landar

I have not had this problem but it sure sounds like an intermittent power steering pump problem. Have you checked the fluid level and does the PS pump leak?

...76k miles, runs great, purrs like a kitten and for being 10 years old, looks like new. The problem is that everyone who sees me with her thinks I am stinking rich (which aint the case). Anyone else have this "problem" (other than at the dealer)?

That seems to fit the symptoms, Oldskewel. From the original description it sounds like a "slipping" torque converter due to being low on fluid.

I have Bridgestone Turanza's and after 30k miles, they still seem quiet and smooth to me. Wear appears to be good as well.

I would tend to agree with SRK, change filters and see if there is any noticable difference. If none, go after the oil pump as eatingupblacktop recommends. It may be getting weak. You could install an oil pressure gauge and record the numbers. The really good news is that your engine appears to be fine despite the symptoms as you say there is no oil consumption.

Kenny, you are asking a very common question. Do a search and you will find many and varied answers. The bottom line always seems to be that the LS gets very good mileage given the weight and horsepower of the vehicle. Your 17.5 around town seems reasonable depending on your driving style. My 98 LS will get around 20 in town but I drive like an old man (maybe because I am!?). Combined city/highway is around 23-24 which I consider excellent given the car's parameters. All on premium petrol of course. Wouldn't dream of giving my baby bottom-shelf swill. :D

Starter solenoid contacts (on many different models of cars) are notorious for getting "stuck" in the on position when they become worn. The contacts sort of weld together for a moment and then vibrate apart. This has the effect that you described. The starter continues to run even after you have released the key from the "start" position. I have also heard of the solenoid spring not returning the starter gear from the flywheel thus keeping the starter engaged. In either case, it sounds like a new or rebuild starter may be in your LS's near future.

Because you can put her in Neutral or Park and have the sound go away, I was going to focus on a loose/worn mount of some kind.

How much money do you have to spend and how much more "low end power" (is this low RPM torque?) would you like? I am guessing that, after a good tune-up, your best bet is to press the ECT button.

The steering wheel wants to jump from my hands when I hit a fairly good-sized bump, which is annoying. But I know there are a lot of front end components that should be replaced after ten years. Does this ring a bell with anyone? Ball joints, steering linkage, shocks? (98 LS400 with 75k on the clock)

Jim, I had the same sort of issue with my 98 and after reading many posts here decided to replace the strut rod bushings. That took care of the clunk on low-speed bumps. I do plan on replacing the struts and sway bar bushings soon as well. After 10 years, they are tired. BTW, I have a tutorial on how to change the strut rod bushings. It is not hard and you can do it yourself for about $200. Takes about 1.5 hrs per side. Great bonding experience :P

My 98 has original plugs and at 74k miles still runs silky smooth. However, I am starting to be concerned about the plugs "welding" into place with age. I have heard of this phenomenon, but never experienced it. Some metals will, over time, become fused together and I have heard that sparks plugs in heads for long periods can undergo this process. Perhaps it can only happen with dissimilar metal heads and plugs? Maybe its urban legend.... :o

Yes, you should be fine with 5w-30 as long as the engine is tight and not burning oil. I use 5w-30 Mobil One year-round.

venom, If its a single click, then its a corroded/worn starter solenoid contact (which is on the starter itself). If it is a whole series of clicks, machine-gun style, when you turn the key, then it is a bad connection as wwest mentioned. If it does turn out to be the starter, then you have to remove a considerable amount of 'stuff' to get at it. And this is where the labor starts to add up. So, not to add to your dilemma, mind you, but you might ( I sezs 'might') give some thought to a timing belt/water pump replacement while things are apart. At 10 years old and 70k miles, its time to start thinking about such dreaded issues. Carpe Diem!

