Ancdmd

also check the torque on the lower control arm bushings. forward bushing is 111 ft-lb and rearward bushing is i believe a whopping 166 ft-lb!

can you give some more details or be more descriptive? does it sound like its coming from the front or rear? At what speed does the sound begin?

I have a similar noise in my '02 LS430 that's been driving me nuts for 18 months. Techs and dealers have been no help. Does it sound anything like this?

From what I've read staying with OEM parts for the shocks/steel springs setup is the best way to go. There's a wealth of info on clublexus.com and probably here about this conversion, should find some threads with a couple searches.

Sign up for clublexus.com discount at Sewell Lexus parts online and the shocks are about $900 with the discount

The two forward cats were visually inspected when I had the y-pipe and rear cat assembly replaced last month.

I have a noise in my '02 LS430 that has been there for 18 months and I can't figure out what is causing it. I've had at least ten mechanics at different shops try to diagnose it and they either can't hear it, hear it but don't know what it is, or have misdiagnosed it. It started out as a tinny metallic rattling sound that I could hear above 60mph only when the car was coasting with my foot just slightly touching the throttle, but not enough to keep the speed constant. Now it has progressed to the point where I can hear a rattle constantly, although it is faint at lower speeds. It is quite noisy on the highway when coasting now. I can hear a rattle slightly at idle when parked, and it seems to be more audible around 2000 rpm. The car has 137k miles and has always had all service. I've replaced the motor and trans mounts, and I just replaced the exhaust y-pipe and all rubber exhaust mounts. I had the forward cats and the resonator inspected and they are ok. I also had the driveshaft center bearing replaced and the shaft inspected. The only time I noticed a difference in the noise was when I had the motor mounts replaced, it seemed to be gone for a month but then returned. I've had the entire front suspension replaced at 110k miles and had it checked multiple times to no avail. I can't be the only one who has ever had this problem! Any ideas? Video clip of sound below, it chimes in about halfway through:

Last time I heard this exact noise in my car was over a year ago and mine still starts and runs fine. As stated above I'd confirm the diagnosis before replacing the starter.

I'm confused. Which bolt are you talking about? The bolt that secures the sway bar mounting bracket to the frame? Or the stud on the end link that goes through the end of the sway bar?

Not necessarily. When the starter is engaged, it is turning the motor and accessories at a very low relative speed. When the motor first fires up, all the rotating mass in the engine and in the accessories suddenly accelerates to a higher rpm (the idle rpm). It may be that something in the alternator makes the noise as its rotation is suddenly accelerated from cranking speed to idle speed or higher. But also keep in mind that this doesnt mean it should make the noise every time you stab the gas pedal either. I'm not real familiar with alternator anatomy but since I haven't heard this grinding noise in my car since I've had the alternator replaced, it would make me lean to it being the alternator.

My '02 LS430 did that for several years. I did replace the alternator a while ago since it developed a bearing whine, and come to think of it, it's been a long time since I've heard that grinding noise. I guess the alternator could have been the source of the grinding noise.

Be careful, too much heat from the buffer will cause microcracks to appear on the surface of the lens.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=72954

Also replace the drier when you do the compressor...

It's the compressor, its locking up internally. There's really no way to predict when it will happen or not. Changing the amount of freon in the system may help, but ultimately you'll have to replace the compressor. I know because I had the same problem, took two years to diagnose. Check the sight glass on the AC line in front of the radiator while the AC is running. It should be clear black, if you see any bubbles running through the line then you are low on refrigerant. To add refrigerant simply get a filler hose with a dial gauge and a can of plain refrigerant WITHOUT ADDED SEALERS at the auto parts store, should cost around $25. Follow the instructions and add the refrigerant, takes 5 minutes and is easy to do. This may help your compressor to kick on easier. If you overfill it then it may make the compressor lock up more often, but since it will ultimately need replacing you can't lose. Get a Denso compressor off eBay for @$325 and pay your local independent mechanic to replace it.

The silicone trick will buy you a little time but will soon fail. Take an extra step and do it right with a refoam kit, it's only $15 and easy to do yourself: http://reconingspeakers.com/products-page/diy-refoam-kits/8-refoam-kit-m-roll-rfk8-m-roll/

Got the OEM Denso unit on eBay for about $325 shipped

I had the same problem in my '02, my a/c would blow warm air for about ten minutes then suddenly start blowing cold. It took a couple years to finally diagnose it correctly, something inside the compressor was sticking and preventing it from circulating refrigerant. The problem would occur frequently or just occasionally, but was never predictable. I got a new Denso compressor online for about $325 and had my independent tech replace it along with the accumulator, labor was a couple hrs. I'm not so sure you need to change the expansion valve. A/C has worked perfectly since.

