monarch

The people who say its a waste of time to check/clean, or replace the metal screen or even clean the magnets on a Toyota with under 100- 150,000 miles are precisely the ones with alot of Toyota specific experience. The people who say it is important to check/clean, or replace the metal filter screen on a Toyota at regular intervals, even on a Toyota with less than 100,000 miles, are precisely the ones without alot of Toyota specific experience (or are simply mechancis who are dishonest and unethical which is a huge problem in the transmission industry). Here's a very common independent tranny shop rip off: Toyota owner comes into tranny shop complaining of wierd, erratic shifting like transmission is on its last legs. Shop mechanic says a new $2,500 transmission is needed. Shocked Toyota owner takes car to a Toyota specialty shop for a second opinion. Toyota shop says: "you just need four new $100 electronic shift control solenoids because these are normal wear items after 125,000 miles or so." Toyota owner saves himself $2,000.

Sounds like the fluid level was too low or too high after the transmission pan was drained and refilled causing transmission slippage, fluid overheating and transmssion burn out. Do it yourselfers can avoid this serious potential problem by measuring the amount drained in a juice pitcher, then pouring back the same amount drained. Also, do it yourselfers need to follow the factory manual procedure of shifting slowly through all the gears before checking the transmission fluid level when cold. Then they must double check the fluid level again when the engine and transmission are fully warmed up.

What differences? In 1973 the bandless Aisin-Warner automatic was first used on Toyotas and the same basic design is still used to this day in Toyotas and Lexus's. Gears have been added and electronic shift control solenoids added. But no dramatic design changes. And the 2004 models still use the same metal mesh filter screen that was used in the 1960's. Also, if you open up a toyota automatic transmission that never had the fluid changed for 100-150K miles you will find the parts are still very clean and sludgefree. The fluid is all brown from oxidation, but is not thick or gooey at all. If anything, the old fluid is thinner and more watery. So by draining and refilling the transmission oil pan 7-8 times over a period of weeks, the brown, oxidized fluid is replaced, but no "crud" is loosened up to cause trouble because there was never any to begin with. This is what I mean by Toyota specific advice and experience. Another example: 95% of independent shop mechanics will tell the public the Toyota transmission fliter needs to be replaced regularly - at the same time the fluid is changed. But Toyota experts know these filters (metal screens) very rarely ever become blocked and restricted so it's a waste to change them all the time - especially considering an independent shop will use a cheap quality Fram type replacement screens instead of Toyota screens.

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Mechanics offer generic advice, but not Toyota specific advice, so that's why they are not a good source of advice. Various car care websites on the internet suffer the same problem. As a hobby for many years I have purchased, restored and resold 20-30 year old vintage Toyotas. Many had brown automatic transmission fluid because the prior owners(s) never had it changed. I just drained and refilled the transmission oil pan 7-8 times on these vehicles over a period of a month and this simple procedure cleaned up the fluid and the transmission without causing other problems. So that's what I would do if I was in your shoes. I'd also use genuine Toyota automatic transmission fluid since the formulation, technology and functionality is superior to most non-genuine Toyota competitors: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/gtatf.jpg http://www.saber.net/~monarch/gtatf2.jpg

It doesn't matter who the fluid or lube manufacturer is. What matters is the Toyota engineers make the decisions about the chemical make up of Toyota fluid or lube and then contract with American manufactures to forumulate the fluid or lube to Toyota specs. So Toyota fluids and lubes end up being chemically unique from any auto parts store fluid or lube. One example is Toyota fuel injector cleaner. The main ingredient is butyl cellosolve - a powerful chemical you won't find in milder fuel injector cleaner products like Chevron's Techron fuel injector cleaner. But guess who Toyota contracts to formulate Toyota fuel injector cleaner? Chevron! Can you name any Toyota fluid or lube that is merely a repackaged, rebottled, relabeled existing fluid or lube you can get at an auto parts store?

Thousands of cigarette smokers also use the "lack of problems in my personal experience" reasoning as well. This whole discussion is about risk. A Lexus owner who disobeys the Lexus engineers and switches back and forth between dino and synthetic oils is risking expensive future trouble. Neither of us knows exactly how great the risk is, however.

Stevie, Lexus dealers are run by Americans who are notorious for doing things against the wishes of the Toyota / Lexus engineers. Dealers install green antifreeze in place of Toyota antifreeze, Valvoline transmission fluid in place of Toyota Type T-IV, Valvoline brake fluid in place of Toyota Brake Fluid, use unapproved engine oil and power steering additives, etc. So with a track record like that, Lexus dealers are not necessarily a very reliable source of Lexus car care advice. Reliable car care advice comes from the Toyota/Lexus engineers. I think it's amazing that on the one hand, Lexus owners acknowledge that the Lexus engineers deserve credit for building the most reliable and durable cars in the world, yet on the other hand they consider the car care advice of Americans; i.e. "Click & Clack", "Autodoctor" , Lexus dealers, Bobistheoilguy and trusted local mechanics more authoritative than the advice of the Lexus engineers. Maybe it's just a human nature thing and maybe the same phenomenon might occur if Ford or GM should ever ship a world class quality automobile to the Japanese market. Perhaps the Japanese owners of these quality Fords and Chevys would consider the car care advice of their own local Japanese mechanics more authoritative than the advice of the Ford and GM engineers.

