Transmission Question

[hkeller]

We took our 2000 LX to the mountains this weekend. It was fully, and I mean FULLY, loaded, with four people, food, gear and beer for a weekend trip, plus about three hundred lbs of firewood on a hitch packer. The supsension even had a hard time getting out of low. We had to get out of the vehicle with the engine running and close all the doors so that it would rise to the normal level (it wouldn't lift itself with us in).

We got to the top of the mountain, after about a 10 mile drive up a steep grade, and got out to go into the cabin. When we stepped out of the car, everyone said, "What is that smell?! Is the car on fire?!" The only time I've smelled a similar odor it was breaks of a burnt clutch. Since we were goung up hill the entire drive, it was not the brakes. Since it's an automatic, it was not a traditional clutch. I think it was the tranny.

Any thoughts? From you guys that tow heavy tralilers, is this normal? I changed the fluid a few months ago and it looked good then. It is still red and does not smell burnt. I do have a slight vibration under throttle, which has been increasing. I was assuming that was just age on the plugs, injectors, etc. Maybe it's the trans.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[SWUtah]

We took our 2000 LX to the mountains this weekend. It was fully, and I mean FULLY, loaded, with four people, food, gear and beer for a weekend trip, plus about three hundred lbs of firewood on a hitch packer. The supsension even had a hard time getting out of low. We had to get out of the vehicle with the engine running and close all the doors so that it would rise to the normal level (it wouldn't lift itself with us in).

We got to the top of the mountain, after about a 10 mile drive up a steep grade, and got out to go into the cabin. When we stepped out of the car, everyone said, "What is that smell?! Is the car on fire?!" The only time I've smelled a similar odor it was breaks of a burnt clutch. Since we were goung up hill the entire drive, it was not the brakes. Since it's an automatic, it was not a traditional clutch. I think it was the tranny.

Any thoughts? From you guys that tow heavy tralilers, is this normal? I changed the fluid a few months ago and it looked good then. It is still red and does not smell burnt. I do have a slight vibration under throttle, which has been increasing. I was assuming that was just age on the plugs, injectors, etc. Maybe it's the trans.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Take a white paper towel and drip some of your transmission fluid on it. Let it dry, if it does not look pink or if it is black or even has a black ring change your transmission fluid. I would go with a complete fluid exchange, but "no cleaner". Should take about 18 quarts to do the exchange. I would also change all of the fluids in the drvie train front rear diff's and transfer case go with a good synthetic based on your planned use of your LC. Let us know what you find.

 

[SINCITY100]

We took our 2000 LX to the mountains this weekend. It was fully, and I mean FULLY, loaded, with four people, food, gear and beer for a weekend trip

Well, if you took the same amount of beer that I would take for a "weekend " , then you probably overloaded your AHC and the transmission .


To me it seems very odd that you didnt get a dash warning light or engine code ( if was any major malfunction ). Regardless, I too would check the condition/color of the fluid and if needed proceed to do a "flush" ... I wonder if the trans was merely overfilled a bit and dripped on a hot engine part

Keep us posted !

 

[NMuzj100]

Sometimes parts get hotter than they have in a long time when working hard uphill. This heat will burn off old oil drips and such that have accumulated over time but have never gotten hot enough to burn off during highway driving and the average short trips. I would check everything but not panic.

 

[SWUtah]

Keller, what does your transmission fluid look like after the test?

 

[Jim_Chow]

BTW, for a long, steep climb like that, you should have the t-case in low. If you're in high, you will undoubtedly be in 1st gear and the torque converter will be constantly slipping. The tranny will get a lot hotter than if you were in 4wd low in a higher gear like 3rd where the torque converter would be locked up. At any rate, I'd inspect your ATF, make sure it doesn't have a burned smell to it, plus it should be red.

 

[hkeller]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I did the test. The fluid "dried," for lack of a better term, totally pink. It had no black specs in it, nor did it have any black specs around the edges.

I can't imagine what that smell could have been, other than burnt tramission smell.

In certain light, I can see a trans temp warning light on the dash. Does this work on the UZJ 100? Somwhere I thought I read it only worked on the diesels. It never came on in mine.

 

[Jim_Chow]

Could have been oil or some residue splattered on either the tranny, t-case, or diffs that burned off when that part got really hot.

