Finally Got The Ps Reservoir Off... What A Mess!

[90LS400Lexus]

UPDATE: I should have upated this thread as well... my steering is fine now... has been steering with ease for about 9 days now. Apparently had air in the lines. ;) Oh - also we had already dealt with the solenoid. Mine was bad. It was not clicking when we tested it, but Billy on here got me one off of a crashed 94 LS400... it worked (clicked) when tested (had to change the plugs, as the electrical connectors were slightly different), but I still didnt have PS for a few days... it was either air in the lines and/or the pump screen was dirtier than I though... either way its fine now... oh, I have the car sold... its going bye-bye soon. Kinda miss it already. ;)

Took me about an hour, (with crappy tools and poor lighting), but I finally got the power steering reservoir off of this crap car and I think it was a waste of time. The remaining fluid went everywhere... on the pulley, etc. I imagine I will have a majorly slipping belt, etc.

I can see light easily shining through the screen. Also that link says to "bend up the tabs" to remove the cover, but thats easier said than done. I cant figure out how to get them to bend up. I tried using a screw driver, but no luck.

I guess I will use that 3m adhesive remover spray and go ahead and spray it the best I can. To be honest, I may never be able to get the reservior on again.

I guess all that is left is the pump is bad or the rack. I owe $2000 on it and I am sure I cant get that out of it in its current state. I am going to have to lose alot of money on this car. I may can get $1700-1800 for it as is and let the new owner deal with it. :(

[90LS400Lexus]

Here are some photos of this mess...

.... it was a heavy drizzle and fog, so I had to pull it under the cover out on the workshop.... not an ideal place to work on a car and the car was wet from being out in the rain....

[dcfish]

Come on Buddy, With the proper tools and approach/Mindset anything is possible, Hang in there and re-Approach with confidence. You can always (as before ) get all the support that you need right here.

[90LS400Lexus]

Come on Buddy, With the proper tools and approach/Mindset anything is possible, Hang in there and re-Approach with confidence. You can always (as before ) get all the support that you need right here.

Yeah, thats what I kept telling myself when I was trying to get the reservoir off. I come very close to poking a hole in the screen. That reservoir was a PITB to get off.... if I had of had hands as small as cats paws, it would have been OK. I honestly dont know if I will be able to get it back on.

Sad thing is I dont think the screen was clogged. I think the pump is shot, but puzzles me that it dont growl or make a noise.

[eatingupblacktop]

Come on Buddy, With the proper tools and approach/Mindset anything is possible, Hang in there and re-Approach with confidence. You can always (as before ) get all the support that you need right here.

Yeah, thats what I kept telling myself when I was trying to get the reservoir off. I come very close to poking a hole in the screen. That reservoir was a PITB to get off.... if I had of had hands as small as cats paws, it would have been OK. I honestly dont know if I will be able to get it back on.

Sad thing is I dont think the screen was clogged. I think the pump is shot, but puzzles me that it dont growl or make a noise.

"If I didn't have bad luck ..... " Murphy's become your buddy! :chairshot: Don't be pokin' no holes and git yurself sum bettr flashlites n toolz (sorry bout that - some leftover spelling probs from the last post - hard to change back - omg, might be stuck in here! :P ... Nah, everythings ok now, just tooka big breath and the sky turned blue). Good pics anyway, except for the last one ... looks kinda depressing.

Look at it this way, you have the makings for another tutorial! We're going to have to start calling you "the Professor"! Just curious, have you pressure tested the system?

Btw, if your hands are too big, you can always presoak them in some icewater to shrink them a bit! :whistles: ... of course they might work a bit slower! In that case, just drink the icewater instead, it'll keep you cool while you're working. ;)

[billydpowell]

Read that post again that I sent you, it was not just the screen he was cleaning, it was the built up scum in the pump its self he was cleaning, READ IT AGAIN SLOWLY..... that might have cut down on the over all performance of the pump....

take your time, you can do it.... we can help (sounds like home depot)...

get your hopes up .... did you know with out hope, there is no faith....

bp

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks. Well, the one reason I was so puzzled thinking it wasnt the pump is because it happened so suddenly. To recap, it started about 2 weeks after I replaced the return like and blocked the idle-up valve. It was fine for two weeks... it steered so easily. Then.... it go to where I was getting a "shudder" / vibration at low speed turns.... it got worse and worst until it was getting to where the steering was becoming stiff and heavy to turn. There is no growling from the pump or anything... its just like its only putting out 20-30% power steering no matter the RPMs/speed.

I will go back and re-read that thread and hopefully I can get that cap off tomorrow.

Thanks again.

[90LS400Lexus]

Good pics anyway, except for the last one ... looks kinda depressing.

;) It is depressing. This is the only place I had to keep the rain off of the top of my head. ;) Thats setting outside the door of my dads workshop where the lighting for this type of job was only slightly ample. I have a couple of good flashlights, but natually cant find them when you need them. <_<

Unfortunately I dont have a nice big heated garage like alot of Lexus owners have... but then again, most of them have 2001-2009 models and dont need to work on their cars in their garage. ;)

[amcdonal86]

How long can you live without power steering?

I have a feeling that eventually you will get this sorted out. What's worse--being out $300-500 or so and without automobile transportation, or having a car that runs and drives but has some issues and still owe $2000?

[90LS400Lexus]

How long can you live without power steering?

I have a feeling that eventually you will get this sorted out. What's worse--being out $300-500 or so and without automobile transportation, or having a car that runs and drives but has some issues and still owe $2000?

Well, I have been without it (power steering) for about 6 weeks now and its really frustrating. I am trying to get it fixed so I can sell it.

