monarch

Lexus has already told owners that frequent oil changes are the key if you want your engines and transmissions to last. Instead of embracing this advice, some owners consider the frequent servicing recommendation to be a rip off. So Lexus is caught between a rock and a hard place and will never be able to satisfy a certain percentage of owners with uncompromising attitudes. This situation is nothing new. Historically, the luxury models of Toyota have been more sensitive to the consequences of maintenance neglect than it's plain Jane models. Examples: early 80's Cressidas suffered premature valvetrain wear if certain oil holes became plugged due to infrequent oil changes. Late 80's Cressidas suffered from cylinder head gasket failures if the owner didn't use Toyota brand coolant and distilled water at coolant replacement time. Yet in spite of losing some customers over these sensitivity to maintenance neglect issues, sales growth of Toyota / Lexus luxury models has been stellar. And overall, no other major car company has better brand loyalty. My guess is Toyota / Lexus considers the small percentage of owners with uncompromising attitudes to be, in a word, expendible.

Did the independent shop mechanic use an aftermarket thermostat and thermostat gasket? Nearly all of them do unless they are Toyota / Lexus specialty shops.

Behave like you're walking on eggs, that's what, if you want to survive here. In the past 45 days both wwest and myself were banned for 2 weeks by 23 year old SWO3ES. Use the Search function to study the posts wwest and myself made in the past 45 days to see what "offenses" got us banned and adjust your behavior accordingly or face permanent banning.

RFeldes, just as you know Toyota sells "reseal kits" for the LS400 power steering pump, it also sells reseal kits for the AC compressor. Planned obsolesence is not the Toyota way of doing business. Instead, Toyota supplies reseal kits for PS pumps and AC compressors, starter contact kits for starters, alternator brush kits for alternators, shift control solenoids for the automatic transmission, replacable magnetic clutches for the AC condenser, etc. because these components are all actually built to last 400,000+ miles or 30+ years. Not the case with American cars.

Lexusfreak, mburn never provided any virgin chemical analysis results comparing genuine Toyota fluids vs aftermarket auto parts store fluids. Fram claims it's air filters "meet new car warranty specs." and I have never heard of any reports of engine damage when Fram filters were used in place of genuine Toyota filters. Yet in the real world use here is an example of the unintended consequences that can occur when a Toyota owner uses a Fram air filter in place of a factory filter: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/fram.jpg. The possibility of unintended consequences is also a a potential and avoidable problem when using a "universal" fluid like Amsoil Synthetic ATF in place of all genuine Toyota Type T and Dexron fluid uses. Toyota and the other quality oriented Asian car makers may not immediately latch onto Dexron IV fluid for the same reasons they did not immediately latch onto Dexron III when it first came out. And to this very day they still do not want DOT 4 Brake Fluid used in place of DOT 3 fluid. Why? because the additives in the more modern fluids may degrade long term componet reliability and durability in subtle ways. Example: if it turns out that Dexron IV increases the rate of rubber O-ring deterioration, power steering pumps and transmissions will fail sooner.

Good point, but can depend on whether or not the compressor actually blew up internally or not. There are two other reasons a compressor may not run even though it has not blown up. 1. If the refrigerant level is too low the compressor won't run. 2. The magnetic clutch attached to the compressor can screech and smoke and fool the owner into thinking the compressor blew up. If just the magnetic clutch fails it can be replaced. I have found 400,000+ miles of troublefree Toyota compressor life is possible if the following (mostly Toyota provided) operational guidelines are followed: 1. Run the compressor at least once a month and preferably once a week throughout the year for at least 30 seconds and preferably at least 5 minutes. 2. When first starting the compressor after it has been not been used for a week or more, turn it on only when the engine is at low idling speed - don't turn it on during engine warm up, acceleration or at freeway speeds. (because lubricating oil drains out of the compressor when not in regular use) 3. Run the compressor manually for interior cooling as needed, but do not keep the AC controls continuously in Auto mode as Auto mode results in almost continuous compressor operation resulting in more rapid wear of the compressor and magnetic clutch. 4. Periodically check the refrigerant sight glass to make sure the system is not under or overfilled with refrigerant and add refrigerant soon if it gets low. 5. Every year or two clean the dust and bugs off the fins of the AC condenser and radiator with compressed air or low pressure water and detergent.

