mshaw

You can do what you like, but we suggest to all our customers to go no farther than 5k between changes - even on the synthetics that boast 10k+ lifespans. Why? The filters are still the same. No one has bothered to improve that filter much - it still degrades, gets clogged up, and can only hold so much crap. According to a speaker at a seminar for AC Delco I attended about a year ago, the increase in mileages and times on service schedules over the past decade has nothing to do with any vast improvements in vehicles or technologies, but about marketing. It's hard to sell vehicles to folks when they are looking at a 15k service that, on avg runs $250, and a 30k service that will cost, on average, over $500 within the first two years of ownership (for imports it's even higher). It's much easier to sell a veh when you can say it's darn near maintenance-free for the first 100k miles, except for occasional oil changes. All I can say is we have had the displeasure of telling a lot of folks that 'followed their maintenance schedule' that at 120k or so that their engine is knocking, or has low compression, or their valves are not seating due to abnormal wear in the guides, etc - or their transm is shelled and needs a rebuild because the fluid never got changed until 100k - or their calipers are locked up, or seals damaged , or the master cylinder or ABS pump is shot, due to the brake fluid being so contaminated, as it was never flushed - or their radiator or heater core is rotted because the coolant is completely degraded, as it wasn't ever changed ('hey, it's good to 100k, or 150k') you get the picture. But, yeah, you can follow the maintenance schedule, whatever it is, or, find a good independent, ASE Certified shop somewhere, and listen to what their techs say. (Wow, I'm sorry, that came off a little bitter. I'm just mad at manufacturers for misleading the public and, essentially, stealing their money by making them buy new cars every 150k. I'm just tired of seeing good people with good cars, trying to do the right thing, getting shafted. Sorry, again. But I'm leaving this because the gist of it is the truth of what I want to get across, and I think it's important.)

Agree with silverbullitt that it may be binding on guides and that may cause the 'kickback' at the top of the travel, but if you have any 'clunk' noises, you may want to check tightness of regulator to door, regulator to motor, and regulator to window bolts/contacts. However, if the drop on window after raising it is more than, maybe, 1/8 - 1/4 in, you didn't really specify, it may not be a bind/looseness issue and is more likely, especially if the drop is beyond 3/4 in, the motor/regulator assy. We've had a couple of these in the shop go up, then the motor stops driving and allows 'spin back', and you have to hit the switch again to make it go up and stay there. I don't know how pricing is in Cal, but here (Ga) we can pick up a new aftermarket regulator assy (comes with the motor) for about $130 (commercial pricing). I think counter price is about $165-175.

Raymond: You've quite the pickle there. It's rather impossible to have 'nothing' electrical working if the car starts and runs, but I understand that what you're saying comes from frustration. I believe I can help isolate your issue using schematics, but we need to isolate, in particular, the items that are non-operational. You say the dash does not work - are we talking illumination, particular gauges, what? The windows - all of them? Do the power locks work? The radio - I guess that is self-explanatory... Do you have interior lights (dome lights, etc)? Does your security system/remote entry work? It will start and run, but can you shift the vehicle out of park and drive it? Does the trans shift normally? I'll be honest, I try to get on here at least once daily, but I sometimes I miss a day. I know you are prob in need of an answer or direction asap, but I just wanted to let you know. My first thought is a body control module issue, esp if you have lock issues, too. It could be a power or ground problem, a data circuit issue, or somehow the programming got dumped (which is fairly unlikely). My other thought is harness ground or harness damage created by rodents - see a lot of that sort of thing from folks who live near wooded areas. Mice love the wiring and harness materials for nest lining. But let's cover more of what you do/don't have and go from there - it will at least give you a more defined area to look.

