Update
56,000 miles driven in 2 years on free car. Current mileage is 208,000.
Added 4 Yokohama Goelanders last week. If the trans has no more problems in 2023, then I will do the full timing belt/water pump service again. Car did a 800 mile Redwood Forest trip over Thanksgiving and doing a 500 mile roadtrip this weekend. No complaints and running great.
Yes it's yours and yes she is your wife ,but........pssst c'mon over here bro this sled .....IMHO is not deserving of a "FLY" roof handle. just to see it as it is in this condition....is a treat. When do you see Mom next?
759NRNG said:Yes it's yours and yes she is your wife ,but........pssst c'mon over here bro this sled .....IMHO is not deserving of a "FLY" roof handle. just to see it as it is in this condition....is a treat. When do you see Mom next?
I was seeing mom once every 2 months. However, given her current health condition, I am in the middle of moving her in with me, for full time care.
beach day
Pismo?
In reply to spandak :
Ye ssir
220,000 miles today. No time to work on it this time.
Car is getting today:
Timing Belt/Water pump/all other belts
All fluids (trans, diff, transfer)
This will be the second T belt service in its life. Hopefully good for another 100K miles.
3 more years, it can go to kid's first car. From grandma to grandkid.
Even though not very GRM, with work, kids, and two business in escrow, and airbnb, and farm, no time to tend to free RX this time around.
The place I sometimes use (known owner 20+ years), keeps Lexus vehicles only between 300k-400K miles as loaners. Love it.
My loaner today is a GS300.
Well maintenance was painful. But it is what it is.
Hope next stop will be 330K miles.
In reply to mr2s2000elise :
That car loves you.
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
Well if something loves me back in this world, I will take it.
Hoping to keep it alive 36 more months = kid's first car.
Should be 60K more miles in 36 months.
geolanders did great on a trial run
Well I have been waiting for this day to come. Just didn't expect to happen after I did all the belts/water pump/pulleys/fluids 30 days ago.
Trans fluids changed many times.
Driving down highway, stop and go traffic. Completely stopped (in middle of 20 miles of driving), press gas, and REV goes to the sky. Try again, same thing. Put it in Park, Reverse, Drive, nothing. Turn off car.
Wait for tow truck middle of the 405 traffic. 2 hours later police, and tow truck come.
Tow truck won't take it to mechanic shop because it is closed, and they have policy not to leave the car somewhere unattended. SIGH.
Tow the RX to my house.. can't get it off the truck. 20 minutes, no wheels are moving. Dolly it down inch by inch.
Tomrorow I have to get another tow truck to take it to the mechanic.
I knew this day would come, but I was hoping to get 300-350k miles out of it, and hand it down to the kid.
In reply to mr2s2000elise :
The weak link in the transmissions is typically the planetary gear set. My understanding is that the aftermarket has made upgraded parts that alleviate the factory issue.
On multiple occasions (2 ES300's, and I think 3 RX300's, and 1 RX330) if the symptom is just whining and slippage, and / or not moving under it's own power but will roll, a filter swap and fluid has made it temporarily mobile again. The filters can and will get sucked shut / clogged with grit.
Though if it's locked up solid and had to be dollied, even after cooling off, makes me lean towards the planetary being locked up.
My dad's old ES300 made it down 2 of the 4 floors of the dealership parking garage before it locked up solid from heat - had to drag it down the rest of the way and winch up onto the trailer. Ended up being a planetary on that one.
HotNotch said:In reply to mr2s2000elise :
The weak link in the transmissions is typically the planetary gear set. My understanding is that the aftermarket has made upgraded parts that alleviate the factory issue.
On multiple occasions (2 ES300's, and I think 3 RX300's, and 1 RX330) if the symptom is just whining and slippage, and / or not moving under it's own power but will roll, a filter swap and fluid has made it temporarily mobile again. The filters can and will get sucked shut / clogged with grit.
Though if it's locked up solid and had to be dollied, even after cooling off, makes me lean towards the planetary being locked up.My dad's old ES300 made it down 2 of the 4 floors of the dealership parking garage before it locked up solid from heat - had to drag it down the rest of the way and winch up onto the trailer. Ended up being a planetary on that one.
thank you kindly. i have done the fluid drain/refill when it didnt go into reverse once at airport.
this time i think its the planetary as you said
ebay trans are $1,300
lexus reman are $2700
In reply to mr2s2000elise :
That's a tough one. Lot of factors at play.
