Used Car transmission Flush or drain and fill?

[Kurtatron]

Bought a used Lexus 2004 rx330 to replace my infernal Rogue. The car has been maintained very well. Brake fluid and even power steering fluid are pristine.

Automatic transmission fluid doesn’t look too old, doesn’t smell, and is dark red. In other words, it looks used, but not ancient. I want to replace the filter, but I’ve been corrupted by Scotty Kilmer. Flushing used fluid may be detrimental to an old transmission, right? It’s got 200k miles on it. The transmission doesn’t slip, but it is slightly jerky. Jerky meaning very weak lurching between shifts. Nothing serious I’d say.

Should I flush it or drain and fill? Flushing is pretty easy. Just have to disconnect one of the transmission lines and run the vehicle until no more fluid comes out.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd drop the pan and clean it out, change the filter and do a line off fluid exchange.

 

[benjamming]

I would just do a drain & refill initially. See how that does & how the rest of the vehicle does for the next 5k miles. Then evaluate.
What fluid are you going to use?

 

[JMJNet]

In a Toyota, the so called flush is draining the fluid using the trans cooler return line.

Drain > take off pan > replace filter > close > fill with fluid, 1 or 2 quarts overflow > drain from trans cooler line 1 or 2 quarts at a time and fill 1 or 2 quarts a time till fluid runs red > hook the return line back. Check level.

I did that in all my used Toyota without ill effect.

 

[The Critic]

There's a flash for shift quality on those RX330's. I have applied them before and it does help.

But I have never experienced any ill effects from a transmission flush.

 

[Brian123]

Bought a used Lexus 2004 rx330 to replace my infernal Rogue. The car has been maintained very well. Brake fluid and even power steering fluid are pristine.

Automatic transmission fluid doesn’t look too old, doesn’t smell, and is dark red. In other words, it looks used, but not ancient. I want to replace the filter, but I’ve been corrupted by Scotty Kilmer. Flushing used fluid may be detrimental to an old transmission, right? It’s got 200k miles on it. The transmission doesn’t slip, but it is slightly jerky. Jerky meaning very weak lurching between shifts. Nothing serious I’d say.

Should I flush it or drain and fill? Flushing is pretty easy. Just have to disconnect one of the transmission lines and run the vehicle until no more fluid comes out.

What demarpaint said is correct. With the Line Exchange, be careful with running the Trans Dry. I would have 1 person adding the fluid, another person in the Driver's seat starting and shutting off the car, and the other person keeping an eye on the fluid draining out.

I would also have enough fluid, so if the trans takes 12 quarts of fluid, maybe have about 12 or 13 quarts of fluid available.

I do have a Tranny Fluid Calculator that I can send you a Link if you are interested.

Good Luck!

 

[Hall]

but I’ve been corrupted by Scotty Kilmer. Flushing used fluid may be detrimental to an old transmission, right?

Please stop spreading this. Is there a single ounce of proof of this anywhere or just anecdotal stories ? A shop refusing the work doesn't mean it will fail if they do it either.

Should I flush it or drain and fill?

Do a single drain and fill and see how it does. You say it's very well maintained so probably the first thing to try is the software update that The Critic referenced.

 

[supton]

I'd do a flush. Drain the pan, refill. Find the outlet line to the cooler, pull that. Run the engine to push out a quart. Shut down. Add quart back. Repeat until fluid comes out clean.

It might be of value to drop the pan and look for metal, clean the magnets, etc. I do not know this transmission but it seems Aisin tends to use strainers and if it's full of debris... well you'd have problems. Otherwise it's not a filter and I question the need to drop the pan. I've done it, and the rubber gaskets that come with the cheap kits seemed to do fine, but why mess with it? Just my opinion, but I think next time I do this, I might leave sleeping dogs alone, and just change fluid.

 

[JTK]

Is this vintage easy to DIY drain, fill and level check? If so, doing this first, a time or three is a no-brainer to me.

If this isn't possible, like the fellas mentioned, pay for a pan drop, filter change and fluid exchange.

 

[Andyd95]

Multiple drain and fills

 

[GSCJR]

1.) Remove the transaxle fluid drain plug.
2.) When the fluid flow reduces to a slow drip, drop the pan.
3.) Clean the pan including any magnets and residual gasket/sealer material that remains.
4.) Replace the filter/screen.
5.) Reseal the oil pan to the transaxle and install the drain plug with a new washer.
6.) Replenish the the transaxle with 3.5L of T-IV or equivalent.
7.) Road test for approximately 5 minutes.
8.) Drain and replenish the transaxle 2 more times, with a 5 minute road test between each D&F.
9.) Flash the trans as @The Critic suggested.

