monarch

Lexie, I've rented cars in Canada, Australia, Mexico and Brazil and they all had the traditional non-flammable R12 or R134a refrigerants. I am unaware of any cars sold in Japan or Europe that come factory equipped with flammable refrigerants. Are you aware of any? The air conditioner evaporator on virtally all cars is located under the dashboard INSIDE the car. If a flammable refrigerant is used, that means both liquid and gaseous refrigerant is circulating around inside the evaporator - around a cup to a pint's worth. In a traffic collision that could mean a cup or two of butane could leak, catch fire and / or explode. If it caught fire it would act just like lighter fluid and burn up the dashboard and carpeting. In car accidents, it is common for people end up unconcious, strapped to their seat belts. These people would risk burning up inside their cars due to a flammable refrigerant. Just the other day there was broadside accident at 45 mph near my home and I had to help unbuckle and remove the unconcious lady driver. There was no fire, thank God, but there could have been if a flammable refrigerant like Maxifrig had been used. The driver could have been roasted alive, strapped to her seatbelt and no one could have rescued her due to the heat and flames (it typically takes 10-15 minutes for emergency people with fire extinguishers to arrive at the scene of an accident).

For 50 years auto air conditioning manufacturers and home air conditioner manufacturers have used only non-flammable, non-toxic refrigerants. Maxifrig is a flammable, butane based refrigerant. So a system converted to Maxifrig essentially will have lighter fluid circulating around inside the air conditioner plumbing underneath the dashboard (inside the car!)

This pdf tells you which compressor oil to use http://www.clublexus.com/index.php/article...view/1851/1/38/ It is not necessary to check the compressor oil since it isn't consumed during use and never runs low unless the system developes a sudden and violent refrigerant leak. In that case the oil will leak out at the point where the refrigerant gas is leaking. Also, as obergc mentioned, if the system is ever disharged to replace a failed component, a certain amount of new oil will have to be added. The factory manual tells you how much oil to add depending on the component that is replaced.

"Better" in what respect? A Toyota engine is so well engineered that it will not be seriously worn even after running 400,000 miles using ordinary plain dinosaur oil and no oil additives. If your German mechanic was honest and knowledgable he would tell you this.

Lexie, there is an interesting thread on the Club Lexus forum that talks about the importance of cleaning the PS solenoid screen filter to cure steering noise and high effort problems. See below. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/showthread...15&pagenumber=1 Thanks - PS solenoid screen filter cleaning Just wanted to Thank VVT-I, DevilDog, and others for posting the great info on cleaning the Power Steering rack soleniod filter screen. Mine was badly clogged as apparently many are. After cleaning the difference in steering effort is like night and day ! I would assume the blockage might be the cause of pump/hose/leakage problems also due to back pressure ? The key point is that this fix is not mentioned in the service manual and people have said there is not even a TSB on it. The parts list/breakdown does not indicate that the soleniod comes out ! If it were not for great advice on this forum I would have wasted hundreds of dollars and countless hours. Hope I can return the favor by contributing my knowledge on something. I would like to have replaced the two O-rings involved but like I said Lexus does not list the parts - anyone know the O ring size and/or a source for them ? Thanks again - Herm

The Toyota Highlander shares the same V6 engine as the RX300: Here's a Highlander owner testimonial about the effect of octane on gas mileage: Subject: Re: [Toyota Highlander Club] Fuel: change from Premium to Regular Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 20:28:23 -0700 (PDT) From: planojoe <planojoe@yahoo.com> Reply-To: toyotahighlanderclub@yahoogroups.com I notice a degradation of performance and gas mileage in my 2002 V6 (with 41000 miles) when I use regular (87) vs. premium (92). With higher prices, I switched to 87 and routinely got 1.5 to 2 mpg less than with 92. Performance suffers as well. After refilling with 92, performance improved and I'm back to 20-22 mpg in mixed city/highway driving in Charlotte NC.

http://www.lexus.com/home/contact_lexus.html 5. Can I use synthetic engine oil in my Lexus vehicle during its break-in period? Synthetic oil can be used at the first scheduled oil change. Please note that the use of synthetic oil does not extend the recommended oil change intervals. Even if synthetic oil is used, we do not recommend longer oil change intervals. Once synthetic oil is used, it is best not to switch back to petroleum-based oil. Owner Testimonial: Subject: [Camry] Mobil 1 oil damaged my engine. Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 17:03:17 -0400 From: "Sternbach, William [iT]" <william.sternbach@citigroup.com> Reply-To: Camry@yahoogroups.com Hello, In addition to owning a Toyota, I own a 1994 Ford Econoline E150 with 78,000 miles on it. It has the 4.9 Liter Inline 6 cylinder engine. 2 months ago, I decided to switch to Mobil 1 Synthetic 10W-30 multi-vehicle oil (for both newer and older vehicles (certified by Mobil to be ok with older vehicles with over 75,000 miles on the oil seals). At the time of that oil change, I asked my trusted honest mechanic to inspect the engine for leaks. He said there were no oil leaks. After 2 months with the Mobil 1 oil, I started noticing a foul smelling smoke from under my hood. I took it back to the same honest trusted mechanic, and he said I now have a rear engine seal leak that started right after I changed to Mobil 1 synthetic oil. The mechanic mentioned that Mobil 1 Synthetic is a fast acting oil, and that it penetrates oil seals in a short amount of time. So if I had saved almost $5 a quart by buying the Wal-Mart Store brand oil like I used to use, I would be fine now. But because I tried Mobil 1 Synthetic (which was guaranteed to be safe for engine seals), I now have a $500+ repair to replace the rear engine seal (they have to replace the transmission to do this). So my advise to anyone is to never use Synthetic oil (even if it says on the container that its safe for engines with over 75,000 miles). Using it will damage your oil seals. - Bill

