husker

I would like to top my radiator fluid reservoir. What fluid should I add? Just mix any antifreeze + tap water (50% + 50%) and add it to the reservoir tank??

Thanks folks! Thanks for the valuable suggestions. I can't wait to set out for this long road trip! I read somewhere that if I fully load my vehicle (with household items and etc.,) and drive continuously at same speed (say 80mph) for 3 - 4 hrs on highway, it will be stressful to the transmission and the engine. Is that right? Do I need to take any extra care of my engine and tranny?

Folks! This weekend, I am planning on a Looooong road trip from Omaha, NE to Hartford, CT (1400 miles) approx. I am moving and driving my 98 ES300. It has 125K. Last week, I changed the oil with Amsoil Synthetic + Amsoil filter. Do I need to check or be aware of anything else regarding my vehicle? Is it ok to drive my car continuously 10 hours a day (ofcourse I'll stop for gas and food inbetween). Please share with me if you have any thoughts or experience.

This is the procedure I followed in my 98ES300 to set seat positions in my memory switch. 1. Insert the Key into the ignition. 2. Turn it to ON position (Dont start the car just on position) 3. Now make all the required changes and position your seat in a comfortable position and this is the position you want Lexus to remember when you come back :) 4. Now, press the SET button in one finger and press either 1 or 2 (wherever you want to load the current position) until you hear a BEEP sound. Remember: Both SET and either 1 or 2 should be pressed simultaneously. 5. After hearing BEEP your seat position is loaded in memory. 6. Test: Now, randomly change your seat position. Press the position button 1 or 2 (where you stored your comfy position). Your seat should go back to the programmed condition. You are done! NOTE: While dealing with memory switches either to set a new position or to switch from 1 to 2 you have to leave the KEY in ON condition, without starting the engine.

During the past long weekend, we went on a road trip covering 500 miles (95% highway milage) round trip. My 98 ES300 gave 25mpg on highway. I just used 89 Octane gas with 10% ethenol. I haven't tested my vehicle for complete city milage yet.

My memory switches doesn't beep. If I press either 1/2 it will change the setting, but the key must be left in the ignition. It beeps only when I try to do a new setting (pressing SET and either one of the buttons 1/2 simultaneously).

How and where can I test my oil for $25. Can you suggest me any specific place? ← Take a sample of the oil (in the supplied oil test conatiner) and then send it to them. I have listed some companies (below) and they will test the oil. Price vary by each place. http://www.oaitesting.com/ http://www.blackstone-labs.com/index.html http://www.butler-machinery.com/services/p...support_oil.asp So far OAI has the best price and the most results. All you need to look at is viscosity, TBN and OXD. If you have thick oil, low TBN and high OXD, you have a sludger. Example, if you oil was a 5-30 and is now a 5-50 look out. Or if your TBN is vary low and you OXD and NOX are like 60%, you have problems. ← Awesome! Thanks for the pointers mburn :)

How and where can I test my oil for $25. Can you suggest me any specific place?

Folks, Please help me!! I am desperate to try DYI for programming my Master Transponder key + FOB. To whole idea is to save $90 from my dealer, who charges 1 hr labor for programming :(

I contacted the Lexus customer satisfaction to find out whether my vehicle has a sludge engine. They put me on hold for a while, came back and said, to figure out if the engine has any problem, it seems that I have to take it to a Lexus dealer and only he can determine, whether my engine has a oil gelling/sludge problem. I am going for an oil change next week to MIDAS. I bought AMSOIL oil + filter thro' online store. I know I should have all the service done in proper intervals and this vehicle has records for all services and oil changes. But, why it should be Lexus? Before taking to the lexus dealer and spending some money for diagnostics, can any mechanic shop tell me if the engine has sludge? or does the engine needs to be removed and ripped open to figure out this problem?

I have the complete service record for this vehicle since Sep 1998 from my local Lexus dealer. As per carfax, this vehicle first registration date was 09/01/1998. The foll article from SynLube, http://www.synlube.com/sludge.htm, claims only ES300 vehicles manufactured between Aug 1998 - July 2001 have the sludge engine. I am not sure, if my car falls into this manufacturing date. How to find out?

I came across this article about synthetic oil. It clearly explains the history and chemistry behind syn oil and claims that all that big print "25000 miles/100% synthetic/full synthetic" may be just a _hype_. This is a very informative article about engine oils. See the URL below: http://www.synlube.com/synthetic.htm

Mine is also a 98 ES 300. I am the second owner and bought this car 2 weeks back. How will I know whether my car has a SLUDGE engine or not? Should I contact LEXUS? If it's a sludge engine, how can I go about replacing my engine? Is it free from LEXUS?

