I am getting an odd buttering at 30mph. If I speed up/down it seems to go away. I am going to be going through my front end so hopefully it up there… 285k miles Lexus LX470
Jitters at 30
- Thread starter pairodice
- Start date
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Tire balancing, any number of bushings, bearings.
- Thread starter
- #3
My trans temp just went through the roof and sitting here waiting on the side of the road for it to cool down to limp back home … how much does a transmission rebuild cost??? :-(
More than a good used trans..
But why jumping into conclusions so fast? First get home and cool down, start looking at the hundreds of threads here, in the FAQ, and around the web to diagnose properly before throwing money at the transmission shop guy..
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- Thread starter
- #5
I just had the big 3 things done including having the water pump replaced At a shop. I talked to a friend and he said it may just need to burp so letting it cool down and will check it.
When you say big 3, one was a radiator replacement? If so, the trans cooler is in there, and maybe it lost some fluid, that might be the reason for the shudder in the trans at 30 mph. Let it cool with the nose higher than the rear, tomorrow morning check coolant level again before even starting the truck, and then move into transmission fluid check, remove skid and inspect for leaks underneath, specially around 3/8" rubber hoses that go into the radiator for red oil, and other coolant hoses for a peace of mind. Check FAQ for procedure to measure trans fluid based on the year of your cruiser. Also, if you have a scanner, check for pending codes.
Good luck.
Good luck.
How are you monitoring the trans temp? Just the dash light?
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- #9
Well it got considerably worse tonight - there was a slight shudder at 35 or so and then a little later it happened at 45 or so and then the whole thing started shaking (in a bad way) and then it stopped in the middle of the road… it would not start after that - it would only crank but no start. I then notice the A/T light was on… I think the shop must have kinked a hose or something to the transmission but that still would not explain the ticking I was getting to begin with… I had it towed at my expense to the shop and left the keys… :-(
You posted your issues about 3 weeks ago.
Did you check fluids since then, specifically transmission fluid?
Did you check fluids since then, specifically transmission fluid?
- Thread starter
- #11
My trans has no dip stick to check it… I think the shop did something that impeded the flow of the fluid to the radiator… I’ll see what they say today
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- #12
Here is the rest of the story
The following is to the best of my recollection:
My 2006 LX470 needed to have a standard fix, well-known in the Toyota Land Cruiser world. The parts needed to be installed were from an AISIN kit and included:
My friend owns a mechanic shop and I asked him about performing the timing belt replacement but he did not have the time. I can work on electrical and small mechanical issues like brakes and suspension but I never work on engines or transmission - I leave those to the professionals. My wife and I have been taking our 2006 Mercedes SLK 280 to YES automotive for several years with good success so I got a bid from them to do the work of $2500. That was about $1000 over what I had been given before to do the work but I trusted them and agreed.
We drove the LX to YES on Wednesday March 6, 2024 and left it with them to perform the service. It took the better part of a week to perform the service which was ok even though we had a trip planned for the next week to visit my elderly parents in TX.
We picked up the LX on Friday March 15,2024. Gary, the owner of YES Automotive indicated that (as I recall) a cam shaft had broken and was replaced free of charge. We paid the $2500 + tax and I even offered to pay for the extra parts and labor so YES did not have to eat the bill. Gary refused so we drove the car home.
While driving the LX back home from the shop the transmission over heated and the A/T light came on so I stopped the LX on the side of the road and let it cool down. So now I had a transmission issue. I also noticed at about 30 to 35 mph there was a shudder from the rear of the car. I thought the issues were completely separate. Of course on Friday afternoon after 5pm the shop was closed so I had to wait until Monday morning to take the LX back to YES.
On Sunday March 17, 2024 I sent a text to YES indicating that the engine was making a clattering sound that definitely was not there before. I talked to YES and we agreed to drive the LX back to the shop and let them look at it. While there I was helped by the owner Gary and he was very nice and said he had been having issues with workers not performing jobs correctly and did not want a call-back due to missed items. Another week went by and on Friday 22, 2024 I went to pick up the LX from YES - when I started the engine it seemed like the noise was gone. So I drove the car back home.
