monarch

Toyota Long Life Antifreeze has been the factory fill of every Lexus ever made until 2004 when Toyota Super Long Life Antifreeze was introduced.

I use genuine Toyota oil and air filters because they have a long established track record of taking Toyota vehicles up to 400,000 - 692,000 mile range without an engine overhaul (and even when using conventional dinosaur oil). Example: here's what an owner of a 1976 Toyota pickup had to say on the Toyota Motorhomes forum: "I figure since the '76 went 630,000 miles using Toyota filters, they MUST be pretty good! Why use a "One size almost fits all" filter when you can get the filters that were designed for THAT specific engine? I learned my lesson the expensive way a long time ago. For the most part, OEM parts are MUCH better quality than those from parts stores and are made to work the first time. I figure the engineers at Toyota know MUCH more about my truck than the guys over at Allied-Signal (Fram-Bendix), so I only use OEM filters, belts, hoses, brake pads, or other parts. Possum"

Steviej I have nothing against Mobil. In fact, I'm almost sure Toyota contracts Mobil to formulate Genuine Toyota Motor Oil. Indeed, I've used Mobil 1 synthetic for over 444,000 miles in one of my Toyotas. But over the years I've also become acquainted with many other 400,000 - 692,000 mile Toyota owners. These other owners have used a wide variety of brands and weights of dino oils (although none used ultra cheap Walmart type oils or filters) . So it looks like the Mobil 1 synthetic, while a very good oil, offers no substantial engine wear benefits compared to many popular brands of dino oil. And perhaps the reason why the Asian car engineers have not enthusiastically embraced synthetic motor oils is because they have known all along that synthetic oils offer no substantial wear benefits in THEIR (Asian car) engines. Now considering that the Toyota engineers took the time and trouble to develop Genuine Toyota Motor Oil specifically for Toyota engines and even priced it competitively I think it's worth a look. I think it's reasonable to assume Genuine Toyota Motor Oil is formulated to excell in some characteristics. These characteristics might involve sludge resistance, protection against engine seal deterioration and things like that rather than just good protection against mechanical engine wear.

Well Mobil didn't do a side by side comparison test with conventional oil using the same engine. So the public is left in the dark about the engine wear reducing capabilities of conventional oil. I already mentioned my own experience of how Mobil 1 failed to stop piston ring wear any better than conventional oil in Chevy Vega engines I owned in the 1970's. Likewise, Mobil 1 doesn't seem to be providing any substantial wear benefit in my 444,444 mile 1992 Toyota 22R-E engine: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/444.jpg After 444,000 miles, the oil consumption rate is about 2500 miles per quart vs almost no oil consumption between 5,000 miles changes when the engine was near new. An acquiantance, Jeff Foster, from Tennesee, reports an oil consumption rate of 2,000 miles per quart on his 1987 22R engine after 455,000 miles of using a dinosaur oil changed every 5,000 miles. We both used Toyota oil and air filters and both of our engines still run very well and are no where near being worn out. But the similar rate of oil consumption after about 450,000 miles suggests similar rates of piston ring and cylinder bore wear in both engines.

[quote=steviej, no saber (sorry....monarch), they don't state gas mileage increases. My gas tank, my wallet, and my experience do with my car. This has also been experienced by others. steviej, have you heard of any commerical courier, security patrol, delivery, etc. type companies who use synthetic oils in their fleets of vehicles in order to gain 1-2 more miles per gallon? Has Honda and Toyota equipped their gas mileage champ hybrid-electric vehciles with synthetic motor oil, synthetic transmission oil, synthetic CV joint grease and synthetic wheel bearing grease in order to gain more miles per gallon? Low rolling resistance tires as standard equipment on these cars so that tells me Honda and Toyota do care about eeking out more miles per gallon where possible and practical.

The major oil companies like Mobil, Chevron, Valvoline and Pennzoil make both synthetic and conventional oils, but do not claim the synthetics improve gas mileage. Nor do they claim synthetics substantially extend engine life. Here's a picture of the label of Mobil 1 synthetic vs. conventional Mobil Oil: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/oilcomp.jpg With regard to how often synthetic oils should be changed, on their websites, both Toyota & Lexus strongly advise against extending oil changes when using synthetics http://www.saber.net/~monarch/synno10K.jpg So this begs the question, what substantial, easily demonstrated, clear cut benefits do synthetics really provide? None, except in very cold winter climates your engine will be somewhat easier to start when temperatures dip to zero degrees F or below.

Using the AC has a minimal negative effect on power and gas mileage in my experience with a wide variety of Toyotas, both new and vintage. The AC compressor is just a little 5-10 cubic inch motor so it shouldn't have much of an effect just like driving around with an extra 200 lb passenger shouldn't have much of an effect.