Then tell us specifically what ExxonMobil fluids available in retail stores are chemically identical to a genuine Toyota fluids and show us a virgin chemical analysis to back your claim up. On practically every Toyota forum there are independent shop mechanics who speak out and say "Toyota fluids are just "rebottled / rebranded auto part store fluids and that's why we don't use them and why even Toyota dealers don't use them in their own service bays." But these same independent shop mechanics never provide a virgin chemical analysis of a Toyota fluid pitted against available auto parts store fluids. On another forum, some owners pooled their money to get a chemical laboratory to test virgin Toyota Long Life antifreeze alongside 4 other Auto parts store Long life antifreezes. The Toyota freeze turned out to be distinctly chemically unique just as Toyota claimed it was. And unique even though Honeywell forumulated it. Honeywell also made the two versions of the Prestone antifreezes that were also used in the chemical analysis. Thus we see Toyota engineers instructed Honeywell specifically how it wanted Toyota antifreeze built. Another example: Chevron is famous for making fuel injector cleaner additives containing Techron and yet Toyota went to Chevron to have it's own brand of fuel injector cleaner built. Toyota made the decisions on the chemical makeup of this cleaner so it's distinctly different than Chevron's own fuel injector cleaners (the primary solvent in Chevron's cleaners is unexpensive trimethylbenzene while the primary solvent in Toyotas fuel injector cleaner is much more expensive butyl cellosolve.)

Can you start from the beginning and tell us again why you changed the pump and whether or not the old pump was working right (from a steering effort standpoint). Then tell us what parts from the old pump were tranferred to the new pump and whether or not the vacuum hoses to the air control valve were hooked up exactly like they were originally on the old pump.

But you have to be careful about "educational" internet websites like that. Typically these "educaional" sites are sponsored by an aftermarket parts or lubes company so that means they are biased against factory original parts and lubes. Notice, for example, the website in question mentions BOSCH oxygen sensors and recommends "replacement every:30,000 miles for the Unheated Sensors & 60,000 miles for Heated Sensors" If the website was truly educational then the authors would admit factory original Asian car brand oxygen sensors like Denso typically last at least 120,000 miles. For obvious selfish reasons, these "educational" sites never admit stuff like that so the public ends up dumbed down, by, ironically, these "educational" websites.

But that's the Lexus owner's decision, not the mechanics decision. An honest and ethical Toyota / Lexus mechanic will inform the customer they need to decide whether or not they want a high quality R12 to R134a conversion using factory approved procedures and parts or low quality conversion using Autozone parts and procedures, "hardware store O-rings" and such. A honest and ethical Toyota / Lexus mechanic would also inform the customer that not converting and sticking with R12 is the lowest cost and highest quality approach of all.

Kennyr, reliability and durability is priority #1 at Toyota and that's why, when converting R12 systems over to R134a, Toyota requires special a special ultra high quality compressor oil, special R134a compatible 0-ring seals, a special R134a compatible receiver-drier and requires the system to be vacuumed. As Guy Telefunken said on another thread "these are premium cars, not domestic junk". One of the reasons they are so reliable is because they were designed to be using premium parts made with premium materials and built to premium fit tolerance standards. You may not be aware of how reliable and durable a Toyota AC system can be if it is maintained according to Toyotas recommendations: Here are three examples: 1. My '92 Toyota pickup, 455,000 miles of driving in California's hot Central Valley and no AC system breakdowns in all that time. I just topped off the system once with 1/2 can of R12. 2. My '89 Toyota Corolla, 239,000 miles of driving in California's hot Central Valley and no AC system breakdowns in all that time. I just topped off the system once with 1/2 can of R12. 3. My '74 Toyota Corona, only 61,000 miles but still no AC system breakdowns despite being 31 years old. The system has just been topped off twice with 1/2 - 3/4 can of R12 in all that time.

Nope. Freeze 12, Hot Shot, Maxi-Frig and many others are not fully compatible. The only two TOYOTA APPROVED refrigerants available for a Toyota R12 system are genuine Freon R12 or R134a and converting to the R134a involves a complicated and expensive procedure if you do it the Toyota approved way (new Densoil #8 compressor oil, a new R134a compatible Receiver-Drier and a bunch of new specially compounded rubber O-ring seals for the receiver-drier and other fittings in the system) And even after you install all that your system sight glass will appear cloudy so it will be useless for determining whether or not you have a proper refrigerant charge. Thus the least expensive, least complicated way to recharge your R12 system is by buying a can of genuine Freon R12 on ebay along with a charging hose and adding it like this: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/acrecharge.jpg Staying with R12 also assures maximum system reliability and durability.

