ArmyofOne

Hello,

I opened throttle body and I was surprised because it was looking good from the outside, but the inside looked bad. I took a toothbrush and cleaned it. Since I cleaned it, the idle improved and the car runs better.

I still cannot find the problem for the rattling noise while car is stopped and is idle. Somebody told me that it could be the catalyst convertor cover, is that a possiblity?

Thanks

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camlex where are you located? i just noticed you were in TX. i can listen to your car and help diagnose it if you are near to dallas.

I was wondering if anybody has connected an amp to a stock es250 radio? I was looking to add subs to my ride. Any suggestions would be awesome.

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take it to an audio shop and pay to have the setup custom done...believe me, onthe ES250, the electronics are a MESS.

the amp is located behind the dash, to connect an aftermarket HU, you have to run an aftermarket amp and bypass the factory one. you have to run an aftermarket HU because there are no RCA jacksor anything like that for an aftermarket amp.

if i were you, i would buy the HU, subs, amp(s) and rear deck speakers, at a place like best buy and let them install it.

electronices work on these cars is a nitemare...

Just thought we'd have some fun.  Blake918 has 250k on his car. Congrats....

I have 112k my 91LS-kinda feel like a rookie.  What do the rest of you have?

:whistles:

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143,968 as of parking for the night...but i have an ES, dont knwo if that matters...LOL.

yeah i dont knwo why that is...its really weird.

is it possible to get a 195/45(or 50/55)/15?

if not will a 205/55/15 fit on my wheel?

these:

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/f...id=006158&ar=55

look great!  what is a v rated tire?

and it looks liek thats what i will buy, i can get the set for $260...

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Those are them! A 'V' rated tire is the 'speed rating'.......they are rated for a 'Maximum' speed of 149 MPH. Here is a link that explains everythind in more detail:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/general/speed.jsp

I did not see anything on the tire rack site that suggests an alternative size 15" tire. Make some calls to see what can be done about a lower profile in your price range. The only sizes available (lower profile) other than your original size in the Falken 512's are:

195/55R15 85V 28-332-561 6.0 5.5 - 7.0 23.5 7.7 6.9 10/32 51 1135

205/55R15 88V 28-332-562 6.5 5.5 - 7.5 23.9 8.1 7.2 10/32 51 1235

195/50R15 82H 28-331-571 6.0 5.5 - 7.0 22.6 7.7 6.9 10/32 51 1047

205/50R15 86H 28-331-572 6.5 5.5 - 7.5 23.2 8.1 6.9 10/32 51 1168

225/50R15 91V 28-332-574 7.0 6.0 - 8.0 24.0 8.9 7.7 10/32 51 1356

You will notice 3 are 'V' speed rated & 2 are 'H' sped rated (H speed is good for speeds up to 130 MPH or one notch below the 'V' speed rating). Keep us posted, but the Falken is by far your best bet. B)

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well, one questin i have is can i put a "205" tire on a rim that came factory with "195" on them??

The estimate I got in L.A. was definitely a low ball.  The L.A. job was based on self pay (usually more then what they charge for an insurance pay).  I went to my insurance companies body shop here in Bullhead.  It came out at just under $2,500.00 and the body shops out here are a lot less then what L.A. rates are.

They stated that they can’t state if the front is tweaked or not, as that would take more inspection and the insurance company only lets them write up damages that are clearly visible.

If the front is tweaked they stated the most it could run to fix it would be about $600.00 to$800.00 more.

The car had a good alignment on it before the hit (new P6 tires two months ago).  In the highway at speed with hands off wheel car would go a very good distance with no drift.  Now you let go of the wheel and car goes to the right (opposite direction from the side that got hit, and the direction the car was pushed in).

Also I do not think the suspension is damages other then needing a good old alignment after the car is straitened.  I’m sure that the tire took some of the force.  I don't see how it could be "frame damadge" as I belive the car is a uni-body.  No frame rails.

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yes i meant unibody damage, frame damage is a relative term used in the auto body repair inustry.

and beware, industry standard currently, for frame/unibody straightnening is $976 per inch. better hope you arent off much more than that.

The most annoying thing about the 1MZFE is the oil filter location, I think they designed it to leak and dribble all over the place when replaced.

