The Free Mod Series - Part 1: Faster Shifting

[Toysrme]

Background:

We all know that the Automatic Transmissions in the Camry/ES 300 (both of the v6 4-speed automatics 2vz-fe & 3vz-fe A540E, 1mz-fe A541E are mechanically the same) are setup for comfort. The bad news is that they're slow shifting. The good news is that they don't hunt for gears under anything but highly spirited driving. The great news is that there is something we can do about it!

Theory:

Anyone that's looked into making serious power gains on any A/T Toyota engine will notice the second most important upgrade to the A/T is to upgrade the valve body. By raising the pressure in it, the shifts are much harder, and faster. This gives quicker shifts and also reduced wear on the transmission. (less heat is produced)

Most of you that poke around the engine bay will see two cables going to your throttle body. Obviously one is the throttle, but what is the other cable? A good guess would be cruise control, however that is incorrect.

The second cable is the "Throttle Kick-down Cable" and it's function is close to what the name says. It controls a valve in the transmission's valve body that can increase, and decrease the pressure in the valve body.

(A great example is the ECT button on the transmission. With it held down, the transmission shifts harder, and holds gear longer. The astute among you notice if you get on the throttle hard enough at the "right" RPM range the same thing is accomplished. This is because the cable is tighter the more the throttle is open.)

What we are going to do raise the pressure of the valve body, without sending it off to a transmission shop and spending $399 on a great upgrade.

Instructions:

The pink cable is the throttle kick-down cable on *my* car in it's stock position (the nuts are in the middle). What we need to do is make the cable as tight as possible WITHOUT restricting wide open throttle. (If you crank it too tight, you can't open the throttle all the way.)

All you have to do is run the top nut in that picture all the way to the rubber stopper, then close the bottom nut on it. (as said above, this will probably restrict your WOT operation, so back off a little)

Your shifts will now be much quicker, and much firmer also. Possibly to the point of just being a really hard shift. Your car is not only quicker, but the transmission will go longer without burning fluid, and the clutches will last longer because they're not holding the planetary gear set as long.

*note*

Forewarning, the transmission will also shift into Drive and Reverse harder also. You can't have it both ways, everythings a compromise. If it's too much of a pain going into D & R back off.

Just do that!

****************************************

[SKperformance]

Funny thing about that is the first time i did it 7 years ago my tranny failed under warranty.

More pressure also cause more heat, another problem the tranny if idled much.

BTW the a541e ( the reason for the # difference is the electronic computer control solenoid).

So it is pretty much the same thing except for shifting.

[Toysrme]

There was also the original A540-F with no electronics what-so ever! :)

I would doubt that caused the transmission to die.

This has been used for more than a decade on about everything Toyota has produced, with no ill-affects cropping up. 90% of the transmissions sold in the last 20 years use the same thing. I've never heard anyone say they tightened the cable, and the transmission died because of it.

The only problem's I've ever ran across is when people tighten it, expecting it to take the place of a full transmission rebuild. It's is an adjustment, it does not equal a valve body upgrade.

[chrispiss]

Just out of curiosity, what would moving it the other direction do?

[Toysrme]

More throttle pedal for the transmission to shift, when it does so, it tends to do so very slowly. You would think that would give a very smooth shift. The opposite happens. It clunks into gear.

[dcfish]

More throttle pedal for the transmission to shift, when it does so, it tends to do so very slowly. You would think that would give a very smooth shift. The opposite happens. It clunks into gear.

←

Toysrme, Personally I think that your mod series posts are all well and good for all who want to make changes to there car. Forum members that disagree with your posts should ignore them and move on or discredit them with facts. This said your posts make for interesting reading. Keep up the good work. B)

[kyle0k]

i agree,for anytone saying that these mods are stupid and ES isnt a sports car,while i agree ES isnt a sports car if thety dont like it then dont comment. These mods are posted for those who want to do it, i havent seen ideas this good on this forum yet.....

hmm i would try this tranny thing but im afraid since i have a 1996 es300,its already older. and for me im no engineer but isnt more pressure equal more heat???????? how is it the other way around.

