Fluid Flush Quiz

[flash213]

Im preparing to do the 90k service and need some help. I have searched the forums for the answer but cant find the answer for all the fluids. How much of each fluid do you need to do a flush (not a drain and refill) on the brakes, coolant, steering and tranny. Its for a 95 LS. Thanks ahead of time!

[ED.]

Tranny is like 8 quarts. I believe the colling system is like 11 liters. Here is a link form LexLS

My Webpage

Good luck. You got some work to do : )

[monarch]

Im preparing to do the 90k service and need some help. I have searched the forums for the answer but cant find the answer for all the fluids. How much of each fluid do you need to do a flush (not a drain and refill) on the brakes, coolant, steering and tranny. Its for a 95 LS. Thanks ahead of time!

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There's no blanket answer and that's one reason why doing flushes is risky for a beginner. You risk getting dirt in the fluids, you risk starving componets of lubrication during the flushing process, you risk getting air bubbles trapped in the fluid and components, you risk damaging hoses and hose clamps and you risk not getting the fluid level precisely correct after all the flushing.

Flushes are not only risky in all these ways, but there's no compelling reason to get rid of ALL the old fluids since they are not likely to be severely contaminated and degraded to begin with. A less risky procedure is to just do drain and refills every year or two instead of total fluid replacements every 5 years or so. Draining and refilling gives a beginner the opportunity to measure the amount drained so there is no guessing about how much new fluid needs to be added. Draining and refilling with factory original genuine Toyota brands of fluids also is less risky than experimenting with aftermarket brands.

On the other hand, not taking risks is boring as hell for some owners so if you want to flush

everything anyway then you'll need roughly 8 quarts of transmission fluid, 2 gallons of antifreeze,

2 quarts of power steering fluid and a quart and a half of brake fluid.

[flash213]

I appreciate your advice monarch. The reason I want to flush everything is to have piece of mind and not have any questions as to where the car stands maintence wise. The car is at 60k and ten years old and looking through the records it doesnt look like anything has been flushed to this point. I have figuered up to this point a flush is due on all the fluids if they havent been done in ten years. Is my assumption wrong that all the fluids should be flushed by now? By the way a friend who is much more mechanicaly inclined will be helping out so I won't be in the dark completly. Thanks again.

[LexusLooker]

Even though I like the idea of a clean start with all fresh fluids, I tend to side with Monarch. I'm in a similar boat. My 98 has low miles, but the previous owner didn't follow time instead of mileage recommendations. So when I bought it a couple of months ago, it had 7 year old coolant, tranny fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, etc. But like Monarch says, flushing does have its risks. I'm taking a slow catch-up tactic by doing a drain and fill at a somewhat accelerated rate than recommended. I drained and refilled the cooling system with distilled water, warmed it up, and drained and refilled with Toyota red and distilled water. I'll probably do it again at half the recommended interval, then get on the normal interval. For the tranny, I drained and refilled, but the old fluid was purple-brown. So every 5K, I'm doing a drain and fill until the fluid looks closer to normal. I did it at 15K and 20K; I'll probably do it at 25K and 30K, then go to the normal 30K drain/refill schedule. It's easy, and you don't risk starving the transmission during a flush. I did do a flush on the PS; I'm not sure that was wise or not. I don't think you can take a drain/refill tactic on the power steering. For the brakes, I tried bleeding them, but it was a pain without a helper, so I'm just going to pay a pro to do them. I do feel a full purging of brake fluid is important because of its corrosive nature when it absorbs moisture. But you have to do it right for all the reasons Monarch claimed - dirt, air bubbles, etc.

Good luck...regardless of the method, we all enjoy taking good care of our cars.

[wandawoods]

Tranny is like 8 quarts. I believe the colling system is like 11 liters. Here is a link form LexLS

My Webpage

Good luck. You got some work to do :  )

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complete tranny flush and refill (not just pan drain) takes 16 quarts!

be careful if you go to an independent shop/chain for complete tranny flush, make sure they use the Toyota Type T-IV which is $7 per quart ($7x16=$102 fluid alone), and sold only at Toyota/Lexus dealer! so, if a shop quote you $100, fluid included, it's going to be fishy somewhere.

also, if flush job is not done properly, it can blow the tranny seal on high-mile car, and that would be easily a $1500~$2000 mistake. this would be one of the exception that it should be done at dealer despite the high labor charge.

[GRAND_LS 4]

Tranny is like 8 quarts. I believe the colling system is like 11 liters. Here is a link form LexLS

My Webpage

Good luck. You got some work to do :  )

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complete tranny flush and refill (not just pan drain) takes 16 quarts!

be careful if you go to an independent shop/chain for complete tranny flush, make sure they use the Toyota Type T-IV which is $7 per quart ($7x16=$102 fluid alone), and sold only at Toyota/Lexus dealer! so, if a shop quote you $100, fluid included, it's going to be fishy somewhere.

also, if flush job is not done properly, it can blow the tranny seal on high-mile car, and that would be easily a $1500~$2000 mistake. this would be one of the exception that it should be done at dealer despite the high labor charge.

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Actually, i buy my T IV fluid from a toyota dealership for 3.78/qt.

Btw, you can do a power steering fluid drain and refill. Did it with Mobil 1 ATF, and noticed A BIG difference is steering feel, worth every damn penny.

[flash213]

I just read through the reapir manual and it calls for 8.8 qts of ATF T-II for a dry fill. It then calls for another 1.9qts for drain and refill. This info is different than some the previous posts .Also was wondering if ATF T-IV will work. I see that on lexls.com he uses type-IV. here is the page from the manual.

preparat.pdf

[sha4000]

I just read through the reapir manual and it calls for 8.8 qts of ATF T-II for a dry fill. It then calls for another 1.9qts for drain and refill. This info is different than some the previous posts .Also  was wondering if ATF T-IV will work. I see that on lexls.com he uses type-IV. here is the page from the manual.

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same thing man

[flash213]

Type II and Type IV are the same?

[Hampton]

I just read through the reapir manual and it calls for 8.8 qts of ATF T-II for a dry fill. It then calls for another 1.9qts for drain and refill. This info is different than some the previous posts .Also  was wondering if ATF T-IV will work. I see that on lexls.com he uses type-IV. here is the page from the manual.

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same thing man

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Check this LEXUS Technical Service Information Bulletin about AFT Type T-IV issued 1998

[Hampton]

I just read through the reapir manual and it calls for 8.8 qts of ATF T-II for a dry fill. It then calls for another 1.9qts for drain and refill. This info is different than some the previous posts .Also  was wondering if ATF T-IV will work. I see that on lexls.com he uses type-IV. here is the page from the manual.

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same thing man

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Erro:

The total filespace required to upload all the attached files is greater than your per post or global limit. Please reduce the number of attachments or the size of the attachments

LEXUS TEchnical Service Information Bulletin says:

Type T-II Type T-I

AFT Type T-II OK OK

AFT Type T-IV X OK

[wandawoods]

Type II and Type IV are the same?

type II has been long discontinued, and it's replaced by Type IV which is backward compatible.