Service Records. Service Records. Service Records. Service Records. Service Records. If the seller cannot provide proof of oil changes at least every 6 months / 5,000 miles, then you are knowingly taking a risk of having serious future mechanical problems with the car and not just problems limited to sludge. And not just limited to RX models or the Lexus line of cars.

Lexusfreak, there is no significant wear or gas mileage advantage to using synthetic and therefore most commercial courier type and security patrol companies do not use synthetic. Same deal with the semi-truck industry; i.e. most do not use synthetic. I first learned synthetics were nearly all hype back in the 1970's when I used Mobil 1 in a new Chevy Vega engine. These engines would wear fast and become severe oil burners after only 50,000 -75,000 miles. Exclusive use of Mobil 1 failed to stop the wear and associated oil burning.

Here's why business owners who own fleets of cars do NOT use specialty filters, oils, lubes and additives: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/650.jpg

Yes you did great. A 60K mile '91 LS400 that was carefully maintained will still be in near new mechanical condition and will be reliable and drive like new for years to come. You did exactly the right thing by paying a slightly high price for a finely maintained car because your car won't have serious wear and tear like worn out suspension, engine / transmission mounts, steering racks, exhaust systems and catalytic converters, etc. like the $4,000 - $6,000 early 1990's LS 400's on the market typically have. You do need to know, however, the early 1990's LS400's have a few mechanical quirks to beware of. The power steering system is prone to leaking from all sorts of places and can leak fluid onto the alternator and short it out and leave you stranded. So despite the care your car has received, plan on soon needing to replace the power steering pump and all hoses associated with the system. After 100K miles you may also need new lower ball joints. Run the AC system at least a few minutes every week or two throughout the year to keep it reliable. The engine, transmission, rear axle, fuel and ignition systems of your car are the most important systems and they are bullet proof.

R134a an upgrade? Well I guess it would be if you prefer 45-50 degree F air coming out of your dashboard vents instead of 37-42 degree air.

taplin06, I believe you are making a huge mistake trying to buy a '90 LS for only $4,000 and also making a mistake trying to buy from a used car dealer. The '90-'94 LS400's are essentially junk if they have not received all or at least most of the required factory preventive maintenance on time and the one you're looking at obviously does not had an extensive written service history. You can't simply buy a poorly maintained LS for $4000, then put $5,000 of repairs into it and expect it to run and drive like new. It won't ever be like new again. The prior abuse and neglect it received has ruined for good. The right way to buy a '90-'94 LS400 is to purchase a one owner car from someone who kept meticulous service records. And be prepared to spend $7500-$12,000 for such a car depending on the odometer miles. Mechanically, such cars are not badly worn and still drive like a dream. They offer far more ride comfort and quietness compared to any Accord or Camry. The difference is like night and day. Like when I travel and rent 2003 Camry's, I can't wait to get back into my much more refined '91 LS400. Owners like 90LS400Lexus who complain their LS400's are not vastly superior to Accords or Camry's say that because their particular LS400's were not well maintained by their formers owners and that neglect and abuse wrecked alot of the factory original ride smoothness and refinement. Bottom line is that unless you've got around $10,000 saved up, an LS400 is out of your reach, financially. Even the best maintained ones still will require some periodic expensive repairs like power steering pump replacement, steering rack hose replacement, lower ball joints, AC system repairs and a few other thing of that nature.

I agree you should use only OEM wires and change them every 60-80K miles. Also change the distributor cap and rotor if your engine has them. You'll see an instant improvement in engine power and fuel economy that will convince you it was worth the cost. Especially if you also scrub the throttle body plate clean of accumulated goo like this (Corolla engine illustrated, but the lexus is similar) http://www.saber.net/~monarch/7atb.JPG http://www.saber.net/~monarch/7atbb.jpg Performing preventive maintenance like this on the ignition, fuel, cooling, exhaust and emission systems is more important to long, reliable engine life than your choice of engine oil. Most owners are obsessed with the idea that using synthetic oil is the answer to long engine life, but then they largely ignore or stretch out ignition, fuel, cooling, exhaust and emission system preventive maintenance. Result? Their engines end up in the junkyard at only 150-250K miles. Very clean engines because they used synthetic oil, but dead engines that suffered fatal trauma of one form or another from being driven with worn out ignition, fuel, cooling, exhaust and emission system componets.

sgriffith, just draining and refilling the radiator every year with a 50/50 mix of Toyota Long Life coolant 7 distilled water will keep the whole cooling system looking like new for decades and unlimted miles: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/89thermohouse.JPG http://www.saber.net/~monarch/238..JPG http://www.saber.net/~monarch/toyred.jpg There's no need to clean out the coolant overflow jar because the jar will stay dishwasher clean too. About every 5 years or 100,000 miles replace the cooling system thermostat and radiator cap with factory original replacements. There is no need to replace any cooling system hoses for at least 15 years or 400,000 miles because Toyota uses such high quality grades of rubber in their hose and the best quality hose clamps in the business.

