SRK

You're just full of good advice today, aren't you?

I don't use reman parts over the counter. I have alternators and starter rebuilt at a local auto-electric shop. They return the same part to me, rebuilt. They've done everything from Detroit Diesel to Ferrari starters for me. The cost is $150.00-$300.00 for most of them. I would never trade in my or my customers parts for someone else s. That said, if the person installing the starter is not the person supplying the starter, they will warrantee their labour only. So if the reman starter fails, you get to pay labour all over again. A real shop will warrantee both parts and labour IF they supply the parts. The description you provide doesn't mention new brushes, and "relubricates" the starter drive, which is usually replaced in a rebuild. Denso starters are very long lived -except for the copper contacts, as many have mentioned to you. They can therefore be repaired. My GS got contacts six years ago - that was all - and continues to function perfectly.

The ignition coils don't set a code when they fail. Lots of things don't set a code. As mentioned before, by others, one coil can fail and the other produce a relatively smooth running, but low power, engine. The two coils are staggered in the firing order, and each fires two plugs on each bank. It sounds very much like you have a faulty ignition coil, which is why I said don't do any exhaust work, and B said test the coils. More than likely it is a simple, and cheap, fix at this point. Figure out which coil has failed and all will be well.

I've used ATF for years to clean the carbon out of older engines and most engines will take it quite quickly. They smoke and carry on, but do burn it and it causes no harm. When it comes to catalytic converters there is a small chance that they will function poorly, but if they did the post-cat O2 sensors would trip a code. Even if they do, a few full throttle blasts up the highway will heat the converters and they'll clean themselves. They are designed to do that. So I would not spend money on the exhaust system - that won't fix the running problem the engine has now. That the cats still heat up means too much unburned fuel is finding it's way into them. That's what causes an overheated cat - fuel, not oil. So fix the engine management problem - ignition or fuel, that is causing the problem. And then blast up the highway for a while.

There is nothing else to do - fix the solenoid. You'll just frustrate yourself messing about with other "ideas". The flat rate on the 98 VVti engine is four hours labour. That's what the dealer can charge. A bit more for the repair of the starter- 20 minutes. Dealers do not charge the time it takes a novice to do the job. They get a flat rate for the work. You could have them change the coolant, and check the air filter. Not much else has to been done during this repair. The contacts have failed from use. Using them more won't help! Eventually it won't start at all.

Tapping the solenoid, and having it start, was a co-incidence - assuming he was even able to reach it with the manifold installed. The problem is the solenoid copper contacts - $30.00 at the dealer when I did mine. You can check the brushes and the bushings, but the starters are an excellent part except for those contacts. It's not a remote solenoid like an old Ford. It's on the starter, like a GM. Gaskets will cost as much as the contacts. The real cost is in labour to get to the starter. And it needs to be done. Your symptoms are just like the ones I got from my starter, and from lots of other people on the board here. Fix it.

The Lexus guy is looking for business. Time is a factor in the timing belt and the coolant. As for spark plugs, water pump, and trans oil, no. It might be a good idea to do the t-belt, and the coolant. That's what I would do. The trans oil is ( I think ) like the earlier cars, drop two litres, add two litres. Not a big expense if you decide to do it. You have a nice car for sure - and it has many miles ahead of it with a bit of care.

The ID of the washer is a fairly good fit on the OD of the bolt, and without the washer the steel bolt and block are then hard against the iron caliper. A leak would be revealed fairly quickly - remove the wheel, fire up the engine and press the pedal. A parts listing should also show the washers. Dealer parts listing may also indicate the diameters of the washers. Any washers I've seen on caliper mounting or bracket bolts are hardened steel, and are used sometimes to shim the caliper mouth into alignment with the disc.

[quote name='GKLCPA' timestamp='1322596825' post='444131' It's definitely the caliper bolt washer. It fits in a slightly recessed part of the caliper where the bolt goes in and there's another for the other bolt. Apparently, it popped out of its recess when I moved the caliper. As it turns out, I forgot to put it back. Normally there is a copper crush washer under the flange of the banjo bolt, and then one under the block on the end of the hose. The two copper washers conform to provide a seal against the high pressure fluid. They are one use only, unless you anneal them with an oxy-acetylene torch. Without them you will have a leak. Best to check the assembly and if you need new washers an auto parts store will have a selection, that you can match up with the existing ones.

I'm with Jaswood on this one. If that washer is copper, and it looks like it is, it's a drain plug washer as he says, or a crush washer for a brake line banjo fitting ( one of two). In any event, that washer should not be used under a bolt, like a caliper attaching bolt. I think it is a stray part....

First thing you should do is put a trickle charger on the battery for 24 hours and bring it back to life. It's dead. Then when the engine will start, you'll have to do a charging system test. Perhaps the alternator is on the way out. You might also have a small electrical load that is draining the battery when the car is locked and parked. It's probably just the alternator - have it rebuilt by a reputable auto electric shop - don't get an exchange. By the way, the "exact fit" battery is for size, not necessarily capacity, and is not related to the failure. The battery doesn't know or care what kind of car it's starting...

