Lex-ed

Ok, thank you. I have it a smidge..maybe 1/4 inch above cold line, and doesn't seem to give quite enough room for fluid to expand when heated. Shld. take out a small amount. An easy test for a coolant leak is getting a pressure test cap from a parts store, usually loaned out per model. It attaches and you pump air into the system with a bike pump or something that will not exceed 16 lbs pressure and has a guage on it. You pump it up, look for any pinhole leaks and watch the leak down guage and see if it loses any pressure. Lots of people replace the radiator cap or other pressure sensetive caps in the system and have good results. always fill a cold system to the low point as coolant has a lower volume when it is cold.

P.S. - Great summary. Tx. The 1st gen LS FR tire is held on by 5 points. lower control arm is the bottom point, it comes straight out from the frame, EZ to see if it is bent. It holds the lower ball joint which is the lower pivot point of the hub/spindle. The LCA is held perpendicular to the frame by the front strut bar. It is a diagonal bar that runs from the outer end of the LCA forward to the bumper support area through a series of rubber cushions. The UCA are the hoops that contain the upper ball joint and they attach to the frame around the shock coil. They are at a slight angle back to make the car want to go straight instead of wander to one side by using the weight of the car and the natural tendency of a wheel seeking the path of least resistance (the shopping cart wheel visual) The Tie rod guides the hub/spindle in the right direction. The tie rod has 2 ends, inner (hidden by the accordian covers) and outer. Outer end has the ball joint, inner just screws onto the rack. If you hit a wall at an oblique angle, you would either: 1. Break the tie rod ball joint end outward 2. strip the tie rod off the rack 3. pull the rack out of alignment (likely to an extent because it is held on my clamps, not through bolts) 4. bend the front strut bar or damage its insulators (probable) 5. knock the LCA out of alignment as it pivots on a rubber bushing (held in alignment by the front strut bar) 6. Damaged the hub bearing shaft (bent would cause the wheel to wobble) All of these damaged to an extent could allow the car to get more out of static alignment than can be corrected by the alignment adjusters built into the suspension. At a minimum you are looking at replacing tie rod end (~$40 part plus labor), adjusting the steering rack(labor only) and maybe a LCA bushing (~$80 plus lots of labor) and or front strut bar bushing (~60 and labor) . Very rough estimates but you may get the feel of what may be expected. IF you go to Lexus to repair, triple all parts costs.

Hello -- And thanks very much for the quick response. Sorry, a few more questions before I call the shop back: Inner/outer tie rods and ball joint have been replaced. Waiting to hear if there is still an aligment problem. If there is, would you next look at replacing the "spindle, bearing and seal ($300 new part, plus more labor)? That is what I am being advised. You mentioned the hub bearing shaft could be bent. Is the shaft part of the recommended repair above? If so, can it be replaced independent of the spindle and bearing? How do you tell if steering rack alignment is needed? Any idea of labor required? Can mechanics with non-Lexus (general) knowledge do this? From what you say, they should be able to see if LCA is bent. Presumably the LCA on the opposite side is not bent, so they should be able to make a quick comparison and tell if it is. They haven't said it's bent. If it needs it, any idea of time involved to align this part? Would replacing the bushing be necessary to get it in alignment? How would I tell if front strut bar insulators are damaged? Is this something they can eyeball or do they need to dismantle anything? THANKS again for your time. I am clinging to the wreckage (literally), and trying to make sense of what needs to be done to get my car working again. Difficult, since I don't speak 'mechanic'. The 1st gen LS FR tire is held on by 5 points. lower control arm is the bottom point, it comes straight out from the frame, EZ to see if it is bent. It holds the lower ball joint which is the lower pivot point of the hub/spindle. The LCA is held perpendicular to the frame by the front strut bar. It is a diagonal bar that runs from the outer end of the LCA forward to the bumper support area through a series of rubber cushions. The UCA are the hoops that contain the upper ball joint and they attach to the frame around the shock coil. They are at a slight angle back to make the car want to go straight instead of wander to one side by using the weight of the car and the natural tendency of a wheel seeking the path of least resistance (the shopping cart wheel visual) The Tie rod guides the hub/spindle in the right direction. The tie rod has 2 ends, inner (hidden by the accordian covers) and outer. Outer end has the ball joint, inner just screws onto the rack. If you hit a wall at an oblique angle, you would either: 1. Break the tie rod ball joint end outward 2. strip the tie rod off the rack 3. pull the rack out of alignment (likely to an extent because it is held on my clamps, not through bolts) 4. bend the front strut bar or damage its insulators (probable) 5. knock the LCA out of alignment as it pivots on a rubber bushing (held in alignment by the front strut bar) 6. Damaged the hub bearing shaft (bent would cause the wheel to wobble) All of these damaged to an extent could allow the car to get more out of static alignment than can be corrected by the alignment adjusters built into the suspension. At a minimum you are looking at replacing tie rod end (~$40 part plus labor), adjusting the steering rack(labor only) and maybe a LCA bushing (~$80 plus lots of labor) and or front strut bar bushing (~60 and labor) . Very rough estimates but you may get the feel of what may be expected. IF you go to Lexus to repair, triple all parts costs.

