IS400

I have the same issue and I am using the big fat keys, not the little thin key. LMAO! Sorry guys, size does matter... He is right, it slides in easily, but does not want to turn, almost like it is a key from a different car. Be glad you did not over fill your trunk like I did one vacation. It pinched the black wire along the drivers side trunk hinge that goes to the latch and the trunk would not pop! Stuck in the middle of no where in ohio on a sunday afternoon and could not get in the trunk! Drove a zillion miles back home thinking how am I going to get that thing open now? That is when I found LOC! Without the lock problem I would have never found you guys! Lexus quote was something like $800 to get it open and change the lock set if I remember correctly.

Do you really want the worst case scenario? I had a drip, drip for a year or so and thought it was all the things you guys described. I added a quart of oil in the spring and one in the fall and thought I'd eventually re-seal the pan when I put in the turbo kit I'd been dreaming about doing since I have two other cars and all that... ...well as others here on the board know, the car puked it's front oil seal behind the harmonic balancer this spring and dumped huge amounts of oil in my driveway as I was warming it up. Three quarts in the time it took me to get my coat and purse and lock up the house before work! I split the job up into two days. First to tear it down and the second to put it back together. Unless you have done a timing belt before, I'd say it would take at least a long weekend to do a front oil seal. You have to tear it down to the same place as you would to replace a water pump or timing belt. Not fun, but I saved the nearly 4K the Lexus Stealership wanted. I giggled at their quote and the tech guy said, "I know, a little steep isn't it?" I told him thanks but no thanks but I'd be by to pick up the $20 in parts it would take to do the job. BTW, I don't like using those oil pan gaskets, they leak unless the surfaces are PERFECTLY flat. Gouges that go the whole width of the lip and warped areas from hammers and road debris leave leaks half the time. Use black permatex sealant (contact with oil and higher temps) like we do at the track, use the gasket or sealant, not both, unless the gasket is cork, not likely on these cars! Oiling the track will get you eyeballed and banned faster than having an OBAMA sticker on your ride! No offense to anyone, BTW. Good luck and HOPE the oil is not dripping from behind the harmonic balancer (little black plastic box hides the seal, but a square hole in the box is where the drip comes from if it is).

Hey, that "shaved" look is popular these days. :P Yes it is, but itchy if you miss a few days... ;)

I would not recommend chrome for any Lexus. As a girl, it just comes off as "pimp my ride" or a gold medallion in deep chest hair... ...eeeewe! Tint your windows with chrome tint if you do get them though, it will complete the image you want to project IMO. Until I see chrome wheels as the standard on formula one or nascar race cars, alloy will still be the coolest thing to see on a hot car ;) .

"To measure the true worth of an intellectual, ask them how they feel about astrology." "One person's magic is another's engineering." "What are the facts and to how many decimal points, all else is nonsense." -- R. Heinlein, 1968.

You guys are really talking about apples and oranges unless you compare actual versions of the LS V-8. They vary widely in design over history of the car. If you really want gas mileage, go to narrow tires. Rolling resistance is one of the biggest issues to tackly for fuel economy. Prius, little tiny narrow tires. It is not just chance that it is designed that way. I nearly fell asleep reading the OP, who must be just like Captain Slow on Top Gear UK.

Thanks for the props, Eating Up Blacktop! :P

When the car stops getting taller when you inflate the tires, you are at the optimum pressure for gas mileage. When the tire is slack enough so you can flex the sidwall side to side with your body weight, you are at optimum traction. Drag racers do the first for the fronts and the latter for the rears. Being a forced induction notchback 5.0 crew member in the past, I know the guys sweated tire pressures for an advantage. FYI, the corrected elevation and ambient temperature have to be included in deciding what actual pressure reading is right. The durometer and elastomeric index of the tire compound are also important if statistically siginificant results are what you are after.

He said buy a NEW car for under 45,000 USD. Quote: "2. Buy a new car, priced at $45,000 or less" Used cars are not an option from what the OP said. If you can find a new Lexus LS460 for under 45 grand, go for it! Let me know where you get yours, I'll buy one too! An ES us just too grandma IMO, so that is NOT an option for me.

