kuziwk

So i was thinking, the vent that the PCV vavle plugs into sucks up all the crankcase exhaust...doesnt this all get recirculated? Since i dont have emissions where i live couldnt i just vent the PCV tube to somewhere under the engine venting the exhuast outside?

Unless your engine has severe blow-by, you will gain no goodness from this change. Besides, that it what Seafoam is for. You want to "wreck" that great smokey experience?

Up until the early 1960's, a pipe called a "road draft tube" was used on all cars just as you are thinking. It put oil on the road along with the unburned hydrocarbons. Of course, engines did not fit as tight (machining-wise) back then so there was a LOT of blow-by going on compared to modern engines. Interesting read here -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crankcase_ventilation_system

Hmm, i guess ill just pick up a new grommet at parts source . I was always afraid of seafoam because i have 205 000 miles.

You could, but you would have to block the other end to the intake manifold....some have even put oil seperators on the pcv to collect oil and prevent it from going into the intake....I dont recommend doing any of this....

well the reason i was thinking to do this is because the crankcase is pumping carbon burn off into the intake manifold...wouldnt this gunk up the car, and by doing this mod extend the life of the engine?

So i was thinking, the vent that the PCV vavle plugs into sucks up all the crankcase exhaust...doesnt this all get recirculated? Since i dont have emissions where i live couldnt i just vent the PCV tube to somewhere under the engine venting the exhuast outside?

You need a two part leather cleaner/conditioner in two seperate products (mothers) go buy yourself a soft bristle brush and go to work.

92 LS 400 70k . This has happen 2 times before, during last summer. When I step on the gas the car seems to lose power. The rpm's go down drastic. I put it in nuetral and rev it and it sometimes comes back. It does stall out but turns right over again. It seems to get worse when it has a load against it.(in DR or REV)I can step on the gas and power is lost. Also now when I sit and idle the rpms go down, it hesitates, then jumps right back to normal. This is our 1st warm day could that be causing something to go nuts? Any advice guys..please. I don't want to spend another fortune on this prob.

Thanks JTF

Dirty fuel injectors might be contributing to this problem. I encountered similar symptoms on my 2002 LS430 which were cured after injector cleaning. Since then I pour a bottle of a good fuel injector cleaner into the tank before a long trip every few thousand miles. Also, don't try to save a few bucks by using half premium and half regular gas. Agree that the fuel filter should be changed if not done so as suggested in the maintenance schedule.

I also noticed after changing the plugs/wires, dist. caps and rotors that the car provides much smoother acceleration. You might want to check this out as it seems like something people neglect on these cars. Mine were the original from 92 :whistles:

Here are a few other things to check:

Air filter

Pcv valve (just clean it with a toothbrush but you need a new grommet and a pair of tweezers)

egr vacuume filter

Let me ask this though, how does the car idle?, pretty rough?

Smoking is hazardous to your health. Haven't you read the immense warning label on Canadian tabacco products... not to mention the huge waste of money...

As Billy stated use a longer breaker bar and use a 6 point socket. If you use a 12 point you'll probably round over the nut and then you've got real trouble.

I workout 6 days a week and count my calories eating mostly organic food and clean protein sources, so why dont you tell me whats healthy when you put down your fast food hamburger and suger filled soda, i completely cut sugar even in coffee. If i want to enjoy some smokes on the weekend why the hell not.

I got a longer breaker bar and got the driver side bushing in, but the passenger side....I broke the trailing arm/strut rod in half where it connect's to the knuckle and stripped the bolt to boot, i welded up the strut rod as this is my daily driver and im driving very cautious now. As soon as i find a strut rod i will replace it with my dads help (sometime this week), as well as grinding the bolt off and putting in a new one.

get a longer cheater bar

I put alot of pressure, i tried everything. The bolt is just stuck, not to mention i don't think i bigger bar would help as i doubt it would even fit. Any suggestions on where to buy new bolts?, i find this very hard to believe that on 1st gen ls400's more people don't run into this issue.

