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Showing content with the highest reputation since 02/28/2013 in Posts

  1. Hello Everyone, I know IACV has been a huge topic on the forum and I have found various pictures in the RX forum and ES forum on the idle air control valve (IACV) or as others call it the idle speed control valve (ISC). However, I have not found a "step by step" posting to date which definitively shows how to clean this thing so that my car stops giving me idling problems. Symptoms I have had included: - low and rough idling that would cause the car engine to start shaking after starting the car - this eventually got worse to the point that when I start my car, it would not idle unless I gave it gas - idling problems for me tended to occur more often after my engine was warm or had been sitting in the sun I hope these series of postings help you fellow LOC members out there. You've certainly helped me in the past so here's my two cents at this common problem. Additionally, the instructions I give are the way in which I have cleaned it myself. As you go about and attempt this, you may find better ways to do so. Please add and refine my instructions/terminology as needed. I am not a professional. I've only changed my oil, air filters, and conducted minor maintenance previously. The bottom line is that if you have the right tools, you should be able to do this. This discovery/ cleaning took me about 2 hours to do cause I ran into problems and there were major steps left out in previous postings that I’ve encountered read. The next time I do this, I believe I can get this done in about an hour or less. Tools Needed: 1) Tightly fitting Philips Screw Driver 2) Carb cleaner that is O2 sensor safe (I've seen CRC. I used Valvoline Carb Cleaner) 3) Locking Grip Pliers (definitely helped me remove the factory tight screws) 4) Small brush for cleaning 5) Towels for cleaning 6) Pliers (help removed brackets holding the hoses) 7) Latex gloves helps with limit the messiness. * I used the same gasket and did not replace it. No problems found. 1) Remove the hose that comes from the engine/motor that connects to the air intake hoses.( Hose is below in red – we’ll refer to this as Hose A) When you pull back the rubber hose covering, you will see that a metal bracket is holding the hose pretty tightly in place. Use the pliers to clasps the two metal pieces together to loosen the bracket and pull the hose loose. You can also do this by hand if it’s easier for you. 2) Upon removing the hose, you will want to remove the two air intake hoses. Loosen the three screws above in green and remove the hose. Below is a picture of the intake hoses removed. 3)After removing the intake hoses, I opened the lid to the air filter and moved this to the side of the car to create more working room. I believe there are two clips on the right holding the lid in place. Just pop the two clips and move the cover to the side. I also took out the air filter and temporarily moved this to the side. 4)After removing the intake hose, the throttle body/IACV/black electric coil is revealed. At this point, I removed the black electric wire from the black coil. Once the electric wire is removed you can remove the black coil from the IACV by removing the two screws. Note, the screws are factory tight so use a tight fitting screw driver to remove the screws. One of my screws was partially stripped from the dealership’s work, so I had to resort to my locking grip pliers which helped out tremendously. After removing the two screws, the black electric piece pops right off. When the black electrical coil is removed from the IACV, it exposes a small pencil sized metal stud. You will also notice a washer that sits on this stud. Don’t lose this washer. Take it and put it aside so it doesn’t fall off when you continue on in the next steps. 5)Additionally, I removed the hose coming out of the IACV. We’ll call this Hose B. This hose can be removed in the same manner by clamping the bracket and pulling the hose out. You will see that the hose is removed below. Below are pictures of before and after. 