 

[hkeller]

Yeah, Jim. You may be right. I had a bottle of Mobil 1 5w-30 stored next to the brake boster. About 5 months ago, I saw that a small hole had developed and the oil ran down and along the brake lines. (I paniced at first, think it was going to be an expensive repair to the brake boster.) Maybe some of that oil was still down in there and had never burned off.

I'l keep you posted.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[SWUtah]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I did the test. The fluid "dried," for lack of a better term, totally pink. It had no black specs in it, nor did it have any black specs around the edges.

I can't imagine what that smell could have been, other than burnt tramission smell.

In certain light, I can see a trans temp warning light on the dash. Does this work on the UZJ 100? Somwhere I thought I read it only worked on the diesels. It never came on in mine.

Your fluid is fine if it dried pink with no grey/black ring. Based on your use, I would still change the diff's and transfer case to synthetic.

 

[hkeller]

Any recommendations on fluids for the diffs and transfer case? I replaced with dino with a synthetic package about a year ago. I'm thinking a slight higher weight may eliminate some of the slack in the transfer case.

Thanks,

 

[Jim_Chow]

Any recommendations on fluids for the diffs and transfer case? I replaced with dino with a synthetic package about a year ago. I'm thinking a slight higher weight may eliminate some of the slack in the transfer case.

Thanks,

I bought a 5 gal pail of Mobil 1 Delvac 75w90 gear oil from a commercial fuel supply distributor for both the diffs and t-case (also use it in my 4runner). You can change the diff/t-case fluid 3 times for one pail. You can check the Canadian spec sheets on the web. It 25-30% cheaper when you buy in bulk vs. those little quarts at the auto store.

 

[SWUtah]

I bought a 5 gal pail of Mobil 1 Delvac 75w90 gear oil from a commercial fuel supply distributor for both the diffs and t-case (also use it in my 4runner). You can change the diff/t-case fluid 3 times for one pail. You can check the Canadian spec sheets on the web. It 25-30% cheaper when you buy in bulk vs. those little quarts at the auto store.

Doesn't the 2 diff's and transfer case hold around 10 quarts? I think the Mobil 1 Delvac 75w90 would be a great choice. I would not go over a 90 weight.

 

[Jim_Chow]

Doesn't the 2 diff's and transfer case hold around 10 quarts? I think the Mobil 1 Delvac 75w90 would be a great choice. I would not go over a 90 weight.

front diff: 1.69 qts, rear diff: 3.49 qts, t-case: 1.4 qts = 6.58 qts per change. I don't measure, though. I just fill until it starts to drip out of the fill hole w/ AHC in N when filling the rear diff since the axle housing rotates down when AHC is in high or when there's a lift.

 

[SWUtah]

front diff: 1.69 qts, rear diff: 3.49 qts, t-case: 1.4 qts = 6.58 qts per change. I don't measure, though. I just fill until it starts to drip out of the fill hole w/ AHC in N when filling the rear diff since the axle housing rotates down when AHC is in high or when there's a lift.

That's nice since my Lexus dealer charged me for 10 quarts. They also charged $50 labor per unit versus an hourly rate. So I paid $200 for the job. I did not see the gun but I think they robbed me.

 

[TXLX470]

Take a white paper towel and drip some of your transmission fluid on it. Let it dry, if it does not look pink or if it is black or even has a black ring change your transmission fluid. I would go with a complete fluid exchange, but "no cleaner". Should take about 18 quarts to do the exchange. I would also change all of the fluids in the drvie train front rear diff's and transfer case go with a good synthetic based on your planned use of your LC. Let us know what you find.

This may look like a dumb question but how do u drip little bit of transmission fluid???

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

There is a dipstick that allows you to measure the level of tranny fluid - just like the dipstick for measuring engine oil. Just take out that dipstick, and drip the fluid that is at the end of the dipstick on to the clean towel or paper.

 

[TXLX470]

There is a dipstick that allows you to measure the level of tranny fluid - just like the dipstick for measuring engine oil. Just take out that dipstick, and drip the fluid that is at the end of the dipstick on to the clean towel or paper.

...Thanks

 

[Jim_Chow]

That's nice since my Lexus dealer charged me for 10 quarts. They also charged $50 labor per unit versus an hourly rate. So I paid $200 for the job. I did not see the gun but I think they robbed me.

Hey, you gotta pay for those drain & fill gaskets!

 

[NMuzj100]

And the premium coffee in the waiting lounge.