90LS400Lexus

How funny... mine just turned 223K today! Power steering whining/gumbles and all! lol. Going to work on it tomorrow.

...and the cause of the leak was?

I have a hydraulic supply store close to me, you should have one too locally. Take the switch in and just have them match the thread pitch. I won't say for certain but it seems like it was an M12x1.75, it's basically just a threaded plug with a hex head on it, they also had an allen head I think. Remember to seal it with RTV well so it won't leak. Hey! Your LS is identical to mine! Thanks. I will have to look into that. I got the hose and drain bolt I needed this evening... gonna work on it Sunday probably.

Thanks. Well, I cannot afford to replace the valve, but we are going to block and bypass it soon. I imagine that the engine cover has to come off... after that, is it easy to access?

Thanks. Ugh. I didnt let it run this evening when I left work.... I thought I would just start it, throw it in gear and get out of there, because its embarrasing... it looks like the engine is blown up when first started. Anyway, that was a mistake... I started out on the road and it was trying to stall... it was bucking and it was like it had no power. It finally cleared out and went, but obviously that was not a good thing to do.

Thanks for that info. Well, I didnt have any problems today driving the car with the throttle body capped off and that hose removed. Its true, I didnt notice any difference in idle speed either. I think I (or mom :)) will be satisfied with that valve blocked. No, the car still smoked heavily this evening when I left work, but someone said it will take awhile for this to stop, as its all built up in there? Yes, its still leaking fluid pretty heavily and I guess it will until I get that valve plugged with a bolt/washer. I have put it off as long as I can. I hope that stops the leak as well. Yep, using Dexron (tech brand) in the PS and its red when I pour it in. I think it just looks different because of the lighting and it had soaked into the concrete... its also running over what looks like years of crud where it has leaked for so long. I had been using that Lucas stop leak stuff... didnt leak nearly as much then, but it still leaked. Thanks for the info... updates when we get that valve bypassed.

Someone on the other Lexus site said this was incorrect! I guess we will just try to bypass that idle-up valve one day this week and be done with it all.... I hope.

I got the port on the front of the capped and put a smaller one in that hose to block it. On the other however, I was not able to block that hose, but I did put a cap in that hole (where it was broken) to keep it from sucking in air. It seems like there is no harm in actually leaving either of those lines unblocked. Oh, I started it and turned the steering, but could not tell that the steering wheel was any more difficult to turn... should there have been a noticable difference.... ?? Have I removed the wrong hoses? Here are the photos of it now... with it like this, am I OK driving it to work tomorrow with those two hoses disconnected and that one not plugged up? sorry, this was the best I could do... all I could find got that one plugged... the one that had the fluid in it... overall... have I done the right thing? Remember the car would billow severe smoke when first started.. especially in the evenings when I would leave work... how embarrasing. Remember, I am still having to pour alot of fluid in it... leaking out somewhere... hose just broke into several pieces... badly hardened....

I got the port on the front of the capped and put a smaller one in that hose to block it. On the other however, I was not able to block that hose, but I did put a cap in that hole (where it was broken) to keep it from sucking in air. It seems like there is no harm in actually leaving either of those lines unblocked. Oh, I started it and turned the steering, but could not tell that the steering wheel was any more difficult to turn... should there have been a noticable difference.... ?? Have I removed the wrong hoses? More pics in a short while after dinner....

UPDATE - I got that hose off... actually, it broke into about 5 pieces... how brittle and hard as a rock. The "caps" I have are too small, so I am going to have to get some larger ones. Big question now is can I just plug that one hose and intake port and leave the other on, or will it still cause the smoke? Fluid only appears to be in that one hose... not at the one in the intake hose... the one thats broken.

Oh boy - what now.... The hose to the center part of the intake broke when I tried to remove it and I cant get the remaining part off. Now the other part is broken to the intake hose. It appears to me that its the hose that goes to the front of the intake is where the fluid is being pulled in, so cant I just plug that one if I ever get the hose off? Here are other photos of my woes..... :(

Not sure... they usually only whine when low on fluid..... pump may be worn out.

Thanks. Well I went out and I cant get the "furtherest away" hose off of the intake. It will turn, but I cant get it off. I am afraid I will damage the intake. The part where it goes into the intake tube is broken, so I cant plug it.... cant remove this.... this is broken - you can see where someone tried to repair it before.... with failure. My dad said I should just forget it and go ahead and buy the new pump and have the guy I know install it. I have a big wallet you know. ;)

Thanks. Yeah that day it was kinda jerky, it was low on fluid, but not whining at that point, but was so low, none was on the dipstick. I dont think its the steering rack - hope not anyway, or I will have to junk it - no kidding. :( It really pouring out externally now too... leaving puddles.... this all started suddenly - the heavy leaking that is. That one line near the intake hose was broken off before.. you can see where someone had repaired it in the past. Tomorrow, I will remove both hoses, plug them off and then cap the others on the intake. Could I just tuck the hoses somewhere and they will be OK? They are only air hoses anyway right? For some reason, I was thinking in order to bypass that valve that sucks fluid in the engine that you had to go under the car and do something under the PS pump... I didnt think it was this easy, or is that the neat and proper way to do it without having the dangling hoses?

