monarch

The reason I avoid using band type filter wrenches is because one of them once collapsed the filter shell of a Fram oil filter my girlfriend had on her Pontiac. So I was forced to resort to the primitive and messy "screwdriver punched through the oil filter" method of removing her Fram filter. This shell collapsing problem when using a band wrench would be less likely to occur with a genuine Toyota filter, because Toyota specs an extra thick and strong filter shell compared to auto parts store brands like Fram and Purolator http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/fbrick.jpg

The Owner FAQ at Toyota.com, explains Toyotas position on timing belt replacement. Toyota says it's position on timing belt replacement is the same as with other engine drive belts: inspect at the first 60,000 miles (90,000 miles for the VVTi models) and every 15,000 miles thereafter. Toyota then goes on to say that since the labor to inspect the timing belt is considerable, some owners may wish to go ahead and replace the timing belt anyway every 60,000 miles. As I said in my earlier post, experience teaches us (those of us with Toyota specific experience) that Toyota timing belts in Toyota engines can last as long as 150,000 - 200,000 miles if the driver is a relaxed highway driver type and can be as short as 60,000 - 90,000 miles if the driver is the opposite. GS400 owners, for example, are likely to be hurried, aggressive drivers so its no surprise mehullica told us today that he worked on a GS400 engine that had a belt in bad shape at 121,321 miles.

I remember reading in a Toyota manual that's its somewhere between 0 - 4 degrees Celsius (32-40 degrees F)

This is the step I get stuck on. I can't figure out where to place the punch or why people are attemping removal of a threaded component using tools like punches and chisels instead of wrenches? And then when reinstalling the solenoid, how do you seal it back up to the steering rack? Do you need to use new O-rings and if so where do you buy them? Thanks for any further assistance you can provide.

Check the engine's intake and exhaust valve clearances and adjust if necessary. Loose clearances = diminished engine power. You should also check the engine's compression on all 8 cylinders after the valve clearance adjustment because if some cylinders have suboptimal compression then power will not be optimal.

With regard to the car cover, my buddy in Lake Tahoe says the genuine Lexus car cover he uses has a fleece underside that helps prevent sticking. And the car cover I got at Walmart that's made of a semi-waterproof material made by Dupont doesn't stick much to my car in freezing weather. BUT, out here in the West our humidity is lower and we have sunshine on most winter days. Out your way where its cloudier and more humid I concede even the best car cover might have problems sticking to the car overnight. With regard to the air conditioner I agree the AC compressor will run when the windshield defroster setting is selected, but this is only true when the outside temperature is above freezing. I would imagine most of your winter mornings in New York are below freezing. Sometimes even below zero if you are located in the interior of New York State !!

The VVTi engines are equipped with an extra strong, extra reinforced timing belt. That's why Toyota extended the timing belt replacement interval from 60K to 90K for the VVti engines. So just as many relaxed highway drivers have found the non VVti engines can be safely driven 100 - 120K miles before replacing the timing belt, VVti owners who are easy going highway drivers should be able to drive closer to 150K before replacing the timing belt. Hurried, pedal to the metal type drivers, ought to change the timing belt according to the factory schedule since that kind of driving is extra stressful to the belt mechanism. The water pump will normally last at least 150K if the owner is careful to use the factory original coolant mixture (50% distilled water & 50% Toyota Long Life antifreeze) at replacement time.

The Toyota factory repair manual recommends using a cap wrench. Here's the cap wrench that fits the Denso 90915-YZZD1 oil filter. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/capp.jpg The Denso 90915-YZZD1 is the filter Toyota recommends for the ES250/300/330 and RX300/330 V6 engines.

The owners manuals of the early and mid 90's ES250's and ES300's specifies manually inspecting valve clearances every 6 years or 60,000 miles which requires valve cover removal, which in turn requires replacement of the valve cover gaskets, which in turn requires the use of the genuine Toyota valve cover gaskets and RTV sealer to ensure a leak free seal that will last another 6 years or 60,000 miles.

Spark plug misfiring is likely due to neglected tune ups or improperly performed tune ups (using aftermarket spark plugs and other ignition system parts, improperly torquing spark plugs or cracking the spark plug insulator by torquing with the wrong type of spark plug wrench, etc). If the plugs were really misfiring, you should have noticed some engine vibration. Does the engine idle with buttery smoothness or is there some noticable engine shaking?

With regard to oil hose life, in the 1970's Toyota used thick, high quality fabric reinforced rubber engine oil cooler hoses on the 6 cylinder Land Cruiser 2F motor and 6 cylinder Corona Mark II 4M motor. Despite the supreme strength and quality hose, Toyota's recommended oil hose replacement interval was only 2 years for the Land Cruiser motor and 4 years for the Corona Mark II motor. With regard to how fast an engine can be destroyed if it runs out of oil for any reason, the October 1998 issue of Consumer Reports described the results of a no oil experiment: CR attempted to reproduce the ProLong oil additive "no oil" advertizement where all the oil was drained out of an engine which had been treated with ProLong, and then the engine was run. CR managed a maximum of 13 SECONDS RUNNING out of each of two engine BEFORE THE ENGINES SIZED UP, welding the pistons to the barrels.

