Oak

Okay guys it's my first post on this awesome site so be easy on me. Anywho, I have a GS400 with around 180k on the odometer that was my wife's everyday car but now it only gets used 3 to 4 times a month and less than 5,000 miles a year. Two years ago, on the way home from vacation the fuel gauge was showing a little less than 1/4 tank, the low fuel indicator was not on and the car shut off and left us stranded along the interstate. I had the police take my wife to a gas station and get a 5 gallon can of fuel and after dumping that in it ran great, to the nearest gas station and filled it up. We have used the car without any issues and always kept the tank above 1/2 full and never had a problem. This last spring on another 325 mile trip I ran out again with a little over a 1/4 tank but was able to get it to a station and it only took about 12 to 14 gallons IIRC to fill it up to the very top. The car ran fine on the trip home and as we used it this summer with keeping it above 1/2 tank.

We were going to trade it on a newer LS but after thinking it over we have decided to keep it. It is a great car and it's paid for. We had a trip planned for Labor day weekend and I figured I need to look into this issue. Here is where I'm at now.

I ordered a new fuel filter and pump from my local mom & pop auto parts house. (problem #1?) I picked up the new parts and do a search on this site on "how to" and find that there are 2 filters in the tank so I called them up and they tell me it is not available. I called my local Toyota dealer and they don't stock it or the pump either so I figured I would install what I had and replace the final filter later. I installed the new parts and the car ran great on the 350 mile trip.

The fun starts now. I go out Saturday morning to move the car and I knew right away that something was wrong. It didn't start like it normally does and when I would rev it up it would spit and sputter, almost like there was water in the fuel or something like that. I tried to drive it but I couldn't, it just wouldn't run right. I'm thinking someone put something in my tank but it was locked so then I'm thinking the crappy China made Spectra pump is failing. I tried to see if a dealer could look at it but there are no Lexus dealers in the area and the Toyota dealer couldn't see it until Tuesday so that didn't work either. I was running out of options so I took a gamble and put in another piece of China crap after market pump from Autozone...$260, ouch! I put that pump in and reconnected the battery and it sounded better. I drove it and about 5 to 10 miles and then it was doing the same thing so now I'm thinking . The car is at my inlaws 325 miles away and I had to rent a car to get home.

Okay, looking back on this, I know I should of used OEM parts but what do you guys think my problem is? If it is the final filter in the tank why did it run great on the trip and then go to crap when I started it Saturday morning? Could the fuel regulator be the problem? I know I probably need to check the pressure at the rail or somewhere on the outlet of the pump but I was limited with the tools I had.

Thanks in advance.

raytseng

Did you get the whole fuel pump assembly? or just the fuel pump? If it's just the pump
It is most likely that your installation steps are not right, and likely one of the connections (o rings ) is not holding pressure.
Perhaps it was lined up but not properly connected; but then after the 5miles of driving, the o-ring got pushed out of place.
I hope you were following the Service manual instructions because some of the DIYs here related to fuel filter are missing steps or are not right related to the o-ring.

Regarding the running out of gas at 12/14 gallons, this is likely something to do with the fuel jet-return (the mechanism that equalizes the fuel level from the passenger side when the fuel gets lower then the "hump". Possibly the fuel float is getting stuck on something so it's not going to empty too.

Oak

Thanks Raytseng. I wish I could find the complete assembly but I purchased just the pump and suction filter both times. I hate to ask without looking but do you have the part number for the complete unit? I didn't follow the manual thing either, I just looked at a few DIY's on here. Is there a manual that can be downloaded or do I need to purchase one?

tiguy99

Did u ever get this sorted out? Having the same issue stranded in middle of nowhere right now with a car showing 1/2 but ran out off gas

Paul1307

Please check the following thread for a thorough discussion of this problem:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...15-code-2.html