[Toysrme]

I don't care if anything is bashed or tried to be discredited, or not. If I cared, I would have left them on Toyota Nation, where 99.5% of ES 300 owners would never see them. If someone doesn't like them, that's fine. However I do agree. Saying the car is not performance oriented, and that the idea should be completely thrown out the window bothers me.

Especially when everyone and their brother does some type of intake, and exhaust modification in the search of that performance.

I digress, that's a totally seperate topic.

Yes, the higher pressure will create slightly higher temperature. In the same since, a faster shift is less wear on the clutch packs, and less heat is created in the process. It more than likely off-sets and negative.

There isn't a large amount changed, The maximum line pressure the transmission sees is not changed. A full-fledged valve-body upgrade will raise line presure enough to warrent an auxillary cooler, or replacement of the stock cooler.

Honstely, adding a cooler is a good Idea anyways. 90% of transmission failures are due to bad fluid. The fluid's life span is halved every time it exceeds it's service life.

There isn't much to it. You'll spill a few quarts of fluid, but consists of nothing more than some transmission oil hose, a cooler, and some zipties (for anyone that can't find a place to bolt one up, or weld). All-up cost is less than $30. Most of the time, you can go to a pick-a-part type salvage / junk yard and simply ask for a transmission cooler. Many times other people have pulled things like turbo's, intercoolers, transmission coolers and that sort of hardware all-ready, but changed their minds.

[dcfish]

I don't care if anything is bashed or tried to be discredited, or not. If I cared, I would have left them on Toyota Nation, where 99.5% of ES 300 owners would never see them. If someone doesn't like them, that's fine. However I do agree. Saying the car is not performance oriented, and that the idea should be completely thrown out the window bothers me.

Especially when everyone and their brother does some type of intake, and exhaust modification in the search of that performance.

I digress, that's a totally seperate topic.

Yes, the higher pressure will create slightly higher temperature. In the same since, a faster shift is less wear on the clutch packs, and less heat is created in the process. It more than likely off-sets and negative.

There isn't a large amount changed, The maximum line pressure the transmission sees is not changed. A full-fledged valve-body upgrade will raise line presure enough to warrent an auxillary cooler, or replacement of the stock cooler.

Honstely, adding a cooler is a good Idea anyways. 90% of transmission failures are due to bad fluid. The fluid's life span is halved every time it exceeds it's service life.

There isn't much to it. You'll spill a few quarts of fluid, but consists of nothing more than some transmission oil hose, a cooler, and some zipties (for anyone that can't find a place to bolt one up, or weld). All-up cost is less than $30. Most of the time, you can go to a pick-a-part type salvage / junk yard and simply ask for a transmission cooler. Many times other people have pulled things like turbo's, intercoolers, transmission coolers and that sort of hardware all-ready, but changed their minds.

←

And by the way, WELCOME to the club !!!

[NeiLtYmE]

did your adjustments help the downshifting at all?

[Toysrme]

I wouldn't post it if it didn't work. Wether, or not anyone believes any of it...

Yes, it makes a huge differance in transmission feeling. You can really fine tune when the transmission shifts, and how hard with the cable.

Factory is about the middle.

Around 1/4 of the way to the pink side is about right on most of these transmissions to give a fairly sporty feel that you wouldn't think the car even had. Go all the way if you're just wanting to play around.

The worst thing that can happen is that every now and again the factory will isntall a cable that is short. You tighten it down all the way, and the throttle can't open 100%. (Tug the other cable, the one I circled in red in the first post. It should open all the way)

[ford212.809]

Toysrme,

What a great class! I performed the preceding instructions and , what a difference.

