suckerpunc

Did your GS300 show a misfire code.

xljdmgs3lx

iTrader: (1)

Sorry if I am resurrecting from the dead, but I have a 2006 GS300 with cylinder misfire codes 1,3,5. I went ahead and removed the plugs and replaced all 6 plugs and coil packs. CEL turned off the first time for about 30 minutes later the CEL came back on and the car misfired again. Went ahead and got it checked and found out cylinder 1 was only misfiring. Removed the plug and it was fouled. I got worried and rented a compression test tool and did a compression test on cylinder 1 and it only had 80LBS of pressure while the others were a solid 140-160LBS.. Luckily, there was a recall for the fuel management system and went ahead and brought it into the Lexus dealer to take a look at it and to do the recall. Finally I got a call back today saying that the GS was 3 quarts of oil too low and that the adviser went ahead and told me to start looking for a used engine to replace. The car only has 122K miles on it. Any recommendations? I love the car but its starting to the point where getting fixed is worth more than the car.

xljdmgs3lx

iTrader: (1)

LEXUS CHAT (DAVID)
MIKE (CUSTOMER)

David: Welcome to Lexus Chat. How may I help you?

Mike: Hey David, My name is Mike and I have a 2006 Lexus GS300

David Rosen: How may I assist?

Mike: I recently had some misfiring problems and took the vehicle to a Lexus dealership; I remember bringing in my vehicle for misfiring problems and had a recall. I want to know if my vehicle is still under that warranty.

Mike:
Mike: my VIN is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

David: I can see if the vehicle is. Do you have the VIN for the vehicle?

Mike: The adviser called me and told me to start looking for a used engine for this vehicle and did not mention anything about a misfiring recall.

David: Certain 2006 GS vehicles are under the warranty. However, it only last 9 years from the date of first use on the vehicle. The warranty has expired on this vehicle.

Mike: Okay I see, when was it expired if you don’t mind me asking?

David: It looks like this vehicle went out of the warranty in November of 2014.

Mike: What do you recommend? Pretty sure this is worth more than the car to fix.

David: Unfortunately we do not have a suggestion. It would have to be a personal decision.

Mike: Alright, thanks for all your help.

David: May we answer any further questions for you?

Mike: that’s all, thanks again.

David: Thank you for visiting Lexus Chat. It was a pleasure assisting you. Please enjoy your day.
David has disconnected.

LOL He gave me the cold shoulder.

LexusLive

I'm afraid the GS 300 has become a mechanic's special. If you could find a junkyard 2GR-FSE 3.5 V6 that they put into the GS 350 (which added port injection to help 'wash' the cylinders) you might go that route. No point in spending $6K to reinstall the same inherently defective design.

Here's yet another explanation of what happens with all DI only Lexus V6 motors. It makes sense to me.

original source: http://my.is/forums/f139/lexus-repla...-block-442221/

Its a service bulletin (not to be confused with a recall) for the misfire issue. The same bulletin is also out under a "oil consumption" name. Becoming a semi-common issue. In the quest for ever improving fuel mileage, Toyota used low tension piston rings. These rings reduced internal engine friction, but also allow a bit more blow by, and thus oil into the intake manifold through the pcv. Oil then gets on the intake valves, where it bakes into carbon. A port injection engine would wash this away when fuel was injected, but a direct injection only engine causes this carbon to build up. When it gets so bad the valve doesn't fully seat, you loose compression, and get a misfire. If a chunk of hard carbon breaks free and gets into the combustion chamber, it could score the cylinder walls, and engine replacement would be needed.

The new pistons get new rings, with higher tension and thus less blow by. the reduced oil in the intake reduces the carbon buildup. Yes this whole issue really is related to getting that 1mpg better rating.

LexusLive

The whole carbon buildup issue is like engineering whack-a-mole. They tried to whack the fuel economy mole, but also whack the power mole. Then the emissions mole keeps popping up so you gotta whack that. And then there are production deadlines, and marketing wants a few zippy bullet points to add to their collateral to answer the consumer's eternal question "why should I buy your new car?"
Well, they got all power, efficiency, and emissions moles whacked for the fall 2006 launch, and Direct Injection was a key selling point to people remotely interested in what was going on under the hood and how all these magic numbers were being generated.

But as so often happens with new technology, a new mole popped up, too late to be whacked, at about 80K miles. The carbon buildup mole! I think the engineers knew full well that their DI only solution was going to lead to issues soon, because they immediately came out with the 3.5 and added Port Injection back into the mix. I don't blame the engineers, actually, They have so many moles to whack and tighter timeframes in which to whack them.

LexusLive

Yeah, there is a script the customer assistance sheep have to follow. It's blandly polite, with an undercurrent of "we really hope you'll just go away. Our current business goals involve leasing as many new cars to new customers as possible. Too bad about your 70K Lexus you planned on lasting as long as the older models. Why do you want to keep a car that long anyway?"

caramoe

Love your reply above. Do you by chance work for a dealer. 2006 gs300. Sounds like the same leak. However, mechanic told me timing belt cover leak.