I'm lost. You want seem to want help or advice about something, but what specifically?

This is what I mean by photocopies: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...8&category=6762 They look real, but are really photocopies

There's a catch to the cheap $100-150 Lexus factory repair manuals on ebay - they are PHOTOCOPIES of the real factory manuals. So the print quality is not as good, the paper is substantially flimsier and the binding is fragile. Still, you can't complain too much considering the low price.

Are you using regular gas (87 octane) or the recommended premium (91 octane or higher) ?

Lexus STRONGLY recommends the use of genuine Toyota Long Life Coolant because it has been specifically formulated for use in Lexus vehicles and because of technical problems that can occur when using other ethylene glycol based coolants that are not chemically identical to the Toyota Coolant. And so far as anyone knows here, no available aftermarket coolant is chemically identical to Toyota Coolant. Specifically, the 2003 ES300 owners manual states: "We have used "Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant" in your Lexus vehicle. In order to avoid technical problems, we strongly recommend using Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant or equivalent" "The engine cooling system is integral to maximizing performance of your Lexus vehicle. In line with this, it is strongly recommended that you use "Toyota Genuine Long Life Coolant" for protecting the system, as it is an ethylene-glycol based premium antifreeze coolant with excellent corrosion protection properties that has been specifically formulated for use in Lexus vehicles." I did not say "there is only one other 100% silicate free coolant" on the market. I said there are no other 100% silicate free coolants on the market that use the same hybrid organic acid corrosion inhibitor chemistry used in the genuine Toyota Long Life Coolant. So far, no one has been able to name a single aftermarket coolant that is chemically identical to Toyota Coolant. With regard to the statement "no one can PROVE that Lexus coolants are any better than other ethylene glycol silicate free coolant" well we do know the only popular 100% silicate free coolants on the market are the Dexcool approved coolants like Havoline Extended Life Coolant and Prestone 5/150 Extended Life Coolant. And we know some owners have reported horrible sludge buildups in their systems when using these NON-HYBRID organic acid silicate free coolants http://www.saber.net/~monarch/deathcool.jpg. For those wanting to read more about the problems owners have experienced with the NON-HYBRID organic acid silicate free coolants you can find information here: http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=fp-pull-web-t&p=deathcool+

Please provide the name an antifreeze that is 100% free of silicates and borates and contains this hybrid organic acid corrosion inhibitor chemistry: 85-90% Ethylene Glycol and less than 5% Diethylene Glycol less than 5% hydrated inorganic acids and organic acid salts less than 5% water So far, not a single person on several Toyota related forums, including ownes of fleets of diesel trucks, has been able to name even ONE antifreeze that is chemically identical to Toyota Long Life Coolant. The diesel fleet owners says the only 100% silicate free antifreezes available are the Dexcool types which have the sludge problem if air gets into the cooling system.

All Lexus owners manuals & Lexus scheduled maintenance guides (in the USA) say the coolant should be changed in the range of 30,000 - 60,000 miles or 2-5 years depending on year and model. That's why it's appropriately named Toyota Long Life Coolant. The chemistry of Toyota Long Life Coolant is unique and special. It's the only antifreeze on the market that contains: 85-90% Ethylene Glycol and less than 5% Diethylene Glycol less than 5% hydrated inorganic acids and organic acid salts less than 5% water while at the same time being 100% free of silicates which are abrasive to the water pump seal and 100% free of borates which can pit aluminum. In other words, the 10-15% corrosion inhibitor chemistry of Toyota Long Life Coolant is unique and special. The 85-90% ethylene glycol part of Toyota coolant is not special because it's just the antifreeze part of the formula The only other 100% silicate free antifreezes on the market are the Dexcool approved types like Havoline Extended Life Coolant. However, these use a different corrosion inhibitor chemistry than Toyota Long Life Coolant which can cause a wierd sludge like material to accumulate in the cooling system if the coolant is exposed to air past a weak radiator cap, low coolant level in the overflow jar or missing cap on the overflow jar. Here is an extreme case of the sludge which has been nick named "deathcool sludge" http://www.saber.net/~monarch/deathcool.jpg

