greenie

I had a similar starting problem with my wife's '94. It turned out to be the battery terminals. These terminals deteriorate over time like shocks and eventually power flow becomes problematic. I bought new positive and negative terminal assemblies from the local Toyota parts department and replaced the old corroded ones. The old ones were a real bear to remove even after soaking them in penetrating oil so take your time. Don't forget anti corrosion felt washers when you re-assemble everything. Once I replaced these terminals the starting problem went away. The terminal assemblies were $12.42 each out the door. Although this solved my individual problem other electrical gremlins may be at work here. Hope this helps.

Sorry to be a johnny comes lately but you've probably already had this fixed. Local labor rates in my neighborhood are in the $80 per hour range with one hour minimum so add parts to that. But for future reference see below: If it's the lower radiator hose then it's not that difficult to change out. Just awkward. Drain the coolant, remove the front belly pan (this is the awkward part if you don't have a lift) to gain access to the lower hose connection. Remove the clamp. If the car still has the pinch type clamps toss them in favor of the stainless screw type. Top clamp is easy to access. Once the clamps are off remove the old hose, slide the new clamps over the new hose and re-attach. Don't forget to re-install the belly pan. Refill with fresh anti-freeze. I recommend the Toyota red. I've changed out the radiator and hoses on my wife's ES300 (took me a little over two hours) and it's not a big deal, just pay attention to details.

Even though synthetics cost more than conventional oil there is peace of mind knowing that you have the best possible lubricant in your engine. I've been using Mobil 1 for years in my 1994 ES300 with over 210K on the clock and I never have to top up between changes. I also use synthetic in my transmission and power steering.

I replaced the antenna mast on my wife's '94 ES300 a couple of years back. Before I installed the new mast I removed the passenger side trunk panel to gain access to the antenna mast tube and motor. I then unplugged the wiring harness and removed the motor assembly. Once I had the motor assembly on my work bench I removed the cover (I can't remember if it had screws or bolts) to the gear box and found small fragments of the old nylon retractor/extension tape all mixed up in the grease and around the gear. I cleaned out the gear box and repacked it with lithium grease and re-installed the motor assembly before inserting the new mast and retractor/extension tape. I'm not sure what the proper lubricant is for this part but I have not had any problems with the antenna for going on 2 years and it is quiet as can be. Not difficult, just time consuming.

I pull the dip stick out just enough to vent the crankcase then remove the drain plug and let the pan and internals drain down. Allow about 20 minutes for the filter to drain down while the engine drains out. This is the best way to eliminate spillage unless you're in a big hurry. This method works so well on my son's Camry I have yet to spill a drop removing the filter.

Overheating is usually indicative of poor maintenance practices. E.G. thermostat not functioning properly, water pump, slipping drive belt, clogged or defective radiator or a coolant leak in the system. Other variables could enter into the equation but that's where basic cooling problems usually crop up. My '94 has never had an overheating problem but that's because I'm very picky about preventative maintenance procedures. Has the present owner experienced these cooling problems? If not I would not be too concerned with the overheating caveats. You can usually tell by close inspection whether or not a car has been abused. I can't address the engine swap question so maybe someone else can steer you in the right direction here. Engine swaps especially on intricate and highly engineered cars such as Lexus could be problematic due to the electronics involved in engine management systems. Not trying to discourage you but be prepared for Murphys law. I wouldn't get too radical on up-sizing wheels because of alignment and handling issues. Take your time and shop carefully.

I assume that is tranny only and no diff here. Add in the diff you are at like 4 qts +/- Page 3 of General Specifications: (A541E transmission) Differential Capacity: 0.85 liters (0.9 US qts, 0.7 Imp qts) Fluid type: ATF Dexron II

You might need to double check but I believe your '97 ES 300 has an A541E transmission, same as my '94 ES 300. If so then the following specs would apply as to capacities. I have a pdf on the A541E but it exceeds the max. single upload size for this site. If you think it might be of use I could email it to you. I did a total flush and refill of mine with Mobil 1 synthetic and experienced a noticeable improvement in smoother shifting if that's possible. The transmission shifted very smooth before the trans flush however. Do it yourself and you know its done right. I had heard the myth of "flush it and it fails" but this has just not been the case with my '94 with over 200K on it. If you're interested in doing it yourself let me know and I'll post the procedure. It's really easy and takes a couple of hours the first time you do it but this time frame can be trimmed once you get the hang of it. Incidentally, DO NOT OVERFILL! I don't believe it has a vent. RE: Fluid type: Dexron II or equivalent Capacity: Total: 6.75 liters (7.1 US qts, 5.9 Imp qts) Drain and refill: 3.5 liters (3.7 US qts, 3.1 Imp qts) Hope this helps.

Dashusa.com can help you with this problem. All of the needles except the fuel gauge had "burned out" on my '94 ES300 so I had my dash assembly removed by a local mechanic and then I shipped the assembly (prepaid return shipping) to Steve at Dashusa. Be sure to wrap the assembly in several layers of bubble wrap then surround this with 5 or 6 inches of foam peanuts to protect the assembly. They replaced the needles and shipped it back for approximately $360 two years ago. The local mechanic charged $100 to remove and replace the assembly. Dashusa did a great job and the new needles look better than the old ones in my opinion. Have not had any problems with the repair. I highly recommend them.