Ps Pump Growl And Foam When First Started

[90LS400Lexus]

UPDATE - it ended up being a $2.00 hose (return line from the reservoir) that was leaking. Also the idle-up valve was blocked to stop the smoking. NOW, I am having problems with stiff steering, hard to turn most of the time, so Lord only knows whats going on now.

I said it growled, but its more like a whining noise... sounds like an 80s-90s Ford.

Did a search and their are countless threads on PS issues, but I didnt see anything pertaining to my direct issue. As you all know, I have a power steering pump issue. Its leaking fluid on the ground (very little) and through the intake. It used to only do it in the winter when it was cold/cool, now here it is, hot weather and its still leaking. Obviously getting worse. Something has got to be done. I tried the Lucas stop leak stuff - didnt work. Sometimes even when my car has a good amount of fluid, it will still whine. It did it today when I first drove it and I checked the fluid and there was some fluid in it, but it was all foamy. I went ahead and drove the car and it quietened down after it warmed up. I got home and checked it and it was only showing a small amount on the bottom of the level indicator (dipstick), so obviously I refilled it, so I can drive it to work tomorrow. I am about to park the car until I can afford to fix this and the motor mounts. I dont think its leaking that much fluid externally, because its not leaving alot of the ground where I park it. Not enough to compensate what I am pouring in it. Aside from a new pump, is there anything I can do to stop the leak externally? I am assuming its leaking seals, rather than hoses?

I know what needs to be done to bypass the valve that makes it take it in through the intake, but not sure if I can do that or not. I may see if I can find a cheap reputable mechanic to see if he can bypass the valve.

I snapped some photos under the car and it dont seem like the rack is leaking, does it? I dont see any drips anyway. <_< I just want to try to fix this with as little $ as possible.

BTW, is that big round looking thing by those two hoses one of the motor mounts?

Thanks for any advice!

[91LS400pilot]

I understand from where you are coming from. I have replaced my alt a year ago because of the pump. I have used eversince the PS stop leak( I think it is similar to Lucas) from Murray's and by checking frequently the level I do not see any need to add more and there is no whinning noise. So far so good.

I found a similar question to yours in another forum:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls400-foru...r-steering.html

Good luck

[TA in KC]

Tony, if your situation is anything like mine was, you probably have leaks in more than one place. If you want to fix what is probably the largest one, you should probably start by replacing the pump and bypassing speed-sensitive steering.

Your steering rack looks similar to the rack on my car, which I recently discovered is leaking after taking my car to the dealership for an inspection. As of right now, the leak is not significant enough to require repair. If it becomes worse, or the car requires some other repair costing over $1000, I have decided to replace it with a newer used Lexus or Toyota Avalon.

I don't know what other problems your LS has, but there comes a point when it is no longer wise to spend large sums of money maintaining an old car. You can spend thousands replacing all kinds of parts, but in the end you are still left with a 17-18 year old vehicle containing many other parts that will also fail eventually. If you spend a lot of money fixing one thing, then something else breaks, you will probably wish you had just put the money towards a newer car.

Figure out how much it will take to get your LS back into driveable condition, and then think about how much you would realistically be able to sell it for if everything worked properly. Only you will be able to make the decision whether to keep it or move on to something newer.

When vehicles get to be the age that yours and mine are, they are usually best owned by do-it-yourselfers who have the time and expertise to maintain them themselves. Since I do most repairs on my '92 LS myself, it has been relatively inexpensive to own up to this point. The repairs I have done would have cost more than the car is worth had I taken it to a mechanic.

I don't have as much time to work on my car anymore, which is why I have decided to replace it eventually. Hopefully, I can sell it to another do-it-yourselfer who will maintain it and enjoy it as much as I have.

[90LS400Lexus]

I understand from where you are coming from. I have replaced my alt a year ago because of the pump. I have used eversince the PS stop leak( I think it is similar to Lucas) from Murray's and by checking frequently the level I do not see any need to add more and there is no whinning noise. So far so good.

I found a similar question to yours in another forum:

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls400-foru...r-steering.html

Good luck

Murrays? Where did you get it? Lucas did not work in my car. :(

Tony, if your situation is anything like mine was, you probably have leaks in more than one place. If you want to fix what is probably the largest one, you should probably start by replacing the pump and bypassing speed-sensitive steering.

Your steering rack looks similar to the rack on my car, which I recently discovered is leaking after taking my car to the dealership for an inspection. As of right now, the leak is not significant enough to require repair. If it becomes worse, or the car requires some other repair costing over $1000, I have decided to replace it with a newer used Lexus or Toyota Avalon.

I don't know what other problems your LS has, but there comes a point when it is no longer wise to spend large sums of money maintaining an old car. You can spend thousands replacing all kinds of parts, but in the end you are still left with a 17-18 year old vehicle containing many other parts that will also fail eventually. If you spend a lot of money fixing one thing, then something else breaks, you will probably wish you had just put the money towards a newer car.

Figure out how much it will take to get your LS back into driveable condition, and then think about how much you would realistically be able to sell it for if everything worked properly. Only you will be able to make the decision whether to keep it or move on to something newer.

When vehicles get to be the age that yours and mine are, they are usually best owned by do-it-yourselfers who have the time and expertise to maintain them themselves. Since I do most repairs on my '92 LS myself, it has been relatively inexpensive to own up to this point. The repairs I have done would have cost more than the car is worth had I taken it to a mechanic.

