New Guy Here... A Few Ls400 Questions

[dilligaff82]

I just bought a 1991 Ls400 for $1000. It has 140K on it, and almost everything works, runs and drives nice, etc. It has a couple ugly spots on it (right fender has a dent, cracked taillight, and a broken power antenna) but nothing that would stop me from driving it.

Here's the questions.... It had a couple blown fuses and a blown relay because the guy accidentally reversed the polarity when installing the battery. I've fixed everything I could find, and now I only have one electrical issue. The AC display doesn't work (common, I understand), and the AC compressor won't come on. Is there a fuse or relay for it somewhere? I was told it worked before the battery incident....

The other problem is the power steering. I was told that it needed a new line but I can't pinpoint where it is leaking from. They just kept topping off the fluid till that didn't work anymore, and then they parked the car. That's when I bought it.

For $1000 I couldn't say no! My aunt has the same car with over 300K on it and counting! I'd just assume buy a shorter belt and bypass the power steering pump somehow because I can't afford to replace the whole system on a USMC paycheck.....

All help is appreciated!

[dilligaff82]

Sorry, it was a fusible link I replaced, not a relay... The white 130 amp one behind the battery.:chairshot:

[90LS400Lexus]

Sounds like an excellent buy! The power steering pump probably needs replaced. I am not sure if you have ever driven a power steering equipped car, without the power steering working, but it is very difficult to steer. I was handed down my grandmothers old 1984 Honda Accord LX with over 200K a few years ago. It had developed a bad leak in the steering rack. I eventually removed the power steering belt and drove it without PS for a while. Even on that small car, it was difficult to steer at low/no speeds, but it could be done. They are just not geared for that, but like I said, it can be done. I finally had the rack replaced, but then it started leaking too, so I sold the car. You are right- the LCD problem is common. I am sure you will get more accurate advice here as time passes. A lot of knowledgable folks here when it comes to these cars. Enjoy your car.

[kcpth]

If there is a leak in the P/S line... then u definitely should get that replaced. Cause if it's leaking on other hoses, or even making the timing belt wet, ur asking to change the lines when u realli don't need to. If it gets bad, ur rack n pinion can go too . Is there a puddle in the place where you parked the car?

If the pump is working fine and not the problem... just change the line. I wouldn't suggest to get the P/S fluid that suppose to seal the leaks for they are only a temporay fix and they can ruin the whole system in the long run. I just had my P/S High Pressure hose fixed around September or so. I use to just fill the pump everyday... it got pretty annoying, and i know there would b damage if i didn't do something sooner.

I didn't have the money $305 for a new OEM High Pressure hose. But if you want a new one, you can goto:

www.irontoad.com

www.americanlexusparts.com

They are both genuine lexus parts dealer. They will sell it cheaper than the lexus dealer you would go to.

I opted for the cheaper generic hose. I believe the company that makes it is OMEGA. Or something like that. I got it from this ebay seller, he's very good and quick, and the product works perfectly fine. I haven't ran into any problems yet.... however, i've had it on for only 2 going on to the 3rd month. Before i bought it, i did ask the other buyers before me on their opinions on the hose... they all gave me the thumbs up.

So if you want... it's only $99 and just bring it to a mechanic that you trust and have them install it. Make sure they install it with care. Unless you want to do it yourself. If i remember correctly, the line starts off where the passenger side is where the p/s pump is, and goes all the way under to the drivers side of the car, more on the bottom.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...7935515393&rd=1

Well good luck B)

[dilligaff82]

No, no puddles or anything, the person I bought it from said they brought it to a shop that put some dye in it and they could see the leak that way.

I wiped all the lines clean, then cycled the wheel back and forth a few times after everything was warmed up, and I couldn't see anything... But I might just try using the dye and a blacklight.

So no one has any ideas about the AC compressor not kicking on? I can't find a fuse for it, but it still blows, and changes modes.

[92Lex]

Power steering fluid can leak on your timing belt? Are you sure?

dilligaff82, is there a white cloud of smoke when you start your car up? It could be that your air control valve is leaking fluid into your engine, that's probally why there isn't a visible leak.

[kcpth]

Oh, sorry, let me clear up the situation... well for me... of course the pump didn't leak directly on the t-belt compared to my altenator. But for some reason it was kinda spraying around. I would find my T-belt wet and for some reason other parts of my car had oil showing up. I cleaned up some parts where i saw oil, and it came back, the engine wasn't leaking oil. Even the hood had splashes of oil on it that was not there prior to the hose started leaking. I have no idea how my line was leaking cause whenever i took a look @ it, i didn't see it spraying... but it was pretty bad if i had to cap it off everyday... n IF i drove a lot that day (like the 5 1/2 hr trip from NYC to P'burgh), i would have to refill it even 2 times a day. @ one point, i had 3 bottles of Dex III in my trunk. But i made sure it wouldn't cause a big problem for me... i got that problem fixed immediately.

When i got the hose replaced, i should have asked to see the original one so i could have figured out where the leak was, but for me... i was glad that the problem was gone.

[kamtra]

The timing belt in the ls400 is fairly well covered up and i can't imagine power steering fluid making it's way in there. 95% of the time the power steering fluid is leaking into the intake manifold. You can see this when you turn on the car and see a puff of blue smoke coming from the tailpipes. The pump has a valve on the bottom of it that you really can't see. It's called the idle up valve and it tends to have a seal go bad causing ps fluid to crawl up the vacuum line and into your intake. It's the very small black hose that you see connecting to your big black intake plumming between the intake and the air filter/MAS unit. It actually attaches to a small hose about the diamter of a nickel. I was able to unscrew my whole idle up valve from the pump and thread a bolt into the whole without a lot of effort. Steering feels the same to me and no leaking. I did not have to take the pump off to do it. Just crawled uncomfortably under the car and unscrewed it, took it to ACE Hardware and found a metric bolt of the same threads, a little plumbers tape and it worked. Been on for 20,000 miles. Be sure to also block the hole where the vacuum hose used to attach. Otherwise you hear loud wistle and weird engine activity.

[Shaggz]

    The other problem is the power steering. I was told that it needed a new line but I can't pinpoint where it is leaking from. They just kept topping off the fluid till that didn't work anymore, and then they parked the car. That's when I bought it.

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It won't be long before the steering completely quits on you. I was faced with the same symptom for about the past year. Before I decided to get mechanical with it, I just kept topping off the p/s fluid about once a month or so. Then it became a near weekly ordeal. Then a couple weeks ago, there was so much grinding coming from under the hood that I was scared to drive it. I had it towed to the dealer for diagnosis. That's when I decided to get mechanical with it myself. I was able to drive it home, then it sat jacked up until I figured out how to do the repair myself and save several thousand dollars!! I did the p/s pump, pressure hose as well as fan bracket. The fan bracket seized up as I started the car after replacing the p/s parts what timing?! Luckily, that was only another $230 part from the dealer, I just had to turn right around and take the darn thing apart all over again to do the fan bracket.

Keep in mind, there's not exactly a lot of p/s fluid to begin with. And it probably won't leak unless you're turning, which means you're not sitting in the driveway so there probably won't be much of anything on the ground. But I guess it could certainly pool in the plastic shield underneath the front of the car. If the pump is leaking, the p/s hose will probably have oil and grit caked all over it, so check there. You could also check the area where the p/s hose hooks up with the rack, behind the driver's side wheel. Just follow the hose from the pump, down around the oil pan, and you'll find it eventually.

I would recommend doing something about it sooner than later for sure. If it is the pump, you risk losing the alternator at any moment due to fluid getting into it.