wwest

The "HOT BODY" symptom you describe is typical of an internal failure, a shorted diode, in an alternator. My guess is that your mechanic is using the same resource each time for rebuilt alternators and his supplier is using sub-standard diode assemblies. Most alternators have internal voltage regulators and your mechanic may be moving the same FAULTY internal voltage regulator from alternator to alternator. But in order to result in diode and/or overheating the output voltage would have to be running too high but then you would be smelling the battery fluid as it "boils".

Yes, I drove only Fords from 1962 to 1992, some over 250,000 miles. Other than DIY overhaul of two of them at ~125,000 miles I never serviced the transmissions and NEVER had any problems.

The controlling ECU monitors the engine speed and compares that with the compressor rotational rate when the compressor is engaged. Compressor too slow and its disabled. For some reason the ECU "thinks" the compressor is not turning as fast as it should given a specific engine RPM. I would first check the sensor/detector that the ECU uses to sense compressor speed.

I'm in entire agreement with EVERY word.

It might be, but the A/C filter for the RX300 is more of a screen than a filter. There might be fungcide impregnated in the A/C "screen" but I highly doubt it. Raise the A/C filter to the sun light you will see more holes than a swiss cheese, can someone explain to me how are fungus and micro-bateria get killed if most of them are passed through? That may well be... But its also possible that like the oil on a K&N filter contaminating the MAF/IAT sensor, the anti-microbial chemical slowly wicks off and attaches to the "downstream" evaporator vanes where the microbes tend to breed.

Keep in mind that it is highly likely that the OEM filters have an anti-microbial chemical embedded in order to prevent the growth of mold and mildew spores within the dark, DAMP, and dank A/C evaporator plenum.

The blower will always run at a reasonably high speed until the cabin has cooled to or very near your temperature setpoint. Then the blower speed should be automatically lowered to a mere whisper, Unless the sun is shining brightly on the solar radiation sensors. I sometimes lay a book or some object over the sensor (my 2001 has only one) to combat this problem.

The way the Lexus techician/mechanic told me he did it with my 92 LS400 was up on a lift with the engine running, in gear, and brakes lightly applied. The Trac portion of ABS activates resulting in the old brake fluid otherwise trapped with those parts of the system being "circulated".

In my 2001 AWD RX300 I can shift down into 3rd by disabling O/D. If I wish to go into second there is a shifter "notch" for that too, as there is for 1st. But, unless you are already down to the roadspeed range wherein a downshift to any of the lower gears is appropreate as determined by the engine/transaxle ECU you don't really have much control as to when the downshift will actually occur. Also keep in mind that you're driving a FWD vehicle. On a slippery roadbed a downshift into second at the top end of its roadspeed range might result in enough engine lagging torque, "braking", to/at your front wheels that there is complete lose of traction with the roadbed, possibly resulting in loss of directional and an accident. Obviously a comparable downshift into 1st would result in an even higher level of engine braking and therefore would be much more hazardous in those circumstances.

Okay, glad to see my math wasn't whacko, just missed the fact that the traction battery can only put out 40HP peak. Anyone know why they would use an AC synchronous motor of 150HP rating if the battery is only good to 40HP..??

Unless my math is whacko the Camry hybrid is already "faster" that your ES300, maybe even faster than the ES350. The Camry hydrid ICE produces 147HP and the electrics kick in another ~150HP. Overall torque is in the range of 350 ft/lbs. Adding an SC would undoubtedly kick in another 15% from the ICE while likely improving the highway cruise FE substantially.

Even worse...!! The oil on the K&N wicks off in the turbulent intake air stream and eventually coats the MAF sensor and the dirt on top of that and now your A/F mixture goes out of whack and soon the catalytic converter has failed.... Dyno tests indicate that a K&N filter is only beneficial, 3-5%, at WOT and at or near maximum engine RPM. Absent WOT the throttle butterfly valve is THE major flow restriction. The best and easiest way to improve your FE is to operate the A/C in a dramatically more efficient method. Turn the control to max cooling and then use the blower speed to regulate your comfort level. If the system doesn't default into recirculate then manually make it so.

But pleased..........??