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Easy solutions to the oil dripping on the manifold problem are:

1. Use the Toyota 08922-02011 oil filter.

2. Let engine oil drain at least 3 hours or overnight

3. Use a cap wrench connected to a 3/8" ratchet to unscrew the oil filter from above (no need to remove the engine under cover)

You'll find virtually no oil drips out of the 08922-02011 filter when you remove it if the engine oil has been allowed to drain at least 3 hours or overnight. I have not tried the Toyota YZZD1 oil filter yet using this technique. Since the YZZD1 has a paper filter element like the 08922-02011 it may work just as well.

How well does the 08922-02011 filter protect a Toyota engine from wear? Over 450,000 miles and still counting in my case http://www.saber.net/~monarch/smog92.jpg

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i hope you dont mean you have been going that long on the same filter... :D

(i know thats not what you mean LOL)

Eleven months ago I bought my first lexus. It's a 92 LS400 and had 208K miles. I was impressed by the good mileage I was getting, about 23-24 all city driving. Throughout the winter however I noticed a decrease to about 17mpg. This wasn't a gradual decrease,  I just happened to notice that was the best I was getting. With the changes in temp. very cold here often zero degrees and colder, using the auto start on the coldest days, and driving on winter tires....could this have caused my drop in mileage?

Talked with mechanic today during oil change and had the air filter changed then added fuel system cleaner. Along with with these changes and warmer temps in the coming weeks I'm hoping this will help bring my mileage back up. My next step I guess would be to change the fuel filter.

Now here's my question. Where exactly is the fuel filter on a 92 LS400? Someone once told me it was in the gas tank....which would be quite spendy. I'm hoping I was misinformed but if that's the case I need to budget accordingly for this next repair. I've seen lots of post of fuel filters, but never one for the 92.

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on an ES, i could tell you where the filter is, but on an LS, im the worng person. i do know it not in the gas tank though.

as for your drop in mileage, check your tire pressure. believe it or not, that has alot to do with fuel mileage.

Thats pretty impressive, congratulations!

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blake, you have exactly 106789 miles more than i do now in that pic...cool huh?

nice shots, hope ot see her with 255K at the meet!

brought it back to the mechanic, it was leaking fuel on the drivers side of the engine, he tightened somethin up on the lift , and said its dry now, the inside of my car still reaks, smell better go away in a day or so , but he put his hand down there , grabed somethin, lifted his hand up, and it was covered wth fuel , he tightened some bolt looking thing

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thats exactly what it was, the hard lines werent tightnened all the way. glad you got it sorted out.

:)

i know, i was simply adding to your post.  actually, i didnt even mean to quote you...it does that automatically...

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Army, it does not do it automatically. You are hitting the wrong reply button.

If you hit the "Reply button directly below the post box it will set you up with the quote in your reply.

If you hit the Add Reply box a little further down, then you can post without having anyone quoted in your post.

steviej

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ahh, see, yet another thing i have learned LOL. sorry guys :D

yeah i dont knwo why that is...its really weird.

is it possible to get a 195/45(or 50/55)/15?

if not will a 205/55/15 fit on my wheel?

these:

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/f...id=006158&ar=55

look great! what is a v rated tire?

and it looks liek thats what i will buy, i can get the set for $260...

Thanks,

I did replaced Gasket when i changed PCV., but that was from Autozone.

Lets try to use Toyota this time.

Thanks,

From PCV you are going to Intake. There is another tube from front valve cover is going to Intake without PCV.

Somebody please explain.

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that tube serves as a secondary vent. its more of a recirculation tube, all of the air gets put back through it. im nopt sure what you would call it exactly, but it can be capped with a small filter.

sorry guys, didn't mean to start a flame war.

quick update, I just went on a 500 mile trip a few days ago and after that I haven't smelled anything. could be a fluke but we'll see what happens over the next week or so!

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you didnt start it, nobody did, but im leaving before it becomes one...

there are more than sufficient resources around that have better info about synth vs non. and then you dont have to deal with weeding through the bullsh!t and the flame wars that start as a result.

nothing has started yet, but im oyut before something does, if you want info, PM me. :)

Check out Fuzions.  They are within your price range and have great traction and run much more quietly than most.  I put a set on my IS a couple months ago and I am very pleased with them in all aspects.

http://thefuzionzone.com/

Also, you aren't going to save any money by taking your wheels to the tire store.  Taking off and putting on the car is part of the deal.

