squarehat

Should be possible to install the housings, though not cheap. You'll need a custom wiring harness that allows you to connect the ballast power leads to relays to your battery (to not stress your headlamp switch with startup voltage) and to your stock H7 lowbeam sockets. And of course, autoleveling won't work, but the last generation Acura TL, for example, didn't even have auto-levelling on its factory HID system.

I just got home from driving my 96 ES through hilly, snow covered roads, most of the time in 2nd gear at speeds under 30 MPH. I decided to pop the hood after parking to make sure I still had sufficient windshield washer fluid, when I noticed an odd noise: 3 seconds of a low "warbling" vibration, followed by 3 seconds of silence, 3 seconds of warbling, and so on. I've never noticed this before (it was very hard to hear once I closed the hood. Any idea what this noise is? I hope it has nothing to do with driving in 2, I made sure the tach never crossed 3000, so I hope it isn't an overheated tranny or anything like that. Any clues? Should I be concerned?

"2" can come in handy, like descending a long, snow-covered hill at 15 MPH like I did this evening.

Isn't the 1UZ the 4.0 (cars 90-00), the 2UZ the 4.7 (trucks 98-present), and the 3UZ the 4.3 (cars 01-present)?

You're not alone. P/S pump started leaking last spring on my '96 at around 90K miles, had the dealer install a remanufactured unit for $611 (parts and labor). Now, my engine started leaking oil about a month ago (97K miles), and it's in the shop as I write this, waiting to have the seals inspected (and likely replaced). At least I've got an '02 as a loaner (gorgeous interior, but I prefer the insta-torque mechanical throttle and the sound system on my '96 (loaner car has the 86W base stereo, I'm sure the Levinson blows the doors off my '96 Pioneer system). The heated seats on the '02 work a lot faster than the '96, I must say)

Will the '02 and up strut bars clear the hood on the '97-01 (I know the width is ok)? I wanted to put one (or the OEM Solara strut bar, which looks the same except powder coated black instead of silver) on my '96, but I've read that hood clearance is the problem, not tower spacing.

Most tire manufacturers run a chart that lists acceptable rim widths (in inches) for each given section width (in mm). I'm pretty sure the stock 15's are 6" wide, so check to see what the max section width alloweable for a 6" wide rim. Then try to find an aspect ratio that keeps the outside diameter as close to the stock 205/65-15 as possible.

Two things: one, this is especially noticeable in Lexus V6's when cold. Second, is your climate control in "Auto" mode? The fluctuation in RPM could be simply the result of the A/C compressor engaging/disengaging as it deems necessary.

It's designed to be a smooth riding car (my mother was amazed the first time I took her along in the car, and we went over a railroad crossing), and consequently, has a lot of body roll in turns. Along those lines, the stock tires aren't designed for serious G-forces, either. The Civic is a smaller car with tighter handling. I'd rather take a stock Civic than a stock ES through a slalom course. But I'd rather take a stock ES through my daily commute :D

There's a pic of an 92-94 ES on 20's that always gets posted over on ClubLexus. Check the pic out for yourself, looks ridiculous:

If you really want to do it the right way, find xenons with the proper reflector housings out of the 00-01's that had the rare optional xenon lights. True they won't be auto-leveling (although neither are several brands of Japanese cars with stock xenon (Acura TL/CL, for one), but the beam pattern will be perfect, and as long as they're aimed properly you should be ok. I believe Sylvania has a line of DOT approved retrofit kits for the last-generation F-150/Expedition and Silverado/Tahoe/Sierra/Yukon. http://www.sylvania.com/xenarc/prodinfo.htm Like doing a 00-01 xenon/HID reflector housing retrofit, these kits are optically correct but non auto-levelling. They have been submitted to the DOT for FMVSS 108 compliance testing as a retrofit (whereas Lexus 00-01 OEM HID haven't been explicitly approved as a retrofit for cars not previously equipped).

Hmm. The car is going in tomorrow for it's scheduled oil change, I'll have them check it out. The timing belt was changed at the 90K service, although the layout of the 94+ engines is different than the 92-93's.

sk, I looked in the FAQ, but couldn't figure this out: would a stock 99-02 Solara strut bar fit a 94-96 ES, or would there be issues with length of the bar and/or hood clearance? It looks like a rock solid, one piece bar that wouldn't flex or break.

What are the symptoms of this oil pan gasket failure? My '96 ES with 97K miles is leaking a small amount of oil each day, in a spot closer to the passenger side front wheel. I'm hoping it's not something major causing this leak.

Ronald, the tires are 215/50-ZR17, 91W, M+S. Looking at a chart on the Tire Rack website, there's not a huge difference in load rating between 91 and 92. The ES isn't a super heavy car for its size, either (my '96 is listed at 3374lbs curb weight). More info on the Sumitomo's I have: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?ti...ireModel=HTR%2B

The stock 15" wheels (split 3-spokes) are +45mm. I've got a stack of them in the corner of my garage right now :)

there are several companies that sell aftermarket seat heaters, one I believe is at www.katzkin.com

no, they're talking about the "power tilt and slide moonroof" meaning it can be tilted (vented up) or slid open.

For the wheel, I'd go with American Stitches, save a bundle over the factory wheel. Many satisfied customers over on the ClubLexus forums. As far as I know, the 00-01 did not have any wood on the shift knob. Also, if you're buying any parts from an 00-01 to retrofit into your 97, make sure it's a regular edition (with the brown walnut), as the Platinum/Coach editions had a reddish orange bird's eye maple instead (nice looking wood, but wouldn't match real well with the existing walnut in your 97)

actually, in the States, leather is an option on the Corolla LE (along with fake wood). But that's no excuse to rebadge it as a Lexus (perhaps CS (cheap sedan) 180?) :D

Good point on the high reach to put heavy things in. Even my '94 Camry had a low-cut trunklid for reduced lifting height.

Was it one of the cheap plastic screws holding the trunk liner in? I broke a couple replacing a tail lamp, so I asked the dealer to put a couple new ones in during my next oil change (wasn't charged, but hey, I guess that's built into the $99 I paid for my 80K mile service) If you live or work near your dealer, ask at the parts counter. I've never been charged for any little fasteners that they happen to have on hand. Even the ones I've had to pay for as they were special order (plastic rivets for door panels) were cheap, paid mostly for shipping.

Interesting price list there. I paid a heck of a lot less for a CV joint replacement (albeit at a non-Lexus garage), but a heck of a lot more for a new timing belt at 90K miles. Also, I'm guessing those ratings have 5 as the best (based on quietness being a 5). I'd give the fuel economy a lot better than 2. While the car might not be as miserly on gas as say, a 4-cylinder Camry, compared to other near-luxury and luxury cars, the ES gets pretty decent mileage. Also, if interior room gets a 4 (and if 4 is supposedly better than 3), cargo capacity should be a 4, too. It has a huge trunk for a midsize sedan (I guess you could dock points for having only a ski passthrough instead of a 60/40 folddown seat.)

There was indeed an anniversary edition in 94. At one point, I had an article about it. It was celebrating a production milestone of some sort. It just bundled popular options, had special wheels (that also appeared on the 1996 Coach), and had a special color called Opal Pearl or something along those lines, that was a very light silver gray, almost white. They pop up on AutoTrader and eBay occasionally, there was just one up on eBay in gorgeous condition. I'll try to find the article and post the URL.

I'm happy with the cleaner. I use it before conditioning, and a little bit afterward to get the stickiness of the conditioner off the seats, and to remove any excess conditioner from the seams.