landar

Were you looking for the ES300 forum?

No, he said the air pressure... there is no alarms in the dashboard indicating oil problem. Engine air pressure? I have no idea about any of that. Is the cars engine cranking over when you turn the igntion key? If not, your starter could be out, but I think they give some sort of warning? bluethunder...no offense... but me thinks we are in serious need of a translator. ;)

Have you checked for codes using this method --> http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/intro/codereading.html

I just wonder if there is a connector lying unconnected beneath the intake manifold. Or a broken connector/wire in the same area. It is probably fairly easy to damage some of the wiring when wrestling with the starter. Hate to even think it, but you might have to take that manifold back off and do a careful visual inspection.

jayturk... no need to start a new thread if this is the same issue as before--> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...showtopic=61392 Did you check connections as suggested?

Is this for 95-97? or first gen? It's first gen. All of those tutorials on lexls are 90-94. May not be exactly the same but should be close? Of course, do one side at a time. That way you have the other for comparison if you forget how something(like a clip) goes back together. A digital camera is a wonderful tool for looking back.

You might be able to find a gasket for it. Autozone offers one(or at least until they run out)...it is p/n OS30654C. I prefer to use a gasket when available but FIPG is fine, just a little messy. If you use FIPG, you first apply to the pan and within 5 minutes place the pan onto the engine. Put the bolts back in but just finger tight(you can use the socket with extension but dont crank on it..just finger tighten). Wait one hour for the FIPG to start gelling then torque to the proper value. (Read the FIPG package for precise directions but it is of this flavor) In either case, you want to tighten the bolts in several steps(passes) and in a sequential pattern (side-to-side, back-to-front). I am not sure of the precise torque value but it will be fairly low depending upon the bolt size. Lexus 10mm bolts are typically 66 INCH-lbs (not Foot-lbs). 12mm are typically 13 Ft-lbs. With these kinds of jobs, I always like to tighten to a sufficient value, yet on the lower side. Then if I see a leak, I can crank it a little more to seal things. But if I totally crush the gasket right out of the chute, I have no room for additional correction. Hope this makes sense.

The mechanics have seen the car up close and personal. And their diagnosis seems to fit the symptoms you describe. I would take their advice and have the bushings replaced.

Replace the radiator(reservoir) cap.

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/brake/

There are three distinct sounds: engine (normal), serpentine belt (squeaky) and a "machine gun-like" burst that goes away. The machine-gun burst is the worrisome noise. It sounds to me like it might be related to the A/C compressor/clutch or power steering pump. Since you are most likely going to replace the serpentine accessory belt(you ARE, aren't you? hint, hint) because of the squeak, I would be tempted to take the belt off, then start the engine (only let it run briefly). If the machine gun is still there, we can rule out anything run by the belt. Conversely, if the noise is gone, you can concentrate on accessories.

Steve...does your wife know you used her good measuring cup??! :o

Well, lets start with basics, like what year is your LS400 and how many miles and a little background on the car. At first you made me think of the ICV(Idle Control Valve) but that may or may not be your problem. Do a search on this forum for the ICV and see if symptoms are similar to yours

The allen key idea came from a post by "IS400" in the Workshop Tutorial section of this club. I was a little skeptical about wedging something in the flywheel but after looking it over, I decided to give it a try. The last thing I wanted to do was mess up the flywheel. After using this method, I gained confidence that the key was not going to get stuck or damage the flywheel. You slowly turn the crank bolt until you feel the flywheel lock, then give her several good(forceful) tugs. I also went with a 6-point 22mm socket over my 12-point socket. With that much force, I was concerned about potential damage to the bolt head. My impact wrench is rated to 250 ft-lbs @ 90 PSI but it would not even begin to budge the bolt. I cranked the compressor up to 120 PSI(wrench only rated to 90 PSI) but still no luck. I thought about buying a better impact wrench, however one detail was bugging me...even if the bolt comes out via the impact wrench, how do I retorque it properly? I did not want to invest in a torquing impact wrench(if there be such an animal). I realize that the bolt is to be torqued to 181 ft-lbs. Although I really dont think it is extremely critical, I still wanted to get it somewhat close. Even bought a torque wrench to go to 250 ft-lbs. In the end, w/o an impact wrench, you need to lock that crank. I toyed with making a tool like in the FSM but that was too much work. The worst part about using the flywheel is that I had to take the additional undercover plastic protector off. That took most of the time. By far, one of the most critical details about this job with VVT engines is to set the crank at the proper angle so that when you take the belt off, the valve(s) will not hit the top of the piston(s). And they(the cams) will move somewhat, not a lot but some (maybe 5-10 degrees?). The FSM for my model indicated 50 degrees ATDC. I would double check the 430 to make sure it is the same (would imagine so but good to verify).

So it cranks (turns over fine) but will not fire and run. Is this correct? Does it even try to fire? I would imagine that some connector was not put back in place. Take a look around and do a thorough re-check of connections... both electrical and vacuum/fuel. Did you do the work yourself?