I know that the OBDII Lexus have a code for ECM failure. They will condemn themselves and report it. I don't know about the earlier systems, but more than likely they will too. Bosch systems can of the early 90's can do it. There is no "typical" stumble for these engines. However, as B points out a bad coil can produce a misfire, or fail completely. Your test proves that both coils will produce a painful spark. However, one of them may not be capable of firing at the rate required by the engine. No human can detect an intermittent spark by "feel". If you have access to the old style ignition oscilloscope you can hook it up alternately on the two coils and observe the secondary voltage trace. Each coil feeds two cylinders on each bank, and the engine will run well enough on one, or misfire on one and a "half". Limp home mode doesn't reduce coil voltage. You're right, OBDI doesn't monitor everything. But with bad spark plugs and on/off misfire, I'd be looking at the secondary ignition. Chances of an ECM failure are remote. You won't find anybody around here to support that view, no matter how much you subjectively attempt to support it. Keep diagnosing.

I've repaired a lot of cars over the years, of just about every make there is, and without doubt the Toyota/Lexus brake pads are the best I've ever used. Quiet, excellent pedal feel, no dust (or very little), and long lasting. Perhaps a bit expensive, but with brakes the best is just good enough. On another note, I rarely go to the dealer showroom, but today I noticed my GS400 remote key battery had failed. Walked into the showroom, gave the key to a service writer, he replaced the battery for me, and handed it back. Have a nice day, no charge (except in the battery!) I then put a few fingerprints on the IS-F in the showroom - black with dark red leather interior....nice car....

I bought my 98 GS in 2004 with 90k kilometers on it, about 56k miles in other words. It had all service records -oil changes and a water pump at 20k kilometers (warranty). That was it. I did the t-belt because of the time ( 7 years ) in 2005, and it needed doing, along with spark plugs and accessory belt, and an air filter. I installed new front pads a year later. In 2007 the starter contacts failed. $30.00 in parts, $400.00 in labour. Middle of 2010 I replaced the battery - Lexus one. In early 2011 I did a full service of engine and trans oil, coolant, and I installed new rear brake pads, rotated the tires, flushed the brake fluid. So in seven years that's it. About $1700.00 spent at the dealer, the rest I did. Runs like a champ. I'll need new tires soon, but that's all that's on the horizon. It has 140k kilometers on it now, about 88k miles. I may never sell it....because of all the cars I've owned over the last thirty-seven years, it is by far the most reliable, and the best all round vehicle.

First thing is good and cheap don't go together. However you can get good and "reasonable". Forget the "Time-sert". Use a Heli-coil only. The cost of the kit is about the same as what an experienced tech will charge to install it. If you have never used a heli-coil, don't practice on a Lexus. Practice on a trashed head from a Corolla or something. Or a lawnmower. So if you have no experience, get a person skilled in their installation to do it. With a heli-coil properly installed, it's better than new, and no, the head won't have to come off.

B's idea of sliding the serpentine belt off is a good one. But if the engine continues to make noise with that belt off, it's more than likely something driven by the timing belt. Shut it off and have it towed to a repair shop, or take it apart yourself. My advice is not to drive it at that point.

You might try loosening the pressure cap on the expansion tank and running the engine. If gases of any sort start venting out of the tank, it might be a head gasket. If so, it's first I've ever heard of an LS blowing a head gasket. It might also be a faulty pressure cap.

Go to the Yellow Pages and look up autobody shops. You'll find lots of them. And they are all busy. Cars get bumped and damaged every day, and it's nothing to get upset about. Both of my Lexus had previous damage, well repaired. Neither car has any faults. You're right, it was some time ago and there are no issues. So be happy with the car.

Aha! What we used to call the "Italian Tune-up" about forty years ago. It's possible that a couple of spark plugs had some fouling, and full throttle also helps to clean the injectors ( gasoline is a great solvent of course, and at high flow rates does wonders) and heat up the cats and get them clean too. I hope it stays fixed!

The desk jockeys at O'Reilly's probably aren't qualified to sniff test an alternator. ATF doesn't "burn" out the alternator, it turns the brushes to mush, and it would take a lot to do that so quickly as in your case. So is the power steering fluid level dropping? Is there in fact oil on the bottom of the PS pump?

The only way to tell is to diagnose the failures of the replacement alternators. You say they "burn out". What does that mean, how did you tell? I use a local automotive electrical shop to rebuild my starters and alternators, and they do excellent work on the unit I bring in. I NEVER use reman exchange units, and I never buy new from the dealer. Fix what you got. I suspect you are using reman?

You weren't keen on listening to any advice about buying the car in the first place, and now you want our opinion of probably the stupidest scam I've ever seen? Some piece of crap plastic device that's supposed to disassociate water into oxygen and hydrogen, and somehow meter it into an engine? Below ignorant, and the TV station that would even broadcast such drivel is also brainless. You could fix your car properly, like take it to a dealer. Or you could buy crap like that. I'm sure you'll make a decision.

At this point usually one of two things has happened - the sensor (sending unit) has failed or the engine actually has low oil pressure. To check the sensor can be replaced, or, if you have one, a mechanical ( direct reading ) master oil gauge is installed and the pressure determined from that. It's the type of gauge where the oil is conducted to the gauge itself. I'd suspect the sending unit, but one has to be sure as the engine is at risk of course. If it is low oil pressure, then the pan comes off and the pick-up screen can be checked. If that's clean the quest continues. You've done the right thing by not running the engine. You'll run it one more time, briefly, for the master gauge check.

Sounds like you got a deal - car is obviously in good shape if you drove it home. Congrats!

That's absolutely remarkable! Great job by Lexus, and by you taking the photos! Thanks for posting. SRK