In most cases I would not encourage a D&F with at your mileage. The only reason I'm not saying no in this case is, the fluid doesn't look too bad according to you.

Good luck!

 

[Kurtatron]

I'd do a flush. Drain the pan, refill. Find the outlet line to the cooler, pull that. Run the engine to push out a quart. Shut down. Add quart back. Repeat until fluid comes out clean.

It might be of value to drop the pan and look for metal, clean the magnets, etc. I do not know this transmission but it seems Aisin tends to use strainers and if it's full of debris... well you'd have problems. Otherwise it's not a filter and I question the need to drop the pan. I've done it, and the rubber gaskets that come with the cheap kits seemed to do fine, but why mess with it? Just my opinion, but I think next time I do this, I might leave sleeping dogs alone, and just change fluid.

It’s a U151E which does use a filter. I bought a wix replacement filter.

 

[Kurtatron]

I'd do a flush. Drain the pan, refill. Find the outlet line to the cooler, pull that. Run the engine to push out a quart. Shut down. Add quart back. Repeat until fluid comes out clean.

It might be of value to drop the pan and look for metal, clean the magnets, etc. I do not know this transmission but it seems Aisin tends to use strainers and if it's full of debris... well you'd have problems. Otherwise it's not a filter and I question the need to drop the pan. I've done it, and the rubber gaskets that come with the cheap kits seemed to do fine, but why mess with it? Just my opinion, but I think next time I do this, I might leave sleeping dogs alone, and just change fluid.

I like this idea. Drain from the cooling line after the New fluid is added. Prevents the transmission from running dry.

It’s also better over mixing the new with old, then doing another drain and fill. It avoids draining new fluid, wasting it.

 

[eljefino]

Do multiple (maybe just two) drain and fills, and one filter now.

I'm sure it's me, but I never get replacement pan gaskets to seal as well as they were sealed before I started messing with them. You might want to have a M6x1.0 tap on hand too in case any threads get disturbed.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I would start with a simple spill and fill. Maybe check with Lexus to see if the filter/strainer has been serviced?
By the way, that is a 300K mile car, easily. Great choice!

Pics or it ain't real!

 

[Rock_Hound]

That is a good car if maintained decently; really a very robust drivetrain. My Avalon has the precursor engine. These are pretty easy to do a drain-fill on. I would do a drain-fill now, and then another at the next oil change, repeat until the color looks good, then just do a drain-fill every 30k.

If no one has said this to you yet, the MZ series of engines use a timing belt. If you don’t have anything to show that it has been replaced, you should plan to have it done. At the same time, water pump, and crank/cam seals. Will run about ~$1100-1300, but only needs to be done every 100k miles/10 years.

 

[Donald]

Unless you know when the filter was last replaced then it needs to be replaced.

Forget Scotty Kilmer and all advice he provides. A flush won't cause a transmission to fail unless the transmission is ready to fail already.

A flush or in reality a total fluid exchange is the most efficient way to replace all the ATF. You can do a QT or two at a time if you do it yourself.

Or change the filter, drain and fill and do the flash and see how it goes.

 

[Astro14]

I'd drop the pan and clean it out, change the filter and do a line off fluid exchange.

Yep. That’s what I would do, and have done.

 

[Kurtatron]

I would start with a simple spill and fill. Maybe check with Lexus to see if the filter/strainer has been serviced?
By the way, that is a 300K mile car, easily. Great choice!

Pics or it ain't real!

Thanks. We love this car so far. The V6 is so smooth and quiet compared to the buzzy Rogue it replaced. It’s 10 years older but far more composed on the inside. It’s got some body dings and scrapes and the interior leather is shot, but it was well taken care of.

It’s the AWD model. So this will definitely be our winter vacation vehicle.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Thanks. We love this car so far. The V6 is so smooth and quiet compared to the buzzy Rogue it replaced. It’s 10 years older but far more composed on the inside. It’s got some body dings and scrapes and the interior leather is shot, but it was well taken care of.

It’s the AWD model. So this will definitely be our winter vacation vehicle.

Wow! I would service all the fluids, pull a plug, etc. Maybe start with a fresh set of Michelins, if it's in the budget. Of course inspect everything.

Spend a few hours on the paint and headlights. Lexus paint in those years was German quality!
Going forward, I would stiffen it up with some Bilsteins...

You will flat out love that RX. It will spoil you.