Skip, how could you know whether or not there are "no problems at all" ?? In a Toyota or Lexus, specifically? Common sense dictates Toyota is aware that switching back and forth between synthetic and dinosaur oil can cause problems in Toyota/Lexus vehicles. And that extending oil changes when using synthetic oil can cause problems. It's too bad we can never meet the Toyota engineers to have them explain things to us.

Check out the Nov. 2003 issue of Consumer Reports:: 2004 Lexus LS430 $70,447 - received highest possible score for reliability 2004 Mercedes-Benz S430 $82,760 - received lowest possible score for reliability 2004 BMW 745Li $81,545 - received lowest possible score for reliability

Lexus's website advises not to switch back to petroleum-based oil http://www.lexus.com/home/contact_lexus.html 5. Can I use synthetic engine oil in my Lexus vehicle during its break-in period? Synthetic oil can be used at the first scheduled oil change. Please note that the use of synthetic oil does not extend the recommended oil change intervals. Even if synthetic oil is used, we do not recommend longer oil change intervals. Once synthetic oil is used, it is best not to switch back to petroleum-based oil. Toyota's website also warns owner not to switch back to petroleum based oil http://www.saber.net/~monarch/syn.jpg

Some Toyota engines display a curious tendency to burn more oil if the throttle body plate and surrounding bore get dirty and gummy. This happened to a Toyota pickup of mine. Oil consumption plummeted to 700 miles a quart. After cleaning the throttle body twice, oil consumption returned to its previous rate of 3000 miles per quart - a huge improvement. So if your throttle body plate and bore have never been cleaned, now would be the time to try it. All you need is an aerosol can of carburetor or intake cleaner, a toothbrush to scrub the parts clean and some old rags to wipe away the goo. Confine small amounts of spray to the throttle plate and don't spray deep into the engine or you'll damage things. A clean throttle body also enhances engine power, fuel economy and reduces emissions.

Consumer Reports tested a 2004 ES330 a few months ago. They rated front seat comfort a solid red dot = the highest (best) possible score. In all other automotive reviews I have read, seat comfort on the ES was also rated highly. The only complaint I've heard is that the seat is a trifle short on thigh support. On ebay you can buy visco-elastic memory foam pads for chairs and mattresses in various thicknesses. You might want to experiment with making your own pad. Memory foam is great for relieving pressure points.

wow, you're lucky as little old lady cars typically have hardly any wear and tear either mechanically or cosmetically, except sometimes the exhaust systems are beginning to rust out if the car was used for alot of short trip driving. Fluid replacements should be your top priority. Factory original fluids and lubes provide the most peace of mind: engine oil: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/ls430a.jpg http://www.saber.net/~monarch/ls430b.jpg transmission oil: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/typetb.jpg brake fluid: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/brakefluid1.jpg power steering fluid: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/gtatf2.jpg antifreeze: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/89thermohouse.JPG rear axle oil: Any major brand 80W-90 API GL-5 rated gear oil I'd wait until 15 years of 90,000 miles on the timing belt and serpintine drive belt because I have seen genuine Toyota fan, air conditioning and power steering belts last up to 30 years on low mileage Toyotas and the timing belt is even more durable than those belts. The cooling system thermostat and thermostat gasket should be replaced. Wouldn't hurt to change the radiator cap as well. The radiator and heater hoses are good for at least 20 years or 400,000 miles because Toyota/Lexus uses such high quality grades of rubber.

The 2004 LS430 owners manual says "Select premium unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rating of 91 or higher for optimum engine performance. However, if such premium type cannot be obtained, you may temporarily use unleaded gasoline with an Octane Rating as low as 87." So 87 octane is approved only for temporary use. Using 87 full time is therefore risky - increases the risk of premature costly future mechancal problems and repairs.

Back in January I was shopping for a base model 2004 ES330, here in Calif. but decided to get a used LS400 instead. Meanwhile, some dealers have still been emailing me price quotes on the base model ES330's. Here are some quotes I got from Lexus of Westminster near Long Beach, California today. Very good discounts indeed. They probably have excellent deals on other 2004 models as well, including the loaded models. Subject: LEXUS ES330 PRICE REDUCTION!! AS LOW AS $29,424-- Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2004 15:55:46 -0700 From: Andrea Padang <andrea@lexuswestminster.com> To: Sales Emails <sales@lexuswestminster.com> LEXUS ES330 IN STOCK PRICE REDUCTION!! ON ALL LEXUS ES330'S IN STOCK!! (good through April 22, 2004) MSRP: $33,114(includes leather, cd changer, moonroof & more standard features...) Lexus of Westminster PRICE: $29,424 (plus tax, lic. & doc. fee) MSRP: $34,734 (includes leather, cd changer, wood steering wheel, heated seats, power rear sunshade, high intensity headlamps, moonroof & more standard features....) Lexus of Westminster PRICE : $30,699 (plus tax, lic. & doc. fee) PLUS!!! 3.29% !!! (o.a.c.) (good thru April 22, 2004) Please call to reserve your vehicle now, or to pre-qualify for the above interest rate. Feel free to speak with Amy, Andrea, Lori or Daniella when you call in - 714-890-4636 Our office hours are Mon. - Sat: 9:00a.m - 6:00 p.m., Sundays 10:00-4:00 (we do work on an appointment basis after normal office hours) Most sincerely, Andrea Amick Padang Internet Sales Director Lexus of Westminster <mailto:Andrea@Lexuswestminster.com> Andrea@Lexuswestminster.com 714-890-4636