Thanks ;)

[takeaflyingleap]

Toysrme,

I like the info. I have only read a few of your posts and I have agreed with all of them. I also own an 87 Jeep Cherokee. It has an Asian Warner 4 speed (made by Toyota). It also has a TV cable or a "kick down cable" I made the adjustments a little over 150,000 mi. ago. it now has over 260,000 mi. now. No problems so far. It also has many other mods, lift, 35" tires ect... All very hard on a transmission.

Keep up all the good info. It really helps. (I am currently trying to decipher the turbo thread)

[jragosta]

There was also the original A540-F with no electronics what-so ever! :)

I would doubt that caused the transmission to die.

←

Attention readers:

This is a common trend for Toysrme. He recommends some modification to the car. When someone reports that they tried this modification and it caused engine or transmission failure, he waves it off and says 'the modification didn't cause it'.

All of these modifications carry the risk of damage. While Toysrme doesn't feel that he should warn you of that, you need to know that using fluids in your car that the factory doesn't recommend, or making the shift go much harder than designed, or increasing the pressure in your engine all could damage your car.

While you may want to 'upgrade' anyway, you should do it only on the basis of a careful evaluation of the risks and benefits - and only when receiving advice from an experienced professional. Someone who recommends all these changes and who simply waves off the risks (and the experience of people who have tried it) is not giving you balanced advice.

[jragosta]

i agree,for anytone saying that these mods are stupid and ES isnt a sports car,while i agree ES isnt a sports car if thety dont like it then dont comment. These mods are posted for those who want to do it, i havent seen ideas this good on this forum yet.....

hmm i would try this tranny thing but im afraid since i have a 1996 es300,its already older. and for me im no engineer but isnt more pressure equal more heat???????? how is it the other way around.

←

I don't mind people posting suggestions. What I mind is Toysrme's ignoring the risks involved when he posts all his suggestions. Then, when someone points out cases where his suggestions have caused damage to the car, he waves it away and says that they don't know what they're talking about.

Readers need to know that changing the car to do things it wasn't designed to do carries risks.

[dcfish]

i agree,for anytone saying that these mods are stupid and ES isnt a sports car,while i agree ES isnt a sports car if thety dont like it then dont comment. These mods are posted for those who want to do it, i havent seen ideas this good on this forum yet.....

hmm i would try this tranny thing but im afraid since i have a 1996 es300,its already older. and for me im no engineer but isnt more pressure equal more heat???????? how is it the other way around.

←

I don't mind people posting suggestions. What I mind is Toysrme's ignoring the risks involved when he posts all his suggestions. Then, when someone points out cases where his suggestions have caused damage to the car, he waves it away and says that they don't know what they're talking about.

Readers need to know that changing the car to do things it wasn't designed to do carries risks.

←

The way I see it is if the MFG. engineered the automobile with adjustments, Then the adjustments should be taken advantage of , After all the MFG. sets everything very moderate , So if you want to readjust the settings so the car runs and performs optimally for the owner then so be it. MFG'S get you in the ballpark If you want to hit a home run, More power to you. [A fitting analogy ] My 2 cents.

[Toysrme]

1) I have never posted anything that I haven't personally done myself to verify that it works. Believe it or not - when I say something, I'm not full of *BLEEP*.

When I'm guessing, don't know something, or don't have first hand experience with it - unlike most people I SAY IT up front.

2) For the second time, maximum line pressure IS NOT INCREASED by making a throttle cable adjustment.

The

(Again) The only time your transmission is going to fail in relation to a TV adjustment is when you are substituting the FACTORY ADJUSTMENT for a VALVE BODY / CLUTCH / PUMP UPGRADE. If you're trying to hold more power than the transmission clutches can handle VIA the TV adjustment - You will fail! It's stupid in the first part.

It's already proven that even with a full out VB upgrade & dual coolers, the transmissions clutches simply can't keep the stock clutches pushed in hard enough -> quickly enough. Trying to substitute the adjustment for a rebuild is moronic.

