new alternator, same problem. maybe its time for a new car?
03-22-15, 06:16 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
new alternator, same problem. maybe its time for a new car?
So i posted a thread not to long ago and i was having problems with my car charging while in drive. I would get the battery light if i was in drive to long at a stop light. Iv had my alternator rebuilt 2 times and they each passed the bench test from multiple shops (autozone oreillys ect.) and they even passed at at my local alternator shops. This little bug is now turning into a nightmare.
Things i have replaced,
Powersteering stop leak for my ps pump that had a very very small leak. Stopped completely and cleaned up after 2nd alternator rebuild. And has not leaked for almost 5 months.
Alternator rebuilt 2 times
Battery passed test
New battery terminals clamped AND soldered
New alternator plug ( wouldnt effect charging anyways )
Big 3 upgrade to eliminate any shorts in the wire, negative battery to negative alternator also to ensure a good ground so i guess big 4.
Cleaned throttle body and maf thinking it could possibly be idle, now idles around 600-700.
New copper alternator bolts
And as of 3 days ago new used oem alternator from a member that came off same years gs430 with 40k miles original alternator with denso sticker. Also passed bench test befor put in.
I feel the only thing left to replace to completely get rid of this problem is to replace the car. This is my DD and dont feel comfortable driving the car anymore. At a stop light i have to throw it in neutral and rev to 800-1000 to keep the lights from dimming. And rev it also before i get out of the car to make sure it starts back up. I recently took it to a shop and they gave me the car back saying they dont know what it could be and they cant help me. They also said that everything reads good but they cannot understand why it does that at idle only in drive. If noone can help me my only option would be to get another car right? If i were to go to the dealer the repair charge would prolly be more then what it would be for a down payment on another car. I really dont want to go that road but it seems like it would be much less of a hassle then paying big money $$ and being out a car for a week. Iv been planning on buying a newer e550 for my daily and making the gs a project car. I was sure the car would last me long enough till i had a little more money saved for down payment but it just might be a good time. I could buy another gs and restore that in the future but i bought this one cause it was in really good condition.
Anyone have any suggestions before it goes up for sale?
Things i have replaced,
Powersteering stop leak for my ps pump that had a very very small leak. Stopped completely and cleaned up after 2nd alternator rebuild. And has not leaked for almost 5 months.
Alternator rebuilt 2 times
Battery passed test
New battery terminals clamped AND soldered
New alternator plug ( wouldnt effect charging anyways )
Big 3 upgrade to eliminate any shorts in the wire, negative battery to negative alternator also to ensure a good ground so i guess big 4.
Cleaned throttle body and maf thinking it could possibly be idle, now idles around 600-700.
New copper alternator bolts
And as of 3 days ago new used oem alternator from a member that came off same years gs430 with 40k miles original alternator with denso sticker. Also passed bench test befor put in.
I feel the only thing left to replace to completely get rid of this problem is to replace the car. This is my DD and dont feel comfortable driving the car anymore. At a stop light i have to throw it in neutral and rev to 800-1000 to keep the lights from dimming. And rev it also before i get out of the car to make sure it starts back up. I recently took it to a shop and they gave me the car back saying they dont know what it could be and they cant help me. They also said that everything reads good but they cannot understand why it does that at idle only in drive. If noone can help me my only option would be to get another car right? If i were to go to the dealer the repair charge would prolly be more then what it would be for a down payment on another car. I really dont want to go that road but it seems like it would be much less of a hassle then paying big money $$ and being out a car for a week. Iv been planning on buying a newer e550 for my daily and making the gs a project car. I was sure the car would last me long enough till i had a little more money saved for down payment but it just might be a good time. I could buy another gs and restore that in the future but i bought this one cause it was in really good condition.
Anyone have any suggestions before it goes up for sale?
Last edited by gsean400; 03-23-15 at 01:54 AM.