I agree, to an extent, with SRK, that there are various levels of leakage. In our shop, we label leaks in three levels between ourselves and to customers. The first is seepage, which is what SRK defines above - it may allow enough oil out to make some of the immediate surrounds damp and collect dirt, but no real harm. Then there is leakage, which is oil loss sufficient to create a trail of dampness, but not a trail which stays continually wet. The worst is blown or pouring, which would be oil slinging from a seal encasing a rotating shaft, such as the cam or crank seal, and/or creating a trail which stays continually wet, leaving drops hanging off the engine/frame and/or falling to the ground. As far as 'suddenly' being there? Yes, it can happen like that. Cam seals are a high pressure point on an engine, and the seal is being subjected to rotational force at its inner lip whenever the engine runs. This means that small tears can develop rather quickly, creating anything from seepage to pouring, dependent upon the severity of the breech. Placing something under the vehicle may not be revealing, even in the case of a pouring seal, as the cam seal will actively leak only when the engine runs, and, when shut off, the trail created can burn off a hot engine fairly quickly. The last problem with deciding on the severity of the seal leak is that it is completely hidden behind both the timing cover and the camshaft sprocket, even after the cover is removed. This means that a good share of the oil that may be leaking could be trailing down behind the sprocket, tensioner, idler and the covers, not to mention being potentially slung into small droplets all over the inside of the timing cover by the rotation of the sprocket and the moving timing belt. Also keep in mind that oil will degrade and weaken the timing belt, shortening its useful life. The best advice may be to have an independent shop verify the leak, or just go ahead and get the seals replaced (many shops are fully capable and competent, other than the dealer, to work on your veh - but far more affordable). In the future, I would suggest that you do what we recomm to our customers, which is that when replacing the timing belt, also replace the water pump, cam seals, idler and tensioner. This greatly reduces the possibility of ever needing to open the timing area in between belt changes.

Before replacing the valve, which all the symptoms and the codes would point to, and, normally I would agree with Lenore without hesitation, had I not had the same problem a year or so ago on the same engine that was not the valve. Before buying the OCV, check the wiring, and especially the connector at the OCV for any signs of backing out, corrosion or looseness. The one we had in the shop actually had the pin contacts in the connector backing out slightly, making poor contact, and causing the clearance at the female contacts to spread slightly, due to the vibration caused by the backed off connection, further hindering continuity of signal between the OCV and the ECM. We had diagnosed a failed OCV, replaced it, and still had issues - even though we had checked for power, ground and signal at the connector when it was backprobed. The backprobing created enough of a contact to make things look ok in the shop, but, remove the probes, drive the veh, and the OCV, of course, without good contact, did not work. We figured we got a faulty OCV, but upon a bench check, it was ok. It was not until we ran the veh on a dyno (so we could create a loaded condition to actuate the OCV) while wiggling the harness that we found the real fault. Chances are, you have a failed OCV and sludge - but just check the connector first.

I'm surprised no one has commented your situation; I just happened across it this evening (13th). I would imagine it is likely fixed by now? If not, you can email me direct at shawmobileservice@yahoo.com and I'll do what I can. I don't normally go toward this forum, so it's just happenstance I came upon it at all.

I am not a Lexus repair expert - I'll get that out there right off - but I have repaired quite a few of them. The VSC is the Variable Speed Control, and basically means that your cruise control is now non-functional, because the on-board computer is not getting speed signals from all available speed sensors, and the 'skid symbol' I'm going to guess is your traction control warning light. It's been my experience that this usually means that one of your wheel speed sensors (ABS sensors) has failed. It also means that your basic OBDII scanner is not going to retrieve any codes; you will need to get to someone who can access your ABS system codes. If memory serves me well, we have replaced more rear wheel bearing assemblies in these vehicles to solve this type of issue than anything else (bearing assy comes with the sensor as an integral component). I've heard of folks doing system resets by performing battery disconnects for an extended period as a fix to this issue, but whether this will work for you... Maybe someone with direct experience on that will chime in. Best of luck.

To Jondoe: The issue I was referring to the original gentleman about concerned his traction control and speed control warning lights (VSC & TRAC) coming on when the systems have not been manually actuated to the off position. The only instance there will be a P0302 in the system is if the "Service Engine Soon" light is on - an altogether different light, and certainly a different issue. The 'parts guy' was heading in the right direction, but it's always best to consult an actual technician, or at least someone that's not just trying to sell you parts in an effort to increase his personal numbers (I guess some techs could be that way, too, though). Anyway, other causes could be a plugging or electrically failing fuel injector, a vac leak at the manifold gasket, a valve issue, etc. There are ways to narrow down the possibilities through various tests. Best of luck to you, sir.

