chilkoot

I tried to remove the bolt after I removed the belt (LexLS tutorial says to remove crank pulley bolt after taking the timing belt off), so it's not still aligned with the cam pulleys, and after the socket broke it was spinning freely on starter power (maybe 1/2 sec though), so there's no telling how far it spun. thanks LS400 fan, exactly what I was looking for. To clarify, when I hear the whoosh will the crank be at 0 and it's at TDC, or will the crank be at 0 and that's the beginning of the compression stroke and I need to do another full turn, or will I hear the whoosh somewhere in between 0's and I keep turning clockwise until the next time it's at 0? thanks mucho! i owe you guys. on another note i replaced the (stock) spark plugs today with NGK iridiums, and while I'm impressed that they ran 130k miles I'm amazed I wasn't getting any misfires with the condition they were in. holy hell our ignition systems must be incredibly powerful to push electricity through those old factory plugs and wires. it idled a little low (500rpms) before I started, but idle was steady and it revved fine. the people at Advance Auto are joking about starting to charge me rent, today was day 3 there and I have to wait another 3-4 for my chain wrench to get here. sigh.

I got it off, gently prying with a crowbar as I rotated the assembly worked like a charm, though I'm amazed it didn't mess up the threads on those bolts as tightly as it fit around them. thanks SRK. now to find crank TDC and wait for that chain wrench to arrive .

So I broke three 1/2"-3/8" reducers trying to use my starter and a breaker bar to get the crank pulley bolt off. I realize now this was stupid, I won't try it again I promise. I set the engine to TDC and removed the timing belt first, so my cam pulleys are in the correct position, but now I don't know which rotation the crank is on, so just putting the mark to O could be off by a full 360 degrees, right? I've ordered a CW-24 chain wrench ($50 shipped from shop.com) and will now be doing it the correct way, lesson learned. Can I check for crank TDC through the #1 cylinder after I remove the spark plug? Is it easy to do? Thanks all.

I've removed the four nuts holding the fan clutch on, but it's still not wanting to come off. Is there some special trick to remove it, did I miss a bolt or two somewhere or do I just need to go at it with a pry bar? I figured i'd ask before I did something stupid and screwed myself, thanks for the help!

sounds like your o/d isn't engaging, make sure it's not turned off.

When I got this car I filled the tank. I immediately changed the oil and drove it 150 miles home. It's an abused family car, long overdue for lots of service so I didn't expect great mileage, however when I pulled into the parking lot I had nearly 3/4 of a tank left; not bad. So, 2 weeks later I have my parts and am ready to drive it to the auto parts store and tear the hell out of it, I start the car for a second to listen and make sure i'm positive it'll even get to the parts store and my gas is at 1/8 tank. for the first 30 seconds or so the needle SLOWLY rose to 1/4 tank, and at that point I turned the engine off. When I turned the car on (electrical, no crank) about a week ago the gas was down to about 1/2. There's no gas smell around the car nor any fluids below the car, so it's not an external leak. I know for a fact that it was almost constantly run between 1/4 tank and E for the last 10-20k miles, but how could this affect the fuel gauge in such a weird way? I've got a new fuel filter in my box o' parts and have already resigned to replacing the cats. I guess the only way to be sure is to fill the tank and see how many gallons it takes, but that's expensive and the car isn't even really functional yet.

I pulled a set (3) chromies off of a '90, they're not in perfect condition, but you can have one. shoot me a PM.

IIRC, the rear main seal (the expensive one) starts as a slow (very slow) leak, but it's possible to drive on it for a year without hurting anything as long as you make sure you keep your oil topped off, doesn't sound like that. i have more coolant under my car from a cracked coolant tank than I do from my bad rear main seal. both are negligable (and coolant tank is now replaced).

...that doesn't sound like good advice. these engines do not like being low on gas. the '93 I just picked up smoked (steamed) out of the tailpipe while low gas on a warm day, but stopped after the tank was filled. oh, and change the filter.

according to the internets there aren't any Lexus dealers nearby, would a Toyota dealership stock them by chance?

perfect, thanks. would a local parts store have front crank seals and a thermostat gasket?

i actually just wasn't reading the guide closely enough, LexLS says to remove the timing belt prior to trying to remove the crank pulley, so there's no risk of mussing the cam timing when the crank turns. I'm not too too worried about removing the crank bolt as far as torque goes, you can always get more leverage. Is it dangerous to try and remove the bolt without pinning down the crank pulley first?