6)Here is where the fun begins. I initially attempted to remove the four screws attached to the IACV at this point, but found that after an hour, this would be nearly impossible to remove considering the location of the screws were in an extremely tight spot. The only way I would be able to remove the IACV is to remove right throttle body. Not as tough as it sounds. Three screws need to be removed to accomplish this. Again, be careful when removing the screws. Also you will see I removed another electric plug and I also cut a tie wrap. Once you complete these steps, the throttle body/ IACV comes out pretty easily. Note when you remove the throttle body, there will be one LAST hose connected to the IACV. Be careful when you remove this hose as radiator fluid may spill. Some of my fluid spilled out so I just refilled my coolant after I was done. 7)Below is a picture of the bottom view of the IACV. You now can EASILY remove the four screws connecting the IACV to the throttle body . In the picture below, I have already removed one of the screws. Once the four screws are removed the IACV and throttle body separate. Now you can clean both of them with your carb cleaner, brush, towels, cotton swabs etc…. Picture here is before I the cleaning with all the muck inside Pictures after I cleaned the IACV and throttle body This last picture is the post throttle body cleaning 8) Once you are done cleaning, just put back the throttle body/iacv the same way you took it off, and put everything back in reverse order. Ensure the gasket is in place. Also, ensure you put the washer back on the electric coil. Make sure you place hose A & B back and ensure the electric plugs are back in their original position. Once these things are in place, then it's all about putting the air filter/hoses back and you are good to go. If you have lost any coolant, make sure you refill it to a safe level. After completing this cleaning, my car starts up without any problem and idles as if I just purchased the car brand new. Replacing this at a dealership would have costed me $300-400 easily. Let me know if you have any questions. Cheers (Also, I tried to post these as separate replys, but the software combined all my replies into a single reply and did not keep them separated) *Edited the posting to have the pictures follow step by step in sequential order*
    6 points
  2. I was also sold this "invisible" ad on! Only to be told by the dealership "after" that it's not adjustable. So basically it's just a dimly lit thin strip! This should be included. Lexus could and should've done better!
    4 points
  3. Hi. Some friends of mine suggested that I should post this here for more people to see. Hopefully it'll help people for years to come. You will need: About 50 bucks budget for the balljoint rod and the pipe clamp. Height sensor with bracket. 10mm wrench Washers that fit 10mm/M6 bolts. 10mm/M6 nuts Some smaller (8mm wrench) I own a 2001 LS430. The height sensor control arm's slider has rusted and become damaged over the last 19 or so years. The ball joint rod to the height sensor has also seized too. The height adjustment rod there in the red was seized, and the height slider in the blue was badly corroded and broken off. Rather than buy an entire control arm (green) this is an alterative method to repair it The arm is ~26mm in diameter. Buy yourself one of these pipe clamps in 26mm diameter. Or make one. Shouldn't be expensive. The hole needs to fit a M6/10mm bolt. Grind off the remnants of that slider from the control arm, and slide the pipe clamp over, and put your 10mm/M6 bolt and nut through and secure it in place where the slider used to be. Rather than using the control arm as a slider, we can instead use a sliding ball joint rod such as this one; This is a 220 320 00 32 from Mercedes - a height adjustment rod with a 8mm locking and a 10mm/M6 ball joint bolt. You can pick one up off eBay for cheap. Or find some other M6/10mm adjustable ball joint rod. Look at the diagram and try to imagine it in your head. This is what your bracket and rod/clamps should look like. One day I might snap a picture of what my repair looks like, but I hope you can make out what I mean via the diagram. This repair should be very easy. Maybe some sanding/grinding and surface preperation. The clamp will hold on tight and is easy to replace. The adjustable link rod will last longer and allow for easy adjustment, and less risk of corrosion damage. Hope this helps. This is a fairly easy job and took me less than 2 or so hours to do.
    3 points
  4. Did I mention this?..... I don't like the fact that our governments plan to force us to buy EVs. I wouldn't mind having one, as we already have solar panels and don't pay for electricity, but I think we should be able to choose what we drive (within reason).