Every 1989-2003 Lexus ever built has come from the factory with a 50/50 mix of Toyota Long Life Coolant and distilled water. Owners who stick with this factory original coolant mixture at change time are rewarded with a radiator and cooling system that still looks like new even after 15 years and 228,000 miles http://www.saber.net/~monarch/238..JPG And with water pumps that last 175-250,000 miles. So owners can get by replacing the water pump every 2nd timing belt change instead of replacing it every time the timing belt is changed. Owners who switch to green / yellow Prestone / Zerex type aftermarket coolants end up with engines that start running hotter than they used to after 5-10 years and eventually warped cylinder heads from the overheating and busted head gaskets - unless they replace their radiators at the first sign of running hotter than normal. So yes you can continue using green /yellow coolant. Just be financially prepared to replace the radiator at the first sign of the temperature gauge going higher up the dial than it used to and be financially prepared to replace the water pump at every timing belt change. Also, be prepared for the possibility of having a head gasket failure someday even if you don't overheat the engine because sometimes some of the aluminum metal in the cooling passages of the aluminum cylinder head erodes away when using the green/yellow coolant which in turn weakens the sealing ability of the head gasket. Local mechanics never want to use Toyota Long Life Coolant because they can't purchase it any cheaper than you can. They aren't in business to trade dollars - they are in business to make a profit.

The viscosity of a 5W-30 dinosaur oil at 15 degrees F above zero is about the same as a synthetic oil at 0 degrees. You can see this for yourself if you put jars of each in you home freezer. So while the synthetic has a start up wear advantage, it's only a small one. Mobil and Amsoil have had 30 years to conduct real world testing of cars like Consumer Reports did in order to prove whether or not synthetic oils dramatically reduce engine wear. Yet in all that time they have failed to do so. What are they afraid of? That synthetic oil sales would plummet if the public knew the truth?

Too complicated and dangerous for the do-it-yourselfer

In the early 90's Consumer Reports magazine testers placed freshly rebuilt engines in 75 New York taxis and then ran them for nearly two years, with each cab racking up 60,000 miles, placing different brands and weights in different cars and changing the oil at 3,000 miles in half the cars and 6,000 in the other half. At the conclusion of the test period, the engines were torn down, measured and inspected. The conclusions: Regardless of brand of oil or weight, no measurable differences could be observed in engine wear. Furthermore, there was no difference among cars which had oil changed at the shorter or longer interval.

The steering wheel has to come off and certain parts of the horn assembly lubed to eliminate the squeak.

There are some online discount Toyota dealers like Bob Bridge Toyota http://www.1sttoyotaparts.com/ that even slightly beat Irontoads prices. But Bob Bridge knows nothing about Lexus parts numbers so you have to do your homework in advance of ordering in order to know what Lexus parts correspond to certain Toyota part numbers. And Lexus parts which are unique to Lexus's cannot be ordered through Bob Bridge.

My personal experience with one "used engine from Japan" was a good one. Some people I know who have also purchased these used engines have reported good experiences too. They are certainly a bargin price wise.

Lexusfreak, dealers and owners need only to remove the valve cover to inspect for sludge. Regardless of time or mileage, ANY Toyota engine will stay clean and sludgefree inside if the oil is changed at least every 6 months or 5,000 miles. Here's an example of a 16 year old, 329,000 mile Corolla engine that used ordinary dinosaur oil : http://www.saber.net/~monarch/329.cor.jpg Only about 1% of the 1,000,000+ '97-02 1MZ-FE V6's on the road are getting sludge and that's why dealer service departments are not backed up with sludge up vehicles needing new engines. The vast majority of the 1% of unlucky owners that get sludge stretched out one or more oil change intervals to 7,500 - 15,000 miles.

The Toyota sludge thing is mostly much ado about nothing thanks to some consumer activist Ralph Nader wannabes and the specialty engine oil & engine cleaner salesmen over at Bobistheoilguy. To them, the sludge issue is a great marketing opportunity. The 1MZ-FE V6 owners who are so worried about sludge have no experience opening up a Toyota engine so they don't know how clean a Toyota engine - even the V6 - will be internally if the oil and filter are changed at least every 6 months or 5,000 miles since the time the car was new. So they let their imaginations run wild about what molasses like horrors could be lurking inside their motors even if they change the oil and filter at least every 6 months or 5,000 miles.

99lsguy, these Lexus TSB's should help explain: http://www.clublexus.com/index.php/article...view/1964/1/74/ http://www.clublexus.com/index.php/article...iew/1915/1/128/

99lsguy, in case you didn't know, Toyota Type T-IV is not approved by Toyota for use in any Toyota transmissions or power steering systems that require a Dexron II or III automatic transmission fluid. (and all Toyota/Lexus power steering systems require a Dexron II or III fluid) However, Toyota does offer their own Dexron II & III fluid and here's what it looks like: http://www.saber.net/~monarch/gtatf2.jpg Naturally, Toyota/Lexus do not want any Dexron fluid used in their transmissions that require Type T-IV either. Yeah Valvoline says their Maxlife is good for all these uses, but the oil companies can't be fully trusted. Consider the fiasco Mobil 1 synthetic 75W-90 gear lubricant has been. Mobil claimed it "eases shifting effort in manual transmissions" when in fact makes gears clash and makes shifting (in Toyotas) becomes miserably notchy.