I don't have as much time to work on my car anymore, which is why I have decided to replace it eventually. Hopefully, I can sell it to another do-it-yourselfer who will maintain it and enjoy it as much as I have.

Thanks. Thats really depressing about the PS pump. That I can deal with I think, but the PS rack, I cant. I never even thought mine was an issue, because I dont see any drips at all from it. I just happened to be outside with my camera snapping a photo of a tree I planted and thought I would try to get some undershots of my car. Does mine really look like its about to bite the dust?

I am still driving the LS almost daily (driving my good old leak-free '88 Mercedes on my day off ;)) but drive the LS to work. As you know, my valve cover gaskets are wearing out, PS leaks, motor mounts are shot, as is the tranny mount, but am about to do the tranny mount myself soon and hoping it will stop alot of my vibration/bucking issue. If the bucking is coming the torque converter and not the worn mounts, I dont know what I will do... I can then write this car off as the biggest POS car I have ever owned and the one requiring the most money to get back up to par and I have owned alot of cars and alot with even more miles than this LS. If I end up selling this, I dont think I will ever buy another LS400 again. I cant handle it. ;) The only exception is if I win the lottery and can afford to buy a brand new one, or at least one less than 10 years old/less than 100K.

I like my car, but I am not a DIY'er at all. #1 I dont have time or desire to work on it and #2, I dont have the experience or tools to do the work efficiently and properly.

Sad part is my mom wants/wanted this car for her personal use, but I dont really know if I can "give" it to her knowing its issues. See, I owe $2500 on this car (paid cash for my other LS400, but sold it and took my savings and bought my classic car, so that strapped me for cash), so I took a loan to buy this one. $4000 was what it totalled to after I paid shipping/sales tax. She was going to get my dad to take over the payments of $100 per month (for another 24 months) on it, but my dad makes alot more $ than I do and can probably pay it off in a year or sooner, but dont want to leave them with a car needing these costly repairs. He dont have the time or desire to do any major work either on this car. I have contemplated on talking her into taking my Mercedes instead (sell it to them for $2000), which is a much easier car to maintain and I hate to say it on a Lexus site, not near as many problems (the only issues are a leaky trunk seal, odometer stopped working recently and the A/C is only blowing cool) all are cheap and easy repairs, unlike the issues on my LS400.... With the Mercedes, I have no power steering leaks, no vibrations, no valve cover gasket leaks, etc (and this car is older than the MB and has seen no more care than my LS). Not nearly as fast of a car as the LS, considering its a 6-cylinder and weighs about 300 pounds more than the Lexus. ;)

If I do that and she accepts the Benz (as much as I love it and hate to part with) I will find me something else as a days off car.

I dont know... maybe we will tear into the LS and get it up to par??

;)

Thanks again!

[TA in KC]

If you still owe money on the car, you should keep it at least until it is paid for. Probably go ahead and fix the power steering problems and worn engine mounts. You may spend what the car is worth on all these repairs, but if you have no plans to get rid of it, that's OK.

Even if other parts break after you have fixed the car's current problems, it may still be cheaper to continue fixing them than it would be to make payments on a newer car. I don't know. Since I only pay cash for cars, I wouldn't be able to tell you what is less expensive.

Due to starting a new job where I drive others around frequently, I eventually need to move on to a newer car mainly for the better safety features. My '92 LS doesn't even have a passenger airbag. That's why I plan to move on within a year, or if the car requires an expensive repair, whichever comes first.

Your situation sounds like it is probably different than mine, so maybe it would make sense to continue repairing your car. Like I said, only you can make the decision whether to keep it, or move on. It sounds like you would rather keep the car, which is probably a good thing since you still owe money on it.

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks. Well, I have several options. I like the car, but if it was up to me, I would sell it. Despite the perfect body, very nice interior, and otherwise good power train, I dont think I could sell it for what I owe on it. However as mentioned my mom wants the car, but I dont think she realizes how $ the car is to maintain and the work it needs. One thing that terrifies me the most is something like what if (or should I say when) the starter goes out. I know where its located and how costly it is to replace. Its fine now, but I have no records with the car so I dont know if that is original or not. We know these starters dont last forever... I have hoped mine has already been replaced.

I have enough money in my savings to pay the car off, but I had other plans for that money. Its mostly emergency money. I have another car I could also sell too to get the $ to pay it off, but its a car I dont want to sell.

Like I said, I am going to try to work on it and see what happens.

If you still owe money on the car, you should keep it at least until it is paid for. Probably go ahead and fix the power steering problems and worn engine mounts. You may spend what the car is worth on all these repairs, but if you have no plans to get rid of it, that's OK.

Even if other parts break after you have fixed the car's current problems, it may still be cheaper to continue fixing them than it would be to make payments on a newer car. I don't know. Since I only pay cash for cars, I wouldn't be able to tell you what is less expensive.

Due to starting a new job where I drive others around frequently, I eventually need to move on to a newer car mainly for the better safety features. My '92 LS doesn't even have a passenger airbag. That's why I plan to move on within a year, or if the car requires an expensive repair, whichever comes first.

Your situation sounds like it is probably different than mine, so maybe it would make sense to continue repairing your car. Like I said, only you can make the decision whether to keep it, or move on. It sounds like you would rather keep the car, which is probably a good thing since you still owe money on it.