3) The longer the clutch, band & brake material in the transmission work the hotter they get, AND the more work they are subject to. This doesn't work the other way around. At any case, transmission life is increased slightly (Tho I don't think enough to justify saying hey, you'll get an extra 10,000 miles out of it) because they not only operate at a slightly lower temperature, but they don't work as long all the time.

This has been an extremely common adjustment to make not just on this transmission, but on nearly every transmission from the 70's through the mid 90's before they went 100% electronic by actually monitoring line pressure. On top of all that, our transmission has a very weak adjustment range to begin with. Unlike some transmissions built closely to the maximum power output it can handle, ours are not.

On some transmissions, if you leave a TV, or vacuum modulator completely loose / off you'll grind the clutches to death because they're not being pushed in. This has proven to be not true in the case of the A540 family. I've found at least 10 people over the last 9-12 months having transmission issues where the TV cable was either way out of adjustment, or not connected at all.

jragosta ask yourself... Did SK's transmission fail from an adjustment, or did it just fail? Ya know there are weak areas of these transmissions... Ask SK about his transmission failure & read the other threads at the time. After I bashed the FAQ from errors, he bashed everything I posted for a week. Ya know he was nagging the threads for an underlying reason LoL ;)

This adjustment has been done too many times, by too many people, over way to long a time.

If you're going to argue, PICK AN AREA YOU CAN WIN. An FYI, adjusting the TV is an area ya can't win. Arrrrrr

LoL! Find a different one. :D

[jragosta]

i agree,for anytone saying that these mods are stupid and ES isnt a sports car,while i agree ES isnt a sports car if thety dont like it then dont comment. These mods are posted for those who want to do it, i havent seen ideas this good on this forum yet.....

hmm i would try this tranny thing but im afraid since i have a 1996 es300,its already older. and for me im no engineer but isnt more pressure equal more heat???????? how is it the other way around.

←

I don't mind people posting suggestions. What I mind is Toysrme's ignoring the risks involved when he posts all his suggestions. Then, when someone points out cases where his suggestions have caused damage to the car, he waves it away and says that they don't know what they're talking about.

Readers need to know that changing the car to do things it wasn't designed to do carries risks.

←

The way I see it is if the MFG. engineered the automobile with adjustments, Then the adjustments should be taken advantage of , After all the MFG. sets everything very moderate , So if you want to readjust the settings so the car runs and performs optimally for the owner then so be it. MFG'S get you in the ballpark If you want to hit a home run, More power to you. [A fitting analogy ] My 2 cents.

←

That's a silly argument. There are all sorts of adjustments in the car and they're designed to be set properly. When you change them, you're no longer in spec.

For example, your car has adjustments for toe, camber, and caster. They're designed to be set within the design range. Just because you CAN move them to the extremes doesn't mean that you won't wear out tires by doing so.

[jragosta]

1) I have never posted anything that I haven't personally done myself to verify that it works. Believe it or not - when I say something, I'm not full of *BLEEP*.

When I'm guessing, don't know something, or don't have first hand experience with it - unlike most people I SAY IT up front.

2) For the second time, maximum line pressure IS NOT INCREASED by making a throttle cable adjustment.

The

(Again) The only time your transmission is going to fail in relation to a TV adjustment is when you are substituting the FACTORY ADJUSTMENT for a VALVE BODY / CLUTCH / PUMP UPGRADE. If you're trying to hold more power than the transmission clutches can handle VIA the TV adjustment - You will fail! It's stupid in the first part.

It's already proven that even with a full out VB upgrade & dual coolers, the transmissions clutches simply can't keep the stock clutches pushed in hard enough -> quickly enough. Trying to substitute the adjustment for a rebuild is moronic.

3) The longer the clutch, band & brake material in the transmission work the hotter they get, AND the more work they are subject to. This doesn't work the other way around. At any case, transmission life is increased slightly (Tho I don't think enough to justify saying hey, you'll get an extra 10,000 miles out of it) because they not only operate at a slightly lower temperature, but they don't work as long all the time.