Also, if I sell this car, I will actually have another car to drive, because at that point, I will sell my mom my very nice Mercedes for about $1300 (which is a bargain, because its a $3500 car at least) and I will then drive her car (1998 Oldsmobile) and then I will buy me another "days off" car... probably a nice early 90s Town Car, Caprice, Camry, Accord, Toyota truck, etc. Not another LS400.

I have owned alot of cars - some older and with many more miles and have never had the power steering issues on anything like I have had with this car. Its like chasing ghosts.... it cant be fixed. I keep thinking maybe its where I blocked the idle-up, but I dont think so, because for two weeks after that it did not do this and now that its started, it does it at all RPMS, so I dont think thats it.

Heck, I have two nearly 40 year old American cars and the power steering is like new... turns with ease with your pinky... no leaks and as far as I know, the fluid in one of them is probably the original fluid. Even my old 1990 LS400 (pictured to the left in my avatar) had nearly 280K and the PS was in perfect condition.

[90LS400Lexus]

Well, after losing some blood and some skin off of my finger, I finally got the reservoir back on. We never could get the cap off of it, but I was able to clean the screen inside. It was really not even dirty... just a couple of small flakes in the bottom. Last night I did spray heavy jets of adhesive remover, the same solvent recommended to clean the screen on the solenoid. It set over night and this evening when I got home from work, it was so clean looking. I could even see the actual light bulb through the screens.

Billy, I read that link again and I can relate to that fellow. The front bolt that can be accessed through the holes in the pulley was easy... the lower side bolt was a pain and I have found out for me that the one nearest the engine on top is impossible. I actually left it out, but the two bolts holding it IMO secure it well. All they basically do anyway is give it extra bracing. Its too dark to see if the thing is now leaking since I disturbed the original o-ring. I hope not.

ANYWAY and unfortunately, it has not helped... steering is still as heavy as it was before. So here I am now. Fixed the leak, plugged the idle-up valve, replaced the rack solenoid with a working one and cleaned those screens, cleaned the screen in the PS pump, refilled with fluid. Still poor steering.

It does have SOME power assist, because when the car is off, the wheel is almost impossible to turn. With it running, it is much easier, but requires much more effort than before and the steering is "springy".

I am wondering if its simply where we plugged the ICV valve, but I dont think so, because it DID NOT do this the first two weeks the ICV was blocked.... even at a stop and at idle, it was easy to turn. I need to get some input from people that have actually plugged their ICV valve and comment on how much their steering has changed.

I dont want to replace the rack and it end up being the pump or visa-versa. I cant afford that. I owe $2K and if I can get that as-is, I will let it go.

Thanks again for everything.

**BTW, one of those pole looking things with a magnet on it is a must when doing this... it helped me alot. Without it, I would have lost most of the bolts. Also, this car is a tool eater too... drop stuff down in the front bumper its done unless you have one of these. Boy I love this car.

[90LS400Lexus]

Wow, I dont guess it matters now... after 30 minutes of driving it (took it to the shop and had the throttle body cleaned) the steering is now turning with ease..... even when stopped! Not sure how long it will last, but I am hoping it only had air in the line.

[90LS400Lexus]

Wow, I dont guess it matters now... after 30 minutes of driving it (took it to the shop and had the throttle body cleaned) the steering is now turning with ease..... even when stopped! Not sure how long it will last, but I am hoping it only had air in the line.

to update on this, the next morning (Wednesday) it was back to its old ways... the steering was much stiffer again. I drove it to work on Thursday (where it set until just alittle while ago on this Sunday afternoon) due to weather conditions. I drove home and the steering was perfect again. So strange. It comes and goes. I bet its the pump going out.

A mechanic said for me to run Chrysler transmission fluid in it... not sure that repercussions would crop up if I did this, but he said he has seen it solve many PS problems on all cars. Hmmm.

[Banshee365]

I might suspect the selenoid itself if it's coming and going. Test it by pulling it off and connecting a 12v DC source to each lead and make sure it clicks and cycles. BTW, for future referance, if you want to pull the res. without making a huge mess just drop the solenoid and let the fluid drain into a pan. You should mostly empty the res. doing that and make the process alot cleaner than removing a full res.

[91LS400Lexus]

I might suspect the selenoid itself if it's coming and going. Test it by pulling it off and connecting a 12v DC source to each lead and make sure it clicks and cycles. BTW, for future referance, if you want to pull the res. without making a huge mess just drop the solenoid and let the fluid drain into a pan. You should mostly empty the res. doing that and make the process alot cleaner than removing a full res.

Thanks, but I should have upated this thread as well... my steering is fine now... has been steering with ease for about 9 days now. Apparently had air in the lines. ;) Oh - also we had already dealt with the reservior. Mine was bad. It was not clicking when we tested it, but Billy on here got me one off of a crashed 94 LS400... it worked (clicked) when tested, but I still didnt have PS for a few days... it was either air in the lines and/or the pump screen was dirtier than I though... either way its fine now.

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks, but I should have upated this thread as well... my steering is fine now... has been steering with ease for about 9 days now. Apparently had air in the lines. ;) Oh - also we had already dealt with the reservior. Mine was bad. It was not clicking when we tested it, but Billy on here got me one off of a crashed 94 LS400... it worked (clicked) when tested, but I still didnt have PS for a few days... it was either air in the lines and/or the pump screen was dirtier than I though... either way its fine now... oh, I have the car sold... its going bye-bye soon. Kinda miss it already.

BTW - I am 90LS400LEXUS and 91LS400LEXUS.... I had to start a new account when I could not get my old account to work, then suddenly it started working again. Oh well.... I had accidentally signed into the 91 account when I made this. I used to have a 90 LS, now have a 91 LS... long story. lol