    3 points
  5. At the part store they run a load test on the battery that mimics a big draw. If it holds up to a certain voltage it means the battery itself is not weakened yet. As the battery ages it will weaken as in not be able to supply a given amount of cold cranking amps. When its cold the oil thickens some thereby making the engine have to work harder to rotate. Hence the term "cold" cranking amps. I'd say you should investigate why the check engine lamp is lighting up. It could be a sign of what is taking place to cause your car to struggle to crank over. The part store can often "read the code" and determine why the CEL is lighting. My gut tells me your voltage regulator in the alternator is hit and miss. A long time ago that was a little box on the fire wall or fender. These days they are inside of the alternator. It determines how much electricity goes to the engine to keep it running and to the battery to charge it. It only has to be off by a little to keep the engine running but not have extra to charge the battery. Another issue could be a parasitic drain. An out of the ordinary draw on the battery when the car isn't running. In my 04 GS 300 for example the CD changer kept trying to change discs and the seat memory kept activating. Now I could not hear the disc changer nor was the seat memory moving the seat, but they were drawing on the system leading to a weak or dead battery if I didn't drive the car every day. Yet another issue may be short trips don't allow the battery to charge enough. Example; start the car, drive to a store 10 minutes away, finish there, start car and drive 10 minutes to another store. Never giving the engine a good 30-45 minutes to charge the battery back up to the voltage used to start the car can also lead to the hard to crank or dead battery issue. Hope you find it soon and it's a cheap and easy fix.
    3 points
  6. I just purchased a NX200T. During the test drive I did not realize the headrest was a little too far forward. It is sharply angled toward the driver at the top. I am on the shorter side at 5' 6 1/2" tall and have good posture. When I sit in the driver seat with good posture my head is pushed forward about 1/2". I have to lean the seat back so I am slouching to avoid neck discomfort. I asked my dealer, service center and the U.S. corporate office for advice. There was nothing they could do. Very disappointing. The worst part is that the headrest is available outside the US with adjustable forward and aft movement at 4 intervals. I asked a few after market car parts dealers for advice. I was told it is a common problem. I was given many solutions (get another brand car's headrest, cushions, heat the metal and bend the rods, padding, etc.). Some ideas were unsafe and of course illegal I thought. For now I put some 2" cushioning in the seat to bring the rest of the seat inline with the headrest. It is better but not quite there and makes my A/C venting fairly useless, & is a little dorky. After just having paid about 50K for the fully loaded car I want a professional solution to improve the headrest. So far I have not solved it. I am curious if anyone else has had this issue and solved it? Any advice is appreciated. I am 95% happy with the car/SUV and am looking for that last 5% of comfort/fit.
    3 points
  7. No reason to upgrade, Those stock wheels are Classic on the SC 😉
    3 points
  8. But you love the Covid virus? 🙄
    3 points
  9. I just installed the rr racing supercharger. It’s the only way to go bud
    3 points
  10. That one is my son's new puppy. Her brother came home with me Chocolate lab mom, stranger in the night dad Yesterday they played all afternoon.
    3 points
  11. Purchase has been made!...I could not turn down the deal I got & the actual ES...2020 ES 350 'premium' with only 11k miles in Nebula Grey Pearl (windows are already tinted)....over 2 years of full factory warranty remaining; 1 owner, full service history & Lexus CPO. Our 'premium package' in Canada is equipped quite differently than our friends south of the border....with more features / standard equipment. Originally I wanted the UL package....but in these parts, they are very rare (I reached out to 17 Lexus dealers in a 400 mile radius of me...the UL units that are available are 5 to 6 k more & only about 20% are actually at Lexus dealers...the premium pkg checks 95% of the boxes I was looking for....as the expression goes 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'. I literally have a 6 minute drive to work... I pick the car up this Saturday.
    3 points
  12. I like it when I'm trimming a rose bush, grab one to place in a jar and while heading indoors the Mrs arrives from work so I hand her the rose. Or when I come from work and the dog greets me at the door, tail all wagging-like. And the parrot says "welcome home"…… Or when a nice breeze blows just as the grass cut chore is over and the Mrs brings out a tall glass of ice cold spring water. Or when a new baseball cap fits my noggin just right without adjusting it. Or I step on the bathroom scale expecting to have gained weight but the scale shows I actually lost a little. Or when my son and I went to do the first start after an engine swap, expecting a hard to start issue but ole bessy fires right up. Or when the lawnmover starts first pull……again. Or helping out old people. Or thanking a soldier/veteran. Or tipping the person at the toll booth. Yes I stop and pay in cash so I can do that. Or when the voicemail on your phone was not a robo-call and instead was a friend telling you "hello, here's my new phone number" Or when you sneeze and a perfect stranger says "bless you". Life is short. But smiling makes you live longer. Trouble with being dead is it lasts so long.
