wuzzy1 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yo Gang, Has anyone ever built a shield to cover the alternator so that when the power steering unit leaks it won't screw up the alternator? Thanks for any replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Someone on here did, but I cant recall who it was. Probably easier to repair the PS leak. Mine was leaking, but not on the alternator... it was the return hose leaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcfish Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yeah, A post is here (as old as dirt) Where a member used an empty 1 gal. plastic bleach bottle and cut it down to fit over the alt. Good luck finding the old post. By the way, Welcome to the club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yeah, A post is here (as old as dirt) Where a member used an empty 1 gal. plastic bleach bottle and cut it down to fit over the alt. Good luck finding the old post. By the way, Welcome to the club lol.. yeah that was the post I was thinking of. I can even remember that photo. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blake918 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 I think this might be it... http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...amp;#entry30426 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDM Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Since you have to remove either the alternator or the power steering pump to make a good shroud, why not just fix the leak? The pump is easy to replace and it's more than likely just the idle up switch leaking, which is even easier to do since the pump doesn't have to be removed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzy1 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 ;) I think this might be it...http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...amp;#entry30426 YO! Blake! You're the man! Thanks for the lead to the plastic cover for the alternator! You're a gem for posting it for me. I'd give you kiss if I could...not that you'd want one! I have to put a new alternator on tomorrow out in the cold and I'm sure going to fashion a shield like the bleach bottle to it before I replace it! Hey, you made my night...and my day tomorrow...thanks! Wishing you the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wuzzy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzy1 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Since you have to remove either the alternator or the power steering pump to make a good shroud, why not just fix the leak? The pump is easy to replace and it's more than likely just the idle up switch leaking, which is even easier to do since the pump doesn't have to be removed. RDM you must be good with tools. If I am able to get the old alternator out and a new one back in again I'll be overjoyed. I looked at a picture step by step tutorial on removing the steering pump and replacing seals from a kit. If I attempted THAT, I'd end up having my car towed to a garage for sure. Hell, I haven't even figured out how to get the top nut off of the alternator...YET. It's 1:35am and I'm going out one more time with a flashlight and small mirror to see how that top nut comes off. Bet your boots I'm gonna' make a plastic shield for the new alternator and I'll be letting you know how it worked in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzy1 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yeah, A post is here (as old as dirt) Where a member used an empty 1 gal. plastic bleach bottle and cut it down to fit over the alt. Good luck finding the old post. By the way, Welcome to the club lol.. yeah that was the post I was thinking of. I can even remember that photo. :) HEY dcfish, thanks for the imput...I need /we all need all the help we can get in this world. Super forum of guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzy1 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Someone on here did, but I cant recall who it was. Probably easier to repair the PS leak. Mine was leaking, but not on the alternator... it was the return hose leaking. HEY 90LS400Lexus, I see all you fella's must be old timey pro's cuz your member numbers are low. I wanna' thank all you fella's from the bottom of this old man's heart. If I ever win the lottery you all may be getting the new Lexus of your choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzHotLS Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 wuzzy, what year LS? Update your car model with the year. Here's a great write up on fixing a PS leak: http://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls400/4055...000-ls400s.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90LS400Lexus Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 If I ever win the lottery you all may be getting the new Lexus of your choice. We will hold you to it! LOL! I will settle for a nice 2001 LS430 though... even with 100K. