fisher972002

Guys, also for future searchers, to replace the PS reservoire return tube sub-assembly 1, LEXUS part # 44406-50010 that tube is $173.86.. replace not with a standard cheapo 3/8" PS return hose, but instead get the Gates Transmission Oil Cooler hose. It has fiber reinforcement and is much sturdier tube than the standard PS return hose that will fold over.. The Gates part # is 27057, get the 3/8" diameter hose and should be good to go.. Also use the Lined Hose Clamps, so you don't dig into the hose...

On our troublesome PS systems on the older LS400 you have to make sure all the lines are in tip top shape. When I replaced my PS Pump last year on my 1991 LS, the PS Return hose, or LEXUS PART # 44406-50010 Return Tube Sub-Assembly 1 had visible cracks and just seemed old and it was wet/leaky. I imagine lots of older LS400's Return hoses are in the same shape. Problem is this hose from Lexus costs $173.83 which is totally ridiculous. I originally replaced this hose with the NAPA buy by the foot regular "PS Hose" Problem was it was a cheap, no lined hose that folded in half, and I could never bleed the air out of the system. The hose was cheap and thin-walled and nothing like the quality original Lexus Hose.. So, my Brother found a great replacement part for this... Gates Transmission Oil Cooler Hose, Gates part # 27057 get the 3/8" size. it comes in 3 different sizes, 5/16", 3/8" and 1/2".. Get the 3/8" size, fits perfectly. This hose is 3 times thicker walled than the el-cheapo regular PS hose that I bought a year ago from NAPA pay by the foot Power Steering hose. The Gates Transmission oil cooler hose uses thick rubber is lined with a fiber braid reinforcement and quality wise is on-par with the original lexus hose, but without the bend. But that's ok, because this hose is rigid enough that when you do install, it will maintain the roundness of the hose... The Part #'s at a few auto parts store match, so not sure if same everywhere, but for example at o'Reilly's it is Gates Part # 27057. The part # for buying by the foot is 27059. Just make sure you get the 3/8". It sells for about $3.49 a foot. I've attached a few pics of what the hose looks like. You need the thicker walled fiber reinforcement to make the angle from the reservoire to the feed tube... If you use the cheapo PS hoses, the bend is too extreme and the hose will fold and not provide adequate PS Fluid flow.... Also I didn't re-use the factory Clamps, on each end. Go ahead and order 2 new Nice Lined Hose Clamps for clamping this hose one end for the reservoire tube and the other to the PS system. Don't skimp and get the everyday el cheapo Hose clamps as the teeth will dig into the hose. Get the quality "Lined Hose Clamps" the kind with the metal band that goes around the hose, then the worm gear sinches on that, just get LINES Hose clamps, much better

924S AT my brother's Ford Dealership, a co-worker of his rebuilts starters. He rebuilt this starter for me for $100. I figure it's better to keep the original Lexus starter and get new bearings and brushes in it and have the original rebuilt, rather than taking a chance on a made in china O'reilly's or NAPA starter. I mean the amount of work involved in replacing theses starters, better have someone who knows what they are doing rebuild your original starter, or get a factory one from Park Place or Irontoad.... I wouldn't take a chance with a cheapo starter here.... My Old starter was tired.. It still started, it just turned over slow.... Never really stopped working... but the rebuit one, gees waht a difference.... The old starter was pulling between 250 and 300 AMPS per start... Waay too much amps required... New one pulls around 100 consistently.. It starts so much faster, pops off and starts like when I first bought the car 10 years ago....

That is correct Landar. Lenore, you are correct, although in this case, the line was only a year old.. SO it wasn't a problem with the return line connecting to the reservoire, breaking down, the line was fine rubber quality wise, it was just too thin... Too thin walled of a hose to make the extreme angle of the reservoire connector down to the PS line... Now we know, examining the factory line, it is really thick and robust.. THis is why.. So if you don't want to spend $175 on a new factory lexus return hose, don't just get the run of the mill pay by the foot hose for this, find a thicker walled hose that will maintain it's shape...or basically the rubber hose didn't really break down, it just couldn't handle the angle w/out sort of folding flat...