I had thought about that cat, but now I'm more inclined to think its the driveline. I don't get any vibration or shutter at any speeds or rpm's. The noise sounds like its coming from the front half of the car and not the rear.

This a/c problem was occurring for about two years. It would happen mostly during the warmer months here in S FL, and also usually when the engine was COLD. Every time in the morning on my way to work, I would have to drive for about ten minutes waiting for cold air to blow. The problem was a lot less likely to occur if the engine was already hot, but what was frustrating was that it was still hard to predict when it would happen. One thing was for sure, if I had a girl with me on a hot summer night or if I was dressed nice and didn't want to sweat it would SURELY happen and really *BLEEP* me off! I do have a very slow refrigerant leak in the evaporator which requires topping up yearly with about .75 lbs. During the past Fall the compressor was functioning fairly well, and then a few months ago after topping it up the compressor was really reluctant to engage for the entire weekend after. I went back to the shop and the tech removed some refrigerant and it now engaged almost always. I could tell the level was low by the whistling noise from the expansion valve. For the last month or so I did notice the air blowing a little warmer while sitting at a red light sometimes, and during the recent compressor swap the tech noticed both cooling fans only working intermittently, one more than the other, so I just replaced both. If my a/c problem wasn't the compressor, then what was faulty? Am I missing something? the tech took a rubber mallet to to rear cat and didn't hear anything. He wanted me to leave the car for a day so he could spend more time with it.

One more thing, this noise occurs only at a point where it seems the load of the drivetrain under throttle and the reverse load of the drivetrain when coasting is "balanced". In other words, if the engine is being given any throttle it will not make the noise, nor if the car is purely coasting. It only occurs at the transition point between those two opposing loads on the drivetrain.

I will try turning off the climate control, disconnecting the battery for a little while and reconnecting it to see if that takes care of the idle issue.

I had the compressor replaced because it was not engaging periodically, especially when it was really hot outside. It would take about ten minutes for it to engage, and only hot air would blow until then, at which time it would immediately blow cold. The tech had seen it before and apparently something in the compressor was locking up and would take a bit of time to unsieze and then it would work fine. Replacing the high pressure switch had no effect, however leaving the refrigerant volume a little low would lessen its occurrence. I have gone through the climate control system and not found any relation to the noise issue I have. I am familiar with the common whistling sound of the expansion valve which is a separate issue. The clinking noise doesn't sound like a tick, it sounds more like metal objects in a tin can rattling around, or kinda like a handful of small bells jingling. On my iPad when I play the video I cup my hand around the speaker to amplify the volume and direct it to my ear and I can easily hear it between 1:22-1:27. This video was recorded a couple months ago, and the sound is even louder now. I've become adept at feathering the gas pedal to provoke it. Regardless of any climate control settings the sound is always there, as if it was something bouncing around in the exhaust system or the transmission, or some kind of bracket somewhere that is loose.

I forgot to mention that I did install a new transmission mount a month ago when I replaced the ATF. The old mount looked ok, and unfortunately installing a new one didn't make any difference.

I have some issues with my 2002 LS430 Ultra, and I've had multiple mechanics dragging their feet with resolving them. The car has 120k miles and has been well maintained. Timing belt, plugs, water pump, pulleys, tensioner, rear diff fluid at 105k. Just cleaned MAF and throttle body. Replaced ENTIRE front suspension last summer. Recent transmission full fluid flush with Amsoil ATF, been using full syn for motor oil, full syn in power steering. 1. The most annoying issue I have is a clinking noise that is most evident on the highway. I can hear it faintly at all speeds but it is loudest at higher speeds. It sounds something like engine knock or a loose heat shield, and is elicited when I barely have my foot on the accelerator and the car is slightly slowing down. Sounds like its coming from the trans area or closer to the motor. I had the heat shields removed from the y-pipe and the pipe is fine. No CEL has ever appeared. Techs looked at the car and either couldn't hear the noise or shrugged their shoulders. The noise is loud enough that even someone not in tune with my car would have no problem hearing it on the highway. I have noticed a few hard downshifts lately, but nothing consistent. We had the car on lift today and revved it and couldn't hear anything definitive. This problem showed up a couple months ago and has gotten more prominent since then. A few times when I gave it some good throttle at lower speeds to pass a car or something it gave me loud engine knock sound before a slightly delayed downshift, didn't seem right. Here is a recording of the noise, it is sporadic throught but easily heard at 1:22-1:27 into the video: 2. For the last week the car idles low, around 450-500 rpm. This has occurred since I had the air conditioning compressor replaced last week. It goes up to 800 when the compressor is on. Otherwise the idle is smooth and the car runs well.