steviej

This is a very simple procedure for tranny fluid drain and fill. I did not remove the pan. This is something I will probably do later in the car's life. I bought the gasket and fluid at a Toyota dealership not too far from my house. In Summary 1 Gasket #90430-18008 $1.11 4 qts T-IV ATF #00279-000T4-01 $15.16 (4 @ $3.79) Simple DIY tranny drain and fill in your driveway rather than going to the dealer: Saving ~ $150 :whistles: :cries: Test driving the car after you DIY and it runs: PRICELESS :D I hope you find this thread helpful. steviej

STEP 11 I filled the tranny with 3 qts of Toyota T-IV fluid and replaced the dipstick. I then started the car and let the fluid come up to normal operating temperature. Once at normal temperature, I checked the fluid level normally. The dipstick indicated the level was a tad low. I also looked beneath the car occasionally to check for any seepage from around the tranny drain plug. (I had no drips, no runs, no errors.) I ended up adding 1/2 qt of tranny fluid more. This then brought the level right up to the HOT mark on the dipstick.

STEP 9 Locate the tranny dipstick location under the hood. STEP 10 Remove the dipstick. Insert a funnel that completely fits into the dipstick tube.

STEP 7 Reinsert the plug with new washer. Residual tranny fluid may still seep out while you screw in the plug. Have a rag handy to wipe up the run off. I did not have the torque specs, so I just socked it up tight. I could feel the washer crush as it is supposed to. Use the rag to wipe the run off that will get on the bottom of the tranny pan. You don't need any sticky liquids to attract dirt here. STEP 8 Remove the jack stands and anything else underneath the car. Remove the blocks of wood if you put them by the wheels. Lower the car slowly.

STEP 5 Remove the hex bolt with a socket wrench and 10 mm hex socket or a 10mm allen wrench. (a socket extension + a 10mm deep socket makes an excellent lever for the end of the allen wrench). The fluid will start to seep out of the tranny immediately upon loosening the plug. This is unlike the oil drain plug which takes several rotations before oil seeps out. Allow as much fluid as possible to run out. I let it trickle down to nothing (about 15 minutes) before reinserting the plug with a new washer. Notice the vibrant red color of the fluid. THIS IS A GOOD SIGN. :D STEP 6 Put a new washer/seal on the drain plug. This next picture shows the old washer and a new washer. The old washer was definately "crushed" and even has a ridge close to the inner hole. Its worth the $1.11 for a new one.

STEP 3 Locate the transmission/differential drain plug. Previous threads talk of 2 separate drain plugs (1 in tranny pan and one in differential). On the 02 ES 300, I could only find the one 10 mm hex plug. Be careful not to confuse the tranny plug with the oil pan plug. STEP 4 Place a large catch basin under the tranny drain location. Get the basin as close as possible but leave yourself enough room to work. The tranny fluid will splash slightly when it exits the tranny. (I had to prop my catch basin up. Next time I will not jack the car up as high as I did this time.)

STEP 1 Put a drop cloth down to protect the tar or the garage floor from any fluid spillage. Do this on a level surface. STEP 2 Raise the car and safely support it with a pair of jack stands. Don't forget to set your e-brake or put blocks in front of and in back of the rear wheel.

I recently performed this usually dealer service item on my 2002 ES 300 with 45k miles on it. The entire proecedure took less than an hour and was done in my driveway. I must say it is easier than doing your own oil change. What was done was simply draining the fluid from the tranny drain plug and refilling with the necessary amount of tranny fluid. I did not drop the pan, nor could I find a separate differential drain plug. Nonetheless, approximately 3.5 qts or fluid exited the tranny via the drain plug. I hope this pictured step by step process will help the average DIYer. steviej

just as it describes. Right where the blades stop and reverse direction, there would be a build up of black rubber. It was a very thin coating that was only about 1-5 mm wide, but it was there. It came up with some elbow grease and a scotchbite pad. But everytime I used Rain-X liquid, I would get this. I will also note that the blades that were in use that did this were Bosch and Triton. No Rain-X, no build up. I never used it after that. I will try it again with the Lexus blades and see what happens. Either way, I still say, stick with the Lexus brand wipers. steviej

jragosta, you and I seem to agree on this one. This was a duplicate post in the General Maint Forum. I have merged that thread with my responce to the original thread in the ES forum. steviej

