Bigtime Help -- Block Crack Or Normal

[jhauck]

Please help before I give myself an ulcer.

Recently purchased a 1997 ES300 w/88k miles.

Was underneath vehicle today and noticed what looked like a possible crack at the bottom of the engine block.

Having been a aircraft mechanic for 22 years, I'm well aware that some manufacturing defects and/or seams sometime look like cracks but are not (unfortunately the reverse is sometimes true also).

The potential crack (or defect) is under the forward portion of the engine block directly between the oil pan and exhaust pipe when viewed from underneath, a couple of inches from the left forward corner of the oil pan if looking forward.

There is no evidence of oil or coolant leakage.

Please, somebody view the image and see if this is common to the 1997 ES300 V-6. To properly orient, if you slid under the front bumper into a position to view directly between the forward exhaust pipe (on one side) where it starts going straight back, and the oil pan (on the other side), the portion of the engine block at this point is where I found the crack.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Hope I'm not too "wordy" in my explanation, just didn't know how else to explain exact location.

Jeff Hauck

Gresham, Oregon

[bbsal]

it does look like a crack but it doesnt look like its on the engine block.it looks like its just on the heat sheild around the pipe.if its not leaking anything then i doubt its a crack.by the way how did you think of looking for it anyway?is there a reason you was under the car looking for damage like did you hit a pot hole or anything?i wouldnt worry about it to much because it dont look like its on the engine block to me.it looks likeits on the exsoust manifold.

[jhauck]

I'm no "Lexus Specialist", but it's definitely part of the block, maybe my pictures are a little deceiving.

The crack extends about 2-3 inches, from part of the forward "mount webbing" all the way to the oil pan mounting flange.

I was underneath just doing a "visual" of everything for no real reason other than being inquisitive. I've got a pretty good eye for stuff like this (like I said I've been a aircraft mechanic for 22 years).

Shining a flashlight from one angle, makes it look more like a manufacturing defect (like a seam or something), but from another angle it looks like a crack (that's why I can't be sure and am curious if the same markings are on other engines of this type).

Thanks,

jeff hauck

Gresham, OR

[bbsal]

i would take it to the dealer and have them check it out if its on the block because it looks like a crack to me.maybe someone else in here that owns a 98 could look for you.

[SKperformance]

i don't think it is part of a seam origanally intended like the webbing

just hope that your car gets a real bad sludging of the oil and tehn lexus will give you a new engine

then no worries

sorry i have no seam on my 94 es with the same 1mz-fe aluminum engine which have identical blocks just some upper improvements

but castings can be modified from origanal design

[jhauck]

Thanks for the input.

I'm just hoping it's a "surface crack" and doesn't extend all the way through.

There is absolutely no evidence of any leakage whatsoever, and based on where it's located it seems like there'd be something. I know the crack didn't just "all of the sudden happen", so I'm crossing my fingers that it looks worse than it really is.

[bbsal]

yea you should be fine as long as you dont see any oil leakage.

[jhauck]

OK.

Problem averted.

Couldn't get it off my mind. Everytime I went into my garage, I had to slip under the car and look at it......worrying more and more all the time.

Finally did something I've done on aircraft with suspected surface cracks.

Took some real fine grit sandpaper and rubbed across the suspected crack removing only a minute amount of material.

Was relieved to see that the crack "disappeared" where I had rubbed the sandpaper and sprayed an aerosol cleaner into the area.

I noticed other areas on the bottom of the block that looked similar and finally came to the conclusion that these are casting marks of some type, where the aluminum has raised surface lines almost appearing to be cracks depending on the angle of light. They are not really into the metal like a crack would be, but raised slightly above the metal in a very straight line.

Would have found it hard to believe that I had a cracked block on a 6 year old Lexus that seemed so well maintained.

It's 11:00 P.M. and I can finally go to bed and sleep now that I can get this off my mind.

Thanks to all for the input, it's great to be a part of the "Lexus Community".

Jeff Hauck

Gresham, Oregon :magic: :magic:

[bbsal]

thats great!i know how you feel when you cant get it off your mind and just have to fix it.at least it all worked out for you.

[ProZac]

GO Jeff!!! nice detective work! :D

~Brian~