You give Canadians a bad image writing like that. Expect further on it.

you know its a little hard to type with mechanics gloves on sitting in a shop with my laptop and impact gun in the other and a cigarette in my mouth. btw not helping. For the record trailer park boys give canadian's a bad name.

im trying to remove the rear carrier bolt to remove the rear axle carrier bushing, but the c@&$ s@&! is seized and everytime i try and hit it with a hammer it bounces back due to the rubber bushing absorbing shock. Can anyone help me??????????????

Alright, yeah there are some belt tensioner pulleys on ebay from refudable brands, ill probably get one. Hey is there any way of knowing when the timing belt was last done? It looks pretty good no visible cracks or frays but im not sure.

There is no reliable way to tell how many miles are on the timing belt from a visual. The good news is that your 92 is a non-interference engine so if (when?) the belt breaks, it will not harm your engine. Just leave you stranded. All in all, not a bad deal. B)

haha nice, so its true than. Working on this car is a real pain the !Removed! though, i wont lie. i would hate to do the timing belt

In addition to spinning you should also wiggle the pulleys checking for excessive "slop". Any noticeable movement or clunking probably means the bearing is worn. You do not replace the bearing itself, you just buy a new assembly either at the Lexus dealer or online if you want OEM replacements (recommended).

Alright, yeah there are some belt tensioner pulleys on ebay from refudable brands, ill probably get one. Hey is there any way of knowing when the timing belt was last done? It looks pretty good no visible cracks or frays but im not sure.

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its more of a rattling than a squeling, like a bearing.

200 000 miles. So the idler pulley is the one next to the power steering resevoir? Honestly i love this car but all these picky small things like this are a PITA. Is it really worth it to replace all this, or should i just sell it?, so far i did my upper control arms myself, lower ball joints by the mechanic as i didn't have time, a bunch of small stuff not worth mentioning. Today im draining the rad to get to the distributer cap and rotor. Also i need motor mounts was hoping to do myself but it looks complex....I need brakes and rotors too. so again is it really worth it?, my dad keeps saying im putting so much money into it and it will break down. so i guess what im saying how much is this car going to cost me to keep it for the next little while?

Only you can decide if it is "worth" it. Given the 200k miles, the issues you describe are normal. And think about what would be a good replacement car. It is not going to be cheap. I know it seems endless and difficult to repair but you are gaining valuable experience in the process. I get a sense of pride, accomplishment and a tremendous confidence boost when I tackle difficult jobs. I would keep plugging away at the issues. Knock them out one-by-one. It is almost always cheaper to repair than replace the vehicle. The LS is built like no other.

well i did replace the distributer caps and rotors today and just like the spark plug wires (which were laser etched 1992) they were the original or at least very old, A real pain though and had i expected it too be so complicated i would have allocated extra time. Your right though, i have learned a lot from this car about suspension and engine components. However, I believe when i was spinning the fan clutch assembly and the tensioner pulley they both didnt seem that smooth. I think its mostly the tensioner pulley, where can i get a replacement bearing?

92 LS 400 70k . This has happen 2 times before, during last summer. When I step on the gas the car seems to lose power. The rpm's go down drastic. I put it in nuetral and rev it and it sometimes comes back. It does stall out but turns right over again. It seems to get worse when it has a load against it.(in DR or REV)I can step on the gas and power is lost. Also now when I sit and idle the rpms go down, it hesitates, then jumps right back to normal. This is our 1st warm day could that be causing something to go nuts? Any advice guys..please. I don't want to spend another fortune on this prob.

Thanks JTF

Sounds like a simple fuel filter, How does your air filter look?, also take apart the throttle body and see how dirty it is aswell as the mass airflow sensor.

I wouldn't try tightening the valve cover bolts as this does not usually stop leaks already present and there was a case once when someone actually cracked a valve cover by doing this.

