. If general consenus is leave well alone then I will. The gearbox is running absoloutly fine. No issues at all. Although sometimes going down a slight hill and slowing at a speed hump I get a slight surge say around 500/1000 revs when accelerating again past/over the hump which doesn't last very long few meters and i also get this sometimes going up a hill. I'm guessiing this is normal.It might just be me. All my previous cars were diesel autos. A merc and the rest bmw's. So this is my first petrol auto in decades. I've got it booked in at a specialist who's given me the same advice as you. To leave well alone. But he did say bring it down for him to check the gearbox oil and run a full diagnostic on it.

Regards Mal.

[dave1]

Oil should be nice reddish colour. My previous '96 300 Sport had around 146k on it when I traded it for my GS430 which is now 12.5 years old with 70k. I owned the 300 for 6 years and my 430 for almost 7 years and have never had to have anything done to g/box and until last year or so I had always had main dealer servicing.

If things are fine then why risk upsetting them by altering anything?

[1meanmachine]

Oil should be nice reddish colour. My previous '96 300 Sport had around 146k on it when I traded it for my GS430 which is now 12.5 years old with 70k. I owned the 300 for 6 years and my 430 for almost 7 years and have never had to have anything done to g/box and until last year or so I had always had main dealer servicing.

If things are fine then why risk upsetting them by altering anything?

Thanks Dave,

yup I guess your right. Thanks for your advice it's much appreciated. It has got full main dealer service history. I had it serviced at Lexus Hatfield last month and they gave it the all clear. Also MOT'd it a few days ago with no advisories. I guess I'm just being cautious as I've just bought it. I have however booked it in at a specialist who gave me similar advice to you. Which was leave it well alone but said he's going to check the oil and condition for me and also run a full diagnostic for peace of mind. The reason for the diag is I feel it's returning poor fuel economy. Currently showing 15mpg around town.

Regards Mal.

[dave1]

Fuel consumption won't be g/box. What sort of mpg were you getting before service?

[1meanmachine]

Fuel consumption won't be g/box. What sort of mpg were you getting before service?

I never drove it before the service. I bought it and then left it on the drive until Lexus Hatfield picked it up serviced it and then dropped it back off. When I purchased it begining of Jan this year. On the way home on the motorway 180 mile trip it was showing 35mpg but the tyres were low on pressure. Approx 28 ish so I guess it would have given more. Just the town mpg seems a little low at 15. I was expecting high teens atleast.

[dave1]

It might be the OBC that is not recording correctly. Only way to check really is to brim fill each time and see how near the OBC figures are to your figures. 15 does seem low though.

[1meanmachine]

It might be the OBC that is not recording correctly. Only way to check really is to brim fill each time and see how near the OBC figures are to your figures. 15 does seem low though.

Doing a brim test at the moment. Its gone down a 1/4 and I've done approx 50miles My commute is only about 1.5 mile each way so it'll take a while. Cars booked in for the 27th of this month for a diag so its a while away. Just wanted to chech it not the oxygen sensors or the throttle body playing.

[steve2006]

At this time of the year and such a short distance each way the engine will not even have fully warmed up by the time you get there or back so 15 MPG is probably correct.

I did change the transmission fluid on mine at 60,000 miles by draining the sump and refilling 2 litres 5 times and have had no problems before or after.

[1meanmachine]

At this time of the year and such a short distance each way the engine will not even have fully warmed up by the time you get there or back so 15 MPG is probably correct.

I did change the transmission fluid on mine at 60,000 miles by draining the sump and refilling 2 litres 5 times and have had no problems before or after.

Thanks Steve

It's going in obn the 27th for a check up at a specialist. I'm gonna wait and see what he says with regards to the condition of the oil.

[marvin]

Hi there, sealed for life is so very wrong. Anything with moving parts will produce swarf of some kind, plus the oil WILL break down over time. Ten years is WAY too long. The filter will become blocked to some degree, which can lead to poor delivery to the moving parts, and we all know what happens to parts starved of oil. 60.000 miles is about the max before a service. Would you leave your engine oil for ten years before changing it, no. I can recommend a very good auto trans garage. It might be a little way from you, but it will be worth the trip, I have used them for years. Here is their address. Suffolk automatic transmissions LTD. 01440 786555 07850 050122. They are very close to Haverhill. Why not give them a ring, ask for Paul, he's the boss, tell him Gary from Haverhill told you about them.

[1meanmachine]

Hi guys,

just an update. I finally went and got the gearbox serviced yesterday. I'm so glad I did. The technician said my filter was completly blocked. He showed me a sample of the oil and it was really dark brown with a slight red tint. He did say there was not particles in the oil so nothing to worry about. Just dirty oil and a blocked filter. They have recommended that I take it back for another gearbox service sometime in the near future so we can dilute it further.

Gear change is smoother so far but nothing else to report. I've been having a read up and apparantly its a common problem on the rx300 with their filters getting clogged up but nothing on the gs300. Also I belive lexus Canada service the GS300 gearbox at 60k were as the americans and europeans don't.

Hope this helps Mal.

[Yugguy]

Hello.

Can I ask where you had it done?

I am seriously considering a GS300 as they seem to be very good value at 9 or 10 years old, and I believe the oil burning/carbon build up issue is more of a USA problem due to their low quality fuel. Other than that they don't seem to have any major issues.

I'm a firm believer in auto fluid changes - everything deteriorates. I've had several auto cars, all have benefited from a fluid change. Changes got quicker and smoother. I think fluid changes should be part of a standard service about every 40 or 50k.

Cheers

[1meanmachine]

Hello.

Can I ask where you had it done?

I am seriously considering a GS300 as they seem to be very good value at 9 or 10 years old, and I believe the oil burning/carbon build up issue is more of a USA problem due to their low quality fuel. Other than that they don't seem to have any major issues.

I'm a firm believer in auto fluid changes - everything deteriorates. I've had several auto cars, all have benefited from a fluid change. Changes got quicker and smoother. I think fluid changes should be part of a standard service about every 40 or 50k.

Cheers

I got mine done from this place. Hope it helps.

Mal.

Stephens Engineering

Engineering Unit, 5-6 Thundridge, Ware, Hertfordshire SG12 0SS

Phone:01920 462530

[marvin]

Hi there, yes, service is a must. I use SUFFOLK AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS LTD Babel green Hundon Sudbury Suffolk CO10 8DQ Tel 01440 786555 mobile 07850 050122. Ask for Paul, you won't do better. Regards, Marvin