ArmyofOne

Well, I have a new bit of information to offer to all you sleuths out there.... the ping seems to be occuring more regularly if I hit a bump, pull into a drive where I have to go over a curb, etc.

I'm wondering if this could be a short or something?  And if so, is it the sort of short that I can leave alone as long as no lights are flashing and no smoke is coming out from under the dash, or do I need to do something about it?  I know that sometimes these tiny electrical things can be hard to run down, especially if they aren't "doing" anything..... Thoughts?

Thank you again.

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your "low Fuel Warning" sensor is malfuntioning most likely, same thing happened on my 1995 contour. cost me $45 and about 3 hours to drop the tank and replace the sensor.

This is kinda funny.   I had been running Chevron and then Raceway gas for abour a year in my 02 IS300 and never had that smell.  Then I switched to Shell and still didn't have it.  Last couple of tank fulls though on Shell I DO have the smell after pulling into the garage.  Maybe this sulfur content thing isn't consistent within the same brands, or maybe there was a change in the gas for seasonal reasons.  Anyway, it doesn't bother me that much, as long as I get parked and out of the garage quickly.    :)

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I also believe that the smell is caused by the fuel. The sulfur content seems to change even though you get it from the same supplier. I get the smell occasionally, but I learned to live with it. Also, I never had this odor problems years ago, before they used catalytic convertors.

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Back when we had 400 plus cubic inch engines and high compression and leaded gas, and carbs that you could adjust, and distributors you could play with and all those thiings you could easiily do to make a car run really good. Those were the days.

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yeah, but those old muscle cars didnt usually use leaded gas, my dads charger has "Unleaded Fuel Only" written right on the gauge, in the owners manual (he still has it) and inside the fuel filler door. so lead wasnt really a factor, even in 1968. (The car is a 1968 Charger R/T.)

ok, the inner CV joint ont he right side of my car has begun to grind. if the joint comes off plane (if the right wheel is lower that the left wheel) then the joint will grind. its only doing it in reverse while turning off plane...

1st question, i was quoted $659.72 to replace. they will replace the drive axles, the inner and out CV joints, all as one unit. also all the bushings that they have to remove to get to them will likely be replaced, along with wheel bearings repacked. Fair Price? i could do it myself, but i do not have time, and it seems as if the bicycle will be coming out of the garage for a few more weeks (which may be a good thing, cause i need to lose about 20 more lbs before i go active duty in Feb).

2nd question, how much time to i have? how long can idrive it before they go completely, and what will happen when they do?

my main concern here, is the trans...1500 miles ago, the transaxle fluid was BLACK. i had a drain and fill done. it took 2.8 quarts. thats all fine and dandy, but i would rather not have the trans fall out on me 2 weeks after i have this done. so what im wondering is, how much fluid will drain out? all of it? more than half?? i really hope not, because i dont need the trans to fall out of this car. and if i put more than half of the fluid in, i have a sneaky suspision i will need a new trans before christmas. it hasnt given me any slip at all unless i drive it REALLLY hard, wayy harder than any ever day driving, so should i be ok? i just want to make sure all the fluid is not going to come out of the trans is all.

now the fluid that comes out will be from the diff correct? so abotu how much should i expect? also, can i refill the diff through the dipstick? or do i have to "pump" the fluid in the old fashioned way?

actually i was going to post a very similiar question too.  So i guess thanks Seacreek.  Well for one, you can check how much Toyota is going to charge you.  Cause the service charge is way different on both.  They both will get the same parts.

Now my question was... my toyota dealer was going to charge me to only change the boots for $444.00 around there... it may be around 430.00 i forgot for both.  But thats just to pack it back with grease and put new boots on.  Now Sears auto was going to change the whole CV SHAFT for $120-150 each for the shaft plus about $75 each for the labor.  The Honda dealer was going to do the same for the CV Shaft but i think total would be cheaper than Sears by about 20-30 dollars.  But of course, they both are not going to use OEM whereas toyota will... but i'm only getting the boots rather than the shaft if i go with toyota.  So what are your opinions on my questions and Sea Creeks question.

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you can get the entire drive shaft from autozone for about $65.00 after core charge. chaces are if your outer ones are gone, your inner ones wont be far behind, and its easier/less labor to replace the entire shaft. so, i would reccomend getting the shafts from autozone (remaned for the price i stated above) and having them installed at a private shop. this is what i will be doing in the near future. or i may attempt to do them myself, depending on circumstances. im a motor, not a drivetrain guy, but we will see.

Not sure which car had the dirty air filter, but resetting the ECU after changing the fiter and cleaning the TB might also help performance.

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it was a 1990 ES250. yes, i did that too LOL.