I not sure I understand what valve cover oil leakage problems exist to begin with. Like do V6 valve cover gaskets ever develope significant leaks before the first timing belt change? Answer: Not to my knowledge. My '91 Lexus V8 uses the same kind of grooved valve cover gasket and there are still no leaks after 15 years (timing belt has never been replaced yet). And do V6 valve cover gaskets ever develope significant leaks inbetween timing belt changes if the technician replaces the valve cover gasket at each change, uses dabs of the genuine Toyota RTV sealer at certain spots also specified in that manual and then finishes the job by correctly torquing the valve cover bolts? Answer: Not to my knowledge.

What's the life of the two 3 foot long auto parts store quality hose used in this application? What's the life of the auto parts store quality Ultra Black sealant used in this application? What's the life of the auto parts store quality hose clamps used in this application? How many years and miles of testing did these mods undergo and in how many Toyota vehicles? What were the results of the July Death Valley hill climb leak test? What were the results of the January Fairbanks, Alaska leak test? How many seconds will a Toyota engine live if the motor oil all leaks onto the ground while driving at 70 MPH?

Any car can be kept in tip top mechanical shape by simply driving it several miles once every 2 weeks. Try to drive it at least 8 miles before parking it again and try to drive it when the temperature is above 35 degrees F so that the air conditioning compressor can be run and exercised. Merely idling the motor before storage is a bad thing to do because then water will be trapped in the exhaust pipes during storage and will rot the system out. Moisture will also accumulate in the motor oil and corrode internal engine parts. If you use a car cover, get a good, waterproof one like the $59 ones sold at Walmart. The better car cover won't stick to the car too badly especially if you keep the car surfaces waxed and use RainX on the windshield.

No one on this forum who changed the fluid before it got serious black and smelled burnt has experienced transmission failure. Since your RX has only 36,000 miles, I would inspect the fluid and not be worried if it is only moderately darkened, but pitch black and not burnt smelling. Then just start partially changing the fluid regularly by draining and refilling the 5 quarts as artbuc described using genuine Toyota Type T-IV fluid every 10-15,000 miles (10K if you are often stuck in bumper to bumper traffic jams in midsummer heat). Beware of independent shops and even some Toyota / Lexus dealers who push various "conditioners" and "solvents" of dubious value and potential harm because sometimes the same companies (e.g. the BG company) that sell or loan them the flushing equipment also sell them the conditioners and cleaners as a condition of loaning the equipment or selling it at near cost. Also beware of independent shops and even some Toyota / Lexus dealers who cut their costs to increase profits by substituting aftermarket transmission fluids (such as Valvoline Universal fluid) in place of genuine Toyota Type T-IV fluid. The reasons I suggest partial fluid changes every 10-15K miles instead of total fluid replacement at less frequent intervals is because the former strategy is not only less expensive, it forces you to inspect and monitor the condition of the fluid on a regular basis so you're more likely to catch any potential incident of burned fluid before it can cause any serious damage to the transmission.

I have a '91 too. The power steering system has three problems that crop up after 10 -15 years or so: 1. The rubber sealing O-rings inside the PS pump get brittle and leak. Thus the old pump needs to be removed for resealing using a $30 Toyota reseal kit or a new pump must be purchased. The pump itself does not wear out unless run low on fluid. On ebay you can occassionally find LS400 pumps that are brand new ($200-$275) or have been resealed by Toyota Mastertechs working on the side ($100-125). Some owners who have purchased rebuilt PS pumps at Autozone have been satisfied while other have had catastrophic failures without warning that left them stranded because a pump that locks up can also cause the serpentine drive belt that drives the alternator and fan to break. 2. The idle up valve attached to the PS pump (also called the air control valve) needs replacement every 10-15 years or else power steering fluid will leak into the engine exhaust system. 3. On the steering rack there is a solenoid and inside this solenoid is a filter screen that must be kept clean to prevent excessive fluid pressure buildups which in turn contribute to hose and seal failures elsewhere in the system. Replacing the components mentioned above without also cleaning the solenoid screen can lead to repeat failures. All your leaks could dissappear after the three items above are taken care of so don't replace the expensive hoses in the system except as a last resort since they are probably still good. Bear in mind your alternator could fail at any moment leaving you stranded because it has likely become soaked with power steering fluid.

I've never heard of the top tank of a Toyota radiator "exploding". Or did a leak spring from a hose or the radiator core tubes? Can you explain in more specific detail? If the radiator did indeed explode, how were you able to keep running the engine to determine coolant was comming out the exhaust pipes? Did the coolant come out of just one exhaust pipe or both?

