RX330 ATF change plan with OE fluid

[STL_G8GT]

So we've got a 2004 lexus rx330 that is our daughters and has been pretty good. 145k miles. I replaced rear shocks/struts, changed rear diff/xfer fluid, and on 2nd change of Valvoline Restore and Protect 5w30. When we bought it I did t-belt etc. It's received a transmission drain with castrol transmissionmax import and new filter. (Unfortunately I didn't take notes and I don't remember if I drained it more than once so I don't even really know the mix %.). Originally my search was between the Castrol import and Valvoline MaxLife... in this transmissionmission the front diff shares fluid... So I started to think about the oem 3309/t-iv OEM.

Well the transmission still acts a bit silly sometimes. A lurch shift every now and again, and a slow shift 1-2 or 2-3.

Toyota just had their huge 25% off deal with free shipping and so I picked up a couple cases of t-iv for a song. I think the drain and fill should be somewhere around four quarts, so I think I will do two or maybe three if I can get away with it to get all fresh t-iv in it. If it's still acting up I probably will add a bit of lubegard red to help clean.

In a world of always newer and better, I thought maybe boring OEM would be best for the old girl.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Did the transmission act silly before the first ATF change? Had it ever been changed before the 145k point?

Honestly, I'd just throw in the Lubegard and see if that works.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

I did my own work on our Subarus, I did two drains a few hundred miles apart. That seemed to get rid of a good amount of old fluid. I don't remember the exact computed percentage, but there is a point of diminishing returns on the extra drains. No issue with adding lubegard on the last fill.

 

[STL_G8GT]

Did the transmission act silly before the first ATF change? Had it ever been changed before the 145k point?

Honestly, I'd just throw in the Lubegard and see if that works.

I *think* similar behavior, but I've got a pretty atrocious memory and it was 2 years ago. And before that I don't know. I would think yes, though, based on the other things that seems to have been kept up on it earlier in life. And I don't remember the fluid being just absolutely smoked when I drained it either which would have stood out to me.

The t-iv won't go bad, I could lubegard it now I suppose.

 

[martinq]

I make it a habit to drop the transmission oil at an annual service during an engine oil change. Once the system is clean you can stretch it out to every two / three years but at the start (new-to-me vehicle) I would drop the pan, clean & add magnets, and do at least three drain & fills.

Never add anything to your transmissionmission fluid unless it's called for (friction additive for LSD). Transmissions don't get dirty like engines & fuel injectors do. A quality transmissionmission fluid is extremely optimized as it is, right out of the bottle. Adding anything to a quality transmissionmission fluid is not going to improve anything, only make is worse in some way.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would do 2 spill-and-fills a week apart with Lubegard in the 2nd fill.
The RX330 is the 1st of the good ones... Nice!