Time For Transmission Fluid Change!

[Grumpa72]

Well, my wife rolled the odometer over 30000 miles this weekend so I thought I would do an ATF change. Not a flush but just a "drop the plug and drain the pan" kind of change. I bought 6 quarts of Toyota T-IV at the local Toyota shop and then dropped the plug. I got about 4 quarts out and I should tell you that if you are procrastinating on doing this - DON'T. ATF should be cherry cough syrup red. Mine was still red but with quite a bit of discoloration to it. So now I have four quarts of new ATF mixed with the old. In another 100 miles I will do another four quarts. Then, 100 miles after that another change. That should change out about 90% I would guess.

Btw, start to finish was under an hour. Took longer to get the car on ramps and off than to actually drain the pan.

Gary

'05 330

[mikey00]

Well, my wife rolled the odometer over 30000 miles this weekend so I thought I would do an ATF change. Not a flush but just a "drop the plug and drain the pan" kind of change. I bought 6 quarts of Toyota T-IV at the local Toyota shop and then dropped the plug. I got about 4 quarts out and I should tell you that if you are procrastinating on doing this - DON'T. ATF should be cherry cough syrup red. Mine was still red but with quite a bit of discoloration to it. So now I have four quarts of new ATF mixed with the old. In another 100 miles I will do another four quarts. Then, 100 miles after that another change. That should change out about 90% I would guess.

Btw, start to finish was under an hour. Took longer to get the car on ramps and off than to actually drain the pan.

Gary

'05 330

Don't forget to also drain the transmission fluid that's in the front diff when doing a drain and fill. It's the vertical drain plug behind the main drain plug. You will get out almost another quart of dirty fluid. The front diff is replenished from the regular fill at the transmission dip stick tube.

[Grumpa72]

Don't forget to also drain the transmission fluid that's in the front diff when doing a drain and fill. It's the vertical drain plug behind the main drain plug. You will get out almost another quart of dirty fluid. The front diff is replenished from the regular fill at the transmission dip stick tube.

Hmmm, I have to think about that one. I am pretty sure both the front and fear differentials on my '05 330 use gear lube. I will have to check that out. I notice that you have a 300 and I suspect that there was a design change between these models. I will check this out and let you know.

Gary

[mikey00]

Don't forget to also drain the transmission fluid that's in the front diff when doing a drain and fill. It's the vertical drain plug behind the main drain plug. You will get out almost another quart of dirty fluid. The front diff is replenished from the regular fill at the transmission dip stick tube.

Hmmm, I have to think about that one. I am pretty sure both the front and fear differentials on my '05 330 use gear lube. I will have to check that out. I notice that you have a 300 and I suspect that there was a design change between these models. I will check this out and let you know.

Gary

Yes I do have a RX300 but I am pretty sure the 330 is the same. Mine does have a front and rear diff both with gear oil. Problem is on this forum the words "front diff" and "transfer case" are often used interchangeably. I think I would have been more accurate if I said transfer case. This is actually where the additional trans fluid drains from.

[Grumpa72]

Yes I do have a RX300 but I am pretty sure the 330 is the same. Mine does have a front and rear diff both with gear oil. Problem is on this forum the words "front diff" and "transfer case" are often used interchangeably. I think I would have been more accurate if I said transfer case. This is actually where the additional trans fluid drains from.

OK, now I am really confused and will have to check the car out. I know that I did change out the gear lube at 15000 miles to Mobil 1 synthetic. I will have to check out the transfer case issue. Have any photos of it or its drain plug?

THanks for the heads up.

Gary

[Grumpa72]

OK, found what I was looking for. Take a look at the following site:

http://rx300how2.home.comcast.net/xmission_fluid_change1.htm

and note the drawing the 300 transmission and transfer case. Right under the drawing is the author's quote of "The TRANSFER case contains the front wheel differential drive and in the case of the AWD setup, includes an output shaft for the drive shaft to the rear end DIFFERENTIAL. The transfer case contains differential oil, different from the transmission oil (see above table). "

Am I missing something here or does this say the trans takes ATF and the differential and transfer case takes gear lube?

Gary

[lenore]

OK, found what I was looking for. Take a look at the following site:

http://rx300how2.home.comcast.net/xmission_fluid_change1.htm

and note the drawing the 300 transmission and transfer case. Right under the drawing is the author's quote of "The TRANSFER case contains the front wheel differential drive and in the case of the AWD setup, includes an output shaft for the drive shaft to the rear end DIFFERENTIAL. The transfer case contains differential oil, different from the transmission oil (see above table). "

Am I missing something here or does this say the trans takes ATF and the differential and transfer case takes gear lube?

