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Transmission Fluid


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The only trans fluid you should put in an SC400 is Toyota Type T-IV (t-4) ATF. It's availaable ONLY from the dealership as far as I know, and it's very expensive.

It's not equivalent to any of the Dexron ATFs and I doubt Amsoil has an equivalent to the Toy Type T-4

Aaron

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The Lexus engineers say this:

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Question: What type of automatic transmission fluid is used in Lexus vehicles?

Answer from Lexus: Please check the inside back cover of your Owner's Manual for the type of transmission fluid your vehicle uses.

If you Owner's Manual specifies, T-II, you may only use T-II or T-IV.

If your Owner's Manual specifies, T-IV, you may only use T-IV.

If your Owner's Manual specifies Dexron II, you may only use Dexron II or Dexron III.

If your Owner's Manual specifies Dexron III, you may only use Dexron II or Dexron III.

Genuine Toyota Type T-IV transmission fluid is available from Toyota dealers in 1 quart bottles for about $3.75 a quart.

Genuine Toyota Dexron II & III transmission fluid is available from Toyota dealers in 1 quart bottles for about $3.30 a quart. Dexron II & III transmission fluid is also the fluid Lexus recommends for use in Lexus power steering systems.

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Amsoil ATF runs $7.80 per quart and worth it. Do you think Lexus might want you to buy a new car some day?..lol. I also like their 0W30 2000 Series Severe Service motor oil. Start-up wear protection is unmatched. Also it really seemed to clean up my friends motor. Leaves no gunk behind like non-synthetic. It will actually remove it over the changes...especially the first two. Comes out black. Amsoil rocks!!

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ATF is not like engine oil, you need a certain amount of friction properties in the fluid. Now I know the toyota engineers know how much friction my tranny needs, do I know AMSOil knows???

I know they've got an excellent rep for oils, and if they had a proper Toyota Type T-II replacement ATF I might buy it, but I would NOT use their ATF which is likely a Dexron III equivalent.

To each his own I guess...

Aaron

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No, you would not necessarily recognize a problem from the get-go. Amsoil makes some very fine products. Many of the requirements of your Lexus transmission may be met with the Amsoil tranny fluid, but possibly not all. Those few (possibly minor) requirements may not make a difference now, but after your next 50,000 miles you may find yourself with an issue. I have heard of enough transmission issues caused by someone not using Toyota fluid when it is specified to believe that there is something to it. Certainly using a lower quality fluid than Amsoil will cause these issues to manifest much sooner (sometimes nearly immediately) but I believe that Amsoil tranny fluid will not meet your end goal after enough time passes.

I swear by the use of synthetic oil in both of my Lexus vehicles, but I stick with Toyota coolant and transmission fluid where it is called for.

Just my 2 cents.

Tom

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I can;t say what to use but i sure as hell would not use mobil one syntethic tranny fluid in my toyota.

Myself and otehrs have started the clutch debris and slip problem after use of mobil 1.

I have switched to amsoil and it has greatly improved the performance of the transmission to a daily driver instead of a monthly parker.

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