Hi All Just thought I'd post back the fix for future searches. It turned out to be a combo of 2 things... #1 The air Control Valve on the side of the pump, Lexus/Toy Part # 17630-16040. It had a slight leak visible on outside, and inside the vacuum piping tubes we found some PS Fluid. I think it was seeping air somehow into the system perhaps when the car was off and still.... #2 and probably more important, I replaced the low pressure reservoire return line that hooks into the side of the pump reservoire. The factory one was all cracked and hard.. I made the mistake of putting on regular cut by the foot tubing from the local auto part store... We noticed that even though the piping fit over the reservoire and return line ok, it was kind of thin-walled and on the curve of the piping, the rubber hose was flat/ from the sucking pressure..... I believe I was unable to bleed the system because of the cheap rubber tube being flat and not holding it's form and the air bubbles couldn't clear up... AFter replacing all the leaky PS parts, Rack, HIgh pressure lines..I replaced the reservoire Rubber tube, not with the Lexus part that is $150 Dollars, OMG, for a freaking rubber hose..Ugh.... I replaced with a larger thicker walled rubber hose/tube that will keep it's circular form better .... Also after doing the LExus bleeding precedure, I still had a ton of air in the system.. We used a vacuum gun, Idled the car, put the vacuum gun on top of the reservoire, added slight vacuum, the pump would wine, wine and then slowly turn... The added vaccum cleared up all the air bubbles and eventually after about 10 minutes of this it cleared up... I have my LS PS back like normal and it FEELS SOO GOOOOD... Steering w/ Pinky again..LOL...

On my 1991 LS400, the last time the timing belt was replaces as at 73,000 miles. It now has 196K. My Fan bracket seized up, so time to do the Timing belt, also hearing a bearing whine from the front of the motor that can only be the idler bearings on the TB... In the process of replacing the TB, also the last few months my starter turns over a little slow, sometimes it starts normally, other times slow crank condition. Starter pulling around 250 amps, somtimes less around 170, sometimes over 250, worn out... Midas well replace the starter while we're in there. The Timing belt Idler, not the tensioner was trashed, when you turn it with your hands even at slow speeds it growls and is loose...So people always as, how many miles should I let my GEN 1 LS400 timing belt go? There 's your answer. My TB itself had small cracks on the outside, but the belt was in pretty good condition on the meat/groove side considering 120K plus miles the belt would/could go lots longer, but the problem is the idlers especially the non-tensioner idler which is really worn out. one more clue, when cold the idler bearing noise was louder, after the vehicle warmed up to normal operating temp, it would quiet down, another clue it's bearing related! Here are some pics, had the starter rebuilt and reinstalled, had to take off intake, rear by-pass joint, or crossover tube, and the EGR intake Tube that attaches to intake Manifold. New gaskets for intake, and crossover tube, I went ahead and replaced the valve covers while there also, they were original, seeping a little bit, not too bad for 20 years! Also I don't think my radiator has ever been out, check out the dirt and leaves that was caked on the radiator. Wonder if the previous TB replacement, they left the radiator in. Kind of weird, because I definitely don't drive on dirt or gravel roads, keep the car rockstar clean. Noticed the AC the last few years in the dead of summer isn't cooling as good as it used to, this is the reason why!..LOL..It's a wonder the condenser ever cooled down at all with all this crud in there blocking airflow. Thought you guys would enjoy pics, we see lots of threads about starters and how hard they are to replace, but you rarely find pics, so here you go!

Hi I broke my Power Steering pump Pulley on my 1991 LS 400, do you have a Pulley? Also the Power steering return hose, the low pressure hose on the side of the reservoir, do you still have that? Zip is 50325