I recieved my first round of parts today from LPO, and I wanted to make sure I don't overlook anything before I start. I'm going to be replacing the timing belt/tensioners/idler and serpentine belt/tensioner/idler, water pump, thermostat, distributor rotors+caps, ignition wires and plugs. I've got the tutorial from LexLS.com to guide me, and I think mechanically I'm up to the task. Before I start, are there any soft parts needed that aren't usually included with OEM parts? gaskets or anything? Also, I ordered both tensioners and one is a complete pulley assembly on a bracket while another is just a metal cylinder with a pin through it, presumably to be pulled after it is installed. Should there be a second pulley to replace or is just the cylinder enough for that tensioner? I know i'll need to buy fresh coolant, radiator flush fluid, harmonic balancer pulley remover, a breaker bar for the crank pulley and high-temp red sealant for the water pump. The timing tutorial mentions that there are two o-rings that need to be replaced with the water pump, neither came with the pump (water inlet is one of them, i believe). What size are they and would I be able to find them at a local hardware store? Also, in removing the crank pulley you use a 22mm socket to set the engine to TDC before you remove the crank pulley, but what holds the engine at TDC while you remove that 22mm crank bolt? Do I need to make sure I don't turn the engine at all while I'm removing anything else, or are the reference points on the cam pulleys and crank enough to make sure I get the timing right on re-assembly? If anyone here has done this themselves I would appreciate any advice or forethought I can get before I start. I think today I'll just drain the coolant, remove the fan and radiator and replace the engine coolant reservoir for a nice slow start. Thanks everyone -Adam

the motors and mechanisms seems to be identical, the bolt up was straightforward. the only problem I encountered was that the connectors changed between 90' and '93. cutting the plug off of the '90 window motor and splicing the connector from the dead '93 motor was elementary. a few feet of electrical tape and a new wire stripper later everything worked fine. it's a direct transplant, just make sure you don't toss your window motor without cutting the 2-pin connector off first, just in case. props to LexLS.com for helping me get the door panels off without mangling them. also, when replacing the door panel be careful not to let the black silicone sealant from the plastic sheets come into contact with the door lock rods, I need to take apart my door panel again tomorrow because of friction with the door lock mechanism that causes it to stick slightly.

I've got $700 in parts on the way from LPO that i'll be replacing myself, including the full 100k service (serpentine belt/idler/tensioner, timing belt/idler/tensioner and water pump), plug wires, 2 distributor rotors and caps. I don't think I'll have to have a mechanic replace anything but the rear toe adjustment retainer (and subsequent alignment). I'll be getting NGK iridium's from my local auto parts store as LPO did not specifically list what type of plugs they sold and I didn't want to risk anything. After I get it updated on basic maintenance I'm going to tackle the ACV, PS solenoid/filter, heater control valve, window motor, brakes and rear crankshaft seal. Thanks for the info on the PS solenoid, it hasn't had any PS problems, the smoke in the exhaust turned out to be an empty gas tank, but I'll be doing that anyways for peace of mind. I estimated about $1.3-$1.5k in parts before I started, you're right on the money Omar. And yes, i'm EXTREMELY excited to have this car 2-3 weeks away from having it running like a top. I'm obsessive about my car maintenance to the point of aggravating my girlfriend. Kudos to everyone here for all the help they've already given and any I recieve in the future, these are the best cars in the world. and Omar, it's identical to yours. I'll get pics when i get around to buying more AA's for my digi cam.

awesome, exactly the info I was looking for. thanks. i'm not worried about the heat coming out of the vents, so long as it's not an overheating defense mechanism. i just wanted to make sure it wasn't an engine safety issue.

I didn't even try to turn the climate control on, fearing that the heat was a defense mechanism of an overheating car that I was trying to limp home. if the a/c system is off is the car supposed to be pumping heat out of the dash vents? also, the whole way home with cruise control set between 65-70 the temp gauge barely went past the first notch (new synthetic oil). I remember the '90 sitting in the middle of the gauge. Driving it that morning to the auto parts store (10k+ old dino oil) the temp seemed to fluctuate between the first and second notches, depending on my speed. those temps seem way too low, bad water pump?