Too bad they couldnt forsee how terrible the power steering pumps were going to be. LOL. Nice article though... I think I read it somewhere along time ago. Thanks for posting!

I have owned two Lexus, still have one... but gen 1 LS400s (a 1990 and currently a 1991). I have not been lucky enough to own a newer one, (I have wanted a 1995-96 and have dreamed about a 2001 LS430) but alot of fans seem to say that aside from the minor (but costly) issues that plague the early ones that the gen 1 was one of the highest quality LS400s made as far as build quality, etc. I would say that the gen 2 would also rank right up there. lol @ a Camry in a tux with the LS400. I had a 93 Camry LE V6 and loved it. If I could go back, I would choose my 93 Camry LE with 212K over either of my LS400s, mainly because I had NO issues with that car and it was a much cheaper car to own and maintain and the interior build quality was just as nice as my LS400s. In fact, the redesigned 92 Camry took alot of traits from the 1990-92 LS400. :) Strange, but I looked at a few 92-96 Lexus ES300s and there were some interior areas that looked "cheaper" than the Camry.. such as the console area of the dash on the ES didnt line up as nice as it should have on alot of those. Well, I am getting OT here. If you can afford a nice LS, thats perfect... or getting an even newer ES may not be a bad thing either... I love the looks of the 03-04 ES models, but I was not a fan of the 07-09 Camrys, so probably would not be a huge fan of that ES unless it rode better than the Camry. The new Camry rides too harshly for my tastes. I like soft and cushy riding cars.

Thanks for the additional replies!! I went out and checked the PS last night and it was not showing any on the stick again... this thing is really pouring now. Thats why the steering was jerking yesterday. I refilled it and drove it to work today... started when I left and my gosh the smoke was terrible. Its only gotten that bad within a few days! On the drive home, the steering got heavy for a few minutes, then smoothed back out. *NOW I went out and I think I see those vacuum hoses everyone is referring to. One runs to the intake tube, then the other to th front of the intake... right? So I basically can disconnect those lines and plug the hoses with a screw or something, then put a vacuum cap over those intake outlets and everything will be fine until I get a new pump?

I was also going to mention that now on some turns, its like the steering wheel is not smooth anymore. It will make this vibration sensation that can be felt on the steering wheel when turning the wheel, as if something is slipping or shaking. I guess this is the pump causing that too?

Tonight we went to my cousins church... its not her regular church the one we went to tonight. I dont know the name of her church... I dont go there. Its a pentecostal church and I am baptist.

Thanks. Well, the PS pump has been an issue for a long time now.. ever since I bought it really... that was two years ago.. its just got worse and worse to the point where its smoking and leaving drips now. I have had the tranny mount replaced. Really after the PS issue all it will need is motor mounts (which are not pressing) and valve cover gaskets because it will put out little puffs of smoke from under the hood at times. After the pump, my dad can deal with those issues. My mom really wants it, but they know of the problems. More later... I gotta go fix me some dinner, then take my grandma to church.

Also if I bought this pump... is this all I need to stop the leaks on my power steering pump or are there other parts not included that cause the leaks? I can buy this for $139.00. I cant afford a $600+ pump from the dealer. No way. http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/A...tPartType=C0031 or is this a better pump? http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/p...p;parentId=46-0

UPDATE! Just wanted to update here..... idle-up has been plugged... all smoking is gone! The leak was from the return hose... its been replaced and no leaks! Hope this takes care of things for awhile. Thanks for everything! :) ------------------------------------ Well, the smoke has gotten much worse since I have started using regular transmission fluid in my PS pump. I have to refill every 3 days now... and if I turn the car off for more than 10 minutes on restart the smoke is terrible and embarrasing. Its especially bad when I let it set at work all day then I go to leave... it looks like its on fire it smokes so bad for about 10 seconds. <_< My mom/dad is supposed to be buying this car from me as I have mentioned before, but I wanted to get that fixed first and not sure when I can afford to get in my savings for a new PS pump. I had other plans for that money. I may have to break down and just buy one. I am wondering how much labor we are looking at here? Also, if I drive it like this for a week or so more, will it damage the engine by pulling the fluid in? Thanks.

Me too. I like the concept of the program, but hate to see the "good cars" like the Mercedes like mine in the link below intentionally destroyed and my feelings are very strong on this... stronger than anything I have been sure of in a very long time. I think the cars should have been allowed to be parted out completely.... not just those five parts and the engine destroyed and car crushed. Could have even been sold and the money given to childrens charities. A HUGE waste in my opinion. :(

I need to check that on mine and see if it will help at all, because, oh boy its leaking heavily now! I have to pour fluid in every 3 or 4 days now and its now leaving puddles where I park it. :( The pump is also now making a whining sound more often, as it gets low on fluid often now. Oh well maybe one of these days I can afford a pump and have it installed.

Thanks. Sometimes mine is not inaccurate. Its strange. Speedometer is still OK on mine, as are all the needle lights... for now anyway. ;)