This has been an extremely common adjustment to make not just on this transmission, but on nearly every transmission from the 70's through the mid 90's before they went 100% electronic by actually monitoring line pressure. On top of all that, our transmission has a very weak adjustment range to begin with. Unlike some transmissions built closely to the maximum power output it can handle, ours are not.

On some transmissions, if you leave a TV, or vacuum modulator completely loose / off you'll grind the clutches to death because they're not being pushed in. This has proven to be not true in the case of the A540 family. I've found at least 10 people over the last 9-12 months having transmission issues where the TV cable was either way out of adjustment, or not connected at all.

jragosta ask yourself... Did SK's transmission fail from an adjustment, or did it just fail? Ya know there are weak areas of these transmissions... Ask SK about his transmission failure & read the other threads at the time. After I bashed the FAQ from errors, he bashed everything I posted for a week. Ya know he was nagging the threads for an underlying reason LoL ;)

This adjustment has been done too many times, by too many people, over way to long a time.

If you're going to argue, PICK AN AREA YOU CAN WIN. An FYI, adjusting the TV is an area ya can't win.  Arrrrrr

LoL! Find a different one. :D

←

You can scream all you want. The facts are simple:

1. Lexus spends many millions of dollars designing their cars, testing them, and guaranteeing them based on their design.

2. Changing that design without an equivalent amount of testing is just as likely to cause problems as to improve things.

3. People have reported problems with the things you're suggesting. While it's impossible to prove that the problems were cause by the mods you're suggesting, you also can't prove that they weren't.

4. Given #3, I'd default back to #1. Lexus knows what they're doing. There's no evidence that you do.

[dcfish]

i agree,for anytone saying that these mods are stupid and ES isnt a sports car,while i agree ES isnt a sports car if thety dont like it then dont comment. These mods are posted for those who want to do it, i havent seen ideas this good on this forum yet.....

hmm i would try this tranny thing but im afraid since i have a 1996 es300,its already older. and for me im no engineer but isnt more pressure equal more heat???????? how is it the other way around.

←

I don't mind people posting suggestions. What I mind is Toysrme's ignoring the risks involved when he posts all his suggestions. Then, when someone points out cases where his suggestions have caused damage to the car, he waves it away and says that they don't know what they're talking about.

Readers need to know that changing the car to do things it wasn't designed to do carries risks.

←

The way I see it is if the MFG. engineered the automobile with adjustments, Then the adjustments should be taken advantage of , After all the MFG. sets everything very moderate , So if you want to readjust the settings so the car runs and performs optimally for the owner then so be it. MFG'S get you in the ballpark If you want to hit a home run, More power to you. [A fitting analogy ] My 2 cents.

←

That's a silly argument. There are all sorts of adjustments in the car and they're designed to be set properly. When you change them, you're no longer in spec.

For example, your car has adjustments for toe, camber, and caster. They're designed to be set within the design range. Just because you CAN move them to the extremes doesn't mean that you won't wear out tires by doing so.

←

Apples and oranges in that comparison, The discussion is about the transmission kickdown cable not suspension adjustments. It is like saying that I shouldn't adjust my radio from the default settings from the factory. :whistles:

[steviej]

Someone who recommends all these changes and who simply waves off the risks (and the experience of people who have tried it) is not giving you balanced advice.

←

jrag, on the other hand, someone who tries these modifications themself without consideration of what may or may not happen or without full understanding of what they are doing is not using balanced judgement.

Give the membership the benefit of the doubt. If you don't like what was posted, then don't follow it. Let other people make up their own minds. This is the internet. A place where there are tons of remedies, fixes and improvements. Not just for cars, but everything from weight loss to the shortening the duration of the common cold, to regrowing hair, to improving the color of your rose bushes......EVERYTHING. Anything can be posted and anything can be viewed.