03-22-15, 06:26 PM
#2
Well, nobody understands the urge to buy a new car more than I, but your car IS pretty old. Lexus' are great, but they do wear out and dare I say, break. Who's rebuilding the alternators? I'm not saying they don't know what they're doing, but a factory remanufactured unit is the way to go short of buying a new one. All rebuilds are not equal. There might be other issues causing failure on top of it. PS pump and hoses failing at that age? You're going to have to show me a car that isn't a candidate for that. As far as the MAF cleaning not helping, you possibly "fixed" something that needed doing but wasn't broken. IAC? Try cleaning that. If you're doing this work yourself, maybe splurge one time and take it to a specialist, I suggest the dealer, and get a comprehensive list of what needs doing now and soon. If you're using a mechanic, even if you love them, it might be time to give someone else a hot. Nothing that you've mentioned is even close to unfixable. If it were me, I'd stop just changing parts. If a mechanic tells you to do something, the question should be "Will this fix the problem?" Sounds simple but the answer must be yes or don't do it. or don't get charged for it. My free advice and worth every penny you paid me for it! Maybe it's just time to get something different for your DD. No shame in that.
03-22-15, 06:36 PM
#3
What is the voltage across the battery when the engine is running? Also check it with high beam on.
Have you checked if you are loosing voltage somewhere by doing a voltage drop test on all components/cables on the charging system?
Does the problem only happen when its in "D"?
Have you checked if you are loosing voltage somewhere by doing a voltage drop test on all components/cables on the charging system?
Does the problem only happen when its in "D"?
03-22-15, 06:43 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
I know things break as they age. But it seems like this electrical problem is going to run me really deep. I had a feeling the alternator wasnt being rebuilt right thats why i got a used oem denso alternator on from a vendor and it didnt help anything.
03-22-15, 06:49 PM
#5
Lexus Champion
Well gsean that is unfortunate. Looks like you've done a lot trying to fix this. If it helps any, a lot of the Subaru and Chryco owners complain about this same problem too. So you're not alone.
The thing is, did these alternator rebuilds include replacing the voltage regulator? And have you been able to take a voltmeter and check your battery's voltage yourself? It shouldn't be below 12.6V.
After you've driven around a while and park it, you should see what it's resting volts show.
And hey the E550 is a great choice, but it will make this car's problems look like kid stuff.
The thing is, did these alternator rebuilds include replacing the voltage regulator? And have you been able to take a voltmeter and check your battery's voltage yourself? It shouldn't be below 12.6V.
After you've driven around a while and park it, you should see what it's resting volts show.
And hey the E550 is a great choice, but it will make this car's problems look like kid stuff.
03-22-15, 06:51 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
What is the voltage across the battery when the engine is running? Also check it with high beam on.
Have you checked if you are loosing voltage somewhere by doing a voltage drop test on all components/cables on the charging system?
Does the problem only happen when its in "D"?
Have you checked if you are loosing voltage somewhere by doing a voltage drop test on all components/cables on the charging system?
Does the problem only happen when its in "D"?
03-22-15, 06:57 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Well gsean that is unfortunate. Looks like you've done a lot trying to fix this. If it helps any, a lot of the Subaru and Chryco owners complain about this same problem too. So you're not alone.
The thing is, did these alternator rebuilds include replacing the voltage regulator? And have you been able to take a voltmeter and check your battery's voltage yourself? It shouldn't be below 12.6V.
After you've driven around a while and park it, you should see what it's resting volts show.
And hey the E550 is a great choice, but it will make this car's problems look like kid stuff.
The thing is, did these alternator rebuilds include replacing the voltage regulator? And have you been able to take a voltmeter and check your battery's voltage yourself? It shouldn't be below 12.6V.
After you've driven around a while and park it, you should see what it's resting volts show.
And hey the E550 is a great choice, but it will make this car's problems look like kid stuff.
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03-22-15, 07:05 PM
#8
Do you have a voltmeter? Or just borrow some ones and do a quick voltage check while its in park and with high beam on. It should be around 14V or more while the engine is running.
