nc211

1st of all, what year is your car???? Depending on your model year, will tell us if your valves were truely bent or not. Pre-95' model engines were non-interference....aka...your timing belt can break w/o further damage. 2nd, the part about "The machanic told me that it was because the computer did not reset itself yet. It will go away after driving it for a while." is crap. I assume he unhooked the battery during the repair in the first place. Unhooking the battery for a few minutes will reset the computer in general. It sounds to me your idle module is way off. You know, the indi mechanic's can tear down, and rebuild, but it takes a little more than a torque wrench to "tune" these engines. I'll let some of the other, more knowledgable guys chime in on this one, as I have not had the need to mess with the engine on my car, yet... By the way....WELCOME to the club! You should post up your model year in your profile! We like pictures too!

I agree.... one of my coworkers in the newport beach office has one of those. plenty of repairs, plenty.... By the way... I SPY a 95'+ black LS400 on that dude's car lot..... Hint, picture #5. PPS: I checked his inventory... you might take a look at that 2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R. It might have high mileage, but the price is low....and as a previous owner of the Sentra SE-R model, I can vouch that they are no slouch car! A TON OF FUN, and fiercely fast! Damn near bullet proof too. The most fun car I've ever owned.. Apparently there is quite a cult following for the SER models too..

Exactly.......I bought the 2001 Max knowing the changes for 2002. ;) Yes, well life was a just a weeee-bit different for me back in those days, down in B'ham Alabama. It was still a fun car though, handled like a true sports car, that's for sure. I wouldn't be opposed to a 2002-2003 Maxima gle these days at all.

I felt the same way back in late 2001 when I purchased a Nissan Maxima SE, fully loaded........6 weeks later, the 2002 model came out with much improved headlights, lower body skirt moldings, better seats and THE 3.5 LITER BURN DOWN THE BARN V6 :chairshot: Ticked me off something fearce! But, I still enjoyed the 01', especially when I handed it back in and drove off in my LS ;)

Thanks Mehullica, I didn't even think of Ammoco. I had the rear wheel off yesterday, and I noticed on the rotor that the further the rotor goes out from the center, the thinner it gets??? Is that right??? I would understand where the pads come in contact with the rotor having an indention of sorts, but for it to "slope" off from the center just doesn't seem right to me... Anybody have any suggestions as to why that would be the case? A brake fluid job is in my not-so-distant future by the way. The fluid is at least 2 1/2 years old, with 33k miles on it, assuming it was done with the 90k service when I purchased the car "4/04 @ 84k miles"..

Does anyone have a good suggetion on what type of equipment I should look for to have my rotors turned? They are all warped. I have Mountain's on the front, and cheapo' Napa's on the back. Napa's are about a year old, Mountains are about 5 months old. I can't swing new OEM rotors at the moment, as I am in the finishing stages of buying a house. Gotta get a few more miles out of the rotors I have now. I know we like the Hunter tire balancing equipment, so I figured I'd ask if anyone knows of the equivalent for turning rotors???

Sorry Sweet, I missed this one. You posted it when I was on my honeymoon. My entire driveshaft was replaced by the dealership becuase the culprit turned out to be the center bearing area. The rear driveshaft at the center bearing section, the U joint, was binding up badly. It was not the couplings afterall. I now have new driveshaft and new oem couplings, and it has fixed the problem. This was most likely caused by years of the Off-Throttle-Shock problem from the faulty ecu. So many years of violent reverse torque when letting off the gas peddle, tore up the bearings in the center bearing section. The rear end no longer feels like it has a mind of it's own.

I couldn't see the number on yours LScott400, so here is the pdf version. Here is also a helpful trouble shooting chart for the propel shaft area. Jade, it's 53 lb's. 3.pdf 7.pdf

How many miles do you have on it?? The starter contacts would only be a problem if the starter did not engage at all....he's b/s'n you. I bet he knows that's one of the most expensive repair jobs "labor wise" and trying to get you to pay up. It sounds like a case of bad fuel, bad fuel filter or air flow problem. Have you looked at your air filter lately??? You might have a bad spark plug issue too. Or...it could be your throttle position sensor (TPS). But not your starter.....