You have to hook up a vaccuum pump (Autozone apparently rents them) and draw a deep vaccuum on the system to remove system moisture and then charge the refrigerant into the vaccuum. The vacuum pump is not needed if the system still retains part of its charge because no moisture will have entered and contaminated the system. All a partially charged needs is to be topped off like this: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/acrecharge.jpg

Couple of things to think about: Has your radiator cap, thermostat and thermostat gasket ever been changed? With exact factory original replacements? And was the thermostat installed with the jiggle valve in the 12:00 noon position?

PK - here is the location of the sight glass on the 1990-1992 R12 LS400's. It might be the same on your '94 R234a car. http://www.saber.net/~monarch/sightglass.JPG You can add refrigerant to any fitting that has a Black colored cap. Never add to a Red colored cap. Always hold the can upright when charging. Have the engine idling and the AC on when charging. You'll know when refrigerant gas is flowing into the system because the can will start getting cold. Wear eye protection in case something goes wrong. I've seen a can tap valve cut a hole in the can and cause refrigerant to leak out the can - fortunately I caught the leak quickly before the hole was big enough to squirt -20 degree F refrigerant onto my skin or face. Kennyr won't be able to use his sight glass because he converted his factory oriiginal R12 system over to R134a - that's just one of the many disadvantages of converting. However, the sight glass will work on factory original R134a systems like yours and factory original R134a systems are also pretty reliable and durable because the factory used special R134a compatible hoses, receiver-drier, 0-rings, compressor oil and a larger capacity AC condenser.

The '93 on up models use R134a refrigerant. It's possible that your system is slightly low on R134a after 11 years, but if the cooling still seems good then it might need only 1/2 of a can. When the AC controls are set for maximum cooling, the center dash outlet temperatures of factory original R134a systems should be around 35-42 degrees F. If they are higher then it's a sign the system is at least a bit low on R134a. The most accurate way to measure the refrigerant level is to follow the procedure described in the factory repair manual. This involves locating the refrigerant sight glass and checking it for the presense of a stream of bubbles when the AC system is running and set for cooling. Alot of bubbles indicates too little refrigerant. But if the sight glass is mostly free of bubbles the system is either properly charged or overcharged. When properly charged, the sight glass will briefly become foamy for a second or two when the AC system is shut off. If overcharged the sight glass with stay free of bubbles even after the AC system is shut off.

In the USA (but not Canada) you can buy R12 freon at an auto parts store but you'll pay twice as much as on ebay, plus you'll have to show proof of being certified to service R12 systems and that requires passing a 25 question test which is offered online at http://www.macsw.org/ for a minimal fee. It's much easier to buy R12 Freon on ebay. Just bid on some, win the auction and mail the seller either cash or a postal money order. I've mailed cash about 100 times to pay for various auctions and it was never lost or stolen by the seller. Also, if the seller requires it, mail him a copy of the following with your money " I hereby certify that the can of Refrigerant R-12 that I am purchasing is being purchased solely for the purpose of reselling it to a certified technician. I certify that I will comply with all applicable Local, State and Federal regulations and laws including payment of any taxes now due or that may become due on this can of Refrigerant R-12, and that I am legally permitted to purchase, accept delivery of, possess and resell this can of Refrigerant R-12. My name is: _______________________________________ My address is:______________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ Signed:___________________________ Date:___________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

CD versions of the Factory Service Manual are never and have never been available on ebay, just paper versions (and alot of those have been photocopied versions)

Yes you can probably just install new pads. Just make sure they are Toyota pads to maximize rotor life. The 1997 Toyota Brake Systems Technician Training Manual does not recommend turning rotors unless the rotors are worn beyond the minimum thickness spec or if the vehicle is exhibiting symptoms of rotor untrueness like vibration when braking. I have a '92 Toyota pickup with 454,600 miles and have never turned or replaced the rotors and the rotors are still only 25% worn http://www.saber.net/~monarch/rotorthick.jpg. This is an extreme case of rotor durability (made possible by a combination of mostly highway driving, gentle braking habits, use of genuine Toyota pads and a manual transmission which is easier on brakes) but does prove that turning rotors can be a waste of time and money and that it just grinds away potential life off the rotors.