    3 points
  13. The cost of dental work, especially deep cleaning by laser and periodontal surgery, but also including implants.
    3 points
  14. That's the view when I pull into the driveway after work. Unseen in the photo is the dog wagging his tail "it's that guy, he's back, yay!!"
    3 points
  15. Update: I think I have got it after all the work, time, and money spent. I started checking again I found an unbelievable vacuum leak around lower intake manifold. replace gasket today runs great thanks for all of the support. something that simple fix. when the engine was swap the starter was replaced. The gasket moved or something apparently cause a vacuum leak. I had no idea a vacuum leak could cause random misfires. I was sure it was an ignition problem.
    3 points
  16. Hi all, I believe I have posted here before a long time ago with my old LS430 LEX, I now have a 2007 LS460L with 110K on it now. I have owned it for a few years now, since 65K miles, and recently I started having acceleration/hesitation problems. I did alot of research, and didn't find very many good answers. I did have the transmission and engine ECU update flashed, with some improvement, but after that didn't solve the problem, I was convinced it was the cylinder head replacement deal, which was way out of my budget with 5 kids....and I thought it was ridiculous that a flagship sedan would need that kind of serious motor work with just 100K on it. Anyway, my mechanic suggested BG 44K fuel system cleaner, NOT available at places like autozone. He sells it for $28 per can, but I found on Ebay for $16.75 and up with free ship. First and foremost, I ALWAYS used quality, premium gas (Shell V-Power or QT), and Techron additive from time to time, so I was super unconvinced about his recommendation. I had even listed my LS for sale, again, convinced that the motor had cylinder issues after reading blogs about LS460 acceleration issues. Also, for the record, I have NO affiliation with BG or anything like that. THIS STUFF WORKS! It truly fixed my hesitation problems, completely. I am no longer selling the car, and am happy again, as it accelerates like it is supposed to. Feel free to read many other peoples reviews on this stuff, its amazing and really seems to work. After i drove it to wrok (25 miles one way) I thought i felt a difference, by the drive home, I KNEW I felt the difference, after the full tank, i was truly smiling. I have ordered 4 more cans for my other vehicles and boat, and suggested it to my friend with a ISF, my brother with an SC430, and my buddy with a Vette. I guess these LS460 cars are just picky after a while and maybe the injectors get gummed up? I don't pretend to be a mechanic, again this was suggested by my Lexus mechanic, After alot of depressing research with no real answer, just wanted to share my experience with any other LS460 owners, as it is a beautiful car, and I was disappointed in what I was thinking the problems I had. It was the best $17 I have recently spent, and if you are having similar weak/lack of acceleration or hesitation issues, i would say TRY IT for less than $20. I believe you can go to BG's site and find a local dealer, again, not autozone or O'Reilly or anything like that, says professional use only lol. Also, need a funnel, comes in a coke can basically. Just my 2 cents, hoping to help out any other LS460 owners out there depressed about their car, it seems most people just said they'd trade it in and buy a new one, but I'm not that rich :)
    3 points
  17. The Lexus brand cell phone that was a dealer installed option lowered the HVAC fan speed and muted the audio system while a call was in progress. I even connected an aftermarket Nokia CARK-91 phone system I installed in my second (2000) LS400 to mute the audio system but I didn't bother to connect it to lower the HVAC fan speed. Even when a Lexus phone system was never installed, corrosion of the factory installed cell phone harness in the trunk can cause HVAC and audio system issues.