The tutorial is below for replacing the gaskets,it doesn't look too bad depending on your skills.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/valvecover.html

yeah ive looked at this, prior to this car i had very little experience. This car has taught me alot of suspension and the likes. Honestly if this was not my daily driver i could do it but since it is...it becomes very difficult. At any rate my motor mounts need to be changed first i think.

there is a squeling noise coming from the right side of the engine, its comes and goes i hear it on the highway slightly sometimes since the car is so quiet with the music off. When i first start the car i usually hear it, im guessing its a pulley bearing, has anyone experience this before or know a fix?

I guess it would be good to clear up the ambiguity of "right side of the engine". Normally, the "side" is as referenced from the driver's seat. So "RHS" would mean the passenger side of the engine compartment.

A really simple test for squeals is to spray a little (very little) lubricant like WD40, or silicone or teflon spray onto the belt while running and see if the squeal is affected. If so, its the belt. If not, you will have to "catch" the noise with a stethoscope or careful directional listening(very tough, thats why a mechanics steth is important for pinpointing noises). From your description, it could be the idler pulley. Some have also reported the fan clutch bracket pulley as making noise and needing replacement especially if you have a lot of miles on it (>150k).

How many miles on your 92 LS400?

its more of a rattling than a squeling, like a bearing.

200 000 miles. So the idler pulley is the one next to the power steering resevoir? Honestly i love this car but all these picky small things like this are a PITA. Is it really worth it to replace all this, or should i just sell it?, so far i did my upper control arms myself, lower ball joints by the mechanic as i didn't have time, a bunch of small stuff not worth mentioning. Today im draining the rad to get to the distributer cap and rotor. Also i need motor mounts was hoping to do myself but it looks complex....I need brakes and rotors too. so again is it really worth it?, my dad keeps saying im putting so much money into it and it will break down. so i guess what im saying how much is this car going to cost me to keep it for the next little while?

The belt is automatically tensioned,the tutorial for replacement is below

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/maintenance/drivebelt.html

Once the belt is off spin the tensioner and idler pulleys and listen for any noises or roughness.

I did hear one LS400 with the sound you are describing and it was the AC compressor clutch.

in the case of the ac compressor cluth, what was the procedure. Thanks a bunch for the info aswell. BTW on the LEXLS link you provided, on the last pic...the pulley next to the power steering resevoir is the one making the noise i beleive.

Have you checked the cam shaft cover gaskets as these can leak and the oil may enter the spark plug holes,if the spark plug electrodes are the correct color (chocolate brown) this would indicate the engine is running fine and the oil is coming from an external source.

no me thinks its the valve cover gaskets, which I doubt I could do because its daily driver, plus I doubt I have the skills. I think the shop overfilled my oil, could this be why?and no the plug tips look fine its the upper portion of the plug. how can I tighten the valve bolts?, I heard it may fix it.

Are oil on the spark plugs normal??? After pulling the plugs i found gunky oil on most of the plugs threads...i will try and take pictures but they didnt seem to be on the sparking part of the plug. Anyways 4 months ago my car i beleive was leaking oil from the rear main seal and i would have to keep adding oil until i switched to mobile 1 and used one treatment of STP stop leak. My oil level has been fine since than but the last shop that did it overfilled it a bit past the line, could it now be burning oil? Perhaps the treatment of stop leak stopped the oil level dropping but the remains were still on the old spark plugs?

You don't say which year LS400 you have but normally on the RHS of the engine there is the AC compressor,does it make the same noise with AC on and off?.Also is the sepentine belt OK?

Im not sure about the AC compressor, since the AC does not work. I know this because last summer i tried to refill it but i wasted the gas and was too cheap.....anyways the AC use to turn on for second raising rpms than shut down due to low coolant. The year is 1992, the serpentine belt is the drive belt right?? Im not sure but i couldnt see any cracks, but its very hard to tell without remove the belt. How do you remove it and adjust the tensioner?

there is a squeling noise coming from the right side of the engine, its comes and goes i hear it on the highway slightly sometimes since the car is so quiet with the music off. When i first start the car i usually hear it, im guessing its a pulley bearing, has anyone experience this before or know a fix?

