Kennyr

I'm 51, a retired Volvo dealer mechanic. Now I am the marketing director for Charter financial Recources.

Theres only one tricky part about the install. You need a 10mm swivel socket to get at one bolt easy if I remember correctly. Or a universal swivel to put in front of your socket. Put some electrical tape around the swivel so it doesn't flop around on you.

From what I've been told all the left front door handles break sooner or later (including mine) so paying for and putting on a used one could be a mistake. I wouldn't do it but I wish you luck.

I play pool with a lot of guys in their 20's and they think I'm like some rich guy because I drive this pristine 91 Lexus. I keep telling them their used trucks and Honda Accords are worth more than my old Lex. For some reason they don't believe me though. 6 or 7 grand max. I don't even consider full insurance coverage for a car worth this little. In fact my insurance is 300 a year. My wife keeps telling me to get a new car but I just can't part with what I've got. I've got my time and some of my blood invested in this car. She wants me to also get a new fancy wedding band. I try to tell her its not the bling its the history I have with what's been on my finger all these years.

give up the dealers name and location, they earned it

Here's your chance to vent. Just the bad and the ugly, we can do Lexus dealer good stories next week.

In regard to the pr steering flush post today I would like to give you all a tip on removing tight hoses and rubber and plastic bellows. Yes that pr steering pump hose is a bear, but just use a heat gun (about 20 bucks at True Value) or a hairdrier to soften it up. Dont get carried away with the heat though. Use cloth gloves or a pry tool then because you don't want to burn yourself. Works like a charm. Mechanics dont fight petrified hoses, they cut em off or heat em up first. That's how I removed my pr steering hose a couple months ago. I didn't want to reuse the hose but I was too lazy to go for a new one.

Spray right into the slot the key goes in to loosen up the tumblers. It really sounds like this is your problem.

Sounds like a stuck lock cylinder. Take the key out. Now spray some penetrating lubricant, one with a straw on the end, WD40 or whatever into the lock cylinder. Insert the key and work the key till it turns. Hope this helps. Also maybe try your spare key. Your original may be worn out.

I have never put anything other than 87 octane in my 91 LS400 in the last 65,000 miles. No problems. The knock sensors do their job well. Auto makers have various reasons for what they write in their manuals. Volvo had a 5k oil change interval one year and then with the exact same engine, no mods to it said 7,500 the next year. Then 10k the next year. Lots of politics are involved here. If it doesn't knock and you want to save a couple bucks 87 will get er done.

Swell Lexus has a key sale going on. Here is the link: http://www.lexus-parts.com/partdetail.asp?...ubCategoryID=91 Use code "909RK" to obtain an additional Discount. It should come to $141 + $10 to have it cut. ← Marconi, Please write us a detailed note describing your take on the 98 compared to the 01. Does it ride the same, etc. Most of us own 90 to 97s and are probably thinking about moving up to a 98 or 01 some day. 90 to 97 are so similar it's not worth the switch, but 98 with all those extra horses is very tempting.

Thanks for this advice. Do you know if there would be a standard "o" ring kit for this. My potential local suppliers have not been too helpful so can you suggest any web based supplier who might have this? ← Mehullica has your answer. I have repaired this leak on 3 1st gen cars already including my own. Take out the o-ring and match it up (best possible) anywhere you can get one. I wrote about this in a previous post. After you empty the system just remove the bolt and pull the valve out. Fit the new o-ring, reinstall and charge with 2 1/2 cans R134 or till the bubbles are gone from the sight glass by the right front headlight assembly.

Try to start from the beginning and explain your problem. First symtoms etc.

I'm not sure what you mean by exciting. If you drive Z cars then exciting might be great handling and stick shifting. A LS isnt going to give you much of either of those two. You will get comfort, passion and pride of ownership. If your getting older and looking at giving your body a break then this is the car for sure. People look at my 91 and think it's no more than a couple years old. It drives like new also. An older LS400 has got to be one of the best deals out there. It looks like you already found that out. Buy that 92 and start giving us every detail about your car. Besides getting the car,look at all the new Lexus nut friends you will meet here! One guy calls his car Miss Lexus. I cant stand when my car gets dirty,my neighbors think I'm a freak. But they don't understand , they dont own a LS400.