big whammy to right front of car - ls400 1st gen. car traveling at about 20mp and hit concrete wall at an angle. right wheel is splayed. shop told me they would be able to tell what repairs were needed to get it back into alignment once it was up on the rack but that it prob needed a new tie rod. then after tie rod was replaced, got a call saying that car wouldn't align and that they now need to replace the ball joint, and if it still doesn't align, they would need to replace another (more expensive part). when i asked why they didn't see there was a problem with the ball joint when they first had it up on the rack, was told it was 'inside' the wheel, hard to see, or some such thing. talked to another mechanic (not at this shop) who told me a ball joint has nothing to do with the alignment, and that an impact like that more commonly damages the steering rack (which is connected to both wheels). the second mechanic said they might replace all the parts on the wheel and the car still may not align if the probl is with the steering rack. was also told the ball joint is visible in plain sight if the car is up on the rack as would be damages to that area (whether tie rods, front strut, ball joint or other) and that there is no reason for the shop to replace parts one by one. can anyone here confirm that replacing a ball joint is not going to affect or improve alignment? if not, why would this shop tell me they need to replace it for that purpose? is it that they don't know what they are doing? is it true a damaged ball joint is not easily seen/visible? one person is telling me one thing, and the other person another. if it were you, with this type of damage, what would you have checked out/replaced, and in what order? i need to proceed in a way that makes sense. am trying not to be taken advantage of. thanks. need answers as quickly as possible.

as a followup to my original post, the problem turned out to be a leaking radiator. after i realized the coolant leak was rapidly getting worse, i took it in for inspection. the reason i was not seeing any leakage is because the coolant was pooling in the protective liner that covers the underside of the front of the car, and it was blowing off during higher speed driving. the radiator was older and the the clamp (at the very top) had lost ability to withstand the pressure. moisture was visible all along the clamp. replacing the radiator was the right fix, as the coolant loss stopped immediately after it was replaced.

removed -- accidentally posted in wrong forum...

Where should the coolant level be? If the car is cold, shouldn't the level show between the range of 'cold' fill lines? When I looked yesterday (the car was cold), I saw only about 1.5 inches of coolant showing in the bottom of the reservoir, so definitely below the cold fill lines. I added maybe 3/4 to a cup of red coolant, which took it up the the lowest fill line. I drove the car (which did not overheat) on errans, and then checked it a few hours later after it had cooled off, only to see the coolant level right back to that same low level of roughly 1.5 inches. Engine oil looks fine/normal. Doesn't this point to a leak? No fluid on floor of garage when I checked it the past 2 mornings. I would expect to see some fluid if it is leaking. I have not noticed any big puffs of white smoke when I start the car either. Tx. for any input.

Why bother at all. I wouldn't bother replacing that piece of junk plus which I have often wondered what it might take to have it automatically off with each startup rather than on. I learned by be fairly religious in turning it off each and every time I start my 92 LS. Because you can get the computer for pocket change at a salvage yard.... Yes, I am checking out reman prices...and i am sure i can do way better than that dealer quote on labor. I am trying to figure out whether I really 'need' to fix it at all. Or if I can bypass or remove it. Lots of conflicting advice on whether removing it is even do-able/adviseable.

Why bother at all. I wouldn't bother replacing that piece of junk plus which I have often wondered what it might take to have it automatically off with each startup rather than on. I learned by be fairly religious in turning it off each and every time I start my 92 LS. I turned it off using the button above the ashtray, but the trac light still comes on. Not every time, but often enough for me to know that that button doesn't override anything. Do you think I can get away with doing nothing at all? Just drive around with the light on all the time? A mechanic told me the car would eventually become "undriveable" if the computer failed altogether. Is this true? Thanks in advance.

answering my own question here, in case anyone is interested. was told 700+ or - by a dealer. and that is just labor...

answering my own question here, in case anyone is interested. was told 700+ or - by a dealer.

Does anyone know how much labor/time it would take to replace the traction control computer? Thanks.

LS430 = hearse? I hadn't really thought of the car that way, but that's funny. The sound might just be the car settling in/down after driving. If you do not get a reply here, I would call a dealer and talk to a customer service rep. I doubt this is anything to be concerned about though....

Thank you both. I went out and checked the level a few hours after topping off, and it seems to be staying at the same level. No fluids under the car either. I'll keep an eye on it though. Whew (for now).

I had the timing belt changed and a new water pump put on about two months ago. When checking fluids this morning (before starting the car) i noticed the coolant was about an inch to inch and half below the 'low cold' mark on the receptacle. I topped it off so the coolant level is now in between the low and high range for where it should be when the car is cold. I estimate that I added about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of red coolant. Is this normal to have to top off, or do I have a leak? I did not see any fluids under the car. Thanks.