    3 points
  18. 20 years ago I swapped a domain name for a Lexus. The love affair started and I am now on my 10th Lexus
    3 points
  19. My Lexus is my weekend car. My daily is my 2009 Mazda 3i.
    3 points
  20. Here are a couple of tips I have picked up regarding maximizing fuel efficiency 1. Replace the spark plugs if you have not already, I prefer NGK Iridium plugs 2. Look for Cooper CS5 Grand Touring/Ultimate Touring tires, they are excellent for these cars 3. Use OVERDRIVE on the highway or at speeds in excess of 60 MPH (most say 40-50 MPH, but in my car I have observed minimal difference at those speeds). Note that you can use Overdrive at all speeds and it will keep the RPM's down but from what I have learned at slower speeds this translates to negligible fuel economy gains. 4. Set your ECT mode to NORMAL and not PWR 5. Keep the RPM's as low as possible aka don't floor it 6. Make sure your wheels are balanced and aligned properly and that your tires are also correctly inflated. 7. Mythbusters proved this, KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN, it does SLIGHTLY affect gas mileage for the positive. 8. Turn off your A/C system if you want, it does affect gas mileage slightly, but its also a comfort, not really necessary unless you want to maximize fuel economy. 9. In reference to replacing the spark plugs, you may also want to consider replacing the ignition coil, distributor cap & rotor, and plug wires if they have not been replaced in quite some time as they can lose spark and cause poor performance, this would be within a general tune-up. 10. Replace the fuel filter, this is commonly missed on every car, and they get NASTY, unclean fuel = bad performance. Also consider getting a professional fuel service done on your car, this can help too, especially if it has not been done in some time.
    3 points
  21. Folks, and Forum Admin, Please make a separate section on the Forum for 2016 RX models. THese have had major changes since 2015. The engine has been tweaked, there are scores of safety improvements and the look is way different. I am sure the issues will be different as well. So please rename the 2010-Present section to say 2010-2015 and keep it separate from 2016 onwards. Thanks.
    3 points
  22. I can answer that. Those zany Brits particularly like "mark" designations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_(designation Maybe it is a longing for Jaguar sedan series names. In the UK, the model year ranges of the LS400 are referenced thusly: Series 1, Mark 1 = 1990-1992 Series 1, Mark 2 = 1993-1994 Series 2, Mark 3 = 1995-1997 Series 2, Mark 4 = 1998-2000
    3 points
  23. Replaced the Y pipe. Almost one month and no more problems.
    3 points
  24. okay guys, I am going to give you a very constructive advice on how to fix this problem.first remove the cluster and if you do not know how go to lexls.com and follow the instructions.then remove the face cover .first grap the tach needle gently and pull untill you hear a pop,again be gentle and do not ge scared.once you hear the pop move the needle clockwise untill it pops again then gently release it.now move the needle slowly counterclock till you sit it over the zero an on the dot and make sure that it sits right on the zero.to check your work move it gently say to the mark 3 then let go it should snap right back to zero,once you have accomplished this ,you are rock & roll baby.the same thing goes for speedometer.back light is not working change cap 212,after making sure your cathodes are okay meaning the bulbs.if not you can get them at a very good price from plano lexus,they are awsome as far as price goes.gas guage slow change cap 142.while you are at it change any bad or weak bulbs ,be the warning ones or the indicator ones such as shifter position.by the way guys the cluster lexus has on the first gen is the 1992,because the psb are so robust,where the 1993 and 1994 are made a little bit on the cheapy side.this job should take about an hour if you how to handle things.good luck and let me know. please make a donation to lexls.com,this guy is great.may god bless his soul.
    3 points
  25. Just acquired a 97 LS400 with 5 keys, second owner, all original paperwork from the dealer including the peel away handbook that came with the car. Have the original window sticker even! Crazy come up from working on the car for a neighbor during the plandemic. Just like to say hi and start helping where I can here, been a tech for over 15 years professionally, 26 cars owned probably more including bikes. Hope to help out and be helped if inrum into some issues here on this new venture. Hope to add an air ride system in the future, tint, visors, etc. Who knows..
