Tranny Service Question

[sgriffith]

I am about to do a drain & fill on the tranny fluid.....but have heard a couple of different methods and want to see if I am on the right track. I have no problem dropping the pan & replacing the fluid, but some have mentioned just "draining the fluid" and then replacing....is there something I am missing here or is this just another way to say the same thing? Also, when I drop the pan, will I need to replace the gasket? After much searching, I will stick with the recommended toyota fluid & just bite the bullet every 15K. I have also read a suggestion that you drive the vehicle for a few days and then do another drain & fill to get the old stuff that was still in the system out. Is that something that everyone recommends? Until joining this group, I was aware that the fluid should be changed every 15K, and I have put about 40K on the vehicle since I first got it. I know that the fluid had been by the dealer prior to my purchase, but it hasn't since. I figured that since it had been so long, that doing the procedure twice might be a good idea. Any thoughts/suggestions on that?

I am going to get a "real deal" service manual before too long, but wanted to do this service as it is way past time. Being the cheapskate that I am, I bought one of those "Service manua CDs" off of ebay thinking that it would answer some BASIC questions like this...what a waste of money. Oh well, only 10.00...not that big of a loss. Just fair warning for others considering the same, my experience with the service cds isn't that great...save your money & get the real deal!!! Thanks everyone!!l

[douglasmiami]

I'm curious what you've discovered on this site regarding transmission service? There have been various posts regarding transmission work, but you seem to have gathered some information.

I too have a '99 RX 300. I didn't realize it was recommended to change transmission fluid every 15k miles? That's frequent. Also, what types of fluid are out there? I'm not mechanically inclined, so I would likely just let someone else change the fluid, unless you've discovered differently?

And what is a "real deal" service manual?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[dcfish]

Just pull the drain plug and replace the fluid no need to drop the pan unless there is an existing problem , there is no filter to replace just a screen welded to the pan , if you drop the pan you will need a new gasket . As far as replacing the fluid after a couple of hundred miles , only if you are switching to a different brand of tranny fluid which I would not do , use toyota fluid .

[mbpgawest]

Hi Everyone, the 15,000 mile serivce of the trany. is right in the service manual that came with the car. I would use nothing but Toyota's fluid my self. When you change the fluid, change the drain plug gasket also. It's a metal ring that compresses when tightend. I just did mine about a week ago.

[sgriffith]

I know this is a stupid question, and I haven't yet crawled under the vehicle to check it all out, but where do you refill the fluid? Is there another place where I pump it back into the pan, or is their some place in the engine compartment where I can just add it? Yeah, I am a newbie, but I have done all other service on the vehicle so I am fairly confident that I can do this as well.

douglasmiami...I did a search within this forum for "tranny" and read all of the postings I could find. Lexus states that you should replace the fluid every 30K, but every post that I have read by those that know what is going on seems to suggest that you should every 15K. As far as the fluid, others have had mixed reviews/problems with using fluid other than the specified toyota type-iv tranny fluid. It is pricey (5.03/quart at the closest toyota dealer), but I am going to stick with it just to be on the safe side....I figure a few extra dollars here and there to ensure that my tranny is well taken care of is worth it to me. As far as the "real deal" service manual...Toyota/Lexus puts one out for all of their vehicles. The one for the RX will run you between 150-200...depending on the source, but it is two HUGE books loaded with all the info, diagrams, etc. that you will need to do all of the service/repair work your little heart desires. You can sometimes find them on ebay for a little less than you would pay for them directly from toyota. I just mainly want them for the service work...when something breaks I take it to someone else!! So, I am hinting at the full-blown service manual for fathers day!! ;-) Thanks to all for the posts....especially for newbies like myself.

[dcfish]

get a funnel with a hose on it [ made for tranny refill ] and fill in the tranny dipstick filler tube [ same tube where your dipstick is ] pour slowly and make sure the hose is snug in the filler tube .

[dcfish]

when you are done wrap the funnel in a plastic bag as to not contaminate for your next fill. works for me !

[sgriffith]

That was my guess....thanks a million for the reply. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything!

[rxprime]

Hi everyone,

I am also planning to replace my transmission fluid in my rx300, and I was wondering if someone can help me locate the drain plug. I crawled under my vehicle last week while I was changing the oil and tried to look for a plug, but I couldn't be sure. I change the transmission fluid in my other car which is a honda and the plug is real easy to locate, but I am not too sure about it on the rx300. Also, do I need anything else other than a regular socket wrench to remove the drain plug? Thank you.

[douglasmiami]

At the risk of sounding less devoted than the rest of you, I would rather have someone else do my tranny fluid, as I do not really have the inclination nor the mechanical confidence to do myself. Is this something that I can have a "Quick Change" place do (oil change place)? And if I wanted to purchase my own Toyota fluid, would they give me a discount off of their service price?

Any thoughts are appreciated

[mbpgawest]

douglas, I don't think that they will give you any discount for bringing in your own oil, but it does not hurt to ask. At least that way you know what is going into your Lexus.

[sgriffith]

Late reply to this I know, but for douglasmiami, I was going to have my local lube shop do a flush for me. They were going to charge $85 for the flush, but I still had to bring the special tranny fluid.. They wanted me to bring 16qts....at $5.05 each from the Toyota place....it all adds up to more than I want to spend! So, I figured I would do it myself. They weren't going to give me any type of a discount for bringing my own fluid. I don't know if this is commonplace...but it is my experience at least.

[velk]

The owners manual does not recommend tran. fluid change. Only under severe driving conditions, like towing. I would not change unless there was a problem. Moreover, there is a good chance that if done improperly, a serious damage will result.

[SKperformance]

If they are being stupid about giving you a discount

either find a better place who does

or

make them give you the oil they would have used as tranny fluid is very good as a lubricant for other things

[tta300]

I replaced my '99 rx300 tranny fluid a couple of times. You'll need a 10mm allen wrench for the plug on the driver's side. You'll need 4 quarts Toyota Type4 fluid available only at Lexus/Toyota dealer for drain and refill. Unless you experience any problem, there is no reason to drop the pan, replace the filter, or even replace all the fluid in the tanny. If you do, you might as well do it at Lexus/Toyota dealer. It's about $200 for the complete flush and refill. Toyota Type4 fluid is very critical to the tranny. Any substitute will destroy the tranny for sure.