chadr

Ok, I've had a box of parts tucked away in the garage for many years waiting until the day the timing belt or other parts really needed to be replaced. Now at 160k miles on stock belt the car is stripped down ready for reassembly. The belt or bearings never did break, but I wanted to replace the dist caps and rotors due to some other symptoms.

I am replacing :

front crankshaft seal - Is the seal carrier prone to leak, or just the seal? I'm not planning to remove the seal carrier unless it makes sense to do so.

timing belt and two pulleys
water pump
thermostat
dist caps / rotors
camshaft seals
valve cover gaskets

fan bracket and bearing - need to order today

spark plug hole gaskets - are these really needed? They don't appear to be leaking and I could always add a bit of permatex right stuff sealer to help.

spark plugs and wires were replaced in the last year.

What else should I do while I have the car this far apart? I am also considering

- adjusting the valve shims
- removing injectors to have them checked/cleaned by witchhunter.com

billydpowe

iTrader: (1)

"spark plug hole gaskets - are these really needed? They don't appear to be leaking and I could always add a bit of permatex right stuff sealer to help."

I have a new OEM set, if you want them. spark plug tube gasket 11193-15010
list 11.20 CL 9.37 ... mine 5.00 x 8 = $40. + 5.00 priority mail
let me know email billydpowell@hotmail.com or phone 972 695 6336

http://www.lexls.com/tutorials/engine/valvecover.html

good luck..

randal

That's a good idea to replace the fan bracket. The only other thing you might consider is a new timing belt tensioner (about $40).
I would also caution against doing "too" much at one time, just in case it does not run correctly, you will have some idea as to which area to focus. Like... wait on the injectors and shims and do them later after you have the TB back on and running.

deanshark

Deffinately change the TB tensioner, rockauto.com has a Gates (it's a brand NTN same as OEM) for $30. I don't agree with randal about doing "too much". You can never do too much. If you can afford it and have the time for it, get the injectors cleaned, it can't hurt. You're gonna be in there already, no sence putting everything back together and then taking it all apart again at a later date. And while you have the valve covers off check the valve clearance and, if you're able to do it, reshim which ever ones are out of spec. I hear you need some patience, knowledge, and special tools to get the shims in.

chadr

billy - thanks for the offer. I ended up getting a complete gasket set with spark plug hole gaskets, bolt seals, and new pcv gasket for ~90. I priced the oem stuff and it was as expensive as I had suspected it would be.

randal - once I begin there is no stopping me I really don't want to tear into this engine for another 100k miles so I don't mind stripping it all the way down to do injectors and shims now. If I can't get it started after its all done... well, that would suck. On a related note, I have a vw that I installed a stand alone efi system which is so easy to troubleshoot by reading all the sensors on the laptop realtime. The ls400 on the other hand lets me see nothing except readings on my meter. I would hate trying to troubleshoot a bad sensor. Are the codes on the ecu worthwhile to pull if needed?

deanshark - since you and Randal mention the tensioner I really should consider it, huh? I was planing on following the manual's instructions to compress it, insert allen wrench to hold in place, and reuse it. I'd better read up on the shim procedure. To install the new shims without special tools I could always remove the cams, right?

91LS400vgb

I agree - I kinda wish that I changed my fan bracket while I was doing the timing belt job. I hear a whine when the engine is cold that goes away after a while, and I suspect it may be the bearings in the fan bracket. I see a bunch of them on ebay, but I'm not sure of the quality.

chadr

I got a bracket off ebay for $100 shipped. The cost for a new lexus part from irontoad was $253 + shipping. I doubt I'll have the car long enough to wear out any more bearings or belts, but time will tell.

randal

If you want to do everything at once, go for it.

chadr

I removed the right side valve cover today and was really suprised at how bad it looks in there. I've never seen an engine with so much oil gunk. I purchased the car in 2003 with 80k miles and change with non synthetic every 4-5k miles. Other engines I've taken apart look spotless, some with many more miles than this. I'd like to think this kind of build up is from prior to when I had the car. Wow, looks really terrible.

https://picasaweb.google.com/chadreb...PTuz9__742svgE

deanshark

Holy crap dude!!! I know Toyota engines had a sludge problem but I didn't think it effected Lexus. Looks like you got more work to do then you thought. I hate to see that, sorry man.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

the 1uz doesnt have any type of known sludge problem. that is caused purely by lack of proper maint.

i've seen 1uzs with way way more miles than that come out with shiny gold everywhere.

chadr

After the first oil change back in 2003 when I purchased the car I do remember black sludge was noticeable in the oil filler hole. Never figured this much would have been built up. I replaced the right side valve cover gasket but I left all the sludge in there. I don't think it will suddenly fall off and cause trouble, but I don't want to remove the heads to properly clean everything up.

gemigniani

The prior owner wildly extended oil changes to cause that sludge.

I agree with those who say replace the timing belt tensioner and fan bracket.

You definately need to check intake valve clearances on the driver side bank because the intake valve lifters are known to wear alot if the owner doesn't change oil regularly and varnish or sludge accumulates. Search the posts by Amskeptic for detailed information about valve adjusting.

Frankly with all that sludge I'd be leery of putting money into the motor and might sell the car and try to find a better maintained LS400. I'd worry some oil passages in the motor might have been plugged for some time.

tinman

It was the 1MZ-FE engine that had sludge issues, not all Toyota engines. Toyota engines got this reputation because the 1MZ-Fe engine was used in so many different Toyota and Lexus vehicles for years. The Lexus vehicles effected are the RX300 and the ES300. LS400 has no known sludge issues.

OP: Have you replaced the PCV valve recently? Also, what oil did you use? I'm assuming you used an off-the-shelf API certified oil? 80K miles and still have this kinda buildup, makes me wonder if there is coolant in the oil, or something else broken (i.e. PCV valve)

chadr

tinman, thanks for the reply at "bob is the oil guy" site, http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...8&#Post2228158

pcv flows well and there was lots of vacuum at idle when I checked it 30k miles ago. Cleaning it again now that I have it removed to replace the pcv gasket. I'll admit I didn't check it until 130k miles (50k miles after I purchased it). However, it seemed to be in good order when I cleaned it. My test at 130k miles was to pull it from the valve cover and make sure it had good flow - and it did at the time. I cleaned it and has been in use since then.