Hey Vmf!

[1991LS400]

First off, I really appreciate all of your help. Here's what I was thinking about.

1) Ok, so you say there is probably air in my p/s system since the leak is real slow. Then why do I hear groaning when I turn my steering wheel while I'm idle, parked, or stopped at a light or stop sign? Also, would getting a new rack and pinion fix this p/s problem that I have? If it will, I will just get a new rack and pinion. Or do I still have to bleed the system even if I get a new rack and pinion?

2) So when my starter dies do I have to get it towed to the shop? And the grinding sound right before the engine fires on only happens sometimes. Maybe 1 out of 6 times.

3) I do not have air suspension. So could one or both of my shocks on the driver side be weaker than the passenger side? Because it is lopsided.

4) My LS does not hesitate to speed up, in fact, it responds very well. So then my ignition is good, right? The car and my stick shift just start to shake/vibrate at 50 or more mph but it does not affect my speeding up or slowing down. And if you listen and really try to feel my car you can hear it sounding like it's put-putting at fast speeds and you can feel it coming from the back end of the car. But my stick shift also starts shaking like crazy also. But honestly, where I'm describing it SEEMS like I hear and feel things it may not be. I really can't PINPOINT where the vibration or sounds are occuring from. It just sounds like it's coming from my back end. Any suggestions?

5) About the timing belt. Check this out. I was driving my car today and was really trying to pinpoint when I can hear the whining sound from my belt. Check this out. Everytime I gradually slow down to a stop my car does ok until it hits 15 mph and the belt and my engine rev up to 1,000 RPM's, then it slows down again to 10 mph and revs up once more to 1,000 RPM's then finally comes to a complete stop. Maybe I can give you an example. Here goes:

Here's my car going 50 mph on the highway and I start to slow down.....40 mph normal......30 mph normal.......20 mph normal.....15 mph the engine revs up to 1,000 RPM's even though I didn't push the gas pedal....slows down to 10 mph and revs up again to 1,000 RPM's.....finally comes to a complete stop.

It ALWAYS HAPPENS on 15 mph and 10 mph that my engine revs up to 1,000 RPM's even though I'm braking. Any ideas of what coule be causing this including that whirring sound from my belt?

Again, VMF...I appreciate all of your help. Please answer in numerical order again and tell me what things that I have described should be brought to immediate attention NOW and what things can wait because I'm taking it into the shop on Friday morning for them to pinpoint problems as well and start fixing things.

P.S. Is fixing all of this on a 1991 LS 400 with 240,000K worth it or am I going over my budget? Should I just try to sell it and get another vehicle? I fell in love with Lexi man, I don't want to give her up. :cries:

[1991LS400]

One more thing VMF...

I noticed that my A/C affects some of the vibrations and sounds in my car ONLY while I'm idle. Keep in mind, I'm not talking about the vibration when I'm going fast.

If I'm idle or stopped at a light or stop sign and if I have the A/C OFF my engine rumbles and I feel rumbling right underneath my seat. But right when I turn the air conditioner on everything stops making noise and everything's quiet. Any ideas on what's causing this? PLEASE HELP! Thanks VMF...

[Grandpa]

Well, I'm not VMF... but I can try to answer a few of your questions :). Well, if your feeling vibrations in your steering wheel, it may be wheel balance up front... if your feeling it in the seat, then it may be in the rear. I would check to see if it's balance because it is cheaper than alignment. Well... a nicely maintained 91 LS 400 can go for a while, Im driving a 92 LS 400 with 198,000 miles and it is fine, everything is well, and I think i can get prolly 200,000 more miles lol. All i really need to do now, is to replace the front and back brake pads, and the car needs no tune-ups :) With all the problems you've listed... i doubt you could sell it....

[VMF]

if you have air in thge pps then this is exactly when you will hear the groaning. and yeah, dont change the starter yet, its a really complicated and expensive procedure, so when it dies you just tow ur car and fix it. but it might take another year or 2 for it to die, you might not have the car in a year or 2, on the other hand it might die tomorrow, with those things u never know when its gonna hit ya.

about the shocks: i remember there is been an issue with an early LS models, if you search the forums you might be able to find it, i didnt find it but i do remember it was discussed here 2-3 month ago.

the vibrations might be either from the bad wheel balance or a bent rim. i had this problem and changin the rim and doing balance on the both sides of all wheels fixed the problem.

strange engine revs might be sympthoms of the dying transmission. it might be that your torque converter is not releasing but i'm not a big expert on the trannies.

whats the idle rpm when u feel the rumbling and shaking ? when ur turn on the AC ur rpm goes higher to compensate the load on the engine so just take a look at the rpm and try to increase it withthe bedal just by a little. if it will go away then i still think it might be your mount or just the car body catching resonanse. this is a 13 year old car and i really know a way to fix this.:)

oh and you do have to bleed the system every time you are doing work on it. alwys bvleed the brake system and pps system to ger tid of all the bubbles (changin brake pads is the exception)

[1991LS400]

VMF,

I appreciate the help once again, however, not all of my questions were answered and I'm still a little lost on what you have to say for each of my problems.

The big thing is, what needs to get done first as far as work on the car is concerned? What things, if left to go bad, will literally DESTROY the car if attention is not brought to it now? Please help.