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monarch

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Everything posted by monarch

  1. No a bad thermostat cannot cause a coolant leak. So somewhere else in the cooling system there is probably a small coolant seepage leak. On a 10 year old Lexus like yours, seepage leaks are almost always minor and will not likely escalate into a big leak anytime soon. However, a leaky water pump is serious and should be replaced immediately if it leaks. If any of your coolant hoses and hose clamps have ever been changed I would check those first because auto parts store hoses and hose clamps are of lower quality than factory original hoses and clamps, plus aftermarket hoses are not metric so they fit either a little too loosely or tightly. The factory original hoses and clamps are good for 15-25 years and owners often change them too early and then install lower quality and less well fitting auto parts store hoses and clamps. Owners often make another mistake by replacing only the coolant hoses they can plainly see under the hood like the radiator hoses while ignoring the other smaller coolant hoses that are less accessible and where seepage leaks can occur.
  2. You could go back to conventional oil and save 75% on your 5,000 mile oil changes and your engine will still be well protected. A large majority of the Toyota owners I know that drove over 400,000 miles without an engine overhaul used conventional oil. Consumer Reports engine tear down testing comparing taxi cab engines run on conventional vs. synthetic oil for 6,000 miles showed no difference in wear rates. This is probably why none of the major oil companies (Chevron, Mobil, Shell, Valvoline, etc) claim synthetic extends engine life (although offbrands like Amsoil, Neo, Royal Purple, Redline, etc. might make sensational claims like that as is typical for offbrand products)
  3. Check the tire pressure when it's around 24 degrees F. It might be below the factory spec of around 29 PSI. Also check PS fluid level in the morning, before starting the car, to make sure it's within the COLD range (not under or overfilled). If fluid is above the COLD range then suck some out using a turkey baster or some vinyl tubing you can get from a hardware store. The factory fill PS fluid won't need changing for another 3 years or until the car hits about 60,000 miles In the rare event stiff steering persists despite the above checks, take car to Lexus dealer for a warranty check out and repair.
  4. You could go to a Hertz airport location and rent a 2006 Toyota Avalon. The '06 Avalon has the same engine and transmission that will likely go into the 2007 RX. Then you could also rent a 2005 or 2006 Toyota Highlander from Hertz as it has the same engine and transmission as the 2006 RX. By comparing the enginer and transmission performance of the Avalon and Highlander you could decide whether the 2007 RX would be worth the wait. The '06 Avalon is really popular and selling well which might mean owners are thrilled with its powertrain performance.
  5. You might want to check out the Consumer Reports and JD Power reliability ratings. Both the Chevy Tahoe and Ford Expedition score poorly, especially after several years of ownership. Both have poor gas mileage, especially the Ford. Sounds to me like the best vehicle that would fit your needs is the Toyota 4Runner. Better gas mileage than the Ford and Chevy, best reliability and durability in the business, and a standard 5,000 lb towing capability.
  6. 1UZ-FE is Toyota's code name for the 1st generation (1990-97) LS400 V8. Dexron ATF (not Type T) is fluid Toyota specifies for the power steering system http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/psfluid.jpg
  7. What's the service history of the car? The modification history (things as simple as using an aftermarket thermostat or thermostat gasket = a mod) ? Under what driving circumstances was the problem first noticed?
  8. I've had good luck finding used cars offered for sale by private parties at cars.com. Cars.com essentially allows you to search classified newspaper ads nationwide or just in your local area. For a really promising car it can be worth the one way bus or plane fare to pick it up. One reason cars.com is good is because many senior citizens have never learned anything about computers or the internet, so they place ads for their cars only in the local newspapers, never on ebay or craigslist. Cars.com gives you the ability to search through the newspaper ads that were placed by seniors.
  9. rtd111 it was good to hear you got the solenoid off. You are the first person on the forum to report the solenoid filter screen wasn't filthy. Was your steering stiff or were you cleaning the screen as a preventive measure? If you have time, I would really appreciate it if you could post a photo showing how you positioned the locking long nose pliers and exactly where you pounded on the pliers or nut to loosen the nut. Also, if you post a photo of the 2 mm "gap" you are talking about maybe others will suggest a way you could close that gap without damaging the solenoid. Thanks
  10. prix, I agree former Lexus dealer mechanics who leave to go work for themselves can be good people to work with and hopefully you can now enjoy many years of troublefree service from your PS system.
