Its A Growling Issue

lx450owner · June 28, 2004

I bought a 97 LX450 not too long ago..... bought it sight unseen... dont ask..... ill never do that again..... learning my lesson the hard way

Well anyway....I have driven my cousin's 99 lx470, and had the impression that the 97 lx450 would drive just as quiet.... i know they have different engines.... but i figured "LEXUS" and quiet engines go hand in hand.

My engine has some sort of a growling sound when i give it gas..... sounds like the engine is stressing out......i think i can, i think i can, i think i can.....

Are they all this loud?? or is it just my luck ??

Also, eats gas like it was water....... 200 miles = full tank of gas ??? this cant be good..... especially with todays gas prices..... can i use regular or is super recommended ??

Also mentioned in a previous topic about my "open door" light comming on while driving... got some feedback.... which didnt help....but thanks for the attempt though.

If anyone whos about the wiring which is used for the door sensors.....as in where to begin to look for them..... throw me a line

I also noticed that if anyone leans on the door the "open door" light comes on too... door is closed but light comes on.

dougjohn · June 28, 2004

The "open door" light is coming on because of a loose screw on one of your strikers. I said this before...

Check all the screws and make sure they're VERY tight. I had one that was only a quarter turn loose which caused the problem.

You should be getting more than 200 miles per tank. I assume your rig is still in stock form (no lift, aftermarket bumpers, LARGER tires). What's your mpg?

EnDLesS · June 28, 2004

Lx 450 owner:

How many miles u have on ur 450? Growlin sounds u mean when u hit accelerate

around 3-4 K? Really need to know what kinda sounds is it?

I owned 97 ~450 bought it as baby brand new 7 yrs ago with 0 mile and now had

164K miles on still runnin smooth , perfect~ LOVE the straight 6 :D

I traveled around the world & been tested LC the straight 6 engine model, u know

the funny thing here in the US the car didnt come with the Turbo???

I mean stock factory Turbo from Toyota.

Other countries such German, Australia , Arab & Asia this straight 6 motor is the most reliable on earth!! it gives more Torque, and i know some of models in other countries come with Diesel and Turbo on it~ and that sounds kinda rattling/ rough

when u hit around 3-4.5K RPM.

But thats different story its Diesel, not runnin gas.

Also could be/ probably symptoms of the piston/rings worn out, also sometimes to

try eliminate the engine noise can try by usin thicker oil not all but mix some,

with 164K right now im usin Mobil 1 Super Synthetic 6.5 Quarts of 10W-30 green cap & 1 Quart of 15W-50 red cap.

Well basically u cant compare the straight 6 with the '98 V8 model.

I also owned '02 LX 470 the motor much run much more quieter sometimes u cant

hardly hear on the idle.

Welcome to the Club :cheers: & G@@d choice by purchased LX 450 :)

alanc · June 29, 2004

For the growling, experiment with the "Power" button on the trans next to the shifter. I like the way the truck drives with the "power" button on. I only notice a slight difference in gas milage, but I do a lot of highway driving. If you do a lot of in town driving, I suspect the drop in gas milage will be more noticable. I think what you are experiencing is a factor of the electronically controlled trans.

I get 13.5 to 14.5 miles to the gallon in normal driving. When I bought my LX450 with 89000 miles on it, I changed the oil, got a tune up, and put a new air filter in it. Also, I put BG 44K in the fuel tank to clean out the fuel system. My local Toyota dealership sells the stuff and it really helps. Anyway, if you are getting less than 13mpg, start with a general tune up and BG44K. (It's about $16 a bottle but worth every penny. I put it in every 10K miles.)

The LX450 is tuned for 87 Octane, so don't waste your money on high Octane. If it pings on 87, just another indication that the truck needs a tune up.

Good Luck.

Chipofftheoldblock · June 30, 2004

I just bought a 97 LX450 a couple of weeks ago. It definitely has a little of a throaty sound....but I like it. You may want to lay on a creeper and spend some intimate time underneath your rig to check your exhaust system and other things. You may find some exhaust pipe holes or some separated connections that is causing the sound. If you hav'nt already, do the basic tune up stuff at the minimum because who knows when it was last done. On my first 4 tanks of gas, I am getting 14 city/higway combined and 16 mpg on highway only (after doing all those basic tune up 'things')....and getting 335 miles to the 'Empty' guage line (with 3-4 gallons reserve).

lx450owner · June 30, 2004

as for loose screws on the strikers...... checked the screws and they are as tight as they are going to get....... thanks for the suggestion but this didnt fix the problem....other suggestions are welcome

My truck has 95k miles on it right now .....which is not bad ......

the exhaust was checked and found to have no holes anywhere..... im thinking maybe the catalitic converter may be causeing the growl ??? could this be??? Also noticed something sounding like a whistling sound.... all these sounds may be normal.... but i never had a truck such as this before so I am being paranoid about everything im hearing

(YES, ALL THESE SOUNDS ARE HAPPENING WHEN ACCELERATING)

As for the truck being tuned to 87 octane..... i decided to try "super".... found it to drive a little better and growls a little less....but i still here that whistling sound......... i think ill stick with super

When i took the truck to my mechanic initially ..... he looked it over and told me that a tune up is not needed yet.... he changed the fuel filter and brakes only. Although he did notice a lot of loose oil and grease buildup through-out the bottom of the truck.....but couldnt find where the leaks are comming from..... i also keep the truck in my driveway.....and so far...knock on wood, have not noticed even one drop of oil on the ground.

Yes i agree, the truck drives better with the power button on ...... is it ok to drive all the time with the power on ????

alanc · June 30, 2004

Fine to drive with power button on all the time. It just changing the shifting pattern so that the transmission stays in gear longer (to a higher RPM) before shifting. Also, the downshifting is more agressive.

I have the "whistle" noise when accelerating. It's deffinately coming from the exhaust, but I believe it is normal.

I've heard, (but I'm no expert) that putting super in an engine tuned for 87 causes the engine to run hotter and can cause certain problems down the road. Not sure if that applies to all cars or just some. However, at todays gas prices, I can't see spending the extra for super when the truck does not require it.

I think the growl is normal as well. The LX450 has got a large straight six cylinder. It's a big engine for a six, and vibrates more than a V would. Just think to yourself "man, hear that power" :D

fsuphi1459 · July 1, 2004

I also get only about 210 miles to a tank.

As far the the exhause note goes, it is a problem with the main muffler. I have seen in on many landcruiser/lx and had to deal with it myself. Aparently there are honey cones in the muffler and get out of shape and cause a wistle. The only way to get rid of it is a new muffler. After a while, it get worse and it worth it!

Steve