raymsixsix

So the EGR tube fixed it? That would've been my guess, as your engine in the video seems to run really loud (my '94 Miata had a broken EGR pipe and sounded kind of like that).

Hehe, yeah that quited her down a bit. She used to sound like a muscle car LOL

Very well, next time I'm in I'll specifically ask them to check/change/clean the Solenoid on the Power Steering Rack.

Well guys, I took her in to the shop and got most of the issues addressed. They replaced the high pressure hose for the power steering system leak. Replaced the EGR pipe that had a huge hole. Did a tranny flush, as well as replaced a brakepad wear sensor. Also, a four wheel alignment. I'm guessing that the EGR played a big role in the idling and starting issue as both are almost nonexistant anymore. I'm going to try and tackle the throttle body cleaning myself and see how things turn out. Thanks again guys for all your input.:cheers:

ray;

I post this so much, I'm even bored with myself. The high pressure hose for the P/S is merely the symptom. The root cause of the problem is the P/S Rack solenoid screen/filter. It is clogged and it is causing the P/S loop pressure to go up to the point where leaks occur. You need to get the screen/filter cleaned. If you don't take care of it soon, your new hose and your P/S pump will leak (again). The leaking fluid gets into the alternator (directly below it) and ruins the alternator, which in turn, ruins the battery.

If your shop didn't know about it, they probably aren't conversant enough to work on your car long term. It's a bit of an obscure problem in general, but very common on LS's.

According to them the pump/screen was fine and it was the hose that had a hole in it and was leaking. Either way, I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Well guys, I took her in to the shop and got most of the issues addressed. They replaced the high pressure hose for the power steering system leak. Replaced the EGR pipe that had a huge hole. Did a tranny flush, as well as replaced a brakepad wear sensor. Also, a four wheel alignment. I'm guessing that the EGR played a big role in the idling and starting issue as both are almost nonexistant anymore. I'm going to try and tackle the throttle body cleaning myself and see how things turn out. Thanks again guys for all your input. :cheers:

Pop

Count Choc-ula :)

Good for you! Welcome to the LOC

Turtles

Sneak

Off topic, but it's forecast to be 25 degrees here in Brandon, FL (suburb of Tampa) tonight. We hardly ever get it that cold here... Then it'll warm up to almost 70 by tomorrow afternoon LOL.

Reman

Man, that looks hot. I said it five years ago when I was selling cars, that Hyundai was on an aggressive mission to get to the lead of the pack. I said it will be a nice car one day, and as each year goes by, they keep getting better and better. SW I agree with you that they should have made a luxury division because marque/brand bears quite a heft here in the US.

Sow

Every time I see or hear a reference to "Karma", it reminds me of this story...

My wife and I had been vacationing in Yosemite and were driving home to Los Angeles on the interstate near Fresno.

We had the RX300 and it was loaded up with camping and hiking junk, and we also had our mountain bikes stuffed inside the RX because we didn't have a bike rack for the hitch. Basically we are fully loaded front to back, bottom to top.

As usual, the RX is eating up road and we are comfy and safe, enjoying the trip back and looking forward to recovering from our strenuous vacation of hiking and biking.

We pull off the interstate to get some gas, and while filling up, I see an older American sedan pull in and the right-rear tire is on the rim. "Man, that sucks" I think to myself, and turn my attention back to the task at hand. I finish filling up and cleaning the windshield and wait a moment while the wife finishes her "potty stop" and the inevitable shopping excursion.

I again look up and notice the sedan with a flat, and now the driver is out of the car to evaluate the situation and is helping his wife out of the car for her to look as well.

The couple is an older black couple, age hard to tell. Certainly they are in their late 60's, possibly as old as 80's. They are dressed to the nines. The gentleman is wearing an older suit with vest, stick pin and french cuffs with links. His wing-tips glisten from across the lot. His wife is wearing a nice dress and clunky heels, she is fully accessorized with delicate gloves and a hat with a short veil around the brim and a small clutch. I think you get the point: a nicely dressed elderly couple, obviously headed to some event or another and now stranded by a flat.

