landar

As I mentioned earlier, this is typical of intermittent problems. I know. I have worked in embedded electronics everyday for the last 30 yrs. I design embedded computers and program them...just like the ECU that controls your engine. I am not trying to "brag" my credentials, just saying that I have seen a lot of electronics issues. So, Boogieman, do not get discouraged with how your LS400 is behaving. ALL of the symptoms, although seemingly unrelated, are in fact, related. You may be thinking "bad crank sensor, bad wiring harness, bad transmission", etc. However, it is most probably due to ONE simple issue. Like a bad ground connection. Or too much A/C on the system, whether alternator, or ECU capacitors (more likely). Now, if you want to dump your 95, I may be interested. Depending upon where you live and how much you want for her. But I suspect that you are not quite ready to part with her. This issue may look very hopeless but I guarantee it is something rather simple.

Well Billy, you know what they say..."If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" ! For $22, it sounds too good to be true.

Yes, Boogie, please let us know what you do find. It will be a big help to the next guy and I am curious about what you find. It will help me to improve my troubleshooting skills in general. Thanks.

See if you can read any engine codes. Yours is a 95 which is an in-between year for ODB methods. If it is a later 95, it "might" have an OBDII port but maybe not. You may have to jumper port pins to read out the code. But reading that code(s) would be the next step. There is really nothing surprising about the symptoms coming and going...that is just an intermittent problem and happens all the time. It would be nice if it just stayed broken(for troubleshooting purposes) but it does not. I still suspect the torque convertor lockup mechanism or signal. Reading the code(s) may provide a clue. The 95 has been reported to have some weird issues with the ECU. Lots of threads on that. Do you know how to do a search on this forum (it is not the most obvious).

What if you put the shifter in 'N' (neutral) and start the engine, then you can put it into Drive without going thru Reverse? Based upon your descriptions, it really is starting to sound like your torque converter is stuck in the 'locked' position as Bob mentioned. In that position, it directly connects your engine crankshaft to the tranny gears with no slipping, just like dumping a clutch in a manual. That will stall the engine instantly...probably with a 'ping' sound from the engine as a large load is suddenly placed on it.

The first thing I would do is determine if the engine dies because it is put in reverse or because the engine is simply under a load. So, what happens when you put it in drive? I know you can't go forward but you can still put the engine under load by putting it in Drive with your foot on the brake. And...what happens if you put it in reverse while 'feathering' the gas pedal, that is, giving the engine a little extra fuel with your right foot on the gas and left foot on the brake while you put it in reverse. In a sense, you are attempting to nurse the engine with fuel and keep it from dying.

Yes, I have thoughts on sodium silicate... "icksnay on the silcatesnay" ;-) Sounds like you may have found a good clue but you have more checking to do before declaring the problem and deciding upon a possible fix. The next step that I would recommend is a simple compression test on each cylinder. You could do an "active" test where you crank the engine with a gauge plugged in the spark plug hole or a leak-down test where you fill the combustion chamber with compressed air and see how long it takes to leak down to a certain level. Probably easier for you to do the compression test. No way would I try to seal a leak with that sodium silicate stuff but thats just me.

I would just like to see your gauge perform properly in several different linear positions (such as approx. halfway) to make sure the movement is not having trouble holding a particular position in its sweep range.

Oh yeah, sorry...should have said to put two 10 ohm in series for a total of 20 ohms and see where the gauge rests. Not sure how linear it will be.

If you have another 10 ohm resistor, you could put them in parallel to make 5 ohms and maybe get about a half tank reading (hopefully). Just be careful not to run out of gas! Or keep a spare container with you just in case depending upon how much time you need to run the 'test'.

Welcome. I see that you have gotten several replies to this issue from the Club Lexus forum. And it could be the cluster or the sender unit. It will take a little detective work to figure out. If it were mine, I would probably separate the sending unit from the gauge by disconnecting the sending unit (but leave it in the tank), then 'spoof' the system by jumping a resistor across the open cable connector as if the sending unit were at a specific level. Watch the gauge for erratic behavior and, if none, then the issue is with the sending unit. Else, it is in the gauge assembly unit. I do not know exactly what resistance value to suggest to you but guessing maybe 5 ohms? You could put an ohmmeter on the sending unit and do some measuring to get a rough idea. Also, do not rule out a bad or corroded connector. I always like to go for the really simple stuff first. Let us know what you find.

Yeah, something must have been left on and you may never know. It has happened to me too. I just make sure the battery is fully recharged and keep an eye on it. Believe it or not, there could still be a problem with the battery being intermittent internally and shorting out but chances are slim on that. I rarely leave my car sit for more than a week but when I do, I can tell the battery is somewhat struggling. Keep in mind that these batteries do not like to be fully drained. They need constant recharging, else they can "sulfate" and then they are done for. Repeated draining will significantly reduce their useful life.