    2 points
  26. I have not seen this posted here so I'm going to try. Like many, my odometer quit around 160k. Taking it apart I found the spindle gear cracked and in pieces, but the drive gear on the motor was fine. I replaced the spindle gear with a 10 tooth nylon gear I bought off ebay for less than ten dollars and it's still working after a 100 miles. It's important to use a 10 tooth gear, as my first attempt was a 12 tooth gear and that did not work. The hardest part was getting the dash out. Those electrical connectors are tough. If you attempt it be sure to disconnect the battery before starting for at least a few minutes or you run the risk of fouling up your air bag light. Another Couple of tips - In order to get the spindle out you will have to remove a very small e clip (see photo). Be careful, if you push to hard it could go flying and is very hard to find on the floor 😞 . You will also have to ream out the center hole of the gear to get it to fit over the spindle. The spindle is 2mm diameter and even though the gear I bought said it had a 2mm hole it would not fit. I used a 5/64 drill to ream it just slightly and it was a tap fit to get it to the splined shaft area in the middle. I realize the new gear is not a screw type gear like the original gear but it is only 5mm wide so it appears to be working without binding.
    2 points
  27. 2 points
  28. I reached out to the place that sold me the car and they recommended a locksmith they use. He provided same day service, cut 4 keys for me, and programmed them All in for $160. Thanks for the help!
    2 points
  29. Do like Eric Burdon - paint it black
    2 points
  30. Back again with photos. Full disclosure, some pulleys and wiring brackets are removed in the photos, you do not need to remove anything that hasn't been mentioned, they're just taken off to have a better line-of-sight for the camera. Installation is the reverse of removal, and everything slides together fairly nicely. 1. You'll start by sliding the alternator onto the stud, letting it hang. Don't slide it back until you've plugged in the connector on the back and slid the rubber boot over top. Next, you can shift it back further and get your charging cable attached. There was not torque spec in the manual (that I could find) but good practice is to tighten the nut for the charging cable until you can't move the cable side to side. Slide the boot over top of the charging cable after it has been secured. If you were able to disconnect the wiring bracket on the alternator, reconnect it. If you cut the tape, peel off the old tape and wrap new tape around the mount and harness. Next, slide in your bottom alternator bolt and hinge your alternator side to side, lightly pushing on the bottom bolt to find the threads. Once you have both the nut and bolt lightly seated, you can torque them both to 29 ft-lbf. This is what you should look like at this step. 2. Re-install your power steering pump. The pump will slide straight back, if you meet resistance, double check that your reservoir isn't caught on the cooling hoses attached to the coolant reservoir, and turn the body of the pump on the stud to make sure the mount isn't colliding with the cylinder head. The bolt holes are a bit tricky to find, but for reference, the top hole of the two is directly beneath the widest portion of the valve cover, pictured here: The lower bolt is tucked a bit further and just slightly towards the rear of the vehicle. Here's a photo of the mounting holes on a spare cylinder head I have on the bench: Once all three fasteners are lightly seated on the power steering pump, go ahead and tighten them up. The torque spec is 29 ft-lbf for the two bolts, and 32 ft-lbf for the nut on the front. Go ahead and secure the three bolts holding your pump reservoir in as well. If you're reading this guide ahead of time, the bolt holes are marked with a red "X". Make sure you don't miss the one hiding underneath the coolant feed line. 3. Re-install your belt and cooling fan/ fan clutch. Attached is a photo of the belt routing (you should also have the same routing diagram attached to your hood). Torque spec for the fan clutch nuts is 16 ft-lbf. When you install your belt, make sure it is sitting in the grooves properly by hand. If it is misaligned, it can jump off when you start the engine and damage components. 4. Install your air ducting and vacuum/vent hoses, and reconnect your battery cable. You'll need to go through and re-set your clock, radio presets, and memory seats, but other than that, your job is (almost) done! 5. Check your charging system Your alternator is installed, but verify your system is working before setting off down the road. With the engine running, you should have about 14 DC volts. Double-checking this now is the best way to keep from immediately getting stranded with a dead battery, and while you're checking it, you can listen for any abnormal sounds from your engine. Torque values: Alternator mounting nut and bolt: 29 ft-lbf Power steering bolts: 29 ft-lbf Power steering nut: 32 ft-lbf Fan clutch nuts: 16 ft-lbf
    2 points
  31. I like wild animals left in the wild 🙂
    2 points
  32. 2 points
  33. It helps to have a part number in hand. Here's the parts for under the engine: https://parts.lexusofroseville.com/a/Lexus_2000_LS-400/_65510_6731402/SUSPENSION-CROSSMEMBER--UNDER-COVER/431420-5102.html And the HVAC ducts: https://parts.lexusofroseville.com/a/Lexus_2000_LS-400/_72801_6723079/HEATING--AIR-CONDITIONING---CONTROL--AIR-DUCT/431420-8715.html