  11. Mister-Z, I suggest you study some of ArmyofOne's earliest posts in the archives about what happened after he bought a '90 ES250 that had fewer miles than the ES you are considering. Even though Army is knowledgeable about auto maintenance and repair, he STILL had to pump about $5,000+ in repairs and maintenance within a few months of buying his '90 ES250. There are many more horror stories like this in the archives involving young people who thought they were getting a "great deal" on a low priced early 90's ES. Since you do not currently have an owners manual for an early '90's ES you don't realize how much preventive maintenance is needed and how much was neglected by the former owner and the potential $5,000 - $7,500 consequences of this neglect. Like I said before, instead of buying a money trap Lexus in marginal mechanical condition, you could buy a low mileage, senior owned mid-90's Toyota Corolla or Camry and then you won't hardly have to worry about the consequences of maintenance neglect because a Toyota with only 50,000 or 60,000 miles is too young for much serious damage to have occurred, even if neglected.
  12. Well, they seem to have taken a bit better care than that. They had service records (some recent, some not), which I perused but didn't really study, for several things beyond the basic tune-up. The diagnostic guy told me that he had expected the transmission to slip during the test drive but it didn't, and it's just the front left axle that's leaking (well, that and the pan gasket). Do these problems really spell doom for the transmission? Gya, I wish I knew more about cars in general Are all those other things apt to fail because they're old, or do they have to do with the transmission? ←
  13. Car sounds like a money pit to me because the owner(s) had a "lube oil and filter every X number of miles and don't touch anythig else unless it breaks" attitude about car care. Little old lady cars ARE great cars, but you have to get em before they have more than about 60,000 miles because after that the consequences of ""lube oil and filter" mentality can begin to become severe. The odometer is broken story is suspicious as I've never heard of any breaking on any Toyotas built since about 1974. Specifically you're probably going to be needing a new transmission, new cylinder head gaskets, radiator, new oxygen sensor, catalytic converter, front axles, valve cover gaskets and a valve clearance check for starters. If you need reliable transportation and have only $2-3K to spend you can find it in a mid-90's low mileage Toyota Corolla or Camry owned by a senior who is selling because he/she is too old to drive or has passed away (estate sale). Avoid the '98 model Corolla and the '97 Camry. The '97 and earlier Corollas and '94-'96 Camry's are the most bulletproof.
  14. Well at least there was still oil on the dipstick. As long as the oil level wasn't more than two quarts low then your motor did't likely suffer according to Tom & Ray, the commedian radio talk show mechanics. Toyota manuals say you're likely OK too as long as you didn't do alot of high rpm driving (above about 4000 RPM) while the oil level was low the Add mark.
  15. prix, all those pumps , racks and hoses were replaced on your car because the dealer failed to clean the solenoid filter screen which in turn meant that abnormally high fluid pressures were still present in the system after the components were replaced. My point is your "genius" independent mechanic goofed up too by delivering your car to you with a stiff steering problem. What kind of Lexus "expert" can he really be if after 15 years of working on LS400's he was still unaware of the importance of the solenoid filter screen? Maval appears to be feeding you a line of bull too by claiming they use seals that are superior to those that Lexus uses instead of informing you that a clogged solenoid filter screen is the root cause of high system pressures that lead to system and rack leaks.
  16. Do you know brand or color of antifreeze had been in the cooling system prior to heater control valve failure?
  17. the service people were sloppy and didn't wipe up oil they spilled when refilling the engine or didn't clean up oil that spilled when the oil filter was removed. Better check your oil and coolant levels as they may have been sloppy and over or underfilled the motor oil and coolant. And if the new coolant isn't red in color then they used an inferior aftermarket brand and probably mixed it with tap water which means that in a few years your system could suffer from accelerated aluminum corrosion, reduced cylinder head gasket life and partial clogging of the radiator. Toyota recommended coolant is the same as the factory original coolant; i.e. 50% Toyota long life antifreeze + 50% distilled water.