It is totally up to the reader to evaluate the imformation presented and decided for themselves whether or not to try the procedure posted. The responsibility is solely up to the person who acts upon what they read.

Now, with regards to what the instructions that were posted.

How do you know that the people who posted problems with what Toysrme's instructions actually followed them correctly. We don't. But yet you trust that they did perform any modification correctly, based on the complaints they posted. This is hardly fair.

Fair warning to all: Lets keep this discussion peaceful.

steviej

ES/IS Forum Moderator.

[bartkat]

1) I have never posted anything that I haven't personally done myself to verify that it works. Believe it or not - when I say something, I'm not full of *BLEEP*.

When I'm guessing, don't know something, or don't have first hand experience with it - unlike most people I SAY IT up front.

2) For the second time, maximum line pressure IS NOT INCREASED by making a throttle cable adjustment.

The

(Again) The only time your transmission is going to fail in relation to a TV adjustment is when you are substituting the FACTORY ADJUSTMENT for a VALVE BODY / CLUTCH / PUMP UPGRADE. If you're trying to hold more power than the transmission clutches can handle VIA the TV adjustment - You will fail! It's stupid in the first part.

It's already proven that even with a full out VB upgrade & dual coolers, the transmissions clutches simply can't keep the stock clutches pushed in hard enough -> quickly enough. Trying to substitute the adjustment for a rebuild is moronic.

3) The longer the clutch, band & brake material in the transmission work the hotter they get, AND the more work they are subject to. This doesn't work the other way around. At any case, transmission life is increased slightly (Tho I don't think enough to justify saying hey, you'll get an extra 10,000 miles out of it) because they not only operate at a slightly lower temperature, but they don't work as long all the time.

This has been an extremely common adjustment to make not just on this transmission, but on nearly every transmission from the 70's through the mid 90's before they went 100% electronic by actually monitoring line pressure. On top of all that, our transmission has a very weak adjustment range to begin with. Unlike some transmissions built closely to the maximum power output it can handle, ours are not.

On some transmissions, if you leave a TV, or vacuum modulator completely loose / off you'll grind the clutches to death because they're not being pushed in. This has proven to be not true in the case of the A540 family. I've found at least 10 people over the last 9-12 months having transmission issues where the TV cable was either way out of adjustment, or not connected at all.

jragosta ask yourself... Did SK's transmission fail from an adjustment, or did it just fail? Ya know there are weak areas of these transmissions... Ask SK about his transmission failure & read the other threads at the time. After I bashed the FAQ from errors, he bashed everything I posted for a week. Ya know he was nagging the threads for an underlying reason LoL ;)

This adjustment has been done too many times, by too many people, over way to long a time.

If you're going to argue, PICK AN AREA YOU CAN WIN. An FYI, adjusting the TV is an area ya can't win.  Arrrrrr

LoL! Find a different one. :D

←

You can scream all you want. The facts are simple:

1. Lexus spends many millions of dollars designing their cars, testing them, and guaranteeing them based on their design.

2. Changing that design without an equivalent amount of testing is just as likely to cause problems as to improve things.

3. People have reported problems with the things you're suggesting. While it's impossible to prove that the problems were cause by the mods you're suggesting, you also can't prove that they weren't.

4. Given #3, I'd default back to #1. Lexus knows what they're doing. There's no evidence that you do.

←

I think it would be incumbent upon you to document (prove) any of these cases of problems/damage due to any of these mods being done as instructed. Therefore I am now asking you for that documentation. After all, we are adults here and any reasonable person would understand what risks, if any might be involved, and any reasonable person would also understand his own skill level and any limitations he might have in doing such mods.

[jragosta]

1) I have never posted anything that I haven't personally done myself to verify that it works. Believe it or not - when I say something, I'm not full of *BLEEP*.

When I'm guessing, don't know something, or don't have first hand experience with it - unlike most people I SAY IT up front.