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzy1 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yeah, A post is here (as old as dirt) Where a member used an empty 1 gal. plastic bleach bottle and cut it down to fit over the alt. Good luck finding the old post. By the way, Welcome to the club I'm working on my back and have the alternator off...but not OUT...doesn't seem to be a way to drop it on down and out without taking some hoses off...I'll have a warm garage and a lift in my next life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billydpowell Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Yeah, A post is here (as old as dirt) Where a member used an empty 1 gal. plastic bleach bottle and cut it down to fit over the alt. Good luck finding the old post. By the way, Welcome to the club I'm working on my back and have the alternator off...but not OUT...doesn't seem to be a way to drop it on down and out without taking some hoses off...I'll have a warm garage and a lift in my next life. Well from one old man (76) to another, welcome to the club.... this place has so much information, it is incredible.... I read it daily... cheers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990LS400 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Since you have to remove either the alternator or the power steering pump to make a good shroud, why not just fix the leak? That would be because a PS pump leak can kind of sneak up on you or the rate of leakage quickly accellerate. I think I had about 5 new or rebuilt PS pumps installed on a 90 LS over the 13 1/2 years I owned it. After the first leaking PS pump was replaced -- the only time the alternator was trashed -- I checked the PS pump for leaking every time I opened the hood. The worst part of the first time the PS pump started leaking like a sieve, was that I was in a rural area about 180 miles from the nearest Lexus dealer -- didn't make for a pleasant weekend when the alternator failed. There seemed to be a shortage of Lexus alternators and PS pumps in Podunk, Missouri. Look at an alternator shroud as being like "insurance". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_t Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm a very new owner of a 1996 LS400 and I keep reading of this power steering leak. I've not yet found my way around the engine bay yet so if someone would be kind enough to mark on a photo where I should be looking for a leak this would be much helpfull! Is the leak easy to see from above or does the car need to be in the air? I've found a bottle of ATF trans/power steering fluid hidden away in the boot/trunk so I'm assuming that the previous owners may have had some trouble in the past?... Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990LS400 Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm a very new owner of a 1996 LS400 and I keep reading of this power steering leak. I've not yet found my way around the engine bay yet so if someone would be kind enough to mark on a photo where I should be looking for a leak this would be much helpfull! Is the leak easy to see from above or does the car need to be in the air?I've found a bottle of ATF trans/power steering fluid hidden away in the boot/trunk so I'm assuming that the previous owners may have had some trouble in the past?... Dan I don't think you need to assume that the bolttle of fluid you found was because of a leaking PS pump. The PS pumps on the 90-94 LS400 were notoriously unreliable but the ones on the 95-00 LS400 seem to be just about bulletproof. As I said in an earlier post in this thread, I had to have the PS pump in the 90 LS I drove from new until 183,500 miles replaced or rebuilt about five times over a 13 1/2 year period. The power steering pump in my 2000 LS400 -- same part number as in your 1996 UK spec LS400 -- is still the original one and is not leaking at 9 1/2 years and nearly 119,000 miles. If your PS pump is leaking there is a rebuild kit -- shown in the upper left corner of the attached diagram. If the pump is leaking you will feel the fluid on the bottom of the pump. I don't remember anyone adding an alternator guard to a 95-up LS400 -- the PS pumps on the 95-up LS are that reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruno Molly Posted January 9, 2010 Share Posted January 9, 2010 I'm a very new owner of a 1996 LS400 and I keep reading of this power steering leak. I've not yet found my way around the engine bay yet so if someone would be kind enough to mark on a photo where I should be looking for a leak this would be much helpfull! Is the leak easy to see from above or does the car need to be in the air?I've found a bottle of ATF trans/power steering fluid hidden away in the boot/trunk so I'm assuming that the previous owners may have had some trouble in the past?... Dan I don't think you need to assume that the bolttle of fluid you found was because of a leaking PS pump. The PS pumps on the 90-94 LS400 were notoriously unreliable but the ones on the 95-00 LS400 seem to be just about bulletproof. As I said in an earlier post in this thread, I had to have the PS pump in the 90 LS I drove from new until 183,500 miles replaced or rebuilt about five times over a 13 1/2 year period. The power steering pump in my 2000 LS400 -- same part number as in your 1996 UK spec LS400 -- is still the original one and is not leaking at 9 1/2 years and nearly 119,000 miles. If your PS pump is leaking there is a rebuild kit -- shown in the upper left corner of the attached diagram. If the pump is leaking you will feel the fluid on the bottom of the pump. I don't remember anyone adding an alternator guard to a 95-up LS400 -- the PS pumps on the 95-up LS are that reliable. So can we put a 95 and Up PS pump on the Earlier models or are they designed differently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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