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The Fuzions are owned by Bridgestone.......and although I have nopt heard that many bad things about this line of tire, they are still made by the same company.

Army, the Dunlop's are decent as well, but I'd put the Falken's on the very top of that list personally. ;) B)

SW, I had a feeling you were going to say something like that lol.

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Feedback on Fuzions has been great. As a retired tire reinforcement engineer (for another tire company), I checked them out pretty thoroughly. I bought them even though Bridgestone did merge with Firstone. But hey, what do I know?

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after riding in my friends 91 ES on the same wheels as mine, but with a "50" sidewall, i have decided i want to go with a lower profile, the difference in ride wasnt enough to warrant skipping thwe good looks.

can i get the falkens in a 45 or 50 sidewall in 195 width and 15 inch hight?

the Fuzions i did look at, but none are in my price range here, they want over $150 per tire for the Fuzion XR (i think is what it is) here at Discount Tire.

Well, I got under the car this past weekend to hit those differential mounting bushings. Althought the manual calls for removal of the differential completely "driveshaft and axles" you don't really have to do that. It's three bolts "the two bushings and one other to the frame. The two bushing bolts are NO joke to get loose. We hit it with an impact wrench, the whole nine yards with the 12mm allen wrench. I finally had to take it to my buddy at jiffy lube to break those things loose. Once we had the bolts out, all you have to do is lower the differential about 2 1/2 inches with your jack to get clearance. But, getting the actual mounts out of the car is a whole different story. Those things are in there, and I'm not sure how to get them out. There isn't a lot of room up there to work with. There is an SST for the job, but that would require removal of the differential. I think I can come up with something similar that will work. But anyway, on a side note, we were correct Army, that bushing is toast, big time. When my buddy put the car in drive, all the rips and tears in it came to light, it's bad and probably won't last too much longer. I think anyone who has this sort of vibration issues should check their differential bushings pronto.

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to get the bushing out, use a C-Clamp to force it some fo the way out, the other option is to get a pipe the same size, and a block of wood. put the open pipe on the bushing, put the block of wood over the other end of the pipe and proceed to knock the !Removed! out of it with a RGDBMFH (Reall Godd***ed Big M*****F***** Hammer ;) ). without the special tool, thats the only way i know of...

The car took the hit (more of a push then a hit) manly on the upper panel and the side of the bumper.  All doors (front and rear, back panels etc, , are fine.  The hood seems to have the same spacing all the way around, but it is not shutting completely right.  Instead of being tight.  It lifts up about 1/4" when you lift on it, or when driving you can see the hood come up just that small amount and again, the front lower quarter panel on the passenger side (the side that did not get hit, is no longer flush with the top panel.  The top panel sticks out past it by 1/4 to 1/2".  I tried to look at some other LS 400 before driving back home, but as luck would have it as I needed to see one, I found none.  I did notice that the lower quarter panel on the drivers side got pushed back a small amount also.  The big dent was made by were the "receiver" for the trailer hitch hit over the center of the fender.  It pushed it in so bad the metal was hitting almost the center of the tire.  I had to pull it out using a metal pole, to make the car drivable.  It just seems to me that that much force pushing on the car is more likely then not to push the whole front end over.  Also my alignment is no off.  Car is pulling to the passenger side (right).

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unless he hit your wheel, its unlikely the alignment is off, i would say frame damage, btu there are other possibilities, with bent control arms, tie rods, other things.

look at the car dead on front from a distance.. is it bent?

The fuel lines that go to and from the fuel filter on these cars EASILY strip. it takes a few cans of pb blaster and a tap on the nuts ( :P ) to get them loose correctly. if they stripped out a nut, it will leak.

I didn't say it was one unit, but that it has to be removed as a unit because they are attached.

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i know, i was simply adding to your post. actually, i didnt even mean to quote you...it does that automatically...

and SK, i clearly still have a bit to learn...i have never seen a transaxle that the differential housing couldnt unbolt from, mine included, so i presumed it could be unbolted once out...

my mistake. :)

you can switch back and forth as many times as you would like.

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The Owner FAQ on Toyota's website specifically advises against switching back and forth.

http://www.saber.net/~monarch/faq.jpg

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here we go, im out of this thread.

it is as stevieJ said, and if either of the posters want more info, PM me. i will not discuss synthetic oil in public any more, because people get *BLEEP*ed off (they cant figure out that im right cause i have done 90% of what they are talking about without issues).

that said, peace.