If thats all good, then it may be something on the intake side like a slight air leak after the MAF sensor. This will cause a lower than normal idle and a lean condition.
How did you clean the TB? Did you clean both sides of the throttle valve thoroughly?
If thats all good, then it may be something on the intake side like a slight air leak after the MAF sensor. This will cause a lower than normal idle and a lean condition.
How did you clean the TB? Did you clean both sides of the throttle valve thoroughly?
03-22-15, 07:10 PM
#9
I can bet you if you take it to a shop that knows what it's doing it'll be cheaper than a new car. Changing parts just doesn't cut it anymore. There are very good diagnostic tools to isolate these problems and if you have someone who's seen similar situations before you're all set. An inspection is relatively inexpensive and you certainly are not obligated to have the work done by the shop. If nothing else, you might get a better idea of the condition of the car from a new set of eyes. I know it's easy for me to spend your money for you, but I'm trying to save you money. The problem may be more expensive in your imagination than the reality turns out to be.
03-22-15, 08:05 PM
#10
How is your belt? I wouldnt be surprised if your belt is slipping. Check and see if your tensioner is tight too. That could cause your alt to not work properly. I wouldnt look into getting a new car just yet, I think the way you're going about everything may be wrong, looks like you're the one wanting to figure out the problem, which is understandable, but you need to know your limits in knowledge.
03-22-15, 08:52 PM
#11
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
How is your belt? I wouldnt be surprised if your belt is slipping. Check and see if your tensioner is tight too. That could cause your alt to not work properly. I wouldnt look into getting a new car just yet, I think the way you're going about everything may be wrong, looks like you're the one wanting to figure out the problem, which is understandable, but you need to know your limits in knowledge.
RUDYH how do i clean the idle air control? From what i read we dont have an idle air control valve and idle speed is controlled by the angle of the throttle plate
03-22-15, 09:42 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
gsean I know it may not mean much at this point, but you can do some simple diagnostics yourself. The forum members here do this all the time.
One thing is to get a Bluetooth OBDII connector that can stream the data right to your smartphone or tablet. The connector is right below your steering column. It can tell you a lot.
How old is the battery? They don't do well in AZ heat or in MN cold. Do your ABS/VSC lights come on when you have these problems? That's often a sign of a low voltage issue or a bad battery.
One thing is to get a Bluetooth OBDII connector that can stream the data right to your smartphone or tablet. The connector is right below your steering column. It can tell you a lot.
How old is the battery? They don't do well in AZ heat or in MN cold. Do your ABS/VSC lights come on when you have these problems? That's often a sign of a low voltage issue or a bad battery.
03-22-15, 09:54 PM
#13
Just looking at the alternator pulley you can tell if its slipping, If its shinny, those are signs that its slipping, should be solid black. Look at the belt itself and see if its cracking. Press down on the belt and see if its gives a little, that is a sign that the tensioner is going out; it should be quite stiff.
03-23-15, 12:45 AM
#14
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
gsean I know it may not mean much at this point, but you can do some simple diagnostics yourself. The forum members here do this all the time.
One thing is to get a Bluetooth OBDII connector that can stream the data right to your smartphone or tablet. The connector is right below your steering column. It can tell you a lot.
How old is the battery? They don't do well in AZ heat or in MN cold. Do your ABS/VSC lights come on when you have these problems? That's often a sign of a low voltage issue or a bad battery.
One thing is to get a Bluetooth OBDII connector that can stream the data right to your smartphone or tablet. The connector is right below your steering column. It can tell you a lot.
How old is the battery? They don't do well in AZ heat or in MN cold. Do your ABS/VSC lights come on when you have these problems? That's often a sign of a low voltage issue or a bad battery.
Just looking at the alternator pulley you can tell if its slipping, If its shinny, those are signs that its slipping, should be solid black. Look at the belt itself and see if its cracking. Press down on the belt and see if its gives a little, that is a sign that the tensioner is going out; it should be quite stiff.
My alternator pulley is pretty shiny, but i did just put it in so maybe the last owner had a slipping belt
