Ls430 Transmission Gone

[Patrykard]

Hi fellow members

Sadly my LS430 (2000y 111k miles) recently let me down on the motorway on the 13th :(

What an embarrassment and disappointment. Couple of weeks ago I decided to change oil and filter in the transmission and found that oil was well burned and filter had many metal pieces in it.. picture attached

Now in limp mode and makes grinding noise as soon as it shifts to 3rd gear

I would like to you for an opinion about whether is it worth changing or repairing the transmission if so, could someone share their experience with similar problem? Maybe recommend a gearbox specialist within Midlands?

Thank you

Pat

[steve2006]

Personally I would go for a known good 2nd hand transmission from a scrapyard and have that fitted, a rebuild would probably cost more with just the parts alone, also check the transmission intercooler as these are known to fail and allow engine coolant to mix with the transmission fluid wrecking the transmission, the last thing you want is to fit another gearbox and have that fail shortly afterwards.

Don't forget to get the torque convertor as well as the transmission so they remained matched.

There are a few being broken on eBay at the moment.

[PEPE]

Question for Steve 2006:

Do LS 400s also have a transmission intercooler, or does this thread apply to LS430s only?

Many thanks

Pepe

[steve2006]

I know both my 1994 import LS400s have a transmission cooler that is mounted low down between the bumper and radiators, looks like a pipe with cooling fins on it as below.

However my 1997 series IV doesn't have this same system these have a transmission cooler integrated into the bottom of the coolant radiator but I've never seen a reported problem with this type just the later LS430s.

Picture below shows the later LS400 radiator with the additional transmission cooler at the bottom with the inlet and outlet pipes which appears to be the same set up as the LS430.

[Sammy101]

Transmission fluid does not generally just burn up that bad.

You need to find the cause of the transmission failure.

[bookend]

Has the car been used for towing?

The radiator inter coolers usually fail due to lack of maintained of the cooling system or the incorrect fluid being used to top up or maintain the system after a pump change.

Exactly the same happens on the landcruisers.