Yea, i'm gonna take it to an independant shop, ask them if they can confirm the suspension problem and the oil leak and if it's there, then ask them to fix it. 

I do not trust the dealer anymore.  I also found out that the air filter replacement is included in the 75k mile service which they didn't do.  That's why at my 80k mile service they said it is dirty... when i asked them if it's normal for an air filter to get dirty in 5k miles, they said it depends on driving conditions... wahtever.. i'm sure i could have taken it back and complain, but it is not worth my time and who knows what else they would say...

another thing that annoys me is that on my 80k mile service, they didn't tell me again that my control arms bushings needed replacement which they told me at my 75k service.. Does this mean they didn't check or what? 

thanks for the concern ArmyOfOne, i will take your advice for sure.

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no problem, happy to help. its what we do here. :)

one other piece of advice, if the car is going into the shop anyway, have em replace the PCV valve. even if it was just done. it will add like $5.00 to the bill, and its worth the piece of mind.

I'd stay away from Bridgestone simply because of their business practices. They concealed the safety issues on the Radial ATX on the Explorer for years even knowing that these tires were killing people.

I think probably the Falkens are a good bet, the Dunlop SP Sport 5000 is OEM on Lexus and is a good quiet tire.

My next set of tires will be Dunlop SP SPort 5000s or Michelin MXV4 S8s. My Toyos seem to be wearing well though. I like them again now that winter is coming to an end.

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my complaint with the yuckohama avid tourings i have on the front currently is that they have ZERO wet traction...and they are just plain old ugly tires. the dunlop SP's in the rear are much nicer looking...i would put them up front, but they are bald...

What's the exact tire size you need Army?  I'd stay away from Bridgestone (and Firestone) whenever possible.  There are much better, less expensive & longer lasting tires out there to choose from.   I'll be able to narrow your choices down with the tire size you need......let me know   B)    ;)

 

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195/60-15 is the OEM size, but i think i want to go lower profile...

why do you suggest staying away from brigdestone? im on a budget, so no more than $75 or $80 per tire if possible...

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I suggest staying away from Bridgestone (including the specific one you mention here) simply because there are many other & frankly better choices for around the same money. If your looking for good overall comfort, I would also suggest staying with the same tire size & not going to a lower profile tire (the lower profile you go, the more harsh & firm the ride). If you want everything you mentioned at the start of this thread, I would recommend 2 tires in your price range, but shop around for other prices (not just tirerack as an example as they do not carry the Falken's).

- Falken Ziex ZE-512. A fantastic high performance all season with a 60,000 mile warranty. Awesome wet weather performer thats very quiet. Excellent handling. Do a search on here & on CL as I have suggested them to many other members (I put these on my wife's car as well) & they have been thrilled with the performance. H speed rated to boot (good for speeds up to 130 MPH!) Treadwear 420, traction A & Temperature A. Your best overall value & you won't be disappointed with this tire. B)

(select 'falken tires' & then 'all season performance')

- Goodyear Triple Tread. www.goodyearassurance.com This is a premium all season tire that is also H speed rated in your size. There strong point is long mileage (80,000 mile treadwear) & excellent poor weather handling. Treadwear 740, Traction A, Temperature B. They might be slightly more expensive then the Falken's, but both choices are far & away better then any Bridgestone tire that comes in your size & the very best you can get for your ES 250. Let me know if you have any more questions......I'm happy to help! B) Good Luck & keep us posted on what you decide to do in the end. Don't forget to do a 4 wheel alignment when you get the tires installed. ;)

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just had an align done at JP Importz.

the tread pattern has to be good looking aswell.

and i need ot reprhase, ride is not as important as road noise...i like the look of lo-pro, so i am willing to sacrifice some ride comfort...

How do you like Dunlop SP2 Sports?

i like the falkens...how much do they run?

oh and a 380+treadwear rating is more than adequate for me, no need ot go any higher than that...especially if i have to pay for it.

the goodyears are wayyy more thna i have: $130 each for my size...