Lexus salesman just informed me that the Camry Hybrid will not be used as a Lexus ES hybrid base because Lexus drivers are more POWER oriented, example being the RX400h. With 700 volts available I would think that that a blower type supercharger would be quite viable to raise the Atkinson I4's HP/Torque into a more acceptable "Lexus" range. The higher the drive frequency used means the SC's AC drive motor size at a given HP can be much smaller than with a lower frequency. And the SC could just "idle" along, very little power consumption, supplying only atmospheric pressure at the inlet unless/until WOT is used.

So if my heater doesn't work in the winter, that's a clear sign of what? That's a clear sign that the push/pull cable from the remix servomotor inside the A/C plenum is no longer attached to the HOT water flow control valve inside the engine compartment at the top center of the firewall. Or the valve itself is simply stuck closed. If everything is working correctly the cable should move the valve from fully closed to fully open as you go from max cool to max heat.

My own practice was to run the engine with the A/C on. The compressor will not actually run until enough refrigerant (as vapor) has entered the low side to raise the overall pressure above the "too low" limit switch. Once the compressor starts to cycle it will defintely be an aid in "sucking" the refrigerant from the container. But my approach to how to tell when the system is full differs somewhat. As Monarch says turn the system to max cold (be sure to over-ride the automatic mode switch to recirculate back into FRESH) and be sure the blower goes to max high. It's a good idea to open the windows or doors at this time so the cabin does not actually cool down. If the evaporator air flow is too low (clogged filter, inlet blocked with leaves/debris?) then it will be possible for the evaporator exit air temperature sensor to sense/detect that the evaporator surface temperature is declining to a freezing level and that might result in the compressor being cycled off before the system is filled. Once the system is filled, topped off, the compressor will begin to cycle on and off due to the refrigerant pressure on the high side reaching a maximum level. If you're doing this outside in the open air above 75F you can stop here. Otherwise my guess would be that when the compressor starts short-cycling, "on" time less than 5 seconds or so, you should stop the "fill" As I have said before, as/when the compressor cycles "on" shortly thereafter you will see a transition in the sight glass from a total void, to a series of bubbles, than "solid" liquid flow, this latter looking EXACTLY the same as a total void. Some modern day systems can restart the compressor before the liquid refrigerant in the sight glass is totally exhausted, used up, and in that case you NEVER see bubbles, only an EMPTY or FULL sight glass. Now the only way to tell that the system is topped off with refrigerant is by the fact the compressor is cycling on and off and the cabin cooling capacity is satisfactory. Of course you can always FORCE the compressor OFF manually and watch for the liquid to bubble to EMPTY transistion and vice versa for compressor ON.

The "low", suction side, of an A/C system begins "downstream" of the metering device into the evaporator and to the inlet side of the compressor. "High" side, begins at the output of the compressor. Compressed, high pressure "gas"flows to the condensor, is cooled to liquid form. Liquid refrigerant is typically beyond the condensor, to the dryer/reservior and now back to evaporator metering device.

Pardon me, but liquid into the "low" side will likely result in a failed compressor (once it is started) in relatively short order. Personally I would connect the refrigerant cannister to the low side, cannister top side up and below the fill valve, then wait for system pressure to equalize with the cannister pressure.

Why bother..?? Rare failure, OEM isn't that costly anyway.

Please keep in mind that your AWD RX330 is front torque biased in the range of 95/5 F/R. Use of engine compression braking on a FWD or front biased AWD can be unsafe in the best of conditions, throw in a little slipperness on the roadbed and now you've moved to HAZARDOUS driving conditions for engine compression braking. That may very be at least part of the reason so many complaints are being logged about the engine/transaxle delay/hesitation symptom seemingly unique to Toyota/Lexus V6 FWD or front based AWD vehicles. Upshifting FWD vehicles during coastdowns to prevent loss of directional control may very well be factory safety feature.

Generally it's mounted behind/on the front bumper in front of the A/C condensor. -22F indicates a complete open which is more likely a broken connection or wiring.

Generally it's mounted behind/on the front bumper in front of the A/C condensor. -22F indicates a complete open which is more likely a broken connection or wiring.

SURE.

may I see some pix of the damage one first to ktranne9@yahoo.com. Thanks. One more thing: I'm sorry I posted on this thread but I don't have enought posts in order to post in "buy, sell" forum. They don't have anything much for rx300/330 in "buy and sell" forum anyway. hehehe. Revised proposal... I'll replace the damaged one via ebay and sell you the lot for $300.00.

You may be correct, I cannot despute gear fatique becoming a factor, but on the other hand once your brake pads' frictional surface is completely worn away....