I never had a problem driving an LS in high school, but after I got my Taurus I couldn't park it for *BLEEP* because I could never fully cut the wheel as fast as I needed to (edit: i couldn't park the Taurus, not the LS). I think the rediculous power steering of the LS makes up for the size. The wheel's resistance level is about that of an '03 V6 malibu (which is a teenage girl's car, and drives like it). I was shocked when I first got into my '93 yesterday

$1500 for tune up (ordered all of the parts last night from LPO for $700+$80 shipping) $500 for a cracked engine coolant tank (have one sitting in my trunk I pulled from a '90) $800 for driver's window motor/master switch (also in my trunk) $800 for rear main crankshaft seal ($20 on LPO) $200 for rear toe adjustment retainer+alignment (can't do myself) $1300 to fix the speedo, cracked resistor plate (i have GPS, so screw it) $500 for front pads/rotors and rear pads (will order after I fix the engine) $200 for heater control valve leak (") I made out like a fiend on this deal. Looking through the service records the entire A/C system was replaced at 110,000 (clutch, compressor, tubes, pipes, etc.). It's at 130 now. I'm thinking dual remote turbos in less than a year, if all goes well.

seconded, happened to my '90 exactly as described above. LCD display would only read "err" for about two weeks, until all of the lights on the dash lit up and the alternator promptly died. strangely, a power steering issue was never diagnosed, only a dead alternator. but the car did eventually die of a cracked power steering cylinder (maybe a misdiagnosed failed ACV, which would be a shame to have killed the car), so I say check the both of them, power steering and charging.

it barely made it here, and I couldn't be happier it's 30k miles overdue for its first 100k service, and I had to change the oil before I drove it home because the oil was like tar (my guess is at least 10k since last change). it needs about $5k of mechanic quoted work and I traded my '02 90K Taurus for it. when I pulled into the parking lot it was making belt/pulley noise (for the first time), but it's not going to move until I do everything to it, so it looks like I rescued it just in time. I can't wait to get started, simply cannot wait. after I get the parts expect a post asking advice on how to go about tackling the work (mostly order of work and what procedures to group together). and my brother said he was getting horrible mileage, but I drove it 150 miles home and am maybe 1/8" below 3/4 tank, seems pretty good to me. :D

the $5k was $200 for toe adjustment retainer and aligment (which I will have him do), $800 for the rear crankshaft seal (i will do myself for $20), engine coolant tank ($450 from him, but am replacing myself with a tank i have already pulled from a '90 LS400), water pump, timing belt, tensioner, idler ($800 from mechanic, doing myself for ~$500 in parts); rotors, plugs, wires, filters ($750 at mechanic, $400 in parts so doing it myself), $500 for front pads+ rotors, plus rear pads (doing for $400 myself, pads and rotors all around), heater control valve leaking coolant ($200, was going to have my mech. do, even more money saved), driver window motor/master switch ($800, pulled from a '90, have parts in my trunk), and resistor plate behind the instrument cluster is bad ($1300), leading to intermittent speedometer functionality, but I have a GPS that displays MPH so i'm not too worried about that. $5k from the mechanic I trust, or $1.5k in parts and tons of getting to know me new car time for me, it's a no-brainer

Chil: I'd like to suggest that you completely read the thread that I listed AND search AND fully read any other P/S thread hits that you get. There is an astronomical amount of good information on this website on the subject of P/S leaks, resultant failures and the cure(s). I'm one of the posters in some of these threads, but there's probably at least 10 other guys that know as much, if not (a whole bunch) more than I do on this subject. Once you've read it, you'll be exceptionally well armed to tackle and solve your problem. It will be a great investment of your time. If your were to take your car to an Indie, you'd be lucky if 50% of them could properly diagnose and solve your problem. If you were to take your car to a Stealer, they'd fix it, but you will still be making payments on the repairs 3 years from now. Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll protect yourself from those who would otherwise take advantage of you. B) that's become my mantra. after the mechanic quoted $5000 to fix the car, and did not list anything wrong with the p/s system whatsoever i'm quite glad I found this place. he did mention the heater control valve was leaking coolant and that was one of the things i was going to have him fix, could he be confused, or is that another issue entirely that is likely also present? i figured it must have been the oil given the circumstances, i guess the p/s needs some lovin' too. thanks for the help, an active owners group with lots of great info is what allowed me to overlook the fact I was driving a Taurus.

sweet, after some googling it sounds like it'd be obvious if it were oil, and heavy and blue, not white and wispy. not a dealbreaker then. thanks much.

it turns out the LS i was going to pick up from my brother is burning oil, but it just started. i checked the oil and it is definitely the source of the problem. it's not eating any large amount, dipstick still showed full but there was white smoke coming out of the pipes on a warm afternoon after startup. Will an oil change fix it or does this mean there is already an internal problem in the engine? When I change the oil it will have been burning for maybe 15 miles worth of driving or so (he uses the car to get to work, 3 miles each way, and promised he wouldn't drive it otherwise) edit: the engine still runs fine and the heater control valve is leaking coolant. how can I be sure what the smoke coming out of the exhaust is? it looked like steam from a cold morning and didn't smell, but the oil is like tar and it was decently warm outside.