Gotta get practice swipes in to make sure it's ready for the big show
GX460 & GXOR B.S. thread (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter Roody
- Start date
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I went with the 100% Aluminum from Summit (CSF I think). It's about $200 more than the OEM, but it has no plastic end tanks (which is where my stock unit failed) and seems 100% TIG welded. One one hand, the OEM unit lasted 12 years or so. On the other hand, I refuse to knowingly reinstall a documented failmode. If the plastic tanks fail, I will not reinstall a plastic tank radiator. If the factory valley plate sealant fails, I refuse to use the same sealant. etc, etc.
Since I did the valley plate this summer, I've been working up the GX to progressively longer road trips. 3 hours to get Daughter from college or drop her off was not a big deal. Minor change in coolant level (but since I wasn't using heat, I can't tell if it was deaerating still).
Went to NW Arkansas for Thanksgiving, right around 650 miles each way. Coolant level in the overflow seems unchanged. Maybe it's done deaerating, maybe it still has a slow leak? No amount of inspection I've done yet can detect leakage.
GX handled the trip exceedingly well, with a couple quirks/annoyances. First, the stability in a high crosswind is not good. It's the nature of a the beast for a taller vehicle with a shorter wheelbase. (My old diesel truck was also tall, but much longer wheelbase on not as bad). Going tall on tires (265/70r18 Defenders) is also directionally worse, of course.
But the worst part for me was the transmission shift programming. No wonder guys lose transmissions. On cruise control, it will downshift and gun it up a hill just to upshift, lug, and downshift to repeat the process (4--5--6--4--5--6, etc). The combination of the hills on I-44 in Missouri plus higher speeds (75mph) and taller tires was just putting the trans programming well off. The simple solution was to either not use the cruise control or to just keep it in 5th while running in the hilly areas. Eventually it calmed down in held 5th to just unlocking the TC clutch and relocking it at lower load.
Incidentally, my other Lexus-- a 2007 IS250-- similarly has just horrid trans programming and calibration, and it has stock diameter tires. That car will always upshift too early to 5th at part throttle, lug, then realize it upshifted too soon and go to 4th, run up another 500rpm, then try 5th again and hold it. So you can either manually shift it (it has the gimmicky paddles) or just use enough throttle that it will hold 4th longer before upshifting. At every "normal" throttle position, the trans programming on 4-5 shift is just miles off.
Annoyances aside, the GX is the best highway ride I've had yet. With the MS2s and a couple people and their stuff inside, the ride quality is the best I've experienced to date (even better than our trusty 05 Odyssey). And when we hit black ice coming back near Terre Haute, there's no vehicle I would have rather been driving to get home safely.
Went to NW Arkansas for Thanksgiving, right around 650 miles each way. Coolant level in the overflow seems unchanged. Maybe it's done deaerating, maybe it still has a slow leak? No amount of inspection I've done yet can detect leakage.
GX handled the trip exceedingly well, with a couple quirks/annoyances. First, the stability in a high crosswind is not good. It's the nature of a the beast for a taller vehicle with a shorter wheelbase. (My old diesel truck was also tall, but much longer wheelbase on not as bad). Going tall on tires (265/70r18 Defenders) is also directionally worse, of course.
But the worst part for me was the transmission shift programming. No wonder guys lose transmissions. On cruise control, it will downshift and gun it up a hill just to upshift, lug, and downshift to repeat the process (4--5--6--4--5--6, etc). The combination of the hills on I-44 in Missouri plus higher speeds (75mph) and taller tires was just putting the trans programming well off. The simple solution was to either not use the cruise control or to just keep it in 5th while running in the hilly areas. Eventually it calmed down in held 5th to just unlocking the TC clutch and relocking it at lower load.
Incidentally, my other Lexus-- a 2007 IS250-- similarly has just horrid trans programming and calibration, and it has stock diameter tires. That car will always upshift too early to 5th at part throttle, lug, then realize it upshifted too soon and go to 4th, run up another 500rpm, then try 5th again and hold it. So you can either manually shift it (it has the gimmicky paddles) or just use enough throttle that it will hold 4th longer before upshifting. At every "normal" throttle position, the trans programming on 4-5 shift is just miles off.
Annoyances aside, the GX is the best highway ride I've had yet. With the MS2s and a couple people and their stuff inside, the ride quality is the best I've experienced to date (even better than our trusty 05 Odyssey). And when we hit black ice coming back near Terre Haute, there's no vehicle I would have rather been driving to get home safely.
