Es300 Help Many Problems

[mikec1964]

Please help.. I think I bought a lemon…

I bought a Lexus ES300 1993 (ok it was cheap) but it has some major issues…

I was told it was overheating and I read all the stuff about head gaskets etc.. So the guy said he took to his mechanic and showed me pressure and gas test was all OK and that it over heated only on hills and at motorway speeds

I had been reading the forums and eliminated fans and was confident he was telling the truth about the head gasket. I also notice it was slow on pickup and didn’t seem to change gears very easily and the O/D light just flashed – he told me the car had done that since he had had it and so he drove it with OD off (more on this later)

I had a ten minute test drive (around 80 kph – 50 mph) and everything was fine temp stayed within range. Unfortunately I believed this guy on both counts and bought the car (because it was cheap..)

The car drove home fine except when hills cam or if I went over 110kph – 70 mph the temp started going up – I made it home (about 1 ½ hr drive) but just had to take things steady on the hills. A couple of time water did spray from under the bonnet in the area of the expansion bottle but even then the temp never went over ¾’s on the gauge – It was hot but not what I would call over heating..

Got home - OK I thought … quick drain and refill and flush then replace radiator caps and thermostat and all will be fine. .I drained the system (or so I thought – by unclipping the bottom radiator hose (did not have a manual at the time.. So I didn’t know about engine drain !Removed! –which BTW I still cant find ???)

I was surprised that only 3L (3 quarts) of coolant came out of the car !! Also the expansion bottle had a crack in it which seemed to be the cause of the water spray..

I bought a new coolant cap (rear) as there seemed to be dried water (white deposits) and dried rust around that area…

Now to check the transmission I noticed the transmission fluid was brown (that’s wrong I thought) and it was way over filled – Wow that’s a cheap fix for the transmission problem (or so I thought) – So drained and refilled with a ATF called Nulon which states as being replacement for cars that need dextronII.

That problem didn’t go away either :cries:

I put in some radiator cleaner and drove to work the next day hoping that good flush with the cleaner would work wonders …

Transmission playing up still – but drivable if I pulled away in L then manually shifted to D – bit of reading on the forum leads me to suspect the solenoids or speed sensor – OK find them and flush them I thought …

Hhmm this is just getting worse isn’t it… :cries:

Yep …

Next time I start the car its misfiring (like it’s running on 5 cylinders .. pulled every plug lead of distributor one by one and it is still misfiring badly and not one of them seems to be the cause … Could all these symptoms be one thing – like some sort of computer malfunction ? There is no whiter smoke – so maybe it isn’t the head gasket ?? (he says hopefully..) :cries:

Pulled every spark plug out I could get too (fortunately I have small hands and could get to all but one ) – no water on any of the plugs …. Ran all with the – plugs out and no water came spluttering out of the spark plug holes

I’d like to get the thing at least firing on all cylinders then I can drive it to get the transmission code read so I can decide whether I pursue this or just cut my losses and sell at the auction as is for $300 ???

Any guidance assure you a place in heaven (but no money unfortunately ) :)

Thanks heaps guys

Michael

[94TA]

Have you checked the radiator hoses to make sure they are not collapsing?If it doesnt overheat at idle and does at 2000-2500rpm you may have a hose that is collapsing.

Water Pump impeller blades can break/erode away as well, do you know what condition the water pump is in? it may not be circulating enough coolant at higher rpms.

Does the car have a check engine light on? perhaps getting the codes read would help.

A spark tester would help also, make sure you are getting spark to each spark plug. Test each spark plug wire first. If any arnt sparking, change the wire with one thats sparking to figure out if you need a new plug wire or a new distributer. You can also get spark but it can be irratic, just fires when it feels like it, thats also not good.

Should probably test fuel as well. Compression test wouldnt be a bad thing either, i wouldnt beleive what anyone selling a problematic car says.

[mikec1964]

Have you checked the radiator hoses to make sure they are not collapsing?If it doesnt overheat at idle and does at 2000-2500rpm you may have a hose that is collapsing.

Water Pump impeller blades can break/erode away as well, do you know what condition the water pump is in? it may not be circulating enough coolant at higher rpms.

Does the car have a check engine light on? perhaps getting the codes read would help.

A spark tester would help also, make sure you are getting spark to each spark plug. Test each spark plug wire first. If any arnt sparking, change the wire with one thats sparking to figure out if you need a new plug wire or a new distributer. You can also get spark but it can be irratic, just fires when it feels like it, thats also not good.