My wife was finally getting belted in and stowing her payload of candy, gum and soda. I looked over and told her we were going to be a few minutes. I pulled up to the couple and their sedan and jumped out to give them a hand.

I mean really...everyone would stop under these circumstances, right? I got out and introduced myself to the gentleman, shook his hand and asked him if I could change his tire for him. He initially said he would be able to do it, and I assured him I was sure he could do it too, but insisted that he simply wasn't dressed for the occasion. :) He agreed with that, laughed and thanked me while helping me find the spare and tools. The spare is at about 5 PSI, of course, because it hasn't seen the light of day in 20 years, so I rolled it over to the 50 cent air dispenser and filled it up.

During the tire change, my wife is talking to his wife and apparently they are headed to one of their granddaughter's wedding and are actually running a bit late. I kick up the tire change pace a bit and we get them ready to go. I am filthy from the task, but that is to be expected, right? Better me than him. Tire change complete.

They are grateful and he tries to hand me $5. I wave the tip away, apologize that I can't shake his hand because I am so filthy and wish them a happy event and good luck. The couple pile into their car and head off to the wedding.

Here is where Karma kicks in:

As we pull onto the highway, my wife tells me she is proud that I stopped to help the couple and I brush it off telling her that my tire change karma account is full-up for the foreseeable future. :D

I am sure most of you know what I am talking about here and can relate. Service to others and charitable giving is its' own benefit. I served in the submarine service, I give blood regularly, annually we support the Marines and their awesome Toys for Tots program and my wife is a director for a major national charity...we know what giving feels like and frankly it feels good.

Anyway, we get into traffic and roll up to my standard 80-85mph highway cruise speed. We are talking about how people used to get dressed up to fly on airplanes and to go out to dinner back in the old days the elderly couple were from. Bla bla bla, just small talk you know, and it starts to happen.

I start to hear a rapid tick-tick-tick noise from the rear of my RX...

I check the mirrors and look to see if I am dragging something...nope. The noise is becoming a bit more insistent: tack-tack-tack! Right now, I am passing a tractor-trailer, but I get around him and lift slightly to prepare to pull over and see what the hell is going on with my car.

As I am checking my right mirror, the noise becomes more of a thup-thup-thup and then BLAM! The right-rear tire disintegrated and I actually saw the tread fly up off the back of the car and bounce along the highway. Luckily I was already slowing down and I quickly got myself off the side of the highway.

I had never seen a tire come apart quite so completely in my life!

Thanks Karma! I figured I would dodge the flat tire bullet for several years at least, but only managed to make it about 8 miles. Grrr.

To add insult to injury, I had to totally unload the packed RX so I could get to the spare, change it out, and then repack the car with all our junk. It was a 45 minute ordeal on the side of the interstate...and how many people stopped? Not a one. :(

Thats OK, I was glad to help regardless, but from that day forward any reference to "Karma" reminds me of this story and I smile.

Sorry for the long post! Anyone else have a Karma story?

Great story Billy. My grandmother always says to me, "not all dissappointments mean misfortune." As far back as I can remember she always said that to me whenever something annoying, or minor setback would take place. I'm sure what she meant was that sometimes these things happen to keep you out of a worse situation. Being she's a christian, I'm sure she implied that there was some greater power than our own at work, in the grand scheme of things.

meanwhile, until your "thang" gets "wet"...back to the original topic:

have you decided what to do with the "2"? are you going to take the emblems off?

from a previous thread of yours: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...c=53048&hl=

it sounds like you already removed and lost the emblems. so, did you buy them again, put them on, decide you hated the "2", and then forget how to remove them again?

LOL

Mennonite

Counterfeit

derriere

Sledge

Tower

Peroni

Blue Moon

I've always liked the name Madison. Although naming a Lexus, Mercedes might be heresy, I still think it's a pretty name. Gwenivive is another favorite.

Executive

Classic Rock---------->of Gebraltar

Ensemble