While I can't confirm if the current Lexus remans have been improved upon, I recall Dad replacing a couple of OEM remans (I.E., the 3rd trans in the life of the car) when these cars were more prevalent at the dealer. Hopefully they've continued to improve the internals.
Unfortunately, pretty much all the used transmissions have the same "weak" link. And no telling on the quality and schedule of maintenance. I will say that the 230k miles you were able to get out of the OEM trans is higher than most of the ones Dad and I have seen fail, albeit you gave it every chance to succeed with all the maintenance.
Unfortunately here in the midwest it seems that the 3rd, 4th, or N'th owner usually default on the maintenance and run cheap oil / long OCI's, and they start to burn oil and have an ovaled cylinder / random misfires in the aft bank, and /or the trans eats E36 M3.
Shame though. They're great cars.
HotNotch said:In reply to mr2s2000elise :
That's a tough one. Lot of factors at play.
While I can't confirm if the current Lexus remans have been improved upon, I recall Dad replacing a couple of OEM remans (I.E., the 3rd trans in the life of the car) when these cars were more prevalent at the dealer. Hopefully they've continued to improve the internals.
Unfortunately, pretty much all the used transmissions have the same "weak" link. And no telling on the quality and schedule of maintenance. I will say that the 230k miles you were able to get out of the OEM trans is higher than most of the ones Dad and I have seen fail, albeit you gave it every chance to succeed with all the maintenance.
Unfortunately here in the midwest it seems that the 3rd, 4th, or N'th owner usually default on the maintenance and run cheap oil / long OCI's, and they start to burn oil and have an ovaled cylinder / random misfires in the aft bank, and /or the trans eats E36 M3.
Shame though. They're great cars.
Thank you. Your help and information has been greatly appreciated. RX aren't my expertise, and I am not into them very much.
Every part of the car is like new, and it is an excellent DD (more than I care to admit). After the last time it wouldn't go into reverse, I gave myself one full year. Said if it lasted a full year, and 20 k miles, I will do the tires/new belts etc which I did, thinking I can get another 100k out of it.
Ours doesn't burn a drop of oil or any leaks at all. Truly fantastic till this catastrophic issues.
My options are - sell it to a junkyard.
Fix it with reman ($2700) - don't know if it is better or not. Or take the chance on a $1100 ebay one (least likely).
Given we are still the first owner, car has certainly been babied, while the miles have racked up.
What are you guys seeing for a labor charges (hours) on a replacement? I am trying to see if I buy a lexus reman ($2700) what may be approx cost to replace it labor wise.
Personally I don't have the current time (its our main season at the farm), and now till march I am working 90-100 hour weeks easily.
Book time (alldata) shows 14.6 hours for Trans R&R
Add an additional .6 for flushing the cooler
Other consumables include a rear main seal (while you're in there) as well as a small o-ring between the t-case and trans. You'll also have some miscellaneous hardware and exhaust gaskets too.
HotNotch said:Book time (alldata) shows 14.6 hours for Trans R&R
Add an additional .6 for flushing the cooler
Other consumables include a rear main seal (while you're in there) as well as a small o-ring between the t-case and trans. You'll also have some miscellaneous hardware and exhaust gaskets too.
Thank you so much! That helps me determine the budget. Looks like 5K--6K.
After overnight sitting:
Started the RX.
-If you move it to R, rpm drops as if in gear. Press slight gas, no movement. No weird sounds.
-If you move it to N, RPM goes up to idle.
Which feels like the gear is "engaging" but car is not moving.
-If you go to D, 2, L, whine starts. No movement, if you press gas. Almost like all wheels have E brake on.
Question:
If I plunk down $2800 for this:
do we know how long these last? If they are same design, do we know if they will go a 100K miles, or dead after 1 year? Any thoughts or experience would be appreciated.
After 21 years of loyal service, vehicle has been donated to the Salvation Army. After doing many searches for transmission ($2900 Lexus) vs $1100 Ebay, and not feeling confident enough that the design hasn't been improved and that after a trans change, it would last 3 more years for kid #1 to take over, made the heart wrenching decision to donate it.
The tow truck driver kept saying, how amazing condition it is, and how smooth motor runs, and the brand new tires etc. No wear on the inside.
I wasn't a huge fan of the car, but like a beloved dog, really loved it and appreciated it as an excellent, comfortable tool. This vehicle has been coast to coast in the US, to Canada, and to Mexico, and never missed a beat till the end.
Hopefully it lives on with someone somewhere. Good bye RX
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