If you reset things and then redrove the vehicle and everything is still working normally, then it's ok. We've had the experience of resetting the system, restarting, and everything looks ok, but then, upon driving, the lights come back up indicating a failure. If that happened, we have usually found that is indicative of a wheel speed sensor malfunction (ABS Sensor). You may have one that is intermittent, but so far, so good.

Agree with prev posters that cats are probably damaged and internally meleted down/plugged up if they are turning noticably red. Given that you found some of your ignition components were faulty, chances are if one coil failed, the other coil is probably weak or already failed. Make sure you use good quality parts, not just whatever the parts store wants to throw at you or whatever is the cheapest. We've had real good luck with NGK plugs in the Lexus models we have serviced, and we usually use Belden or Accel wires. But, everybody has their preferences.

But did you drive it again?

Landar: My apologies for reading your post too quickly. Upon a slower perusal, we seem to be much closer in agreement. I understand it is 300k on the vehicle, but my experience has been that the ECU would still have significant self-diagnostic capacity. There may be weakened circuits and connections, because of vibration and/or simple corrosion occurring because of time mixed with the passage of current, but the circuits are operating well enough within design parameter to both identify external issues, but also to allow for the sensors to have the 'freedom', shall we say, to create confusion in which code to set. It is situations such as these that it would be so much easier to have the vehicle in one of my bays rather than to try and diagnose based upon symptomologies. M.S.

Landar: I don't think the gentleman has a scanner, but I agree with your trim analysis, to a degree. I went back and re-read his description, and he stated he had a 301, then the 171/174, then the 430 with a 174. This will not be a general fuel system failure, as he has been battling a 301 ONLY for the past 15k miles. If he had a 300, or had random 300-series codes, such as a 301 today, a 303 yesterday, a 305 three days ago, etc, I might go along with a fuel pump, filter, etc. But that is not the case. A failed PCV system would likewise create either multiple cylinder misfires or an 'out-of-balance' condition for the engine to one bank. A failed or malfunctioning ECU in a vehicle that new would certainly create an internal error code or RAM failure code. I will go along with anything from a dirty/faulty MAF, to a vacuum leak, but I am strongly leaning toward something pertaining to cyl #1, such as a failed intake gasket or injector seal at that cylinder, allowing excess air, which would also create the high misfire rate (above the 10% threshhold, triggering the flashing CEL) at #1 cylinder.

Good evening, and, sorry to intrude, but, maybe I might be of assistance. I have not had the pleasure of reading the background information, only the info posted on this thread. But to retrace those steps, you had a P0301, which created a flashing CEL (not usual unless the misfire is beyond a 10% rate), but you had after that, if I understood correctly, simulutaneous P0171/174, but, somewhere prior to this, a P0430. I may have gottenthe orders a little off, but I think I have the gist of it. Firstly, the torque converter has nothing to do with this - that would create a 700 or 1700 series code, also you would have either (a) shudder issues at or about 50-60 mph, and/or, (B) lock-up issues creating dying when coming to a stop after extended travel. I did not see either of those concerns nor complaints of those codes. Fuel issues, regardless of dual fuel or not, will not create only a 301 - you would have a 300 code, as well as 301- 306, randomly, as well as possibly 1500 series codes. The place to be looking is toward the Mass Air Flow sensor, at a vacuum leak, or, more specifically, something particular to the number one cylinder having a vac leak or fuel shortage - intake gasket leak, fuel injector seal leak, fuel injector failure, etc... The P0430 is likely due to a confusion on the part of the ECU being unable to justify the imbalance of fuel/air mix it sees coming in at the MAF, compared to what it sees as a burn ratio based upon the TPS position and load range, contrasted to the oxygen levels remaining in the pipe as seen by the O2 sensors. Of course, this is just a guess on my part... M.S.

I just signed up and wanted to introduce myself. I am Mitch Shaw, and the owner of an automotive repair shop in Georgia. I have been in the automotive repair industry for the past 18 years and am more than happy to share whatever knowledge I may have acquired with anyone here. I myself have recently acquired a 97 LS400 as a rebuilder - an electrical nightmare, may be a better description - but something to play with; besides, it was dirt cheap (free). I figure there are always things to be learned by the people that deal with particular brands all the time and I expect in my journey with this thing I may need to inquire of their expertise occassionally. So, I wish everyone well and if I may be of service, I am happy to contribute.