  18. Typically the valvetrain suffers heavier rates of wear and possible denting and abrasive scaring of parts like the valve lifters and camshaft lobes. The damage can cause the valvetrain to be noisier and the engine will eventually suffer a loss of power and smoothness. After running low on oil and engine can also start burning oil at a more rapid wait due to piston ring and cylinder damage. Every Toyota engine rolls off the assembly line ready to deliver 500,000 - 750,000 miles of troublefree service, but most owners murder them long before 500,000 miles by running them low on oil, infrequently changing the oil, using aftermarket coolants, filters and spark plugs, neglecting preventive maintenance to the emission control system and not ever checking and maintaining engine valve clearances. Driving in an abusive manner also cuts engine life. Like did you read the thread on engine warm up? All three owners said they drive fast and furiously when their engines are cold. None have read their owners manuals which say to drive at moderate speeds until the engine is completely warmed up.
  19. The engines that don't have variable valve timing, (VVTi) have EGR valves and vice versa.
  20. If he's so good, then how come he let you pour $1,500 into a LS400 power steering system that has only 66,000 miles on it? An honest and competent mechanic would have told you: To eliminate fluid leaks and solve the stiff steering your PS system just needs the solenoid filter cleaned, the fluid changed with $2 worth of new fluid, the PS pump resealed with a $26 Lexus pump reseal kit and a new $67 air control valve installed on the PS pump. And why is he now suggesting replacing the entire throttle body on your 66,000 mile car to solve an occassional stalling problem when the TB is designed to last hundreds of thousands of miles?
  21. Toyota throtlle bodies are designed to last the life of the vehicle. I've got 467,000 miles on one mine without a whimper of trouble, but I do clean the throttle plate regularly.
  22. prix, did your mechanic show you the old PS hoses? Probably not, because if you had seen them you would have noted they still look like new inside and out and do not shed particles that clog the solenoid filter screen. The ATF fluid is formulated to preserve rubber. I am also dissappointed to hear your mechanic did not want to clean the throttle plate(s). It's so important that Toyota even went to the trouble to make a cleaner specifically for this job http://www.saber.net/~monarch/tbclean.jpg Therefore I suggest you not blindly believe in this mechanic no matter how personable and competent he may seem to be. Your car has a mere 66,000 miles and I have never seen or heard of any major componets, hoses, etc. on a Toyota being worn out at such a low mileage. I'd be willing to bet the occassional stalling you have will be traced to some goof up a mechanic made when they serviced your car (e.g. misrouted a hose, disconnected a hose, etc.) For example, was a new air control valve (also called an idle up valve) installed on your new PS pump? If not, that was a crucial oversight on the part of your mechanic which might be the root cause of your stalling (if your stalling occurs while you are turning the steering wheel).
  23. Well prix, you and 914lps have been learning the hard way how many costly and fustrating things can go wrong if you use aftermarket parts and general automotive repair shops instead of Toyota specialist type shops. In any case, I'm glad you found out the clogged solenoid filter screen was the root cause of your stiff steering. Maintaining a troublefree LS power steering system is really very simple. Just clean the solenoid filter screen periodically and change the fluid periodically and the power steering pump, hoses and steering rack will last for hundreds of thousands of miles, just as they do on other Toyotas. The LS400 is the only Toyota / Lexus that has a steering rack solenoid and since it was a totally new design for Toyota back in 1990, the engineers probably didn't realize how easily it could become clogged. Perhaps Toyota has made engineering changes on the 2nd or 3rd generation LS's that have eliminated the filter screen clogging problem.
  24. Synthetic oils have been on the market for 30 years and in all that time no increase in fuel economy or engine life has been documented. That's why none of major oil companies (Mobil, Pennzoil, Valvoline, Castrol, etc) will come out a flatly claim their synthetics increase fuel economy or engine life. Nevertheless, the placebo effect is powerful and some owners report fuel economy gains when using synthetic oil, power gains from K&N air filters, power gains from quad electrode spark plugs and so forth.
  25. My '91 LS400 puts out scalding hot heat from ALL vents. I recorded the following measurements on a 45 degree F morning with the controls set in the Vent, outside air, and maximum heat positions: 157 degrees F from drivers side dash vent: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/dash.jpg 148 degrees F from the center dash vent 140 degrees F from the windshield defroster vent (controls set in the Defroster position andwith the AC compressor running) 121 degrees F from the rear console vent that directs heat to the rear seats. In the summer months the center dash vent temp is a truly frigid 32 degrees F LS's also have powerful blower motors so the velocity of the air coming out the vents is very high (if none of the air filters in the system are clogged)
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