The dark color of the fluid could mean: 1. The factory original fluid is still in the system (it's tan in color even when new) 2. At 90K miles the servicing shop installed BG Brand power steering fluid or some other aftermarket power steering fluid. When changing the PS fluid all the Toyota manuals recommend using Dexron automatic transmission fluid (transparent red in color) http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/psfluid.jpg

Toughest part may be getting the return hose off. It will come off easier if you try removing when the engine is hot. If you give up trying, then just buy a 10 foot long piece of vinyl tubing from a hardware store and suck the old fluid out of the PS reservoir then refill. Drive around the block and repeat a total of 5-6 times. If you cut the return hose off then remember that replacement hose you get from an auto parts store is not going to fit as tightly because auto parts store hose is not metric. Auto parts store PS hose also isn't going to be molded for a perfect fit or made with the same extra durable grade of reinforced rubber like the factory original hose.

You could save money by buying a used bracket from a Lexus recycler like taprecycling.com

IF you register your car at lexus.com you'll have access to a huge FAQ that Lexus put together for owners. Here's what the FAQ says about new car breakin: Engine Break-In Period Question: What does Lexus recommend for the engine break-in period? Answer: "The engine of your new Lexus vehicle is made with industry leading precision and quality. As a result, the break-in procedures listed in the Owner's Manual for a brand new Lexus are optional. While following these procedures may help to optimize engine performance and engine longevity over the life of the engine, these potential benefits are marginal compared to the benefits that result from ensuring that recommended maintenance is performed as scheduled." As you can see, Lexus is saying that the benefits of a careful breakin are trivial compared to the benefits of performing all preventive maintenance on time. Lexus further strongly recommends you maintain your car with genuine Toyota parts, fluids and filters and to not modify the engine or exhaust system. However, if you read through the IS Forum you'll quickly notice practically all IS owners modify their cars and do not use genuine Toyota parts, fluids and filters. So if you plan to join this camp of modifiers, it makes no sense to agonize over proper breakin procedures because in the long run your future mods will more than erase any engine longevity benefits you might gain from a careful breakin.

Genuine Toyota (Denso) oxygen sensors are so effective and durable, they have protected the life of my '92 Toyota catalytic converter and EGR valve and related components for 467,000 miles and counting. Here are the passing smog test results I got when my '92 Toyota had 451,000 miles still equipped with it's factory original catalytic converter and EGR valve: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/smog92.jpg During those 451,000 miles I replace the pre-cat oxygen sensor only twice and the post cat sensor only once using genuine Toyota (Denso) sensors purchased for about $105 each from 1sttoyotaparts.com Now if you visit the Walker oxygen sensor website and other aftermarket brands you'll see they suggest replacing their oxygen sensors every 30,000 - 50,000 miles to protect the life of the catalytic converter = about only 1/3rd the life of a genuine Toyota (Denso) sensor.

http://www.walkerproducts.com/Oxygen%20Sen...d%20Answers.htm Q: What is a universal sensor? A: A: A universal sensor is a base sensor, which does not include the direct fit connector. Splicing is necessary for installation. Universals were widely used in the early years of vehicles equipped with oxygen sensors. The possibility exists that the user could select the wrong base sensor by assuming that all sensors with the same wire count are equal. All Oxygen Sensors are not created equally. Each type is matched to the make, model and sub-model application and cannot be mixed. It is impractical to offer a universal sensor for many applications due to heater types, ground types and other characteristics. Improper selection of the universal sensor could result in serious damage to the engine management system, including failure of the engine control unit (ECU) and/or the catalytic converter. Q: Q: How do I know if a sensor is damaged or not working properly? A: A: Usually the check engine light is illuminated if there is a failure of the sensor. Sensors that are not performing at peak efficiency may not cause the check engine light to illuminate, but will usually cause a rich shift in air fuel ratio and probably damage the catalyst.

Well if the build quality of a factory original Panasonic or genuine Toyota TrueStart replacement battery is superior to comparable auto parts store batteries then it's likely to be more reliable and durable.I have not sat down and examined the build quality of a factory original Panasonic or genuine Toyota TrueStart battery vs. auto parts store batteries. However, it is an undisputable fact that Toyota vehicles in general are substantially more reliable and durable than any American car. Therefore there must be substantial differences in build quality of the parts, filters and fluids that make up a Toyota.

My point, as usual, is that Toyota often requires its suppliers to build parts, fluids, filters, etc. to different or higher standards. Example: Toyota contracts Purolator to build the genuine Toyota #08922-02011 ES 300 V6 oil filter. But Toyota just didn't go to Purolator and say: "hey guys, please rebadge one of your your existing oil filters and send us a bill." Instead, Toyota required Purolator to build a filter with unique design features. Here are just three of several unique design features you won't find in any auto parts store Purolator oil filter: http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/fbrick.jpg http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/mastertech/ftread.jpg