Thanks for the encouragement, all. Not looking to beat out anyone, just decided it was time to replace the TB in the 98 and did not see many "tuts" on that generation. You know, I was thinking the same thing about the bearing wellness and trying to assess the old bearing wear. I wiggled them while still bolted in and there was some slop. Having no way to gauge the amount(purely subjective) I would say there was a little slop but not bad. Not like catastrophic and ready to fail. The new bearings were definitely tighter. My gut feel is that I could have left the bearings in there until the next TB change (which BTW, is what the Lex dealer probably would have done) but after doing all the teardown, I am not about to cheap out on the bearings. My time is worth more than that. And the water pump was in excellent shape. No slop in the shaft at all. So, I have all of these original parts ready to be thrown out and it seems a shame. Anyone want some "lightly" used parts?:whistles: I agree on the $1.98. This is a hobby...nay, more than a hobby. A quest for oneness with the vehicle. I get tremendous satisfaction out of conquering the beast. Eh?? Ok, I am a cheapskate AND don't trust someone else to wrench on my Lex(not even the "pro's) :D BTW...everytime I get in there to work, I think this is one heluva well-designed vehicle...still awed and amazed by the engineering excellence.

Here is a list of parts installed(Lexus p/n) and price paid: 1) Belt, timing $41.86 p/n 13568-09070 2) Pump, water $114.46 p/n 16100-59275-83 (comes with gasket) 3) Idler #2 $71.06 p/n 13503-0F010 4) Idler #1 $70.76 p/n 13505-0F010 5) Tensioner $44.93 p/n 13540-50030 6) Thermostat $15.19 p/n 90916-03100 (later 1998 models, earlier require different) 7) T/S gasket $4.46 p/n 16325-62010 8) Antifreeze $18.19 per gallon (x2 = $36.38) p/n 00272-1LLAC-01 9) O-ring $2.63 p/n 96761-24019 10) Serp. belt $49 Gates(NAPA) Total cost: $450.73 Dealer wanted $1800 for the complete job. So, I figure I got paid $1.98/hr for my time. At least there is no W2 form to fill out. ;)

So, does this mean that the sale is off and you WONT be taking the sledge to it afterall? Dang. ;)

Welcome aboard Sooder! For what kind of stealership do you work and what is your job?

With 94k miles on the clock and 11 years of service, I decided to retire the old timing belt and water pump along with pulleys, tensioner and thermostat. It took me about 10 hours to disassemble and about 8 hours to assemble. Not to mention the countless hours researching everything. Now that I know, I could easily cut that time in half. I took lots of pictures along the way and put together a little tutorial for the 98 LS400. The 98 does not have distributors or high voltage wires like the first gen. so that is a major difference and there are other smaller changes. Total cost for parts was around $450 with all Toyota OEM parts (got them at the dealer). My old belt was definitely getting tired but of course could have gone longer. How much is anyone's guess. I have included a photo of it for those interested. Of particular interest to me was the fraying threads around what looks to be an assembly seam. And there was a lot of belt "dust" all over the place. Material shaved off the old belt. The belt markings were completely gone with a shiny gloss to the backside. The old girl runs fine now. No different than before but now she's got new innards. This job is tough but not terrible. Do a lot of studying before attempting and you will do fine. However, it is not for the beginner or faint of heart, thats for sure. I have two links to the tutorials. One is for removal and one for installation of new parts. If you have any questions, let me know. I have tried to point out some of the "stickier...maybe trickier" aspects of the job. Hope it helps. Removal -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/landar/sets/72157622883357340/ Install -> http://www.flickr.com/photos/landar/sets/72157622886015670/

Yes, the Toyota parts guy told me the same. Apparently, they (Lexus) purposely keep the Toyota dealerships in the dark as concerns Lexus/Toyota parts crossing.

thanks for that site, its the same site i got the starter tutorial from. but do i have to do all that to just get the water pump out? because i do not need to change the timing belt. The short answer is Yes. You DO have to undo the timing belt to get the water pump out. You can reuse the timing belt if you like but if you go to all that trouble, you might as well just replace the TB at the same time. Not a trivial job. It is fairly involved.

There have been other posts concerning this issue and it seems to usually turn out to be the cap. The system is a closed system and needs pressure maintained by the cap. Easy to replace. I would try that first.

I tried that website for a serpentine belt for my 98 LS at my local Toyota dealer. When I gave them the p/n from the website, they said it did not have enough digits and could not match it. Bummer

Well, I think you really are going to have to take a look at some of the ignition components, be it caps, rotors, wires, plugs, coil, etc. It is just the cost of ownership. A more modern car with COP (Coil-On-Plug) ignition might be less maintenance but still will not get you away from spending some money on general upkeep. There are some things you can do as far as diagnostics that don't cost much. You could pull the plugs and run a compression test on each cylinder. You could examine the plugs to see if a cylinder is not firing correctly. You could "short" out a plug, one-at-a-time to try to isolate a cylinder. But my "hunch" is on your distributor cap/rotor(s). Listening/watching the video, I did not hear anything really all that out of the ordinary for a car that old. Sounded pretty good to me, actually. Then again, its hard to judge from 500 miles away. Intermittent problems, such as you are having, are difficult to diagnose even for the pros. Again, start looking at ignition components.