    2 points
  34. I don't like when I pour cereal into a bowl at midnight and discover the milk went sour. Dratz!!
    2 points
  35. What is P0778 LEXUS code meaning? The Pressure Control (PC) Solenoid Valve an electronic pressure regulator that controls transmission line pressure based on current flow through its coil windings. As current flow is increased, the magnetic field produced by the coil moves the solenoid’s plunger further away from the exhaust port.
    2 points
  36. For Myself it was upgrading from a 1996 Toyota Camry to a 1998 GS 300...Loved the car so much I bought a LS460. I drove the GS for 21 years as a daily driver, The car was sold locally and is still on the road today, Got To Love Lexus ! What is your Story ?
    2 points
  37. Sorry, I didn't understand exactly what you wanted. It is common for forum software to be configured to turn on "follow" by default whenever you post. If you don't want to follow a thread after you post, then immediately turn off following after posting. I assume that this is a forum software configuration setting that could be changed by a forum administrator but many people prefer to automatically follow a thread after posting.
    2 points
  38. I had always admired the Lexus way. You start out with a super reliable brand of automobile and add top of the line features that folks who don't need to ask "how much does it cost" go for and add sexy looks and you've got yourself a winner. Now for a guy like me who does have to ask "how much" the resale value held so well that they stayed beyond my price range for a long time. Long enough to forget about it actually. But my son bought a GS300 to turn into a left hand drive Aristo. First time I saw it I commented how that is one fine old car. Old I say because it was almost old enough to vote in the US. When he found a genuine Aristo in great shape for less than the cost to retrofit his GS he decided to sell it. All the kids wanted to low ball him or pay him $50 a month. The US gubment sent me a covid check and I figure my son is paying for it anyway so I signed it over to him and he in turn signed over the GS to me. Now it's got some goblins and gremlins but at 18 it's still a dam fine automobile. Will it be my last Lexus or first Lexus? Time will tell on that front. That largely depends on how quickly the money pit gets dug I suppose, because even though they hold up well, when things go bad the costs can pile up pretty quickly.
    2 points
  39. A few new pics in the sun. Quite a few updates including LED lighting inside and out and the LED yellow fog lights, and of course, the new wheels. Need to tweak ride height a little more, but nothing drastic. Loving this LS430 more and more every day, with 205k miles on the clock now.
    2 points
  40. You're welcome. The speedometer needle in my '98 sticks (rarely) depending on the ambient temperature. I have read elsewhere that the problem is the instrument lube that's used in the gauge heads get sticky with age. The only real fix is to remove the cluster and have an instrument repair shop deal with it. There is a chance that he gauge cluster might have a bad connection at the circuit board ribbon cables, etc.
    2 points
  41. New to foruM I’ve been off-roading my 99 Rx300 for some time. I have some mods and some other stuff
    2 points
  42. List your model, year , # of owners , price when bought and from where lenght of ownership and attributed problems and repair costs. Also mention where you had it fixed ( lexus, independent, midas or diy). When it was done. Any mods done to the car and its costs. If desired your age and insurance you pay. If you have any picutes in the gallery put links in the post so we can have an idea about the car. Please only post once and if you have a question either pm the member or make a new thread . This will keep the page from being filled with excess.