KC lexus dealer lists the throttle body cleaning as part of their 60K service.....

I did most all of it this summer but didn't get to the throttle body.........so I'll give it a quick touch up!!

Thanks!!

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oh, 1 other detail, if you hat a factory FSTB (front Strut Tower Brace) you will have to remove it to do all ofthis, not a big deal, its 4 nuts.

In the new Lexuses the smell isn't caused by the catalytic converter.

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B) im sure they dont, especially not cause they are new...or at least...they shouldnt. but every car manufacturer canm make mistakes, even toyota. so please allow me to rephrase the statement i made above...

if the catalyitic converter is clogged... ANY car will make that smell. the lexus's are no different, except for the fact that the cats dont go bad that often.

sorry for the confusion. :D

SK...

No wreckers here in Plattsburgh though.  Well at least not for Lexus's.  There r barely any.  Even the toyota dealer here said i was the only LS400 he's seen.  I know from the past there r 2 including me... but now i think i'm the only one left. 

But back to the ES300, i think including my g/f's there is a total of 6.  There is only one new 03 or 04 model here.  But all the others r older.  But i think they r all acounted for... so no luck finding it in the junk yard.  I suppose when i go back to NYC for Turkey day i can look @ the junk yard.  Or perhaps i can make an excuse to go to Toronto... ROADTRIP!  Since i'm probably 6 hrs away.  I've been wanting to go to Toronto n e wayz.  I wonder if Montreal has n e junk yards... but i don't speak french.

Thanks for the idea guys.  Im still searching the site that StevieJ sent me.  I'll give some of those wreckers a call tomorrow or monday.  I'll also look into the foam... or brace... or maybe both for a low cost method... hehehe.

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2 pieces of thin sheet metal, you can cut with a metal router bit or sawzall. make them about 1 inch by 8 inches. drille holes and use screws to fasten them to the brace ridge (crumple zone).

i put some TB/Intake cleaner in the intake while holding open the plate, then i sprayed some on the plate, and wiped the plate off, it may be a half assed job, but it makes a world of difference. i put it all back togehter and started the car...ran like a champ!.

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That's what I want to do to the LS......but didn't want to take everything apart.

Sounds like this will work just fine!!!

Besides, that's all the dealer does

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use STP Throttle Body/Intake Manifold Cleaner, it seems to be the most powerful, and burn the easiest. this cars intake seems to be tepermental. ayway, to cure the problem which recured today, i just wiggled the airbox. doesnt much matter since the Inner CV joints just blew.

Since using 87 octane fuel from any manufactuerr, my exhaust smells like roses. Do you think that I could change that to the aroma of lilacs.  :D

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a catalytic converter malfunction will yeild that smell, but not usually unless the car has been reved above 5K in the last minute. ill bet its just your gas.

that can only be caused by one thing...something hit that hood (be it a dog, bird, or another car, only you will know! :) )

Hi again, can someone post the probable causes for the CEL P0401 EGR insufficient flow code?  I have been reading posts for more information and similar problems wrt the EGR.  The service shop who changed my VC gaskets seems confident that it is an EGR "air flow" (maybe a temperature) sensor that needs to be replaced.  Anyways the part is on order and they will install it for me for free.  They pointed out to me where it is and it seems easy to change.  This will be done early next week and hopefully it will solve the P0401 problem. If not, I'm taking my bussiness elsewhere (maybe Toyota dealership).  But in the meantime I want to check other possible areas. 

Also, I just noticed that the someone have duck taped the accordian-looking black air flow tube that comes from the MAF into the intake manifold.  If this tube was leaking again or cracked at a different location, could this cause the P0401 code?  Is duck-taping this tube a recommended fix?  I have read in one of last years thread that this was suggested by one of the gurus here to remedy a P0402 EGR excessive air flow problem.

Thanks, Khiem

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duct tape is a good temporary fix, but not good for long, i would lay $$$$ on the fact that thats where your problem is.

go with JPI, mention LOC or CL and you may get a discount...im not sure if hes still doing thta though...

thats what was in my airbox, no wonder the car was running like crap!

next week is plugs and wires, fuel filter etc.

i change dthe Filter when there were 140,777 on the Main odo, and 777 on the trip odo, thought that was funny.

i changed the filter, but the car wouldnt stay running with the new filter.

anyway, i pulled the airbox top off after unplugging the MAF, and i looked at the TB. the plate looked ok from the outside when it was closed...WRONG! i pulled the accelerator cable back and the plate stuck unless i gave it a tug, then it came open and i coudl see the nastyness that was my intake. i put some TB/Intake cleaner in the intake while holding open the plate, then i sprayed some on the plate, and wiped the plate off, it may be a half assed job, but it makes a world of difference. i put it all back togehter and started the car...ran like a champ!.