Hiluxforever
SILVER Star
Has anyone run a larger than 33" tire without any form of lift?
r2m
Richard
If they did, it was probably just transitional till they did get a lift. I did that on my 'ol Hundy. Mounted 35"s, ran with that for a couple months till I was able to get the suspension on.
r2m
Richard
I use the "manual" shifting quite often, either up or down grades. I'll bump it down a gear or so to keep the cruise control from hunting for gears, and then shif down again on down hill grades to avoid touching the brakes. Keeps my trans temperatures much cooler as seen from my OBDII gauges.
There's only a few things that aggravate me on my GX and the cruise control thing is one. Just as you describe. It's super aggravating as it shifts up and down and up and down and up and down 37 times in a half mile as it struggles to figure out what gear it wants.
The other is the climate controls and their lack of fan speed except in a digital submenu. Maddeningly, the rear seat passengers get a physical fan speed control button. So lame.
It is amazing that engineers could be so obtuse.
My kids (4 & 6) are constantly knocking the rear temp controls or turning it off when they get into their car seats. I spend way too much time scrolling through the Climate options to turn off 3-Zone and sync the temps. My wife's BMW has a physical "Sync" button on the dash to sync the three zones. I wish the GX had something similar.
I agree with the shifting logic and cruise control. I dont care to downshift etc, as other cars regulate this seamlessly with little driver intervention (including friction braking) when active cruise control is engaged. I do chuckle though since Toyota has been consistent until TNGA was launched about how the driver and vehicle interact and operate with cruise control. same HMI, same logic control for nearly 3 decades.
I also agree that I dislike the climate system sync button and filter air is really buried in there. While the auto intake selector needs to be turned back on, despite the auto hvac system engaged. They should ideally work together based off the smog sensor, and I only want to set the temp and forget it.
/rant
I also agree that I dislike the climate system sync button and filter air is really buried in there. While the auto intake selector needs to be turned back on, despite the auto hvac system engaged. They should ideally work together based off the smog sensor, and I only want to set the temp and forget it.
/rant
I bump the temp up or down to get the HVAC including the auto fan to do what I want. Usually it only takes a few degrees. I'd be changing the temp to match outside conditions anyhow. In the summer I want it a little warmer and in the winter a little cooler.
I don't use the cruise control in the mountains, only on flat terrain. Even then it downshifts to fourth for a freeway overpass.
Does the cruise logic work better when the trans has been reprogrammed with a tune like YotaWerx?
Usually i set it at 75, auto, three row sync, ac on, auto intake. If i feel the need to change it, voice command it or set it max hot/cold due to extreme ambient temp.
At 80MPH+ my cruise control doesn't have those wild swings 
haha i must test this theory....At 80MPH+ my cruise control doesn't have those wild swings
I feel like the cruise control issue is a toyota thing, my 3rd gen tacoma had similar issues, always searching for gears. Especially now with larger tires, the issue is compounded. Im hoping a re gear will help this, as I now just don't use cruise.
Hiluxforever
SILVER Star
I think it's a more recent toyota issue. It's also possible it's a function of having more power as the PID loop settings may be roughly the same as their older cars. I don't have the data points on that, but I know my older toyotas with cruise didn't surge and jerk like my GX460 and 5th gen T4R. I want to be able to relax the PID settings. But honestly I think I say that about most PID loops. I was an Instrumentation/Controls Engineer before becoming a Mechanical Engineer.
My 2017 Tundra's cruise does less of the downshift and floor it for overpasses than my 2017 GX. I think most of it is transmission tuning. The Tundra will downshift earlier. And some is the Tundra's better low to mid range power.
Hiluxforever
SILVER Star
The oem ones were on backorder, as well, in early October.
My 2011 has fan speed on the touchscreen somewhat accessible, but I agree-- KNOBS ARE GOOD. I think they are starting to figure out that we want instant gratification for several key adjustments, and menu-diving is not acceptable. (think 7-series I-drive BMW nightmare).
I'm a Mech E for a major US engine maker. I can spell PID and little more than that. But I agree, I'd like to take the PID coefficients and cut the damping in half or less.
Well, my 2006 RAV4, 2010 FJC, and 2018 GX have all had the same cruise control behavior.
