backwoods lex

My favorite thing about ONR is that it last a long time. It only takes two capfulls for two gallons of water. I bought the 32 ounce bottle months ago and have used it many, many times. It works great when you use a wool mit to wash and plush microfiber to dry. I don't like it as a quick detailer though. I tried it once (I should have just washed it in a bucket solution of ONR) and it swirled my freshly polished paint from a week before.

When I get a LIGHT amount of dust on my car, I sometimes use the California Car Duster. It works great for a day or two after a wash, but you have to use it gently.

I've got a 2000 es, and my manual said it requires type IV. I would switch to a synthetic myself, but I don't want to risk having any problems from putting in the wrong type of fluid.

Before you buy any ATF, call around to the dealerships to see how much it is. Around VA and MD, they charge anywhere between $4-6 depending on where you go.

I have some post that don't reccomend pennzoil dino for oil.

A while ago, I actually figured out how many drain and fills it would take to get from 100% contaminated atf to 100% clean fluid. I think it was something like:

1st drain 8 quarts (old atf - 4 quarts drained)0% + 4quarts 100% =33% clean

2nd drain 8 quarts (old atf now at 33%) + 4 quarts 100% =55% clean

3rd drain 8 quarts (old atf now at 55%) + 4 quarts 100% =70% clean

4th drain 8 quarts (old atf now at 70%) + 4 quarts 100% =80% clean

and on and on...

Is this right?

If you do it with the syringe method, you are going to leave a lot of sediment that lies near the bottom of the transmission pan. I have a 2000 es, and changing the ATF is actually easier than changing the oil. Just make sure you use type IV toyota ATF when you do it. There is a page somewhere on the site that shows how with pictures.

I have the same problem on my car. I'm certain it is not a belt issue because it still happened even after having the timing and serpentine belts replaced. This is the only car that I've ever seen that in.

On my old school regular cloth headliner, I have great luck with Tuff Stuff upholestry cleaner. You can spray it on a microfiber mitt and wipe gently at the headliner. It has removed ugly smoker stains on my headliner. I even managed to get spaghetti sauce or ketchup off a friends headliner. It also brings a uniform look colorwise.

Always test a inconspicous area before using any material on the upholestry.

Sorry to steal the thread guys, but I was wondering if the 303 wiper treatments contain the same chemical as the 303 protectant. Are they different chemicals?

What is the ac plenum? I feel a little dumb because I have no idea what that is.

I might try something in the next week. Thanks for the replies guys.

Funny, for me it is the opposite. My car shifts better with premium. I think it is because the higher octane provides more power. The transmission typically shifts more smoothly when the RPM's are lower. When I use 87, the gears wind out more to meet the requirements of my foot on the pedal, thus the harsher shifts. I thought I was crazy at first until I actually thought about it.

Anthonyiez, I used to get the pinging with 87 until I seafoamed the engine. I did 2 treatments and now I can save $$$ by buying the 87.

I noticed that the subwoofer in my ES is free air and has no box (come to think of it, I guess all car speakers are that way). Has anyone ever tried to build a makeshift box around the factory sub? I would have already tried it by now, but I'm so busy anymore that it is tough even to find time to wash my car. I don't mean moving the sub somewhere else, just building the box under the speaker in the trunk.

If you look in the "general maintenance" forum, all of the codes and instructions are pinned on the first page.

I've got those rims on my car, and I'm not the biggest fan. The face of the wheel seems to be stainless steel (I'm not sure...is it?) and the inside of the spokes and lip are painted and clearcoated. It has always looked funny to me. I'm gonna try to repaint them in the future if I can find enough "how to" information online. More power to you if you like them.

Have you tried tirerack.com? They have a ton of wheels.

Starting your car with no oil in it would be a very bad idea.

That is a very thorough and professional write up. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!

My favorite is lexol conditioner. It has a wood/leather like smell that smells natural. I bought mine at pep boys for around $10, and others have said it is at target. If you buy it, spray a small amount on a damp microfiber towell and rub it into the seat. Use it sparingly. Then buff it with a clean towell. If you apply too much you tend to get a slimy look on the seats.

I used to use the armor all leather wipes and found them to be too slimy. Meguiars 2 in 1 leather wipes were WAY too slimy for me also.

Oh, and don't forget to clean the leather first. Try mixing 1 part woolite to 5-10 parts of water. It works great.

If you are interested in preserving your vehicle for many miles, I would be sure to do regular drain and fills of the transmission fluid and switch to a synthetic oil if you are not using one. That would greatly reduce any chance of oil gelling in the engine.

I went to a local toyota dealer and got the timing belt, water pump, drive belts, and new coolant for around $525 and it took less than 1 day. Try a local toyota dealer. Good luck!

Do you know what type of pads are on the vehicle? I made the mistake of putting cheap $20 pads on mine from autozone and wound up using the money I saved on lots of aspirin from all of the sqeaking. OEM pads are a lot more quiet and they can be purchased from the local toyota parts department.

This guy did a great write up of removing struts. It has some pictures of the rear seat removal that might help you.

http://michalscheck.com/lexus/struts/struts.html

Thanks lexusk8. I was hoping to do one axle at a time, but that is just gonna be more expensive. I appreciate the help.

Thanks for the info lexlogic. I was hoping to be able to do the whole job myself but I guess that's not possible. Feels like I'm riding in my dad's old '85 F-100 right now.

One more question: If I get the front struts done and then get an allignment, would I have to get another allignment done if I do the rear struts later?

When changing struts, do I need a vise to separate the strut and spring after removal, or will the spring simply come out when I remove the strut from the vehicle? It is a 2000 ES. Just curious if I can do it myself or if I have to take it to a shop. Thanks for any help.

Hey guys. Sometimes when I back up my car I hear the brakes squeak. It sounds like when the pads are worn and the indicator makes noise, but I pulled off all four wheels and the pads all have a lot of life left on them. It never happens when traveling forward, but always happens when I first back out of a driveway or parking spot. It does not happen after regular driving. Only when you first get in. My rotors are warped though. The car vibrates a lot when braking at highway speeds. I'll replace those by the end of the summer. Thanks for any help.