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wadenelson

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  • First Name
    Wade

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  • Lexus Model
    SC401
  • Lexus Year
    1996
  • Location
    Colorado (CO)

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  1. Apparently there are some super techs posing as shadetree mechanics here if SC400 starter replacement TO THEM is "just time consuming " and "there is no difficult steps." Either that or I am a very, very bad auto technician. And Lexus dealerships "only" want $800 in labor strictly because they're greedy. Not! Here's my write-up. I just completed replacement of the starter on my '96 SC400. I'm an experienced tech and this job is a bear. +1 on the Harbor Freight t-handle "articulated" 3/8" ratchet. No, a flexhead GearWrench will NOT get you home. Without the HF tool (and luck) the job would have been utterly impossible. My guess is that 7/10 shadetree mechanics who start this job never complete it. Pay a shop whatever they want to do it for you, but MAKE SURE they've done one before or you are going to get a phone call saying they can't do it for the price originally quoted. Expect labor costs of $500-800. p.s. the "Alldata" instructions on how to do this job are incomplete and incorrect, and the diagrams damn near useless! The coolant bridge gaskets are NOT available from Lexus, you may find some on eBay IF you plan to remove the bridge. Some techs do, some don't, removing the LOWER EGR bolts in order to do so might take you an hour apiece or more. That's ASSUMING you can lift the bridge sufficiently to swap the gaskets out, I could not. Starter replacement is quite obviously the Achilles heel of this otherwise fine car. But nooooo! I read 3 or 4 stories on the Internet of guys who managed to change them out, like the posters above who stated "it's not too difficult!" Guess what. The guys who failed trying probably didn't post anything. This job took me approximately 8 days calendar time, 10-12 hours under the hood, ALONG with replacement of a half dozen rock-hard coolant and vacuum lines, TBI cleaning, trips to O'Reilly's, Internet research (where the @#$@!!! does that vacuum line go! To the power steering pump, where else!) etc. My stress level was a 13 on a scale of 10 when I realized you simply could NOT move out of the way all the things in the way of reaching those damn starter bolts. These ARE 20 year old cars, baked plastic parts like the VSV ports and the release "triggers" on electrical connectors (e.g. injector connectors) ARE going to break on you. And for some you can't get replacements! You DO need to replace the o-rings and gaskets on your injectors, or just pop $100 for a set of replacement injectors on ebay. SOME guys reportedly lower the rear of the tranny and use a six foot collection of swivels and extensions to loosen the starter bolts. That's probably the way to go, provided you have a lift and an impact gun, and a wingman "up top" to guide the socket onto the bolts. When you are all done you PROBABLY need to smoke the intake manifold and pressure test the cooling system BEFORE you start the car up, esp if you removed the bridge or recycled any gaskets. Expect a long crank as it has to re-pressurize the fuel rail, lines, etc. Seriously. If you don't know how to use the release "triggers" on electrical connectors, or how to use a PICK when they don't work right STILL without breaking them, you have no business under the hood. Try pushing IN on the connector FIRST, THEN press the trigger and pull out. And before you put them back on goop 'em up with dielectric grease, silicon goop, spark plug grease, it's all the same stuff. Get a $10 tube from NAPA and use it on connectors, hose insertions, spark plug boots, light bulbs... For rock-hard vacuum hoses and water lines, first CUT them off 1" away, then SLIT them with an eXacto knife, and then unwrap them from brittle vacuum ports (nip*ples). Picture #1 shows you all you'll see of the handle of a "long" 3/8" ratchet on the bolt. Think you're strong enough to break that loose? Picture #2 is overview. Coolant bridge NOT removed. Picture #3 lets you actually SEE those starter bolts on an engine removed from vehicle. Ignore red/green highlighting. Do you even SEE all the crap that's in the way of getting a wrench on those bolts??? Now put that motor back in the car and put a firewall, brake lines, and everything else under Heaven between you and those bolts. The scabs on my hand/forearm are just now coming off! Picture #4 is the Harbor Freight wrench you need. IF you get lucky it won't SNAP during the attempt. (I actually broke them loose with other tools and obtaining a 10 degree "swing" spent a half hour unthreading each. http://www.harborfreight.com/t-bar-with-3-8-eighth-inch-flexible-ratchet-98484.html Seriously. If you haven't been wrenching 10 years, possess every 14mm tool known to man, have the patience of Job, and are a registered mazzochist, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS REPAIR. I 100% discount the postings above suggesting it's "not too hard" and Lexus dealerships are "just being greedy" asking for 6+ hours of labor. (I could do it in six NOW given no broken plastic or hoses, etc) Decide for yourself which poster(s) is more credible. FAMOUS LAST WORDS: " if you have the time why not do it yourself! it's a good learning experience!" and "From looking at the Service Manual it doesn't look all that bad" Is there perhaps a reason we never heard from that poster(s) again???
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