Here is my take on wipers since I have tried it all. -Bosch/Triton/Napa/Anco are all about the same. Fairly cheap, readily available anywhere. However, they tend to wear out in 6 months and are not that quiet. -Toyota OEM blades from Toyota Dealerships Parts Counter are not better than the above nor are they any more expensive. From the moment I put them on, they made a loud squeak with every pass. They didn't make it through the week. -PIAA wipers are very expensive and come with a silicon handy wipe to apply to the window before use. Very quiet and even come in a carbon fiber pattern as well as traditional black. They run ~$25 per blade. -Rain-X wipers (haven't tried them) -Rain-X liquid is awesome stuff. Very easy to apply. However, every time I have applied this to any windshield, the life of the wipers decrease by half. Towards the end of their shortened life they would also start to leave trails of rubber on the window. I would assume due to premature breakdown of the rubber due to some ingredient in the Rain-X. -Toyota/Lexus OEM blades from the Lexus parts counter are by my experience the best for the money. They are a different color than the Toyota parts counter ones and are skinnier. These are teflon coated I believe. They run a couple bucks more than the Toyota ones but last for more than a year. They are totally quiet and don't drag or wear off on the window. The withstand the snow and ice and the sun. steviej

sk, if your wife was sitting next to you, she would have kicked you 3 times in the shin for that one. could you ease up on the newbies a bit? We want people to feel welcome here, not alienated. Not everyone knows your quirks. steviej

I would consider the S2000 as a 6 mo. or summer car only, as it would be helpless in my NE winters. steviej

find out if the 60k miles service was done. If not do it. It is total fluid replacements and spark plugs. If it was done, then save your pennies for the 90k service, that's the timing belt and tensioners. If you can locate the service records from the previous owner, see if they were diligent enough to change the oil at least every 5k miles. Find out the color and condition or the coolant and of the tranny fluid. If you can't find any records, then: -Change the oil and filter. -Pull a spark plug from the front bank of cylinders and see if it looks new or very old. If old, then think about replacing them. The back three are a PITA. -Bring the tranny/engine up to operating temp, while in park, pull the tranny dipstick, wipe it off and put it back in. Pull it out again and place it against a white rag. If the fluid on the stick is anything but cherry red, think about flushing it. -The coolant should be red in color and can be seen in the overflow jug. If it looks brown and murky, then do a total coolant flush and replace. good luck and welcome aboard. steviej

While posting a DIY Tranny drain and fill thread, my cat SPOT (aka: MR. Kitty, Dirtbag, FurBall, etc) decided he wanted to see what was up with the mouse. I couldn't resist, so here is his picture. steviej

According to the Toyota Parts counter that I was at today, ExxonMobil does in fact manufacturer the sacred Genuine Toyota Motor Oil. Of course, the detergents and other additives are to Toyotas specifications. steviej

Craig, yesturday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, TODAY is a gift (that's why it is called the present). Dance like no one's watching, sing like no one's listening, laugh like you've never laughed before. Most of all, just enjoy the day. I am right behind you at 40 and change. I am having more fun now than I did at twenty. steviej

I had this same problem with an electric window on my old SSEi. It turned out to be the motor. It wasn't dead, but the brushes inside the electrical motor were worn down to their limit. Unfortunately, the brushes are not replaceable and the entire motor had to be replaced at a cost of $200. Once replace there was never a problem again with that motor for the remaing time I had the car. try some online parts dealers for better pricing. Call toyota and see if the Camry uses the same motor and price that online. steviej

when in doubt swap it out. :D I don't know if the silicone would hold up to the extreme heat that the tubing will endure. It does sit right next to the plenum and quite close to the rear exhuast manifold. Last thing I would want is silicone getting into the throttle body. There is always the indestructable duct tape. If it were me, I would just get a new one, especially if you plan on keeping the car for a few more years. steviej

try the "bug and tar remover" handywipes that you can get at Autozone and the like. I think Turtle Wax makes some. Once removed, wash the area with soap and water. steviej

In addition to the previous suggestions, check the air intake hose for cracks or small holes. This is the large black accordian type tubing going from the airbox to the throttle body. They tend to dry out over 10 years and can form small cracks or holes that will let excess air into the intake. Air that isn't compensated for by the MAF sensor. good luck. steviej

First thing i would do is fill the tank and go cruise the beach. see if you can locate maintenance records (either paperwork or Lexus Computer) and do the 15k service if it was missed. Find out when the last oil change was. If the car is as immaculate as you say then i would assume the owner was as meticulous with the maint. Welcome to the club, sit back and enjoy your ride. Watch for any upcoming Lexus meets in the Northeast, you have to show it off. steviej

semi-metallic and metallic tend to squeal a little bit. It is inherent in there make-up. I have never had ceramic, so I can't speak to that. Simple solution is just to go back to Toyota/Lexus OEM pads. They are about $40 a set on the web. Provided the shims are place right and the backs have ample amount of "brake quiet" on them. good luck. steviej.

the fog lights are H3 bulbs and can be obtained at any Autoparts store. It is the lens that makes them yellow, not the bulb. The gauge needles are a common problem with early model ES's. There are several companies online that specialize in bringing them back to life. I know of this one Also, check out this pinned topic in the General Maintenance forum. steviej

try: www.spoilerdepot.com or one of our corporate sponsors: www.lextasy.com (click on their icon that appears throughout this website). steviej