A few days later I took the truck across town to pick up some supplies and noticed the same ticking noise was back and that the oil pressure was very high. Also there was a shuddering at about 30-35mph and on Sunday March 7, 2024 I went to the parts store and got some ‘Dr. Shudder’ as I had read on the IH8Mud forum (a very highly respected forum for Land Cruiser/LX owners only) that it was good stuff and would solve the shudder issue. My particular transmission is sealed and does not even have a dip stick so I passed on that and was going to have my friend add the fluid to the transmission. That never happened due to the issue that came up next.
Yesterday on April 8th while driving across town the transmission started to shudder again at about 30mph so I sped up a little to 40 to get past it. Then the transmission really started to shake the truck and it felt like it was slipping. I was in the middle of traffic on Hughes Rd in Madison in the left lane (5 lanes wide) and the truck just stopped. All the dash lights were on and the transmission A/T light was on. I tried to restart the engine several times but it would only crank and not start. I called our insurance and they sent out a tow truck to get me. After waiting over and hour a tow truck driver showed up with a flat bed truck and drove my LX to YES and dropped it in their parking lot. I dropped the keys into the drop box and left for the night at about 9pm.
Now my truck is dead and will not restart and my trip to visit TX with my RV and LX in tow is ruined (again). We will just take the RV to TX and rent a car or an Uber to get around. I am so disappointed and wish I had taken my LX somewhere else.
Below is a screen shot from my phone to YES
The following is to the best of my recollection:
My 2006 LX470 needed to have a standard fix, well-known in the Toyota Land Cruiser world. The parts needed to be installed were from an AISIN kit and included:
- 1 Timing Belt (211 teeth)
- 1 GMB Timing Belt Tensioner Roller Bearing
- 1 GMB Timing Belt Idler Bearing
- 1 Hydraulic Tensioner
- 2 Camshaft Seals
- 1 Front Crankshaft Seal
- 1 AISIN Water Pump w/ Gasket
My friend owns a mechanic shop and I asked him about performing the timing belt replacement but he did not have the time. I can work on electrical and small mechanical issues like brakes and suspension but I never work on engines or transmission - I leave those to the professionals. My wife and I have been taking our 2006 Mercedes SLK 280 to YES automotive for several years with good success so I got a bid from them to do the work of $2500. That was about $1000 over what I had been given before to do the work but I trusted them and agreed.
We drove the LX to YES on Wednesday March 6, 2024 and left it with them to perform the service. It took the better part of a week to perform the service which was ok even though we had a trip planned for the next week to visit my elderly parents in TX.
We picked up the LX on Friday March 15,2024. Gary, the owner of YES Automotive indicated that (as I recall) a cam shaft had broken and was replaced free of charge. We paid the $2500 + tax and I even offered to pay for the extra parts and labor so YES did not have to eat the bill. Gary refused so we drove the car home.
While driving the LX back home from the shop the transmission over heated and the A/T light came on so I stopped the LX on the side of the road and let it cool down. So now I had a transmission issue. I also noticed at about 30 to 35 mph there was a shudder from the rear of the car. I thought the issues were completely separate. Of course on Friday afternoon after 5pm the shop was closed so I had to wait until Monday morning to take the LX back to YES.
On Sunday March 17, 2024 I sent a text to YES indicating that the engine was making a clattering sound that definitely was not there before. I talked to YES and we agreed to drive the LX back to the shop and let them look at it. While there I was helped by the owner Gary and he was very nice and said he had been having issues with workers not performing jobs correctly and did not want a call-back due to missed items. Another week went by and on Friday 22, 2024 I went to pick up the LX from YES - when I started the engine it seemed like the noise was gone. So I drove the car back home.
A few days later I took the truck across town to pick up some supplies and noticed the same ticking noise was back and that the oil pressure was very high. Also there was a shuddering at about 30-35mph and on Sunday March 7, 2024 I went to the parts store and got some ‘Dr. Shudder’ as I had read on the IH8Mud forum (a very highly respected forum for Land Cruiser/LX owners only) that it was good stuff and would solve the shudder issue. My particular transmission is sealed and does not even have a dip stick so I passed on that and was going to have my friend add the fluid to the transmission. That never happened due to the issue that came up next.