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As I mentioned, shop around for price......the $130 is MSRP! ;) Call around for the Falken's price. They should be in the $60's or $70's price range I would imagine. Tread is very aggressive on the Falken's. Talk with silvermate who has put the Falken's on his LS & see how he like em & do a search for others who have them. B)

The Falken's came in first overall in a consumer report test of 20 high performance all seasons last year. If you want to go to a lower profile....check tireracks's site for the correct size......chances are the Falken's will come in that size as well & they should be less then the Bridgestones! B)

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good! thats what i wanted to hear. i have always like the Zeix, but i never really considered them a good tire for daily use...i always thought of them as a race tire.

thanks alot, ill keep you posted.

What's the exact tire size you need Army?  I'd stay away from Bridgestone (and Firestone) whenever possible.  There are much better, less expensive & longer lasting tires out there to choose from.   I'll be able to narrow your choices down with the tire size you need......let me know   B)    ;)

 

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195/60-15 is the OEM size, but i think i want to go lower profile...

why do you suggest staying away from brigdestone? im on a budget, so no more than $75 or $80 per tire if possible...

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I suggest staying away from Bridgestone (including the specific one you mention here) simply because there are many other & frankly better choices for around the same money. If your looking for good overall comfort, I would also suggest staying with the same tire size & not going to a lower profile tire (the lower profile you go, the more harsh & firm the ride). If you want everything you mentioned at the start of this thread, I would recommend 2 tires in your price range, but shop around for other prices (not just tirerack as an example as they do not carry the Falken's).

- Falken Ziex ZE-512. A fantastic high performance all season with a 60,000 mile warranty. Awesome wet weather performer thats very quiet. Excellent handling. Do a search on here & on CL as I have suggested them to many other members (I put these on my wife's car as well) & they have been thrilled with the performance. H speed rated to boot (good for speeds up to 130 MPH!) Treadwear 420, traction A & Temperature A. Your best overall value & you won't be disappointed with this tire. B)

(select 'falken tires' & then 'all season performance')

- Goodyear Triple Tread. www.goodyearassurance.com This is a premium all season tire that is also H speed rated in your size. There strong point is long mileage (80,000 mile treadwear) & excellent poor weather handling. Treadwear 740, Traction A, Temperature B. They might be slightly more expensive then the Falken's, but both choices are far & away better then any Bridgestone tire that comes in your size & the very best you can get for your ES 250. Let me know if you have any more questions......I'm happy to help! B) Good Luck & keep us posted on what you decide to do in the end. Don't forget to do a 4 wheel alignment when you get the tires installed. ;)

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just had an align done at JP Importz.

the tread pattern has to be good looking aswell.

and i need ot reprhase, ride is not as important as road noise...i like the look of lo-pro, so i am willing to sacrifice some ride comfort...

How do you like Dunlop SP2 Sports?

i like the falkens...how much do they run?

oh and a 380+treadwear rating is more than adequate for me, no need ot go any higher than that...especially if i have to pay for it.

the goodyears are wayyy more thna i have: $130 each for my size...

Ahh, the perfect spot to drop a comment a colleague of mine made when discussing the lifespan of vehicles in general.

Let me preface this by stating this fellow drives a 2000 C class  <_<

On with the claim he made...

I noticed another forum user found a 91 LS400 with 120,000 miles and a clean and well kept maintenance record for only $4500. IMHO, that's a great deal and I'd buy it anyday.

Well, this idiot overheard me talking about it to someone else and decided to jump in with his 2 cents (or less) and tried to convince me it wasn't a good deal because no gasoline engine should last more than 200k miles without becoming a money pit.

Of course, I'm 99.99% certain he's wrong, but I'm curious to hear if anyone has some solid data that would actually support or deny his claim.

I'm not interested in wasting my time debating him, I'm just the curious type. But he's a fan of diesel engines, stating they last longer and run better overall and are the only reliable option for extended engine life. He also believes diesel is the wave of the future for gas/electric hybrids.

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hows a ford contour with 384,990 miles for hard evidence? i can show you the junkyard where the it is located :) (wreck). car still drove like it did when new.

not a lexus, butyou said he stated gasoline engines in general, so...

What's the exact tire size you need Army?  I'd stay away from Bridgestone (and Firestone) whenever possible.  There are much better, less expensive & longer lasting tires out there to choose from.  I'll be able to narrow your choices down with the tire size you need......let me know  B)    ;)

 

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195/60-15 is the OEM size, but i think i want to go lower profile...

why do you suggest staying away from brigdestone? im on a budget, so no more than $75 or $80 per tire if possible...