Breath Steve....breath!!! Oh man, I smell "stalker incident" in the DC 'burbs. HAHAHAHA... GWShark, that is slick man!! Too bad your wife isn't like mine when it comes to cars. She thinks a Honda Accord is too big to drive, so my car is definetly safe from the mall parking lot bandits. I keep telling her "size doesn't matter", but luckily for me, she doesn't listen....on two accounts... :whistles: Nice car! You'll have many many years and miles of joy with it! Curious: I wonder how many divorce settlements have been drawn-out due to fighting over the LS?? Probably a lot.

Yep, that's it. It is pretty much dead-center from the center of the front doors. Recommendation: Better be using the Toyota fluid, and not something purchased at AutoLandUSA. Could cause problems....

...yeah I have a little advice.... ask SWO3ES where you can pick him up for a test drive, so he will FINALLY go buy one for himself!! He's in your neck of the woods!!! Hahahahaha.... Honestly though, you're pretty much covered with your purchase. With that kind of miles, and year, there really can't be much to worry about, other than the payment of course! Hahahaha... It is my understanding you can have the computer altered to turn on and off features to your liking. Maybe ask about that if you like. Oh, and we like pictures...especially ones of 06' LS430's!

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...=27799&st=0 Alex, the thread above will take you to pictures of Blake's and my 95' LS's, just like yours... It is my understanding "and very obvious if you put your fingernail on the paint" that our black 95 LS's have a soft paint. It is not covered in a clear coat. Bad for exposure to environmental junk, but GREAT for detailing. Very easy to bring back the shine. I suggest using an orbital buffer. The Porter's are the best, but are pretty expensive. I used a cheap $50 orbital buffer on mine. I did not have "black rags" of paint when I did mine. You might want to give the full detail thing a try before spending the money on painting the car. Just read that thread for instructions.....especially about using clay bars. By the way, have any pictures of your car? Love to see it!

Ot years, legal process is definately not quick. They are certainly excellent cars, but they're not perfect. If you set yourself up to never expect your Lexus to need repairs or warranty work you're going to be dissapointed (and we've seen people who are this way right here on the forum, cursing Lexus because their 16 year old LS has uncomfortable seats, or rides funny etc). Its a machine, an extremely wel built machine but still a machine and things still go wrong. I agree, but in comparision to his experiences so far with his MB, I'd have to say he would be in for a real treat of mechanical perfection if he decided to buy the LS430.

Ahhh... the "thump" question... I have all new mounts, cushions, supports, even a brand spankin' new driveshaft....and my car thumps as well. It's just a characteristic of the car's age. If it's early in morning, or at 1st start up, then it's related to your car running at high idle. If you do a search on this, you will find a ton of information. I have reduced the thump with new mounts and such, but I have not completely eleminated it. Blake thinks it might in the differential, which sounds logical to me. It's either there, or in the transmission, but either way, it's related to the age of the car. They are 10 years old after all, some slack is to be expected at our ages and mileages. My guess? Is it's the aging of the clutch mechanism in the transmission. Normal stuff.

That's what I get for buying Bo and Luke Duke's old LS400. Thing probably has more frequent flyer miles than I do. hahahaa

HobokenGuy: You are why Lexus exists! They are perfect cars, even the old ones that need typical wear and tear repairs. You won't be stranded in the LS430, that's pretty much guaranteed! I have never once been stranded. Nor has my car never started, or failed. It's had some suspension problems due to previous owner, but mechanically, they are probably the best car money can buy in that department. You buy the LS, and you won't think twice about MB again, especially after your experience with MB. It will feel like you have finally been freed from the repair shop prison. However, some of the 6'1 + guys on here have a tough time getting comfortable in the LS. But that's the 400 series, I"m not sure about the 430 series. They definetly look bigger on the outside. I agree with Swo: get rid of it and buy the LS. The car has been a nightmare for you long enough. It's worth any loss of minimal profit you might receive from a lawsuit to free yourself from the nightmare. One thing you might be able to do however is to have the MB dealership find you the LS430 that you want, and have them do the trade for you. You might have some grounds for an increased trade in value on yours by showing them good faith by giving them your business in general. PS: Was in Teaneck recently, nice area where you live!!