Well we just recieved a boatload of snow, so of course I had to take the Lex out and see how she performs as few said it aint worht POO!

Well, it handles and runs great through the snow.  I did notice that when you want to take off Fast say on a really slick area it does cut the power down and takes it time till it gains traction (helpfull for not spinning out).

Goin around turns and trying to get it out of shape is sort of hard to do with the VSC system kicking in, amazes me how it works so well!  You can get the car out of control if you "try", I tried     Just normal driving and going to turn you can tell when it kicks in and does the job great of keeping you out of trouble.

Overall its great in the good ol snow, I try to get out in the snow at anytime, I love it, I have to think of things to go get so I can run and get them

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yo man, you from anchorage? i lived there for my whole life!

sorry about the unresolved thread steviej, i have been uber busy with school/work.

the fluid was low, but not just that, there was air in the lines. i turned off the car and opened the resivoir (after he added the fluid...which he did whilethe car was running) and unscrewed the cap about 3/4ths of the way...HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS for about a minute. screwed the cap back on.

then i restarted the car, and the noise was stil there, but less prominent, so i unscrewed the cap again, this time while the car was running, and whaddya know, the noise is completely gone after 15 seconds of turening the wheel back and forth with the cap off the resivoir. hasnt been back since *knocks on wood*

and that avatar is a Twin Turbocharged Viper Venom 800TT. its a package add on from Hennessey Motorsports.

DONT do it yourself, its too much trouble for a DIYer IMO...PITA to get at. your local shop shouldnt charge you more than $90 with the belt. labor in my area was $62.40.

^^what the topic says, there is a groan from under my hood no matter if the wheels are turned or not, BUT, it gets worse if i turn the wheels, especially while stopped or moving at speeds below ~8mph. there is no abnormal play or kick of the wheel, its smooth as it ever was, unlike with the old belt, which was slipping and making the wheel kick.

when the old belt was on, i put Belt Dressing on it every day for like 3 days in a row, is it possible that this dressing is still on the pulley now and with the new belt it will have to burn it off?

I hope to see some pictures when its done!

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oh you will, but it will be months, if not a year, before i can gret this done...i dont knwo near enough about stereos to go bypassing factory amplifiers, etc.

Thanks for the tip, ArmyofOne.

I have another question.  Why would it be that it jumps when going into  Drive but not when going into Reverse, or any other gear for that matter....?

Thanks!

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that seems pretty normal.

put your brake pedal on the floor (yes, you will have to press rather hard) and then shift from P-D. if it still bounces, then i woudl say check the tranny mounts.

true dat, true dat. my CV's arent shot, only the boots are ripped, the ooil leak has been keeping them lubricated. they dont knock, squeel or hum. i will buy one of thos boots that slides over and pump the 'ho full o grease and call it good.

as for the other sstuff, ill let somebody else deal with it when i get my LS400 next summer.

Born in Alaska at Providence Hosiptal, then moved to Malmstrom AFB with my dad at 2 months, when i was 8 months old we moved to Langley AFB VA. lived there till i was 5, moved to VandenBurg AFB CA, lived there till i was 7, moved back to Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage Alaska til i was 19. Now in TX, Workig at Motorola, MPX-200 Project Manager, and im 20 years old, taking 4 classes at UTA in Mech E.

dude, i havent even tried with the bulbs...the snsor doenst bug me that much.

they all work, so at least im not getting any tickets. and its fun to watch the guys at the garage run around and try to figure out what the damned light is! LOL.

the liscense plate light didnt trigger it.

you think your ES needs restoring? i need

-a new steering rack

-new rear brakes

-new inner CV joints

-TB, WP and Cam & Crank Seals.

-New clips to hold on bpdy cladding (the gray panels on bottom of doors)

-new front bumper

-new chrome trim on front bumper

-new headlights/parking lights on front

-new turn signal assemblies on front

-new power antenna motor.

i think thats it for now...

oh, new spark plugs, new coolant, new battery, and a partridge in a pear tree...

start the car, and have the friend look at the motor when you start it, see if it jumps. then, while they are still looking, go from P-D-P and the P-R-P.

if it bounces, you have killed a mount.

Yeah the back windows are tinted, not that deep though. Not sure what percent. I dont think i would want it any deeper though. Thanks for the appraisal!

When i got the car the chrome on the center caps was all gone leaving a green look to them.

Lexus wanted $320 for the set of four. I went on ebay and after 2 years of looking i found replacements for $80. But i had to drive aroudn for 2 years looking like crap.

Chris

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welll i figured out your wheels...they are not an es250 wheel, they are an LS400 wheel. :) you have a mod you didnt even know about.