Frank, I have to ask you this question: What leads you to believe that the caps must be changed? Are you having some particular problem with the car? Also, let me have you ponder this... does ECU stand for Engine Control Unit or Electronics Control Unit? As you may know, there are various control units in your car. There is a Theft Deterent ECU, a Brake Control ECU and so on. And they all use microprocessors and hence capacitors which age and could go bad. What issues are you having which lead you to believe you need to replace the capacitors?

Welcome Don. Have you looked at the door tag to see your build date? That would give a good indication based upon 1990LS400s' information.

I really hope its not a head gasket too, Tim. How do these things happen 'overnight'? Well, sometimes all it takes is a WOT event and bang, gasket gives. Like entering the on ramp to Interstate 5. ^_^ Whatever it is, you should be seeing the fluid level going down drastically. If coolant, the reservoir should be pretty low. Ditto for the PS fluid. I would carefully examine and track those levels.

John, been thinking...before you go and buy a new battery, run another test. Simply leave your car sitting for 5 days with the battery connected. Maybe it will start ok? Maybe the first time was because a light was left on? If you know for sure that the battery will be dead after 5 days, go ahead and find a new battery but if there is any doubt, just try the 5 day test again.

When it comes to batteries, I always try to get the best value for the buck so I stay away from parts stores like AZ, Advanced, etc. They have some good batteries, just overpriced, IMO. I also steer clear of Sears for the same reasons, unless there is a good sale going on. I do not have a specific brand to recommend because there are many good brands. I try to find the biggest battery(size and CCA) that will fit my battery compartment with the proper post polarity position. I have had the best value experience at Sams Club.

You are welcome, John. It sure seems like your car is behaving well and that your battery is pretty good as well. However, I would say that your battery, while still decent, is beginning to go downhill and can no longer hold up to the 30ma draw for 5-6 days. And it may be aggravated by the cold of winter. Not at all unheard of at 3 yrs old. Probably time to look for a new, high capacity battery.

A continual 450-500 ma is way too much. However, you need to wait much longer than one minute. Leave it setup that way for 1 hour, and take a reading, then overnight and check in the morning. I do not know exact values but would guess the current should be less than 30 ma when all of the electronics is asleep. Of course, make sure all the doors are closed and lights are off. I could make a check on my 02' if you would like a comparison.

Welcome, John. Your battery could be 'good' and still not meet your cars needs. All batteries are rated in Ampere-Hours, that is, the number of amps it can supply for a certain number of hours. So, for instance, if you had a 100 amp-hr battery, it could supply 100 amp for one hour or one amp for 100 hours before it was considered 'drained'(about 10.5v). Your battery may be within the manufactures acceptable limits, as it was designed, for supplying a load, yet be degraded from when new and now falling short of the needs of your car. I would probably be looking for a new, high quality battery with as large a capacity as possible for your needs. Now, you did ask what was the most common cause of drainage and that would be a light being left on. Usually interior.

Bob, you can do what I do...I 'beat up' the local Lexus parts dept! I just go in there and ask for a better price. The parts manager told me I was the first person to ever ask for a discount. But they gave it to me, and I do not even have to ask anymore. He automatically gives me a discounted price. I even did this at the Toyota dealer for oil filters and such and they gave me a discount (about %15) just for asking. Yes, I order online for some things but get most stuff right from the dealer for the same price as online.

Spring is coming Tim. Hang in there. The motorcycle commute will get better. ^_^ White smoke is usually coolant leaking into a cylinder. Usually. So, with it obviously burning something in addition to gasoline, do you notice any of the fluids being low? Check the coolant reservoir. Also check the power steering level. I would also pull the spark plugs and look very carefully at them all because they often can tell a story. If one or two are exceptionally clean or a coolant type color, you have your answer. If all are the same, then its something other than a head gasket. If you do this test, make sure you mark each plug that comes out so that you can identify the cylinder. And finally... WELCOME to LOC.

Yep, thats the crossmember right behind the oil pan and where I always place the jack when working on the front end.

Welcome Justin If you had normal heat before the timing belt change, then you are most likely just low on coolant. Just add more to the reservoir until up the proper level. Should not take much. Make sure you use the same kind they used in the shop. Hopefully Toyota "red".

I remain highly skeptical of the claims. Too many unknown variables and very small sample sizes (several gallons at a time) easily leads to readings on the high side. That being said, the LS430 does get pretty amazing mileage for a larger car.