Tell me a little bit more about the symptoms and characteristics of the vibration..... Is it accompanied with a low humming noise? Do you feel it in the seat, or steering wheel, or all over in general? Does your rear view mirror vibrate quickly as well? Does it increase when you hit the brakes at that speed? Have you had the wheels balanced on the hunter machines? Pertaining to the hunter system. I believe all the Just Tires stores have these units. YOU WANT THIS SYSTEM. It doesn't cost anymore than a normal balancing job, but the equipment used is far superior than anything else on the market. www.gsp9700.com will show you who in your area has the machine. Most likely, it's probably just a tire out of balance. Or you have a warped brake rotor that needs to be turned. What year is your car and how many miles are on it? What have you serviced on the car, suspension related? I'm asking because the rear carrier bushings are usually one of the 1st to go, and they can cause this as well.

Which exactly the reason why in all of the TSB's issued for the car, this is the one that is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, which in Lexus Corporate Lingo translate into "case by case recall". If you present the fact that this problem has been reported to the national transportation and safety board several times from different people, they will most likely cut you a very good deal. They won't pay for it all, since the car is pretty old, but they will pony up on some. I would contact Corporate first, have them contact your local dealer and instruct them to fix your car. If you go to the dealership first, you'll just have to fight your way up the ladder, which will end up with Lexus Corp anyway calling the shots. It's best to go straight past all the road blocks and right up to the top. Lexus is fully aware of this problem. Do not accept an answer that sounds anything remotely like "well, it's a user defined glitch" or "let us adjust the TPS first to see what that does". If they start to wiggle their way loose, that's when you hit them with the information about the transportation safety board complaints. If you google the safety board, you should find their website. It takes some digging, but you'll find the complaints filled from other owners who site this exact reason for petitioning an official recall notice to be issued. Infact, you should probably see my complaint I filled two years ago about this. Luckily I had the dealership's 30 day / 3,000 mile warranty to use against them. It took some strong legal language, but they eventually caved and performed the TSB for free.

Rhetoric ;) Who dares correct the great Ricky Bobby?? Hahahaha.... :o I swear, I butcher the english language on this site so badly, you'd think I flunked the take-home Hooked On Phonics courses. I just start typing so quickly, and in between two different things going at once, that I spell the way it sounds....red'r-rick....aka...red'r-neck.

Josh & Meghan, Just thought I would post this. I have supplied the link below, but it will probably be broken as it is a local news story. Josh, your boys down in here in Fayetteville "Bragg" have never forgotten.... ...waiting for YALL'S return so we can have that Carolina' BBQ....Army style! http://www.wral.com/news/9710258/detail.html Incase it doesn't work, or doesn't load...here's the cut n' paste...sorry, i can't get the picture pulled over, as it's a video. FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- A tribute to 9/11 victims that is literally moving was erected Monday morning outside the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. Created from wreckage of the World Trade Center, "The Gate" stands 23 feet high and weighs about five tons. Upright steel beams represent the two towers, while squares of metal cascading down one side represent papers flying from the buildings as they collapsed on 9/11. The center of the sculpture, which was conceived by Greensboro artist Jim Gallucci, pivots and turns like a gate, allowing visitors to walk through it and touch it. Metal squares along the base are engraved with children's letters and drawings done in the wake of the tragedy. "Art's pretty powerful. Art can do a lot of things," said Gallucci, who initially constructed the sculpture last year on the campus of Elon University after petitioning New York authorities for permission to use scraps of the World Trade Center in a public art display. "It just wasn't a New York tragedy. It was really a national tragedy," he said. Workers spent more than four hours Monday assembling the sculpture, which will remain outside the airborne museum for a year. "It's fabulous. It's very exciting. It's a wonderful piece of work. It's very meaningful. It's powerful," said Sandy Klotz, of the museum. Sorry guys.....I've been good with the rederick lately, but this one is for one of ours...