Your crazy, no one in their right mind will pay that price espescially if thats miles and not km. Go look up the black book value of the car and i can guarentee it doesnt even go past 299 999 km never mind miles. Im not about to label you as ignorant but i should, please do your research. I dont understand why people ask so much for their vehicles, or whats worse is when someone puts on some window tint and exhaust and somehow it makes it worth more. In reality it makes the vehicle worth less, i know i would rather buy a stock vehicle than a whole bunch of added crap...and im 19 and i still wouldnt buy a car with added crap.

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for the record, i payed $1600 canadian for my ls with a little under 200 000 miles on it.

Your crazy, no one in their right mind will pay that price espescially if thats miles and not km. Go look up the black book value of the car and i can guarentee it doesnt even go past 299 999 km never mind miles. Im not about to label you as ignorant but i should, please do your research. I dont understand why people ask so much for their vehicles, or whats worse is when someone puts on some window tint and exhaust and somehow it makes it worth more. In reality it makes the vehicle worth less, i know i would rather buy a stock vehicle than a whole bunch of added crap...and im 19 and i still wouldnt buy a car with added crap.

I want through this last year (160K miles) and the short answer is that you'll keep chasing problems until all the components have been replaced - struts, strut bars, upper/lower control arms, ball joints, and tie rods. You're doing what I did - replacing 1 component at a time hoping that will fix the problem. In hindsight I should have done them all at once for I would only have to work on it once instead of multiple times.

So we're talking $2K in parts plus DIY labor or $4K at a mechanic. Is it worth it???

I had this debate for a while, and finally decided that it was worth it, for I coundn't find another model to replace it with (best car I've ever owned), the engine is still solid, and the cost of the repair is nothing compared to the cost of trying to replace the car. So if you really like your LS, I'd say do the full repair, since it'll ride like new again afterwards.

No different than those who own classic cars. When something breaks, they just fix it - they 'never' think of selling the car just because a part wore out.

Ok so i finally got the car on dry ground and it seems to be fin when turning, but the car still pops on really unlevel icy road (like chopping on a wood cutting board). Dont get me wrong, i love driving my LS and i feel like some buissnessman but my friends are haters. My friend said its weird why i drive such a big car when in comparison its the size of todays midsize cars, my dad calls it a beatee. Im my eyes a beater is something that runs like crap and is rusty, neither of which my LS falls under. Why the hell do POS broken down merecedes get more respect than the LS??? Ive also heard it looks like a grandpas car, I mean i know my rims are dated but i always liked the look of the car...looks sleek and elegant. I could sell the car and get an SC of similiar year maybe less miles too, but i would need something to drive in the meantime. However the SC of similiar year is not even that much faster, im guessing not as smooth either.

68db sounds about right for the LS.

There are a lot of other factors than just level reading. I find the road thumps and wind seem a little more prominent in the LS than other cars; but I suspect it's because the car itself (engine, transmission) are so quiet.

I know some people clean and reinstall the weatherstripping on top of the window to reduce wind noise; and also your tire choice, the condition of the road, the ambient temperature all are factors as to how loud the car will sound. Also as things get older the rubber bushings and such get stiffer; so they transmit more noise and vibration.

I have an app for android that test's db's. My car claims to be at 68 db's at 60mph....i thought it's suppose to be 58 or something like that?? I heard windnoise around the front windshield and side windows but that is expected right? i have all the bottom floor plugs in.

Hmmm, well some good thoughts i ditched the app though because it was pretty inaccurate i think. Talking normally would bring it up to 60-70 where it should be like 40 so i dont trust the app. I was just curious is all. The car is quiet i mean i shouldnt expect it to be brand new with 200 000 miles on it. BTW its alot quiter when there is snow on the ground so im thinking its the tires? Michelin harmony's on the front but the backs are more aggressive cheap winter tires not to mention they are on the 30 wear line.

I have an app for android that test's db's. My car claims to be at 68 db's at 60mph....i thought it's suppose to be 58 or something like that?? I heard windnoise around the front windshield and side windows but that is expected right? i have all the bottom floor plugs in. Granted the app can be off but i always thought the cabin was not that quiet compared to newer vehicles. Btw im not worried about the engine but wind noise.