Vaccum Hoses Broken Please Help

[Dr. Henry]

Good Day,

I noticed recently that a hose that goes from the big plastic air tube (the one that connects the filter element and MAF sensor to the throttle body in the engine) was broken at both ends (the other end connects somewhere below the power steering pum) and when i tried to fix it I ended with the hose in my hands, needles to say the damage is major because is the plastic tip that broke, not the hose, so I will have to replace the whole big plastic tube/cover. I dont even want to know what part broke in the power steering pump end of the hose. I guess I will have to replace a major part down there also. Someone told me that this hose is a vacuum hose for regulating engine RPM's when the power steering kicks in, so I just shut the little hole with electric tape.

Will this affect my vehicle in any serious way in the long run? I eventually will fix this situation, but not right now.

Now, I discovered another broken air hose connection, this one is a real mistery to me , it is located underneath the small central plastic cover of the engine, is connected to a little light blue kind of sensor, the plastic tip of this sensor (?) broke so there is deffinitely no vaccum here, the hose is one of those slim metal hoses that go around the top part of the engine I think there are three or four of them.

Can anyone here please tell me what is the function of these hose and of these light blue sensorlike part.

Its too bad my car is suffering from this broken plastic parts disease because otherwise is a perfectly nice, clean, really low-mile (35172), brand new-smelling and looking, one owner (elderly woman) 1991 pearl white LS400 that i just bought some months ago for $5000 dollars. All this time I just could not believed my good fortune getting this excellent deal.

Now my wife is telling me that the problem is that this car is too old ( almost 14 years) and it is going to start falling apart. She wants me to sell it :chairshot: , but I just fell in love with my LS.

Can someone please enlighten me on this problems so I can fix my fabulous luxury perfomance sedan and prove my wife wrong. B) Thank you.

[SKperformance]

Buy a silicone ( racing ) hose kit for 20 -30 it comes in too many colours but black is available and best.

It works wonders and works much better and longer than rubber as it is less brittle and more resistant to vacume suction

[monarch]

Its too bad my car is suffering from this broken plastic parts disease

I also have a '91 LS400 and it has 102,000 miles, but is not suffering from broken plastic parts disease. Evidently the former owner of your car had the car serviced by some sloppy and rough mechanics that were not careful handing rubber and plastic parts. The trick to avoid breaking plastic and rubber parts is to remove and install them only when the engine is hot.

[lbarbish]

I broke the same hose about three weeks ago. I went into lexus and asked them what it was for. The blue thing is a temprature valve that opens the vacuum. It is part of the air emissions equipment. He said it wouldn't bother anything but I should fix it. He said that rather than pay for a new one, to take a small piece of the straw from a WD 40 can and glue it into each of the broken pieces, thereby putting them back together. The smaller diamater will not bother the vacuum he said.