New Power Steering System Installed Today

[prix]

Thanks threadcutter and monarch -- Yes, I did replace the high pressure hose. In fact, I replaced all hoses (a high pressure, two return hoses and a fourth smaller one) with new. I thought I did as much homework as possible in the selection of the brand of the rebuilt parts -- by finding a supplier who has been in business for 20+ years, etc. and by talking to Maval ahead of the game and getting assurances as to their testing, etc. But I still got a reman rack with a clogged solenoid! The tint to the PS fluid is only slightly noticeable if you spot it on a piece of paper...not terrible, but after having spent $1,500 or so on the 'new' PS system (which is a fraction of what the dealer wanted to do the same work, btw), I wanted pristine fluids. I wanted to start out clean, with NO contamination of any kind even being possible, then look what happened. I put in a rack with a gunked up solenoid. Since the hoses are new, nothing should have come from them in the way of contamination. I will probably have the fluids replaced yet again, now that the solenoid in there is clean, just for peace of mind. Driving the car is such a pleasure now, I must say. Like night and day.

So, as it turns out, the problem had nothing to do with a low idle or idle air control valve assembly or any other issue. I did have him check the throttle body all the same to see if it needed cleaning, or if that could be contributing to the occasional stall-out that I experience when decelerating...but it looked fine. Unlike the dealer, he lets me get right in there and take a looksee as to what he is doing, etc., which I appreciate. I didn't see much at all to clean off to make it worth his time, and he agreed. He also checked the voltage of the computer -- the signal the computer was giving to the solenoid that is, and that tested strong. A relief to know that! I mentioned all the posts on this forum (without naming the forum itself) about people having this problem of stallouts and he said he has heard of it and to his knowledge, no one has figured it out. This is a mechanic who knows all the dealerships and how things operate in them and what goes on because he used to work in that circuit and still keeps in touch with various who are still working at dealerships. His guess is that if he replaced the throttle assembly, my problem might go away, but the cost for him to do that might be $800 or so. I'm sure that is half what the dealer would charge. I'll think about it. His price on timing belt service? HALF the dealer's rate. I have found a genius mechanic who is honest AND charges half what the dealer charges. Now if I could just find a more reliable parts supplier....onwards and sideways. Thanks again to all for hte many many posts on this topic. I read them all in great detail, took notes, and used all info to help fill in the puzzle...

Well prix, you and 914lps have been learning the hard way how many costly and fustrating things can go wrong if you use aftermarket parts and general automotive repair shops instead of Toyota specialist type shops.  In any case, I'm glad you found out the clogged solenoid filter screen was the root cause of your stiff steering. 

Maintaining a troublefree LS power steering system is really very simple.  Just clean the solenoid filter screen periodically and change the fluid periodically and the power steering pump, hoses and steering rack will last for hundreds of thousands of miles, just as they do on other Toyotas.

The LS400 is the only Toyota / Lexus that has a steering rack solenoid and since it was a totally new design for Toyota back in 1990, the engineers probably didn't realize how easily it could become clogged.  Perhaps Toyota has made engineering changes on the 2nd or 3rd generation LS's that have eliminated the filter screen clogging problem.

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[monarch]

prix, did your mechanic show you the old PS hoses? Probably not, because if you had seen them you would have noted they still look like new inside and out and do not shed particles that clog the solenoid filter screen. The ATF fluid is formulated to preserve rubber.

I am also dissappointed to hear your mechanic did not want to clean the throttle plate(s). It's so important that Toyota even went to the trouble to make a cleaner specifically for this job http://www.saber.net/~monarch/tbclean.jpg Therefore I suggest you not blindly believe in this mechanic no matter how personable and competent he may seem to be. Your car has a mere 66,000 miles and I have never seen or heard of any major componets, hoses, etc. on a Toyota being worn out at such a low mileage.

I'd be willing to bet the occassional stalling you have will be traced to some goof up a mechanic made when they serviced your car (e.g. misrouted a hose, disconnected a hose, etc.) For example, was a new air control valve (also called an idle up valve) installed on your new PS pump? If not, that was a crucial oversight on the part of your mechanic which might be the root cause of your stalling (if your stalling occurs while you are turning the steering wheel).