STUPID DOG!!!!!! :chairshot: :chairshot: Why do they always have to play in traffic!!! I was doing so well.....but Fluffy's little tail brushed some bug guts off my bumper....and game over....

I think you have one of two problems. SK will correct me if I'm wrong though, becuase he knows this stuff A LOT better than I do. I think your aftermaket antenna is a possiblity. I also think with your new head unit, and you said they did something with your amp?? It sounds like a possible cause for what is known as a "ground loop isolator". Sounds like you might have a ground problem somewhere. I think why SK asked you if it changes with rpm's is because the higher the rpm's, the faster the alternator spins, putting out more electricity. A faulty grounding can pick up that extra electricity in the form of noise and static through the speakers.

I agree....The 460 is sweeeeeeet, but there is something about it that just doesn't jump up like the 06' LS. Maybe it's becuase it shares very similar design characteristics of the new models across the board. Perfect example is the tail lights for the GS, Camry, Avalon etc.... To me, in a strange way, it sort of looks like a fat GS model. But I agree that only a visit to the dealership to see one for myself will tell the tale. The thing I like about the LS is that you never have to take a second look to know it's the LS. Same goes for the older GS and ES. Each had a very distinctive design that made it their own, and only their own. Now, it sort of feels like all three share similar designs...Just in small, medium and large. I say you get the fully decked out 06' LS, and wait for the market to accept the new LS460's first, before spending that much money. Who knows, it might flop. I doubt it, but with something totally new, failure is always a possiblity. Either way, at some point I'll be up in DC again with some free time to give you a "southern's test drive" to show you what it can really do, Nascar style! Hahahaha Rubin's Racin' on the 395.

You know the thing I really enjoy about the LS models, is that you see bits and pieces of engineering in the newest, latest and greatest model from the generations past. They don't just build a model with the theory that in 3 to 4 years, we'll completely redo it. They built the car, and even in this current rendition of it, you can see elements from the 1989 model. I notice similar stitching in mine to the new one. They all have power steering wheels, they all have a nice big arm rest, similiar lighting on the dash...that sort of stuff. It's like they started with the 1989 model....and just kept on updating it to perfection with new technology available at that time. Now granted, this new LS460 monster is clearly the biggest leap sofar in updating, and WOW IS IT NICE! But I like it so much because I look at it and can say "mine does that too" and it's 11 freakin' years old. To me it demonstrates the confidence Lexus has always had from day one. They've introduced a few model lines, and have stuck to them until they're ABSOLUTELY perfect....then make a few more drastic changes and keep on tweaking to perfection....Just says they know they're good, they know they're better, and they especially know there is a following for the used cars. I hate it when a car maker comes out with a car that has the same badge as the previous, and they say "140 improvements". Makes me think to myself "what the hell is wrong with mine that required 140 improvemets?" and it also makes me think "if I buy this one with the 140 improvements, will I be missing out on the 160 improvements next year?" The LS doesn't do that. They just "tweak it" a little, year by year to make it fresh. I freakin' dig it! It's like Kewl says, people can't tell what year his car is. I get comments all the time from people who ride in mine that they can't believe it's 11 years old. Aside from lunatic maintence that I've done, it's the fact that mine still resembles the new ones in sutle ways. Damn great on resale values too! Rock on Lexus.....looking forward to my next one. You keep building them, and I'll keep on buying them. Well, used ones of course....too damn poor and cheap to buy a new one. Especially when they're so darn good!