    2 points
  43. I had a common problem with my right rear door actuator. It kept getting weaker and weaker slowing down and eventually not working at all. I did a search on Lexus actuator on ebay and came up with an inexpensive universal actuator which you will see below in the installation instructions. When I opened up the panel in the door it seemed to be near impossible to install this new actuator in any way. After dinking around trying this or that. I decided I would attach the actuator rod to the manual locking cam lever on the old actuator to try and make the new actuator work. This requires leaving the old non functioning actuator and parts in place. 1. Drill a hole the same diameter as the new actuator rod in the wider part of the manual locking cam lever on the old actuator right next to the where the manual locking wire hooks up to the old actuator cam lever. 2. Cut the new actuator rod to fit your application. Bend the new actuator rod end the same way the manual locking wire is bent. Grind the rod end a little thinner as it is tight under the locking cam lever and it will rub on the housing otherwise. 3. Have the new actuator attached at the other end of the rod first. Attach the rod through the hole you made in the cam lever the same way as the manual locking wire is attached. 4. Reinstall the entire door locking mechanism back in the door leaving the actuator hanging out the access hole. 5. Attach the mounting strap to the new actuator using 2 long bolts place 2 spacers or multiple washers between the strap and the actuator this way you can put the actuator just inside the access hole in the door (spacing it carefully not to interfere with the power window) thus allowing you to screw the strap to the outer door panel. 6. You will need to cut a little of the white thin plastic protector shroud on the old actuator to make good clearance for the new actuator rod coming out through the door access hole. 7. Adjust the new actuator for locking and unlocking slack before fastening the mounting strap with screws to the door. 8. Splice the 2 new wires into the 2 larger wires coming off the old actuator (splice them in don't cut the old wires) (You may have to reverse the wires (before soldering or crimping) to make sure you have them unlocking & locking in sequence with the rest of the door locks) It actually works better than the original with shipping it costs less than 15.00 for the parts. I used lock washers on the bolts. It would probably be good to use locktight on all screws. I have no pictures, but If you read this carefully you know it can be done and is not very difficult. I haven't tried this on the front doors yet, but will eventually have to. I hope it goes as well for me... At least it wors for the back doors. Good Luck to you!... Indi
    2 points
  44. I was tired of looking at the yellow, hazy headlights, so I decided to do something about them today...
    2 points
  45. It could be a good opportunity if you really want an LS 500 and especially if you plan to keep it a long time. You might be able to negotiate a even lower price based on the vehicle's history. I read recently that there are still a lot of unsold new 2018 LS 500's so the market for them is apparently very soft. Other than its run-flat tires and no spare tire, my main problem with the LS 500 is the shrinking interior which now has a volume within a tenth of a cubic foot of the space of a 2019 Toyota Camry with its optional moonroof. The Camry we rented 6 weeks ago was actually roomier than an LS 500 since the rental Camry didn't have a moonroof. Of course, Toyota/Lexus is too ashamed of it to publish interior volume dimensions for the LS 500 so it's necessary to go elsewhere to find them: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/lexus/ls/2018/specs/ls-awd-398085 Lexus LS 500 - Passenger Volume (cu. ft.): 99.4 Toyota Camry (with moonroof) - 99.3 cu. ft. per https://www.toyota.com/content/ebrochure/2019/camry_ebrochure.pdf I know the luxury sedan market has shrunk due to the flight to SUV's but I never expected the Lexus LS interior to shrink.
    2 points
  46. Whatever the technical name, it is a measure of the "mass of air" going thru the throttle body. In any case, its job is to indicate to the computer how much air is flowing thru the system and how much fuel to mix with the air. Now, the IACV is kind of a 'bypass' around the throttle body...a controlled vacuum leak if you will. However, the IACV 'leak' does not show up on the air flow reading. The computer would of course know what value it is setting the IACV, primarily thru the RPM signal. I still wonder if the IACV is not the culprit. Perhaps some missed carbon on the value or seat?
    2 points
  47. Ah perhaps you mean you want to know how to do it yourself.. To reset the data, perform the following operations: Push the “ODO/TRIP” button to change the display to blank. Turn the ignition switch off. Turn the ignition switch to “ON” with the trip meter “RESET” button held down. Keep pushing the “RESET” button for longer than 5 seconds after the ignition is turned on. After the above operation, the master warning light comes on, a warning tone sounds and the above message appears to inform you that the engine oil maintenance data has been reset. (U.S.A. only)
    2 points
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