Toyota electric fuel pumps have a reputation of lasting roughly 30 years / 500,000+ miles if the fuel filter is changed once in awhile (a restricted filter could theoretically cause the fuel pump to work harder and hotter) and if the owner doesn't drive with the gas gauge on the Empty mark alot (gasoline helps cool the pump). About the only Toyota fuel system component that may fail at high mileage is the fuel pressure regulator. And in the road salt / rust belt states corrosion may lead to problems with the wiring or relays in the fuel system ← That was a cheap shot about Chevy's. Not that I ever owned one. Actually I rented a couple of them and they tended to put a damper on these vacations. Seriously a lot of things break on these high milege LS's. Keeping a car running and looking perfect is the fun part for me though. Anyone can own a new car. What fun is that?

Fuel pumps seem to die within a milege range on lots of vehicles, therefore you could change them like changing your spark plugs etc. This keeps you from breaking down when your on a trip or during a work related function if you drive for work. In this case I guess its not an issue. It is nice how easy they are to get to on these cars.

The Lexus mechanic who advises me when I get in a bind told me they have changed a couple pumps. I change my filter every 60,000 miles. This last time some real dirty fuel came out of it. I blew through it and it was partially restricted compared to the new one. I had some bad fuel a while back, this could have plugged up the filter. Anyway thanks for the input. I guess I will just let my pump ride on. I read so much about control arm bushings etc. Mine at 145k are all looking real good still. My car spent the first 8 years in California and the last in Colorado.

I never see anything written about fuel pumps on this site. How long do they last and will the higher pressure pump offered for $130 on Lextreme work on a stock 91 LS400? Who else sells an inexpensive pump for this car?

You have to find the leak. If there truly is dye in the system it should show up somewhere. If not, you may have a leaking evaporator in the car. For this you need some freon or R134 in the system. Then check the air coming out the vents with an electronic leak detector. I would get your system over to R134 first then inject dye, then find the leak with a Black light and an electronic leak detector. Good luck

Yank it, the cluster comes out easy enough.

I just think if you spent the money to repair your car then you would have a nice car with lower miles and all new parts that go into the repairs. Either way your going to spend the money and either way you will have a nice car. Miles do matter. This means every mechanical component on the higher milege car has worked longer and has more wear. I'd feel much better driving around with a fuel pump that had 75k less miles on it etc. If the newer model looks and feels better to you go for it. I would at least try to get a 95 for some real changes instead of these minor changes. Crunch the numbers though. I think you are going to need a real inexpensive shop or do the work yourself to fix all your problems for a couple grand.

I would keep the car you have. You have way less miles on your own car. I wouldn't even consider swapping those two cars out.

That is possible. B) Did you ever replace the tranny pan gasket when you switched over to synthetic? It's not a bad idea as a preventitive measure. ;) ← When something leaks I fix it, not before. Synthetic oil isn't going to make it leak. I hope! So far I have never had any kind of leak except a couple a/c o rings on this car with 145k, and I do hate leaking cars.

Good to know.....I'm going to be switching from Toyota IV to Amsoil ATF soon myself. B) ← The Pan has never been off the Transmission. I dont intend to remove it either now that My shifts are smooth. The BG fluid is about 8 bucks a qt. I got mine for 5.50 since I used to work at this dealer and they still take care of me. Volvo changed to their own over priced synthetic fluid in 01 cars for an ungodly price. My old dealer fought with Volvo to qualify the BG universal as an adequate replacement. Volvo reluctantly approved after testing it and this large dealer uses the BG ATF for all its flushes. For all I know BG could be buying it from Ansoil and rebranding it!