SRK

Bigger is not better. The factory filter is best and when bought in a package of ten, they cost less than $5.00 each Canadian money. Best deal there is for these engines. Why mess with some "imitation" filter?

Get a second opinion. I doubt very much that the engine has burned a valve. Sounds like plug wires and a gasket leak.

One bad ignition coil would be my guess. Now diagnose the thing properly to confirm BEFORE spending money on parts. Fire your mechanic for throwing all those unnecessary parts at it.

Michelin Exalto. Far better than the MXV4, except for noise. I wouldn't use Seafoam in a lawnmower.....

The cam advanced under pressure from one or more valve springs as the lobes are depressed. I'd back up the cam and line it up properly. Don't move the crank or the other cam. I had the same thing happen on a Mercedes V-8 I was installing a new chain on some years ago. No big deal. Just don't lose ALL the reference marks.

I can tell you what the down side is. It doesn't work. Read the rest of the thread before you post a response like that.

The adjustment method is exactly the same as for old Ferraris and Fiats, Volvos, VW liquid cooled, Audis, and so on. Nothing particularly tough EXCEPT that one needs the depressing tool for the bucket follower, and a selection of shims to adjust the final clearance. It's just a time-consuming procedure, one valve at a time.

I think it depends entirely on how one defines fun then. I built a 460 powered 427 Cobra replica. That was fun. I stuffed a 5.0 HO Ford engine into a 242 Volvo. That was fun. I drive semi's every now and then, to make a few bucks and.....have fun. I drive the LS and the GS and they are both fun. I have a 5.2 litre Dodge Dakota 2WD and it's fun. They are all different, and the enjoyment is different, but they are fun - because they each did something well. So my definition of fun is obviously quite broad. If yours is dynamics while bending into a corner at high speed, well, the LS is not as "comfortable" as some doing that. I don't chase Mercedes with the Dakota for that reason. Buy a 540i BMW. Hopefully the service manager at the dealer has a good sense of humour.....he might be fun to deal with.

For sure the LS won't win in the sensory feedback competition. That said, there was a time when people thought power steering removed all sensory feedback. What did they know? My GS satisfies what you are describing, but when I drive the LS I stuff it into the twisties on the highway like it's a BMW and just hang on while it rolls and porpoises. It will do more than most people ask of it anyways. Just looks a bit more dramatic. We have a quite a few mountainous highway roads nearby, and I know them well. I was in the GS a while back when a dude in a big BMW 740Li steamed by me in the fast lane as we approached the uphill twisties. I put my foot into it, and passed him on the inside looking for the right line on the corner. Well the GS bottomed it's rear suspension at about 80 mph, porpoised on the edge as I fought it around, but the BMW didn't come close. In fact BMW dude refused to pass me again, even after I slowed down. Perhaps he thought I was psycho. LOL. The LS wouldn't have done that, but I would have tried. A car's personality is only half the fault of the car. The driver can punch the car around regardless. So yes, I understand your concerns, but the LS will grow on you. And dismiss Clarkson from your brain. He is an upper class twit punter from England, and what do they know about cars anyhow!?

The "0" on the camber adjusters is a reference point only and is used when adjusting with the correct equipment. Don't simply turn them to that setting, unless it's just to drive the car to an alignment shop.

Both my Lexus specify DOT 3. Stay away from silicone fluid, if that's what you mean by synthetic.

Your data is very optimistic. 91's don't run a 14 second quarter.

Unless you have a VERY big aftermarket stereo amplifier, there is no way one half hour of radio/CD playing should discharge the battery. Something else is wrong, like very short trip driving, or a bad battery. Have the battery load tested. Age at this point is no indicator. And a trickle charger is just that, 1 or 2 amps which would mean perhaps 48 hours to put a good charge in a nearly flat battery.

Thanks for the update - and like I said in the other thread, I'm glad you got it fixed for a reasonable price.