The short answer is yes, change it. The good news is that Lexus put a tranny drain plug on the bottom which allows you to drain just two quarts at a time. Thats what I would recommend. Each time you change engine oil, just pull the plug on the tranny and then replace what comes out (with OEM fluid of course). Its cheap insurance. And since you are unsure about the tranny fluid, I thought I would mention that the brake fluid should be flushed out and new in. Ditto for the rear differential. Then there is engine coolant, power steering fluid....have I missed something? At 36k and 5 years old, I would do all of these. Its not too late. Look in your owners manual for service schedule info. One good thing is that you dont have to change the air in your tires, thank goodness. B)

I know this will sound simple/obvious but I have been fooled by it before. You have to be very careful when reading the dipstick. Whenever you add oil, you have to start the engine and let it run for a few minutes to fully mix, then shut her down and let the oil drain back into the pan for a few minutes. Then you pull the DS and wipe it down. Reinsert fully and let it sit for a few seconds to ensure that the oil wicks around the tip. Then pull and read. Of course the car needs to be on a level surface. I have also been fooled wih new oil because it can be difficult to see. But if you hold the DS at an angle with light glimmering off the edge, you can just make out the wetness of oil. And if a reading seems off, try it again and again to re-verify.

You are wise to be concerned. If you can keep the payment on credit, then I believe you would have recourse with the credit card company if the deal fell thru. If it were me, I would want to drive/fly to wherever this gem is located and eyeball the thing in person before plunking down the rest of the money. Or at the very least, have a trusted mechanic check it out if you are not able to travel. Most cities have such persons. Finally, if something smells the least bit fishy, just let it go. There are lots of fine cars out there. Another will come by shortly. Its just not worth losing much sleep over it.

Not sure what "breaks" are. However, if you want to replace the front brakes.... br_23.pdf

I bought a 10-pack of filters from the local Lex dealer for $50. Individually they were 8 or 9 bucks if I recall. The Toyota filters come all ready to go with an O-ring packed with some light grease and sealed with pull-off plastic tab to keep the dirt out. Very nice. The dealer also threw in a pack of drain plug washers too.

I had a slight "clunk" sound over bumps at slow speeds < 10 mph. Turned out to be the strut rod bushings. The local tire and alignment shop said that all suspension components looked fine to them. But from messages on this board and upon closer examination, I found the bushings had small cracks. And apparently thats all it takes. Dry rot. The strut rods cost about $100 each side. Takes about an 1.5 hours per side to change.

I think the password was provided. It is "LS400" Or maybe it is "Psssssss, were looking for a safe house". I get those mixed up. ;)

This may be slightly off-topic...or not. I love to work on my LS400 and dont mind buying specialty tools to do my own work. One of the most frustrating aspects (for me anyway) is crawling around on the cold garage floor, trying to position the hydraulic floor jack, get the jack stands positioned and making sure the heigth is not too low, too high and most importantly, stable and safe. I have been wondering how many of you DIYer's use this method? Or do you use ramps? How about a nice home garage lift? I envy those garage mechanics who can put the vehicle on a lift and work on the brakes w/o bending down. Would be easy on my arthritic knees too! I think I could convince the frau to allow me to spend some $$ on a nice lift if one is available. Sure would be nice.

Thanks SK, does this mean the belt wont be locked on quick pull? Every seat belt retractor has a centrifical "brake/clutch" such the rapid unspooling of the belt will be quickly stopped. If yours doesn't then something is wrong. I tried tugging on my Lex and as wwest mentioned, it locks up with a rapid pull. Both sides worked the same. Then I went to my Chrysler Town and Country. No lock up on either side despite very quick pull. And yet it locks when I hit the brakes. I am intrigued.

Hey, he said it was a "gentlemen" at Schucks. Gentlemen dont lie, do they? :whistles: As far as he plugs go, trust but verify. Just do a visual sanity check on the whole lot. If they look consistently gapped, put em in.

Something still does not seem right. If these parts are "fried", why would it start at all? It is highly unlikely that all three are bad. I would be looking for a leak-down issue somewhere or a fuel pump problem. It sounds like when warm, the fuel system is pressurized and the fuel pump has no problem keeping up. But when it sits for a period, the fuel system pressure leaks down and the pump takes a few seconds to re-pressurize. Perhaps the pump itself is getting weak? Or something in the system is allowing the pressure to bleed off more than normal.