Thanks Ian! Very cool PDF! That one is getting printed out and put in my shop file for the car.

Take a look at my avitar and see what she'd look like with some IS300 wheels...

From what I understand, there is no air compressor for the air bags (safety ones), they are fired by a small explosion that inflates the bag in a millisecond. Do you mean the airbags for an air suspension equiped lexus?

Thanks! I'll take that as a compliment! Have a great evening you guys. ;)

Honestly, I was freaking out. The tachometer was jumping all over the place and I had to rev the engine to keep it running. It was like the car was having a heart attack. The short drive to his place was me thinking how I was going to make him pay for killing my ls! Cash was not on my mind, I wanted blood! LOL!

A guy detailed my engine bay and did the same thing to me. By the time I got to his place the car had gone back to normal. Scared me to death thinking what could possibly be wrong with the engine! I think the electrical was shorting just like you mentioned.

Quote, "small fender washer sized shim for the fronts" NOT fender washers. Fender washer SIZED shims; as in stand-off thickness. It is the last time I use an analogy on here...

There are these little wishbone shaped springs that fit on the pads to help them retract. Were they there when you went to change the pads? Them not being there should not cause the problem you have though IMO. Just a thought. BTW I think the track only controls the rear brakes, if I remember correctly.

I was searching for nice wheels when I got the car too. The IS300 first gen wheels work great! (small fender washer sized shim for the fronts was all it took and I still have the Lexus emblem so it looks stock to those that are not experts.

The main reason it is in the center of the engine practically, is for reduced noise on start up. I can hear a 5.0 mustang starter from a mile way because of its location on the side of the engine proximal to the strut tower. The tower acts as a funnel for starter noise and it bounces off the pavement and everyone knows a mustang is about to start moving. If the starter was not buried it would be a lot louder in the cabin when you turn the key.

You're right about the four letter requirement. I had a difficult time looking up info when my "oil pump seal" searches came up as errors and luckily by asking around here I got the idea that searching "crank seal" would get me results. I think a lot of questions get asked as posts because newbies cannot figure out how the search program works on this forum. Just my two cents.

Awwwwe... Thanks nc21!

Thanks Jeff! I probably already posted it on here, but the motor city is full of muscle cars and they always try to race me because I'm a woman and driving a Miata. The road better not have fast curves, because I will embarrass them! I agree about the Boxter. It has that Porsche passion for handling. As far as SUV's go and handling, I saw a Porsche Cayenne in a parking lot that had been ROLLED about a dozen time it seemed. Body trim panels missing, exhaust all bent up and they were driving it like normal. The airbags had to have been deployed all around and here they are at the market like nothing happened. I bet your Lexus SUV would be just as tough if it ever rolled on you. The scariest part of doing the seal was turning the key to start the car after it was done! Talk about pressure that the timing was set back exactly right... whew! Runs perfect with no hesitation or weirdness at all. Take care guys!

I used black permatex. Lexus tech said they just press them in place. Nearly all the permatex squirted out since it is such a tight fit. I'd say only a skim layer is in there if anything. No leaks and the car is running fine BTW.

It is an STO edition in dark metallic blue with ferrari style tan leather. I had a red 99 vert corvette for a while but the tickets were getting crazy! With the LS400 I never get pulled over even though I drive pretty fast. The miata gets a lot of attention because there are not many foreign sports cars here in the motor city. The only thing that can turn faster than my little miata is a porsche 911 or lotus IMO. I take 90 degree turns in third gear! Set up for the corner with late braking while keeping the car in gear and hammer the throttle to set the suspension as I enter the corner and feather it to control the four wheel drift from apex to exit. I'm a bit addicted to the british show 'Top Gear', it is the best, most honest, car show out there. They do not play up advertisers products like american shows and tend to be more fun about motoring rather than ultra serious gear heads like NASCAR or NHRA programs. Here is a pic of my the miata with the LS in the background. The Isuzu has a V-6, 4WD and 220 hp. Love winter storms with that truck!