fblonk

Hello, I usually post on the LS forum, but I am looking at a 02 GS300, so I was doing some homework before I bought. I have always loved the Bimmer 7, it is elegant, sporty and fast. The problem comes down to what do you want? The lexus ls is a true luxury car. There is nothing like it. It is dependable, quiet, and powerful enough to get the job done. (I have had mine to 130 mph +) There is no sportyness to it. It just oozes luxury. If you want pampering and reliability, Go with the LS. You won't regret the decision.

Toyota sells the gasket called FIPG (form in place gasket) comes in a tube and costs around $25 (US). It works very well and is extremely reliable.

Hello, I am looking at a 2001 LS 430. I currently own a 98 LS 400 and love it. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on any common problems that I should be aware of. I would greatly appreciate any feedback. The 2001 has 79K on it and looks great. I am going to see it next week. Fblonk

Jimmy, If the Lysol trick does not work, You can get an evap cleaner from (gulp) a gm dealership. I have a friend that is a lead tech at a Buick dealership and he claims the stuff works great. It is a can that injects into the evap drain tube and foams up into the evap. You let it sit for 1/2 hour and run the a/c on high and the system cleans out. removes all mold and smells. Very common here in florida. To prevent it from happening again, when running the a/c use fresh air intake for the last 10 minutes of use, it seems to keep the mold from growing. Hope this helps. Fblonk

Hello, I have a 98 ls and what I did for the air filter is I went to walmart and purchased a micron filter for the home system, cut a piec out as big as the cabin filter and put that in. The wife, who has bad allergies, was having a problem with dust and this filter works well in the house, so I put one in her car. It is a lot cheaper and traps more contaminants, so the system stays cleaner. Hope this helps. Fblonk

Hello, I have an update: The transmission mount was in 2 pieces, and replacing it has cured the engine vibration. The motor mounts "look" ok, I probably will replace them in the near future, but for now the engine is smooth when running. The front end is a different story. We have checked the ball joints on both sides and they are fine. the front end has no play, but I still get a vibration in the steering wheel at 60 + mph. I am going to take the advise of some of you and have a road force balance done. I will reply later with results. Another question: I noticed the vacuum valve on the power steering pump is leaking and I am going to replace it. It looks like every other toyota vacuum valve. Is there a toyota number? Is it a crossover part to toyota? any reply would be appreciated, Thank you Fblonk

Thank you for the replies! To answer some questions and add more points to the story: I have the original rims that lexus supplied, so no custom work has been done. I have had 2 different rims and 3 different tires on the left front, and when the tire is on the left rear it is fine, so I know the problem is in the suspension and/or bearings. The vehicle was in a minor collision in the front but all looks good (myself and my buddy who owns a mechanic shop specializing in Toyota/Lexus looked and saw no physical damage). The shop that fixed it did decent work. I have not had time to mess with the vehicle (I own a business) but I will reply back with my finds/solutions. Thank you again for all the great replies, some of the things mentioned I didn't even think about. Fblonk

Hello, I am new to the club, and have been reading some threads, but have not found anything pertaining to my issue. I have a 98 ls 400 w/ 110K miles and I have 2 vibrations I am tracking down. I recently purchased this car and have all records of services done up to date. First is an engine vibration around 1800 rpm. If the car is in park (or neutral) and the engine is revved up to 1800 a vibration can be felt. it clears around 2800 rpm. in gear it is also very noticeable. some info: all services were done at a local lexus dealership, and every required service has been done. I have checked the plugs and they look good, but should be changed in about 10K miles. the car idles perfect, no hesitation or stumble and all looks ok from underneath and above. Could it be the harmonic balancer? this is where I am heading, but would like to know if there is a way to check this component. The second vibration is the front left tire area. The car had new tires on it when purchased (9000 miles on goodyears). I was getting a bad vibration around 40 - 55 mph from the front left. I had the tires rot and balanced, and it was slightly better. I then put on new michelins and it still improved a little. I had an alignment done with the new tires. I have jacked the vehicle and did not fine any play in the tire. Rotors and brakes were replaced by lexus of jacksonville within the last 2000 miles. I have noticed from threads that some owners were having problems with lower ball joints. could this be the culprit? I am looking for some assistance. any help is appreciated. Thanks!