The first step is to measure the clearances on all 32 valves. It's possible all your valves are within specs and you won't need any shims. Lexus dealers are crazy to charge $30 for shims since Toyota dealers charge only $5-6 and discount Toyota dealers only $3-4. If any clearances are out of spec you need a hardware store type micrometer to measure the thickness of the existing shim and a valve lifter depressing tool and a tool to hold the lifter depressed while you remove the shim with a magnetic finger or small screwdriver. OTC Tools carries these tool kits. Do a Google search for OTC tools to locate them.

Yes full throttle driving is bad. People who get 400,000 miles of engine and transmission life avoid full throttle driving as much as possible. They drive gently and keep engine speed between 2000-4000 rpm just like the Lexus owners manuals say to do during the engine break in period. Fuel additives are a waste of money if you use any major oil company brand of gasoline. To keep the fuel system in top shape requires only changing the fuel filter every 60,000 miles and scrubbing clean the throttle body plate with a toothbrush every 30,000 miles or so.

A car with a salvage title can be a good buy if the problems are fixable and have been fully fixed And the problems are not necessarily always collision damage. Example: several years ago I bought an old '74 toyota pickup in near new cosmetic condition with only 67,000 miles for only $400, but it had a salvage title because the exhaust manifold had a crack and so engine couldn't pass Calif. smog. I fitted a new manifold on the engine and then it passed smog and ran like new. Absolutely no collision damage and the truck has been reliable for the past 7 years.

The fluid does not always leak on the alternator, but if it is, then someday all these wierd lights will come on http://www.saber.net/~monarch/instruments.JPG and you'll soon be stranded. Now would be a good time to make and install an alternator protector: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/Alt2.jpg

jbrubaker, the $100-140 two volume factory manuals on ebay aren't 100% real factory manuals either. They are photocopies of the real manuals and so the print quality is not as crisp and paper is more fragile. The cover and bindings are also fragile. It's fustrating because the ebay sellers never admit in their ads they are merely selling photocopies.

Lots of info. here: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index...wtopic=9287&hl= No need to worry unless you've been stretching out oil change intervals beyond every 6 months or 5000 miles.

Maybe one reason I have not had any fuel system problems for 438,000 miles is because I havn't used any gasoline additives. I just change the fuel filter every 30,000 - 60,000 miles and use major brands of premium gasoline. Additives may harm the fuel injectors and other expensive components. Toyota warns of this possibility. Nissan outright recommends against ever using fuel additives. There seem to be two camps of owners. One camp: 1. Uses cheap regular gasoline 2. Periodically uses gasoline additives 3. Periodically pays for expensive dealer "intake system cleaning" 4. Does not change the fuel filter Another camp: 1. Uses premium gasoline 2. Uses no gasoline additives 3. Does not pay for expensive dealer "intake system cleaning" 4. Changes the fuel filter about every 60,000 miles

The main advantage of the Mac is freedom from virus / worm infections. Hardwarewise, however, Macs built since Steve Jobs took over in 1998 have been pretty pathetic. Example: I have to buy a new iMac keyboard and mouse about every 4 months because Steve designed them to wear out that fast. Short lived monitors, CD drives and hard drives are also ongoing problems at Apple ever since Steve took over. Prior to Jobs' taking over, Apple computers including keyboards and mice, were troublefree for years. To find reliablle and durable computer hardware you might try a Japanese make like Toshiba.

Does anyone know where the "steering rack solenoid filter screen" is located on the steering rack of the 1st generation LS & SC ? Somewhere in this picture? http://www.saber.net/~monarch/steeringrack.jpg

The Red Toyota Long Life Coolant was the original factory fill and two jugs of it cost only $15 each at any Toyota dealer. 2 jugs of distilled water can be purchased at Walmart for 58 cents each. If you use the Toyota Coolant your radiator and entire cooling system will stay in like new condition http://www.saber.net/~monarch/238..JPG http://www.saber.net/~monarch/toyred.jpg This is critically important since the main cause of premature engine wear or failure is running too hot due to cooling system clogging and corrosion. Technical problems commonly occur when aftermarket coolants are used over a period of years which lead to partial radiator clogging like this: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/radafter.jpg and cooling system corrosion and overheating So that is why Toyota recommends the Toyota (Red) Long life Coolant for all 2003 and earlier models. For the 2004 models Toyota recommends another (pink) coolant called Toyota Super Long Life Coolant