New to me '01 RX is viable !!

unknwn · November 25, 2023

Taking my steps toward making my impound auction Lexus a going concern has -finally- yielded positive results.

The (expensive) trudge through the uphill battle to get keys that allow the starting circuit to be operational provided me with a fresh set pf potential difficulties. With the ECU being flashed, and nearly 10 months sitting inoperable after being towed into the police impound area left me with more questions than answers as to why it wouldn't start after introducing an operable key set.

I spent quite a few hours learning what I could on forums and listening myriad utube opinions about troubleshooting(??) my non-starting Lexus, even going so far as 'paper clip trick' . All to no avail.

Determining that I -seemed to- have an ignition difficulty (some popping & framming while engaging the starter) there wasn't any discernable spark with a -new- spark plug inserted in the easily accessed coils.

I decided that I would buy a new trio of genuine Denso camshaft -&- crankshaft position sensors.

Having read that often times these sensors respond -best- to being ALL replaced at the same time with components produced by the same manufacturer. I decided to go with parts that just might prove to ALL be good-to-go when taken from their sealed packages and produced by the Original Equipment manufacturer (Denso).

Installing the camshaft sensor on the head under the throttle body was a rough time.

Even though you could see the crankshaft sensor through the wheel well, it wasn't too easy either.

With all three sensors in place, I barely turned the key to 'start', and the engine jumped right to life (!!) Yay!!

I brought the engine up to operating temperature, lowered the car off the work stands, checked fluid levels and drove it back & forth on my rural stretch of road until I lapsed 10 miles on the odometer.

It seems to be working satisfactorily, transmission wasn't problematic.

I'm going to institute the in-depth maintenance of transmission and coolant fluids before driving it the nearly couple hundred miles to get it's State Highway Patrol inspection performed so that I can get a normal Ohio title which will allow me to purchase license plates.