Hi all, 1991 LS400, 196K miles. Power steering whine, air in PS system. Last Feb, the original Rack/Pinion was leaking. Obviously a problem there, but before I had the dealership replace the rack, I replaced the PS Pump with a Napa PS pump. I noticed the PS reservoir is missing the screen inside it. When it was off, you can see daylight from where the rubber tube connects and through the bottom of it, it is basically hollow...I replaced pump, no change. So, in Feb dealership replaces rack at cost of $1500. QUieted down Whine when you drive around town, you can basically drive all around town and no whine even when hot. Problem is when I get on the highway high speeds, and drive more than 10 or 12 miles then you pull off the exit ramp it starts wining... So I do the Bleeding procedure outlines in ALLDATA, keep the RPM's below 1200, open the reservoire cap, turn the steering lock to lock 2 or 3 times, turn off car, see if bubbles... Of course bubbles come up.. I will do this on the side of the exit ramp 2 or 3 start/bleed cycles and it will bleed off... THen be quiet again, until you run again on interstate and whines again. No visible leaks..I replaced the High Pressure hose when I did the pump with a new aftermarket hose. THe return hose, I didn't buy the lexus one, just used universal hose and hose clamps.... I've taken it back to the dealer twice, explaining that you have to drive at high speed for a while to get it to really whine... THey say they can't duplicate it.....and the PS system is fine, but I know it is not.... Few things I thought of, is fluid cavitation, you know if there are 2 types of fluid, but that is not the case I use the Wynns' PS Fluid provided/bought from the dealership..... I'm wondering if the PS reservoire missing the screen, maybe the fluid is flowing too fast and cavitating at high speeds.... About the only thing that hasn't been replaced, is the Reservoir, and the Vacuum booster on the side of the PS Pump, the low RPM boost component with the 2 vacuum lines going into it, the idle air valve I think it's called... Out of ideas, anybody have any ideas...

Ah.. Got it.. Put the box end and hit with a hammer and popped it, it broke loose..Thanks guys

For my 1991, the bottoms were hard and worn out.. Leather still good shape.. I just went to the junkyard, found a late 80's lincoln continental, the smaller lincoln... THe seat color matched my grey leather perfectly, then I kept the back part of the lexus seat and just replaced the bottoms... Soo much more comfortable.. Support in the back, cushiness on the bottom, the ultimate seat... Had to take seats out, and take off the plastic trim, the switches, but then recovered with the other seat bottoms, then hogsringed and snap tied the seat covers to the original lexus mounting locations, put the trim and switch covers back on, looks pretty factory, other than the different leather pattern.. But much more bolster in the lincoln seats..

All Replacing my PS pump. I have everything out except the bolts on the PS pump itself holding the pump to the car. How do you get that High pressure banjo 17mm nut off for the high pressure hose. It's such a weird ackward angle, anybody whom has taken that off, what special tricks out there for that... I have my 17MM stubby, but I can't get enough torque to loosen it. I suppose I could unhook the holdowns and remove the whole hose assembly and take it out with the pump, but I'd rather not... Is there a special tool anybody has used to get that .. Also it requires 49 torgue, how the heck do you get a torque wrench in there?? Thanks for your time.

CuriousB, yup, I zeroed it out. They pulled off pretty easy, except for #4.. but I tested it and it did not break.. All 8 of my spark plugs are nice and brown.. Perfect.. My motor purs like a kitten. Last time the plugs/rotors/caps were changed was at 78K, so I have exactly 100K miles on them, the dist cap/rotors are a little toasty, she should have some more power I hope!

Ah.. found it, You have to take off the alternator bolts, the alternator sits in front of the tensioner, that made it come right off.. I'm doing an ingnition tune up also.. My wires are from 1991.. I tested, most wires are around 8 Ohms, few are 17 ohms... Can't believe they're still good after 178K Miles..

Guys, Looking at this car for a friend, lots of miles. Want your opinion and things to look for... I know the LS in and out any suggestions for things to ask the owner, I normally only am in the LS Forum.. Not so familiar wtih the ES', need to know things to check out while we look at the car. Lots of miles, but I know how good these cars are IF they've been maintained... http://iowacity.craigslist.org/cto/1278166103.html Typical things, the LCD climate display, probably won't fix.. Antenna as long as the motor is working, is a $13 dollar fix...This will be a secondary /winter car only for my friend. Thanks for the advice

All Made a mistake, have a serpentine tensioner pulley bearing making some noise, it's rough.. Unscrewed the pulley counterclockwise, now I found out it is clockwise or left hand thread. 1991 LS400 178K miles Now I have a broken bolt in the tensioner. according to http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/timingbelt.html It only looks like there are 2 bolts holding on the tensioner.. One on about the 12 o'clock position is the 12MM nut. Then about 4 o' clock on the tensioner, is a bolt, not a nut.. Took both off and the tensioner will not budge... I'm wondering if I have to take off the timing belt cover, are there some other nuts in there that I don't see.... Anybody have any drawing or a procedure in the manual, I'm missing something.. If I can get it out hopefully I can order a new bolt and reuse my tensioner assembly and easy-out the broken bolt. Thanks