Where did you read that "Bad piston rings are a documented issue with this model" ?? What is the maximum amount of miles you ever drove without an engine oil change? How often did you check the oil level inbetween oil changes? How often did you check the coolant level?

If the transmission is in Drive and the engine revs up, but the car doesn't move forward very fast then the transmission is slipping. Slipping can be caused by: 1. low transmission fluid level 2. wrong kind of fluid or old, worn out fluid 3. excessive internal wear in the transmission #3 is the most serious of all possibilites because it means the transmission needs to be rebuilt or replaced. A fourth possibility is worn out transmission shift control solenoids. These often need to be replaced at around 150,000 miles if the owner notices wierd shifting behavior. Solenoid replacement is moderately expensive, but not too bad since the tranmission does not have to be removed from the car to replace them.

Meguiars paste wax permanently yellow the paint of one of my white Toyotas. I'll never use a Meguiars product again. I've had excellent results with liquid Zymol car wax.

Denny, have you heard about the alternator protective cover trick? http://www.saber.net/~monarch/Alt2.jpg

Kevin, Cadillac and other american car makers play a psychological game. They know that if they call for a transmission oil change every 120,000 miles that the average car owner will think the transmission is very tough and designed to last many hundreds of thousands of miles. Truth is these trannies will be worn out at between 100-200K miles due to lhe lack of fluid changes. Toyota/Lexus therefore is caught between a rock and and a hard place. On the one hand if Toyota recommends fluid changes (draining and refilling the 2 quarts in the oil pan) every 15,000 miles to assure an exceptionally long transmission life, owners will wrongly conclude Toyota transmissions are weakly engineered. And on the other hand, if Toyota recommends extended changes (like 60K miles) or no changes at all, then transmission may fail at around 100-200K just like an American car. In other countries like Australia and Europe, Toyota is not faced with this marketing delemma because in those countries car owners are more aware of the durability benefits of regularly changing fluids and lubes. So in these other countries you'll see Toyota owners manuals recommending transmission fluid changes in the range of every 15,000-30,000 miles. So yes, for a long trouble life it's time to drain and refill the transmission oil pan with 2-3 quarts genuine Toyota Type T fluid http://www.saber.net/~monarch/typetb.jpg (about $3.80 a quart at Toyota dealers). You don't need to pay for those $100-$200 "total fluid replacement" jobs, however. That's largely a marketing gimmick which has emerged in recent years to make big bucks for the service shops

Lexie, you just removed, rebuilt and replaced your power steering pump all by yourself. That was a very complicated task compared to the simple job of finding and unscrewing the two engine block drain plugs. So perhaps you might want to reconsider going the block drain plug route. The Toyota / Lexus engineers have recommended a 50-52% antifreeze solution for all vehicles and all climates going back to the early 1970's. This concentration of antifreeze is necessary to provide good corrosion protection and good lubrication of the water pump seal. The factory thermostat will keep the engine temperature at 180 degrees F (plus or minus 15 degrees F) regardless of the antifreeze concentration or outside temperature.

If one of the front wheel bearings is going bad, typically the low pitched growl will be much louder when cornering in one direction or the other at moderate speeds of about 25-35 MPH.

99 has an LS400 V8 engine and your RX300 V6 is different. I don't have a V6 either and wouldn't dream of changing the coolant unless I had read the factory manual first. It is possible to burn up the engine if the coolant isn't refilled properly and if the air in the system isn't bled off properly using the procedure outlined in the manual.

99, the Toyota part# for Toyota Auto Trans Fluid (Dexron II & III approved) is 00718-ATF00. Any Toyota dealer can order it from their local regional Toyota distribution center. No I don't know who make genuine Toyota lubes and fluids. I do know they are not merely rebottled and relabeled existing over the counter products. Alot of people can't believe this. Like on another forum one guy said he had done alot of research and found out genuine Toyota Motor 5W-30 oil was merely rebottled Chevron 5W-30 oil. But as you can see http://www.saber.net/~monarch/chevron2.jpg they don't even look the same so it's highly unlikely they are chemically identical. Then on another forum some guys got together and sent in virgin samples of all kinds of different antifreezes to Titan Labs in Denver for chemical analysis. The analysis came back and showed the chemical composition of Toyota Long Life Coolant was far different than any other popular antifreezes. So the Toyota engineers do the research and come up with the specs for their own fluids and lubes and then contract US companies to formulate them.