Should probably test fuel as well. Compression test wouldnt be a bad thing either, i wouldnt beleive what anyone selling a problematic car says.

Can I get the codes myself? Or do I need to take it to someone who has some sort of code reader (if so is the same codes as the Camry - ie my local mechanic can read them, or do I need to take it to someone who has Lexus equipment)

[94TA]

I honestly cant answer that. Im unfamiliar with 93 Es300's. If they use obd1 then your going to need an obd1 code reader, they are a little more rare then a obd2 but found in alot of early 90's cars. If your mechanic has a relativly large shop, he should be able to read them no matter obd2 or obd1.

My information was givin just as general things to check on any car thats overheating while moving, and misfiring.

Not to put bad thoughts in your head, but I wonder if it just jumped timing?

[atlasdetailing]

My ES is always burning coils, turns out it was incorrect plugs installed before I got the car. To find the broken one, I would unplug each coil and drive the car about half a block, until I found which one that did not make the car run horrible. When I unplugged one just at idle it was hard to tell what difference it was making.

When a coil is bad, it will usually run poorly, check engine light will flash and misfire.

[mikec1964]

I pulled off leads one by on but could not find any difference in ay of them ... weird

BTW what OBD1 and OBD 2 mean ?

Is that some kind=d of reference standard for diagnostic equipment ??

[pberku]

I pulled off leads one by on but could not find any difference in ay of them ... weird

BTW what OBD1 and OBD 2 mean ?

Is that some kind=d of reference standard for diagnostic equipment ??

I am going to restrict my comments to the transmission fluid that you replaced. Your car requires Toyota Type IV Transmission fluid. NOT DEXRON III.

It should state so in your User's Manual or on the Transmission Dipstick.

[pberku]

OOOPS. I miss read the year of your car. Dexron III is indeed the right transmission fluid.

[mikec1964]

OK I managed to read the diag codes

- 63 which says Solenoid 2, Short open loom to solenoid or ECM

On reading the manual further it seems to suggest that sticking solenoids wont actully cause this code and its only a short or open circuit that will cause this..

I checked continuity from the loom to the connection on the SCU all leads (blue/yellow pink/yellow and purple check out OK

So I am thinking this is an ECM problem??

<_<

Onto the suspect head gasket issue..

It looks lie it is head gasket... I have milk in my expansion bottle.

I took the suggestion on disconnecting the HT leads on the distributor cap and take it for a drive..

Here's the findings with the following lead disconnected:

1: Drives better (still misfires) more power

2: About the same (still misfires)

3: Drives a bit worse

4: Drives much worse

5: Drives better (still misfires)

6: Drives much worse

My conclusion - Cylinders 4 and 6 are good (cyl 2 is inconclusive)

Cyl 1 and 5 are bad

Conclusion - the rear bank is shot (I believe 1, 3 and 5 are all in the rear bank..)

Bugger - that's a big job...

:cries: :cries: :cries:

Has anyone had any success with any of the magic gasket sealing compounds ???

[94TA]

I want to tell you what to do but i honestly cant. Im sure your Timing chain and exhaust will be the biggest issues. the intake manifold probably isnt that bad.

Weigh your options, if its a daily driver then you may just be SOL.

[lexis lexus]

You could try a stop leak, but w/ the current performance I'm not sure it'd be worth the $5-10.

Doing the head gaskets is a major job, but not unmanageble by the backyard mechanic if you have a good set of tools, some knowledge of engine work, a bit of time, and some motivation.

You'll need to pull off the intake side (air intake, throttle body, intake plenum and intake manifold) in order to even get to the rear head valve cover, etc. You can spend a lot of money in parts, but for your vintage I'd recommend a head gasket set (about $55 cheap on ebay) which should have all the replacement gaskets you need, plus plugs. Should plan on breaking at least a few bolts and connectors in removal process, some in nasty places. Take a lot of pix, take detailed notes as these will help in reassembly.

Heads and valves might need to be r and r'd (how many miles?). Overall job in parts, extra tools, and machine shop fees will be in the $300-$600 range. 2-3x's that much at Lexus, mid way w/ a local mechanic.

It all depends on the overall condition of the car. If it's sweet, and you paid only $1000 for it initially, say, an investment of $500 to $2000 may be worth it. The es300 prolly will never be a collectors car though, and current retail values are in the $2500-$4000 range and won't be going up.

Sometimes I think about parting my '94 on ebay....

LL