Gary

On the AWD RX300 there is a power take off drain plug directly to the rear of the car from the tranny pan. On the right side you will see a drain plug which is vertical, ot horizontal. Then to the right side of the car to the point of the rear drive shaft there is a transfer case with a bottom and top plug.... I am not sure if the RX330 is the same....

[mikey00]

OK, found what I was looking for. Take a look at the following site:

http://rx300how2.home.comcast.net/xmission_fluid_change1.htm

and note the drawing the 300 transmission and transfer case. Right under the drawing is the author's quote of "The TRANSFER case contains the front wheel differential drive and in the case of the AWD setup, includes an output shaft for the drive shaft to the rear end DIFFERENTIAL. The transfer case contains differential oil, different from the transmission oil (see above table). "

Am I missing something here or does this say the trans takes ATF and the differential and transfer case takes gear lube?

Gary

I don't think you are missing anything here. That is what it says but....... There has always been a lot of confusion in this area and I think the main reason is the interchangable use of front diff and transfer case. The front diff has gear oil and is drained and filled using 2- 15/16" plugs. I think they are blue and yellow and located higher up on the front diff. I can not speak with experience about the front diff. I have not changed mine and the preceeding front diff info is from posts I have read and believe to be true.

Now the transfer case uses transmission fluid and gets it's fill from the transmission. I have changed trans fluid 4 times now. The first time I didn't know about the transfer drain plug and just drained from the transmission pan plug. Then I found out about the transfer case drain plug and used it along with the transmission pan drain plug the next 3 times. It drains almost another quart of dirty fluid and your fluid will definetly stay clean longer when this is drained. The transfer case drain plug is mounted vertically 6" directly behind the transmission pan drain plug, facing the passenger side front wheel. Both are 10mm hex, both use the same crush washer (Toyota part # toy9043018008) and both will drain transmission fluid and both get replenished from the same source.

If you want to read more do a search on "transfer case" in this forum to read all the conflicting information. Even a case where 2 Lexus service reps gave conflicting info.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[lenore]

this is a picture note the drain plug above the left two bolts...not the tranny pan...

[mikey00]

Here is another "how to" on draining transmission fluid with a good picture of the additional drain point. In this case he is referring to the place where the additional trans fluid is coming from as the front diff. As I said before, they seem to be used interchangeably on these forums.

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread...t=transfer+case

[Grumpa72]

OK, cleared that one up. I saved the photos and my next ATF change in 100 miles or so will include that differential/transfer case/transmission "thingy". ;)

Thank you all for your patience. We have a spring trip coming up and I am trying to get the car prepped and ready for rocking and rolling.

Gary

[AdamIsAdam]

OK. So let me get this straight:

On an 04 RX330, I have tranny Type T-IV in the tranny and the transfer case. That's what is pictured a few posts up in lenore's post, right?

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/uploa...43908_thumb.jpg

Then there's API-5 gear oil in the front and rear differentials as usual? Is that right?

[carguy07]

OK. So let me get this straight:

On an 04 RX330, I have tranny Type T-IV in the tranny and the transfer case. That's what is pictured a few posts up in lenore's post, right?

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/uploa...43908_thumb.jpg

Then there's API-5 gear oil in the front and rear differentials as usual? Is that right?

Assuming yours is like my 2001, you have Type T-IV in the tranny and front differential. Gear oil in the transfer case and rear diff. Some people use the words transfer case and diff to mean the same thing on these cars (although I'm not sure why).

So basically you take the 2 plugs in that pic out and it will drain tranny fluid from both. Transfer case is a separate unit on the passenger side and you know where the rear diff is. You will need new crush washers for the transfer case fill/drain and rear diff fill/drain plugs. The tranny and front diff washers should be replaced regularly although I have done 5 drain and fills now on the originals and they still seal fine. Here are part #'s http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326550

[lastplace]

I just did my second drain/fill on my 02 rx, Amsoil syn. The dip stick says the diff requires a special oil. I called the dealership and got hold of a master tech, he said the mine did not require a special oil, but it changed in 03 or 04. I would check before doing the change. I drove about a 1/2 mile and then jacked it up again and drianed the back plug in question, it was full, about a quart of fluid.

The drain/fill is not that hard at all, I do the 2 plugs up front. Buy some rubber gloves it is messy.

check out this thread

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220061

[lenore]

The RX300 required Toyota Type IV, or Chevron 3309 fluid. The only substitute is AMSOIL