It's interesting that someone has told you that the seals are leaking. Is the front of the engine dismantled now? Because if it isn't, there is no way they could tell you these things. The variable cam drive is more of a hydraulically driven helix, than a gear. I have never heard of one leaking, and if they fail you replace it then - not before. You mentioned wanting to do maintenance. Stick to that, rather than preemptive parts replacement. Fix what breaks. I'd rather have to tear back into an engine, than replace parts that don't need replacing and throw something perfectly good into the trash.

A search would reveal that this is a common problem with your year LS, and it's the ECU. Check with the dealer - many were replaced under warranty and under a campaign to correct the fault. It's only dangerous because of the way you drive. It's not the car's fault.

The Denso plugs you purchased will be just fine. OE manufacturer, great quality.

That was $50.00 well spent. Glad you got it fixed at a good price. Your mom will love the car.

Funny you should say that - I'm in the process of overhauling the heat exchangers on the Detroit Diesels in my boat. "that hose doesn't look too good, and a couple of clamps should be added to that, and gee whiz that stud should be changed....." Fortunately I save quite a bit on labour - like 100% - so I do it, and also because fixing stuff "at sea" is more than a pain- it's a hazard to one's health...

Why are you replacing the ignition coils? They either work or they don't. If you get caught up in the "replace it while you are there" mentality, you'll be driving a clapped out Hyundai soon..... If it ain't broke don't fix it - and you'll save your money until the CAR decides it's broken, and not you.

I'm not one to generalize, so I can tell you my experience, and not my conjecture. I have dealt with two Lexus dealers in Vancouver, and the only one in Victoria. All are great. Loaners every time, and instructions to NOT put gas in them if I just use them in town. Good prices on parts and labour. In fact the labour rate is the same as Toyota, and that's $15.00 an hour less than the domestic dealers in town. When I order parts for myself to install, they are either in stock, or on hand the next day.

The wife drives the LS all the time, I drive the GS. So when I get the chance to drive the LS, I put the boots to it. A few full throttle blasts is all it needs. That tends to heat the convertors to the self-cleaning temperature, and also gets the O2 sensors hot enough to clean. As well in Canadian damp cold climates the exhaust system can fill with water, so full throttle blows all the moisture out. The engines are quite capable of doing this without harm - there is a rev limiter in the computer and they are not allowed to hurt themselves. I enjoy the LS at speed, but I have installed 1994 16 inch wheels with Michelin Exaltos which certainly makes the handling better. For cruising at 70-80 mph these cars are great - quite a bit smoother than the GS, but I like it's firmer ride too. So it's all good.

Actually you are safe for more than that, briefly. The speed rating is for continuous speed and refers to the heating of the tire carcass. If you just zoom up and down again there is no heating, or at least not enough to cause problems. I built a 427 Cobra replica a few years back, and it had S rated tires - mud and snow rated too - and I regularly blasted it to 130mph, just not for long. The Porsche guys in the motorsports club I was in used to laugh at the tires - until I beat all of them in the slaloms. Bunch of pansies.....

Murphy's Laws apply to these cars as much as any other. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. When cars need fixing, they'll let you know. Obviously the fan bracket did. I wouldn't bother with the belt or the pump. If the pump weep hole shows coolant, well then it's time. Otherwise leave well enough alone. As to the spark plugs, if the engine is running smoothly, just carry on. I wouldn't pull a plug to look - they can be damaged (snapped) just doing that. Also getting to them requires removing the covers. If no real symptoms (mis-firing, rough idle) are present, leave them alone too. Fix that which is broken, and don't feel obligated to do anything else - because everything else is an intangible at the moment.

First a good alignment, done by someone with experience. No kids hacking away in a Midas shop. Second, quality tires on a quality wheel. I have Michelin Pilots on factory 17 inch wheels. Third, a "road-force" balance, again performed by someone with experience. My GS is smooth from rest to terminal velocity. When I have picked up a small vibration it has always been eliminated by the road-force balance, which I have had to do exactly twice in four and one-half years. These cars are sensitive to balance and tracking, but they do not have a "problem".