1995 Ls400 - Replaced Starter - P0330 Error

[Chicken]

I can really use your help guys.

So first off, my starter died. I opened the car up, but when I went to the starter, I gave up since I was busy with work and found this "Toyota" mechanic. I towed the car to him, and had labeled every nut/bolt in a ziplock bag for him to restore once he had replaced the starter.

Next thing you know, the guy calls me at work , saying one of my knock sensors is loose. I told him to fix it somehow as I need the car today. I dont know what happened but apparently he didn't do anything to it, and placed the manifold back.

That evening, when he was gone to work and I went to pick up the car from him place. The car had just turned abyssmal.

a) The engine was loud.

b) When I turned the key to ignition, a motor seemed to turn near the throttle, and after that, the "Trac off" light started blinking.

c) Started the car, and voila! the check engine light is on. I ran the diagnosis, says "Power train : P0330 - Knock Sensor bank 2".

d) I took it out on the road, and the car wont shift from 1st to 2nd until I hit 5000rpm, the same goes for the 3rd. Also, the rpms keep going up and down.

Hence the questions,

Whats' wrong besides the Knock Sensor here? Or is it just that?

Will replacing the knock sensor fix the problems above or what else may have gone wrong?

Let me be clear, it was today that I figured the guy didn't know the car well, but saw the diagrams and tried to put the whole thing back together and finally started the car( while I was in my office sipping coffee ).

I'm kinda sick since I've wasted 450$ on this issue and now new issues have come up. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[Chicken]

Thanks for the responses, or lack thereof, guess now I have to waste another 600$ getting the damn knock sensor replaced.

[landar]

Sorry for the delay, Rick but we are NOT PAID professional Lexus mechanics. Just volunteer schmucks who like Lexus and trying to help when we can. So cut the sarcasim crap if you want any help.

If the code is saying that a knock sensor is bad then you probably will need to go in (again) and replace that sensor. I do not know how or why your mechanic did not deal with the situation at the time but he apparently did not. Could just be a connector? But in any case, looks like you need to remove the intake and get at the knock sensor.

[Chicken]

So I took it to the mechanic. They ordered the new sensor from the dealer for 250$. Turns out the last a-hole broke the connector to the sensor, and said it's "Loose".

They showed me the broken sensor. Replaced it with a brand new one. Cleared the code with my bluetooth OBD2 device and Torque. 0

Can you guess what happened next? Took it out, as soon as I crossed 2000rpm, bam! Check engine light back on.

Went back , checked it. Same P0330.

Having said that, despite the CEL being on, the "TRAC OFF" light wasn't blinking anymore, and the engine ran fine, however, I didn't floor the gas pedal and didn't let it go past 2500rpm.

Initially I thought it was the wiring Harness which may need replacing, but the guy switched the wires and the other one started giving code for bank one, telling the wires were fine, the sensor was bad.Can't believe I drove 100miles to find out the new sensor was also bad, wasn't sending volts to the ECU. Having said that, the guys said they'll order another one next week and install it for free.

Oh well. 800$ down the sh!tter

[Chicken]

Guess I spoke too soon. The battery low light is on.

That's weird cause I had the battery just 6 months ago, and while driving to the airport, right at the gates, ABS light started showing up, then Track off, and then the car died.

2 hours later after taking care of "Business", I started the car, and got on the freeway. Right when the car is about to slow down and I'm hitting the brakes, the lights come back on. Waited on the shoulder for an hour, and started the car, it started again, drove for another 25 yards and the ABS light started to come on again, so I pulled over and had the car towed.

Do you guys think it's the Alternator going bad? Need new brakes?

[landar]

It is not because of brakes, despite the ABS light. The fact that the alternator light is coming on, indicates a low charge which usually points to the alternator. So, you will want to check the charging system. Hopefully, it is as simple as a bad alternator. If the alternator is wet with fluid, you may have power steering fluid leaking onto the alternator and that would be the cause of failure.

[Chicken]

It is not because of brakes, despite the ABS light. The fact that the alternator light is coming on, indicates a low charge which usually points to the alternator. So, you will want to check the charging system. Hopefully, it is as simple as a bad alternator. If the alternator is wet with fluid, you may have power steering fluid leaking onto the alternator and that would be the cause of failure.

Thanks, yeah it was a bad alternator. Not surprisingly, powersteering fluid dripped on it and blew it.

Now the mechanic tells me the alternator change will take 3.6 hours of labor, and 200$ for the alternator. Is it me or is the guy trying to slow-milk the money here?

I looked at http://www.lextreme.com/alternator.html

and seems like a simple enough job for DIY.

[landar]

Replacing the alternator is something you can do yourself. If the part is a Denso, that is not a bad price. You could even have the existing alt. rebuilt for much less. Remember that the power steering leak will need to be fixed too.

[Chicken]

Thanks Landar. So I got another starter. Just one quick question. The specs match perfectly with the stock, except the socket in this one, seems to be on the side rather than on the back. Think this might pose a problem ?

Here's an example :

The stock one looks like this :

[landar]

You mean alternator not starter, right? Anyway, as long as the side connector has the same pinout and does not stretch the existing harness and does not put the harness in the way of the belt...I think you will be ok. What brand is that new alternator?

How does that power steering pump look?

[Chicken]

Yeah the Alternator, my bad. The powersteering pump is as greasy as it can get, not too bad dripping though. Gonna ask the Mech to put some electric tape on the IAC valve tight so I can at least drive it back.

Thinking of pulling a IAC valve from a wrecker if I'm lucky and replacing it too.

[Chicken]

Apparently the alternator like that wont fit because as-per mechanic, it's facing the engine block this way, and there will be no room to connect the plug. Going with rebuild.

[BenBad]

I need help. I own a 95 ls400. Purchased it in 8/2020 and it was driving fine with no warning lights. I finally decided to get a tune up and have the timing belt done as well. When I got the car back, I drove around and suddenly the traction control light begins to flash and CEL as well. I made it halfway home and had to get it towed since the car stalled out. My mechanic goes through the car again and says that the valves on the left side were bad and that I needed a new knock sensor. Did the valve work , both knock sensors and Replaced the starter as well since the manifold was taken apart. Get the car back, again......Traction control light is still flashing and the CEL p0330 knock sensor. How can that be? I just replaced it. This time, the car will not shift gears while driving. Replaced the ECU and still the problem continues. I’m beginning to think that my mechanic has no idea what he’s doing.  Help !!! The car only has 170,000 miles.