2000 Land Cruiser Transmission Failure
- Thread starter mikesurfs
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Yeah. I took it to the dealer, expressed my concerns, and asked for a nice thorough test drive and overall evaluation. The vibration was just normal road noise exacerbated by a loose wheel bearing. Repacked bearings and a thorough lube on the yokes and spiders and drives great. Only other thing they found was the grease leaked around the cv boots that I had spotted previously. The mechanic went over everything with me, looks good. He said the tiny bit of particulate isn't a worry for 120k miles. He advised changing from flushes to drain and fill and keeping an eye on it for larger particles, but that it was typical for the miles. Considering I found similar in my wifes avalon I suppose its true. At any rate, it seems I let my tranny paranoia get the better of me this time.
Power flushes with an external pump or purging from the return line? I'm assuming the former and I agree. If it's the latter, I'd like to hear his rationale.
Thanks for the information. It seems like the consensus on particulate in the transmission fluid is:
You do not want to see a lot of metal sparklies; a few OK, a lot, not OK.
look here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/192053-transmission-fluid-changes.html
I think the reason that drain and fill is preferred over exchanging the fluid through the cooler lines is that the drain hole in the pan is the low point in the system. When you drain the pan you will purge some of the foreign material that may have settled in the pan. When you exchange through the cooler lines, the stuff in the pan stays in the pan.
You do not want to see a lot of metal sparklies; a few OK, a lot, not OK.
look here:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/192053-transmission-fluid-changes.html
I think the reason that drain and fill is preferred over exchanging the fluid through the cooler lines is that the drain hole in the pan is the low point in the system. When you drain the pan you will purge some of the foreign material that may have settled in the pan. When you exchange through the cooler lines, the stuff in the pan stays in the pan.
First - if you drop the pan *before* doing the exchange through the cooler lines there's no more stuff in the pan. I know when I did the cooler line flush I started the procedure by dropping the pan, cleaning it out, then draining the cooler through the lines.
Second - even if you don't do the pan drop, here's a question - the transmission pump normally pumps fluid through the system and it obviously doesn't purge the stuff that's settled on the pan, right? Or if it does that, obviously it doesn't cause any issues or we'd all have fxxxed up transmissions, right? Point of the cooler line flush is we're not using any more pumping force than the transmission uses during normal operation, so how could that cause anything to get unsettled more than normal?
If you want to drop the pan and clean it out, then that is probably a good idea.
Make sure you have plenty of shop rags on hand.
The other thing that I have heard is that changing all of the fluid at once can be bad for a high-mileage transmission. I do not know if there is any truth to this, but my transmission guru recommends just draining the pan (4 quarts or so) and topping it off.
Make sure you have plenty of shop rags on hand.
The other thing that I have heard is that changing all of the fluid at once can be bad for a high-mileage transmission. I do not know if there is any truth to this, but my transmission guru recommends just draining the pan (4 quarts or so) and topping it off.
Quick question: Do the "problem trannies" on 2000 models in the USA have 4 or 5 speed?
Mine is a South Africa 2000 model with 4 speed auto (3 + OD) with 90k miles.
Mine is a South Africa 2000 model with 4 speed auto (3 + OD) with 90k miles.
re_guderian
SILVER Star
Paul,
The 5-speed didn't show up in the US until 2003, so yes, all the problem trannies are 4-sp A343F transmissions.
Sound?
I've never noticed a real sound from my trans in OD. Obviously I feel a little extra vibration at 75+mph.
What does this warning sound sound like?
Anyone tried to just trade their 100 into the dealer or carmax when they hear the warning sound?
I've never noticed a real sound from my trans in OD. Obviously I feel a little extra vibration at 75+mph.
What does this warning sound sound like?
Anyone tried to just trade their 100 into the dealer or carmax when they hear the warning sound?
After 12 months of reading the forum I am apparently too paranoid when it comes to 2000 LC transmissions to be trusted. I'm gonna take it to the dealer, pay my idiot tax, and see what they say. If it flies apart before Saturday, I guess we'll know.
How about $16 worth of peace of mind.
Magnefine Filters--Online Order Form
I attached using $1 Fuel Injection clamps with loctite rather than the screw type clamp.
Ten minute install. Haven't done one on the transmission for the 100 but have one on my Honda Odyssey and have a similar filter on the 100's power steering return.
http://www.emergingent.com/Images/Filter_with_text.gif
From what I've read about the transmission failures, it's one part, like a shim or bearing that gets stuck and explodes "grenading your trans." The ATF filters seem like they could help with normal trans wear but probably not helpful for these catastrophic failures.
Sure, but one doesn't know why the theoretical defective part 'grenades'. If it's because of accelerated wear then any extra filtration would buy you time.
My suggestion was really trying to treat OCD trans worry not any particular anticipated problem. A $16 filter is a lot cheaper and more productive than a trip to the dealer for a pan drain.
I think some metal flakes are to be expected in a 120k trans with no filter.
As important as reducing wear caused by particles is filtering out particles that can jam a solenoid in the valve body.
Agree that the metal filter is probably a good idea - can't hurt and might benefit. The pan magnets do a pretty good job but who knows how long it takes a particle to circulate before it gets close enough to one to stay put.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record here... the only way we'll truly know was 'normal' A343F fluid looks like is if we get more samples into Blackstone for analysis. As an incentive, I'd be willing to paypal the $25 to the next unlucky owner with a failure who sends a sample in. I'd really like to see what these things analyze at right before a failure. And remember, Blackstone will send you the containers for free (you only pay when you send them back in). So order them now and have them ready for your next fluid change. http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php
At the risk of sounding like a broken record here... the only way we'll truly know was 'normal' A343F fluid looks like is if we get more samples into Blackstone for analysis. As an incentive, I'd be willing to paypal the $25 to the next unlucky owner with a failure who sends a sample in. I'd really like to see what these things analyze at right before a failure. And remember, Blackstone will send you the containers for free (you only pay when you send them back in). So order them now and have them ready for your next fluid change. http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php
I am at 150k and just had the dealership do a fluid replacement. I have some of the fluid and will be sending it out this week to blackstone. I will post of the results when I get them.
Awesome! Thanks! The guys at BS were great to deal with and will spend as much time on the phone as you need interpreting your results.
I was cleaning the garage this weekend and found the fluid from my last ATF drain and fill before my trans failed. It was 6500 miles before the failure, but I'm still curious to see how it tests. I just sent oil to BS so I should be getting more sample containers soon. I will send them some ATF when I do.
The shop told me that the ATF looked great when they took apart the trans. But there were significant metal shavings. I thought that was from the failure. When I fill the sample container, I will dump out the fluid into a clear container and see if there are any visible particulates.
The shop told me that the ATF looked great when they took apart the trans. But there were significant metal shavings. I thought that was from the failure. When I fill the sample container, I will dump out the fluid into a clear container and see if there are any visible particulates.
This is what the tranny guy told me when mine went out. He said the bearing goes out and then everything just blows. There was a ton of metal in my tranny fluid when they checked that. He said it is usually the bearing. This may be a stupid question, but is there a way to change the bearing before the tranny goes out?
i'm really hoping my 2000 isn't a klunker transmission wise. is there something i should be listening for to warn me that the tranny is saying adios amigos??
Has anyone replaced their transmission with a new one and tried to sell their not yet broken original transmission? I'm wondering what our current transmissions are worth or if there is a market for them considering this known issue and how few LCs there are around.