2) For the second time, maximum line pressure IS NOT INCREASED by making a throttle cable adjustment.

The

(Again) The only time your transmission is going to fail in relation to a TV adjustment is when you are substituting the FACTORY ADJUSTMENT for a VALVE BODY / CLUTCH / PUMP UPGRADE. If you're trying to hold more power than the transmission clutches can handle VIA the TV adjustment - You will fail! It's stupid in the first part.

It's already proven that even with a full out VB upgrade & dual coolers, the transmissions clutches simply can't keep the stock clutches pushed in hard enough -> quickly enough. Trying to substitute the adjustment for a rebuild is moronic.

3) The longer the clutch, band & brake material in the transmission work the hotter they get, AND the more work they are subject to. This doesn't work the other way around. At any case, transmission life is increased slightly (Tho I don't think enough to justify saying hey, you'll get an extra 10,000 miles out of it) because they not only operate at a slightly lower temperature, but they don't work as long all the time.

This has been an extremely common adjustment to make not just on this transmission, but on nearly every transmission from the 70's through the mid 90's before they went 100% electronic by actually monitoring line pressure. On top of all that, our transmission has a very weak adjustment range to begin with. Unlike some transmissions built closely to the maximum power output it can handle, ours are not.

On some transmissions, if you leave a TV, or vacuum modulator completely loose / off you'll grind the clutches to death because they're not being pushed in. This has proven to be not true in the case of the A540 family. I've found at least 10 people over the last 9-12 months having transmission issues where the TV cable was either way out of adjustment, or not connected at all.

jragosta ask yourself... Did SK's transmission fail from an adjustment, or did it just fail? Ya know there are weak areas of these transmissions... Ask SK about his transmission failure & read the other threads at the time. After I bashed the FAQ from errors, he bashed everything I posted for a week. Ya know he was nagging the threads for an underlying reason LoL ;)

This adjustment has been done too many times, by too many people, over way to long a time.

If you're going to argue, PICK AN AREA YOU CAN WIN. An FYI, adjusting the TV is an area ya can't win.  Arrrrrr

LoL! Find a different one. :D

←

You can scream all you want. The facts are simple:

1. Lexus spends many millions of dollars designing their cars, testing them, and guaranteeing them based on their design.

2. Changing that design without an equivalent amount of testing is just as likely to cause problems as to improve things.

3. People have reported problems with the things you're suggesting. While it's impossible to prove that the problems were cause by the mods you're suggesting, you also can't prove that they weren't.

4. Given #3, I'd default back to #1. Lexus knows what they're doing. There's no evidence that you do.

←

I think it would be incumbent upon you to document (prove) any of these cases of problems/damage due to any of these mods being done as instructed. Therefore I am now asking you for that documentation. After all, we are adults here and any reasonable person would understand what risks, if any might be involved, and any reasonable person would also understand his own skill level and any limitations he might have in doing such mods.

←

I've already said that it would be hard to prove that the damage was caused by the modifications. But people report having tried the modifications that Toysrme is recommending and have had problems (a ruined engine in one case and a ruined transmission in another). Given the reliabilty of Toyota engines and transmissions, that OUGHT to make a person suspicious.

As for yours and Steviej's comment that 'we're all adults and people should be able to try whatever they want', I agree completely. But lots of people will believe a post from someone that says 'if you do this, you'll have miracles happen and there's no risk at all' -- when there is, in fact, plenty of risk. Instead of attacking the person who's pointing out that there is a risk, you ought to be chastising the person who says 'nothing can go wrong, trust me' when he's clearly wrong. At the very least, you screw up your Lexus warranty.

[Toysrme]

jragosta You've missed a few things because you either didn't know them, or didn't know there is a bigger picture than you are looking at. It's no big deal.

[bartkat]

1) I have never posted anything that I haven't personally done myself to verify that it works. Believe it or not - when I say something, I'm not full of *BLEEP*.