I got the above procedure for programming the immobilizer and keyless entry for 98 ES300 after search for a while from this forum. Do I need to program my immobilizer part before I try programming the keyless entry? Also, during the keyless entry programming process, the KEY, that need to be entered and removed and another time entered and turned to position ON; is it the old Master key I posses or the new Master key that I am trying to program. Please help me. I have to program this another key before the end of this long weekend. :(

This was posted by "BARTCAT" way back in 2003. This is a long process, but here's what you will need 1. Your new key 2. A MASTER KEY (one with the remote in it) already programmed to car. To program the transponder- (thats the immobilizer part): ------------------------------------------------------------------ sitting in dr. seat, put the master key in ignition, and turn to on.engine OFF. press the gas pedal 5 times to floor and release. now press brake 6 times (press and release) remove master key from ignition. install new key and turn to on...engine off. press gas to floor once. now wait. the security light will blink for about 45-60 seconds, then it will go off if you did it correctly. once the light is off, car should start. To program the remote part: --------------------------------- In drivers seat WITH DOOR OPEN. start with door unlocked. first put master key in ignition, turn to on, then back off and remove. using the lock/unlock button on drivers door. press lock.. then unlock 5 times.(lock,unlock,lock,unlock,lock,unlock,lock,un lock,lock,unlock) Close drivers door, open drivers door. Performe lock/unlock procedure again 5 times each. insert key in to ignition and turn to on, then back off and remove.(at this point the doors should lock and unlock by themselves ONCE) Now press both lock and unlock buttons on REMOTE. release after about 1.5seconds. now press just the lock button on remote. now open and close the drivers door a couple times to close programming. if you did it right, remote will now work. thats it..not too hard once youve done it a few times.

This might help ya. I made this a while ago. http://home.comcast.net/~94gsxr1100/lexus/oil/oil_sludge.htm ← Kudos to you. It's very good eye opener for customers like me, who just go by dealer's statements. Thanks! BTW, I really enjoyed your waterless cleaning tutorial section. I have the exact black 98 ES300 with grey border all around. I would like to give it a shot. Can you tell me what are the things I should buy (cleaning liquid, cloth etc.,) and where can I buy all these things. Man your car rocks!!

I have a 98 ES300 and I am also interested in steering wheel with wood trim.

There ya go... Now, I am hearing a positive feedback from a real experience. I am convinced. I am going to order 12 quart pack of ATM 10W-30 + 2 filters each for my 98ES300 and 96 Accord. My next question is that what is the best way to figure out whether my engine is a sludge engine or not? How can I measure the TBN and what is TBN?

It's time for next oil change for my car. I was reading lots of thread in our club about using AMSOIL synthetic oil. Today, I contacted Amsoil, tech support dept to get clarified on couple of things before going ahead with my order. The tech person suggested me to go with ATM Amsoil Synthetic Oil 10W-30. He said, I don't have to change oil for 25000 miles except that I need to change the oil filter at 12500 miles. I am in for a total shock. If this is true I don't have to change oil for next 2 yrs!!!. If I order online, all I have to spend is $70 (including shipping for 2 yrs worth of oil change). For me, it sounds too good to be true.

I see drastic price differences for changing timing belt + water pump + labor. What's all this? Shouldn't this be standard (within +/- $100) whereever you live in US. My dealer in Omaha, Nebraska charges $90/hr for labor. He says it's a 3 hr work atleast. So, he quoted me $866 just for the water pump. Having read all these replies, I am worried my dealer is ripping us off. In whole Nebraska state there are only 2 Lexus dealers (one in Lincoln and another one in Omaha) and both belong to the same person. He also owns a Toyota dealership in Omaha. Since, we don't have any other choice but for going to them, may be we are getting ripped off.

Recently I took a 2000 GS400 to my Lexus dealer for pre-inspection before purchase. It had 127K and there was no sign of 90K mile service. This is the milage when Lexus recommends to change the timing belt and water pump. I asked for the rate and they quoted me $866 for just water pump change. After hearing this, I shelved the idea of purchasing that vehicle and I wouldn't even want to know the rate for timing belt change. I am sure it will run to anywhere between $1600 to $2000 to change both including labor. Also, if I were you, I wouldn't go to any place other than Lexus dealer to have them changed.

I recently ordered a Master Key and FOB from Sewell Lexus for my 1998 ES300. I am looking for help to program my key and the fob. Any pointers? BTW, I already have one Master key + fob and the new one is a back-up set. Thanks in advance!

When I had problems with my power locks, I enquired about a keyless entry in a nearby Bestbuy. They have keyless entries starting from $200 including installation. The caveat is that your power locks should work. Even then, I am not sure, if those keyless entries will work for Lexus. Also, for 91 ES250 the keyless entry buttons comes on the Master Key head and it needs to be programmed to operate the door, trunk and ignition. Check out the price at www.lexus-parts.com. Prior to check-out use 909RK to get some discount. Oh, the other thing is you should already have a Master key to program your new key :)

I have a 98ES300 with 125K. If I drive @ 80mph on highway, the engine rpm would hover around 3000/3100. I also have a 96 Honda Accord with 113K. It does the same thing too...I am not sure, if I should get worried about this at all. I do all the regular maintainance stuff diligently and both vehicles are stock. Any insight Advance/Guru members?

Only one key came with the car, when I bought it from a pre-owned car dealer. I was thinking that was not the master key. I came to this forum to get help and remember, you re-directed me to one of the threads where you had info about the Lexus Immobilization program. So, I went to my Lexus dealer and requested him to contact Lexus for this purpose. But, my dealer refused to contact Lexus and proved me that the only key I own is _the_ Master key. It opened the trunk, glove box etc., and I was totally wrong He also explained me that the cut in the key shank will be same for both Master and Valey key but only the chip is different. Also, if I had gone through the route of replacing my ECU, my dealer said, it would cost me $300 labor for replacing the ECU and the first master key would cost me another $300 (key + fob + programming) Now, I am in the process of adding a Master key and Fob from Sewell Lexus, Dallas, TX.