Yesterday on April 8th while driving across town the transmission started to shudder again at about 30mph so I sped up a little to 40 to get past it. Then the transmission really started to shake the truck and it felt like it was slipping. I was in the middle of traffic on Hughes Rd in Madison in the left lane (5 lanes wide) and the truck just stopped. All the dash lights were on and the transmission A/T light was on. I tried to restart the engine several times but it would only crank and not start. I called our insurance and they sent out a tow truck to get me. After waiting over and hour a tow truck driver showed up with a flat bed truck and drove my LX to YES and dropped it in their parking lot. I dropped the keys into the drop box and left for the night at about 9pm.
Now my truck is dead and will not restart and my trip to visit TX with my RV and LX in tow is ruined (again). We will just take the RV to TX and rent a car or an Uber to get around. I am so disappointed and wish I had taken my LX somewhere else.
Below is a screen shot from my phone to YES
- Thread starter
- #13
The fan belt also is shredding
Well, sorry for your troubles, sadly they did a bad job.
First is: the Camshaft broke??? Bad installation of timing belt, not keeping timing marks, number 1, #1! thing to check on ANY timing job. Lets assume that they replaced the cam with a proper and correct part, what's the chance that they installed the new one properly, when the ONLY thing they had to do the first time was keeping an eye on timing??. The rest of the job is just unbolt and bolt back.
2nd, what's the story with "mechanics" NOT driving the cars they "repair" after the job? Is it that hard for them, after charging $$$$$$ to grab the car and take it for a spin? Got 10s if not 100s of horror stories that could be easily prevented by taking the car for a 20 min drive. They just don't do it!
INCLUDING, an overheating transmission after getting their $%&^ hands on the cooling system..
The shudder you're feeling is the torque converter, usually shuddering bc lack of service of the fluid, or low fluid.
No transmission is sealed. How did they get the fluid in in the first place then?
Red flag after red flag, now they owe you an engine, a transmission service (maybe a transmission), your lost time and most certainly, aggravation.
Can it be repaired? Yes, every machine can be repaired, but would you trust them again?
I say, a "nice" letter explaining the issues and whole process and timeline, and if ignored, lawyer up for a civil case. A letter from a law firm has a lot of weight, and most ppl don't wanna deal with it.
Good thing out of this: A lesson. If you own an old car, learn how to work on it yourself. Period.
Hope you get through this.
First is: the Camshaft broke??? Bad installation of timing belt, not keeping timing marks, number 1, #1! thing to check on ANY timing job. Lets assume that they replaced the cam with a proper and correct part, what's the chance that they installed the new one properly, when the ONLY thing they had to do the first time was keeping an eye on timing??. The rest of the job is just unbolt and bolt back.
2nd, what's the story with "mechanics" NOT driving the cars they "repair" after the job? Is it that hard for them, after charging $$$$$$ to grab the car and take it for a spin? Got 10s if not 100s of horror stories that could be easily prevented by taking the car for a 20 min drive. They just don't do it!
INCLUDING, an overheating transmission after getting their $%&^ hands on the cooling system..
The shudder you're feeling is the torque converter, usually shuddering bc lack of service of the fluid, or low fluid.
No transmission is sealed. How did they get the fluid in in the first place then?
Red flag after red flag, now they owe you an engine, a transmission service (maybe a transmission), your lost time and most certainly, aggravation.
Can it be repaired? Yes, every machine can be repaired, but would you trust them again?
I say, a "nice" letter explaining the issues and whole process and timeline, and if ignored, lawyer up for a civil case. A letter from a law firm has a lot of weight, and most ppl don't wanna deal with it.
Good thing out of this: A lesson. If you own an old car, learn how to work on it yourself. Period.
Hope you get through this.
They broke a camshaft? 
- Thread starter
- #16
Thanks Patron, I will wait to see what they say and go from there. I do agree that they probably messed with something in the transmission lines to make it overheat. I love my LX but may have to look at other options until this is resolved.
- Thread starter
- #17
I believe that’s what they mumbled about … they said it had a small crack in it which I find hard to believeThey broke a camshaft?
- Thread starter
- #18
BTW I did send the same info as above to them this morning when we dumped the LX in their parking lot …