When I'm guessing, don't know something, or don't have first hand experience with it - unlike most people I SAY IT up front.

2) For the second time, maximum line pressure IS NOT INCREASED by making a throttle cable adjustment.

The

(Again) The only time your transmission is going to fail in relation to a TV adjustment is when you are substituting the FACTORY ADJUSTMENT for a VALVE BODY / CLUTCH / PUMP UPGRADE. If you're trying to hold more power than the transmission clutches can handle VIA the TV adjustment - You will fail! It's stupid in the first part.

It's already proven that even with a full out VB upgrade & dual coolers, the transmissions clutches simply can't keep the stock clutches pushed in hard enough -> quickly enough. Trying to substitute the adjustment for a rebuild is moronic.

3) The longer the clutch, band & brake material in the transmission work the hotter they get, AND the more work they are subject to. This doesn't work the other way around. At any case, transmission life is increased slightly (Tho I don't think enough to justify saying hey, you'll get an extra 10,000 miles out of it) because they not only operate at a slightly lower temperature, but they don't work as long all the time.

This has been an extremely common adjustment to make not just on this transmission, but on nearly every transmission from the 70's through the mid 90's before they went 100% electronic by actually monitoring line pressure. On top of all that, our transmission has a very weak adjustment range to begin with. Unlike some transmissions built closely to the maximum power output it can handle, ours are not.

On some transmissions, if you leave a TV, or vacuum modulator completely loose / off you'll grind the clutches to death because they're not being pushed in. This has proven to be not true in the case of the A540 family. I've found at least 10 people over the last 9-12 months having transmission issues where the TV cable was either way out of adjustment, or not connected at all.

jragosta ask yourself... Did SK's transmission fail from an adjustment, or did it just fail? Ya know there are weak areas of these transmissions... Ask SK about his transmission failure & read the other threads at the time. After I bashed the FAQ from errors, he bashed everything I posted for a week. Ya know he was nagging the threads for an underlying reason LoL ;)

This adjustment has been done too many times, by too many people, over way to long a time.

If you're going to argue, PICK AN AREA YOU CAN WIN. An FYI, adjusting the TV is an area ya can't win.  Arrrrrr

LoL! Find a different one. :D

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You can scream all you want. The facts are simple:

1. Lexus spends many millions of dollars designing their cars, testing them, and guaranteeing them based on their design.

2. Changing that design without an equivalent amount of testing is just as likely to cause problems as to improve things.

3. People have reported problems with the things you're suggesting. While it's impossible to prove that the problems were cause by the mods you're suggesting, you also can't prove that they weren't.

4. Given #3, I'd default back to #1. Lexus knows what they're doing. There's no evidence that you do.

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I think it would be incumbent upon you to document (prove) any of these cases of problems/damage due to any of these mods being done as instructed. Therefore I am now asking you for that documentation. After all, we are adults here and any reasonable person would understand what risks, if any might be involved, and any reasonable person would also understand his own skill level and any limitations he might have in doing such mods.

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I've already said that it would be hard to prove that the damage was caused by the modifications. But people report having tried the modifications that Toysrme is recommending and have had problems (a ruined engine in one case and a ruined transmission in another). Given the reliabilty of Toyota engines and transmissions, that OUGHT to make a person suspicious.

As for yours and Steviej's comment that 'we're all adults and people should be able to try whatever they want', I agree completely. But lots of people will believe a post from someone that says 'if you do this, you'll have miracles happen and there's no risk at all' -- when there is, in fact, plenty of risk. Instead of attacking the person who's pointing out that there is a risk, you ought to be chastising the person who says 'nothing can go wrong, trust me' when he's clearly wrong. At the very least, you screw up your Lexus warranty.

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No one has attacked you. I asked for proof of your claims. You have not provided it. The burden is upon the accuser. I now will ask you to take that back, about being attacked, because it simply isn't true.