Be careful prying on those camshafts because they are hollow and the Lexus service manual warns they could break if stressed by improper handling. In an automotive junkyard I pryed on the camshaft of a Toyota Corolla and it suddenly snapped in two !!

Wow what an exciting day you have ahead. We will be eager to hear about how the driving experience of the hybrid compares to a regular RX. Also, I hope your gas tank is filled so you can calculate your gas mileage in a week or two.

Tens of thousands of do-it-yourselfers have purchased Freon R12 on ebay over the past 9 years. And tens of thousands more have stockpiles in their homes that they bought prior to 1993 and routinely offer it for sale during yard sales. I've never heard of the Feds going after an individual do-it-yourself car owner. Here's an analogous situation: There are several ongoing threads here in LOC where people are admitting they are modifying their cold air intakes, installing EGR block off plates, installing performance computer chips, etc. Some of these mods are technically serious violations of the Federal Clean Air Act, but no one raises any concern. Likewise many owners here on LOC have talked about their driving adventures in 100-145 MPH range on public roads. R12 systems converted to R134a typically put out 45 - 50 degree F air from the dash vents instead of 32-40 degree air like R12 delivers. The compressor works harder and hotter decreasing it's life. The worst problem owners face who have converted is system leaks because special new O rings must be used in several areas of the system and special barrier type refrigerant hoses installed. Everytime the system loses all its refrigerant due to a leak it was have to be vacuumed by an AC shop and recharged at a cost of over $100, not counting the additional cost to repair the leak.

R12 systems that are converted to R134a do not cool as well and are not as reliable and durable. AC repair shops love R134a because they make $bucks$ on the initial conversion and then more bucks down the road on system breakdowns caused by the use of R134a On ebay there are always ads for genuine Freon R12 like this one: http://tinyurl.com/be9cz To legally purchase R12 on ebay you need to furnish the seller with a note like this: " I hereby certify that the can of Refrigerant R-12 that I am purchasing is being purchased solely for the purpose of reselling it to a certified technician. I certify that I will comply with all applicable Local, State and Federal regulations and laws including payment of any taxes now due or that may become due on this can of Refrigerant R-12, and that I am legally permitted to purchase, accept delivery of, possess and resell this can of Refrigerant R-12. My name is: _______________________________________ My address is:______________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ Signed:___________________________ Date:___________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

Well it's true that mechanically a Lexus is a Toyota and that's something to be very proud of because even the least expensive stripper model Toyotas are built to last twice as long as any American car before needing any major drivetrain overhauls. Like here are the odometer readings of a couple base model Toyota pickups: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/leowarfield.JPG http://www.saber.net/~monarch/454.jpg It's also true that a Cadillac is just another GM car and that means carefully planned obsolesence of virtually all the drivetrain components / interior furnishings. Just visit your local automotive junkyards and compare the odometer readings of 10-25 year old Chevys and Cadillacs - both routinely end up in junkyards at between 75,000 - 175,000 miles whereas junkyard Toyotas, Lexus's, Hondas and Acuras routinely have odometer readings of 150,000 - 350,000 mile range. Next look at the interiors of 10-25 year old Chevys and Cadillacs in the junkyards. Both have sagging seats with ripped / cracked upolstery, plastic trim that's starting to disintegrate into sand like particles and cracked / disintegrating door and window seals. Then look under the hood and both Cads and Chevys have hardened / cracked coolant and vacuum hoses. Now look at the interiors of 10-25 year old Toyotas and Lexus's in the junkyards. No sagging seats. Rarely torn upolstery. Plastic trim that looks like new. Most have untorn / uncracked door and window seals. Then look under the hoods and notice the coolant and vacuum hoses are still usually the factory originals and are still usually uncracked and fairly soft. Lastly consider that most middle aged and older current Asian car enthusiats were American car enthusiasts at one point in their lives. Tens of millions of them have become so spoiled by Asian car quality they would never go back to owning an American car. A small percentage do go back to owning American cars and that's usually because they had mechanical reliability / durability problems that can be traced back to their failure to maintain their Asian cars with genuine Asian car parts, fluids and filters. There was a time when American cars had durable interiors and mechanical components but you have to go all the way back around 1967 and earlier to find them. Sometimes I think of buying a mid-60's Chevy or Cadillac on ebay to relive the memories of the days when American cars were great.

http://www.saber.net/~monarch/valvecrank.JPG