P/S Problem '94 LS400
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
P/S Problem '94 LS400
First, I have read the "P/S Bible" and used "Search" for an answer.
Here's my problem:
The power steering works perfect traveling in a straight line.
When I turn it an 1/8 of a turn, it stops working.
I turn it (with a lot of muscle) another 1/8 of a turn and it starts working again.
It does this all the way to the left or right every 1/8 of a turn, on off, on off, etc, etc .....
It's doesn't matter what the RPM's are, it doesn't change.
I'm a highly skilled mechanic with 30+ years of experience and I have NEVER come across this before with any car.
I have not cleaned or changed the little screens yet.
It doesn't use any fluid, doesn't drip on the alternator, doesn't leave a puddle when I park or in the driveway.
It doesn't blow white smoke from sucking P/S fluid through the vacuum hoses connected to the intake manifold.
I was told the rack had been change not long before I bought it, but that could have just been the guy lying wanting to desperately sell it.
Do you have any idea what the problem could be before I rip it out and rebuild the rack?
Here's my problem:
The power steering works perfect traveling in a straight line.
When I turn it an 1/8 of a turn, it stops working.
I turn it (with a lot of muscle) another 1/8 of a turn and it starts working again.
It does this all the way to the left or right every 1/8 of a turn, on off, on off, etc, etc .....
It's doesn't matter what the RPM's are, it doesn't change.
I'm a highly skilled mechanic with 30+ years of experience and I have NEVER come across this before with any car.
I have not cleaned or changed the little screens yet.
It doesn't use any fluid, doesn't drip on the alternator, doesn't leave a puddle when I park or in the driveway.
It doesn't blow white smoke from sucking P/S fluid through the vacuum hoses connected to the intake manifold.
I was told the rack had been change not long before I bought it, but that could have just been the guy lying wanting to desperately sell it.
Do you have any idea what the problem could be before I rip it out and rebuild the rack?
#3
Pole Position
Change the screens and do a search for the PS solenoid, I think that causes your problem. That happened to my car once, and only once, so I never looked into it. Funny story, kinda. The day I bought the car my daughter was driving it home, we were coming off an exit which had a 90* turn. The road turned, she didn't, in the woods she went with my new car. No damage so everything was fine.
#5
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thanks gang! I was REALLY hoping it was going to be something easy to start off with. I got the specs on the entire system and testing procedures on it yesterday.
Now I know where everything is and what to test it for. I'll be digging into the solenoid first.
I sure miss driving this old girl and would hate to have to rip it apart and replace everything with street rod parts. I just got a catalog in the mail. If I was a bit younger, I might have stripped the whole car down and turned it into something else (probably a pile in the back of the garage LOL!).
I'll update you on what happens and the fix. Thanks again!
Now I know where everything is and what to test it for. I'll be digging into the solenoid first.
I sure miss driving this old girl and would hate to have to rip it apart and replace everything with street rod parts. I just got a catalog in the mail. If I was a bit younger, I might have stripped the whole car down and turned it into something else (probably a pile in the back of the garage LOL!).
I'll update you on what happens and the fix. Thanks again!
#7
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
A little update, in case anyone is actually reading this ....
After whacking the solenoid once really hard with a hammer and chisel, I could unscrew it by hand. I took it out and looked at the screen, it was clogged pretty good. I sprayed it out the garbage with starter fluid and it came back to life!
It had slits in the screen making it about useless. I don't what to do about that yet.
I put the solenoid back in (cleaned with the bad screen) and test ran it. There is a slight bit of improvement or my arms where buffed up from working on this damned car and I just think it improved.
Tomorrow I'm going to flush to the whole power steering system and hope I can get out more garbage. Maybe I can find some aftermarket screen to use?
BTW, I did find one of these solenoids for $755.00. A whole rack with the solenoid is only $374.00. Go figure eh?
I'm amazed out how easily the rack comes out! Only a few bolts and she drops on the ground! Just a thought for anyone worried about taking one out.
After whacking the solenoid once really hard with a hammer and chisel, I could unscrew it by hand. I took it out and looked at the screen, it was clogged pretty good. I sprayed it out the garbage with starter fluid and it came back to life!
It had slits in the screen making it about useless. I don't what to do about that yet.
I put the solenoid back in (cleaned with the bad screen) and test ran it. There is a slight bit of improvement or my arms where buffed up from working on this damned car and I just think it improved.
Tomorrow I'm going to flush to the whole power steering system and hope I can get out more garbage. Maybe I can find some aftermarket screen to use?
BTW, I did find one of these solenoids for $755.00. A whole rack with the solenoid is only $374.00. Go figure eh?
I'm amazed out how easily the rack comes out! Only a few bolts and she drops on the ground! Just a thought for anyone worried about taking one out.
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#9
Here in the western USA there are self service wrecking yards http://www.picknpull.com/check_inventory.aspx that have plenty of first generation LS400's so it's easy to get a spare solenoid and screen.
Maybe you have similar yards in the east?
Maybe you have similar yards in the east?
#10
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Deanshark: Taking the rack out of this car is easy compared to a front wheel drive "anything".
OKAY I did simplify it a bit in my first comment, but I actually thought the people here may have worked on other cars out of the LEXUS range. You know, American cars and I hear they import a lot of cars from other countries into the United States since the 60's.
*******************
Gemigniani: I have tried a few online parts finders, but nothing beats finding a replacement online that may not have come from a used car. I'm hoping I can find something that may not have come from a Lexus that is cheaper and easier to get than combing through a bunch of muddy, snowy, screwy junkyards. I have had my fill of the idiots in these places over the past 30+ years I have been a mechanic.
I think I'll end up running around a hardware store to find these screens. I know I can find them online somewhere but I seem to be limited by corporate America messing with the search engines with their advertisements and links that send you to god knows where.
We have a big wrecking yard here called "Harry's U Pull It". It's a nicer place, but picked over REALLY quick.
When I was growing up back in Washington State, they had abandoned vehicle auctions every week and I could buy a lot of cars cheap (starting at $25.00). If I saw a car I wanted to keep, I could buy several of them and use them as parts cars. Here in Pennsylvania, they don't have them, so I'm stuck with just the one car. If I do buy an extra car I have to hide it from nosey neighbors and the local code enforcement yahoos or they'll make me get rid of it. God i miss my shop.
Sorry I'm rambling. I'm off to get parts now ....
OKAY I did simplify it a bit in my first comment, but I actually thought the people here may have worked on other cars out of the LEXUS range. You know, American cars and I hear they import a lot of cars from other countries into the United States since the 60's.
*******************
Gemigniani: I have tried a few online parts finders, but nothing beats finding a replacement online that may not have come from a used car. I'm hoping I can find something that may not have come from a Lexus that is cheaper and easier to get than combing through a bunch of muddy, snowy, screwy junkyards. I have had my fill of the idiots in these places over the past 30+ years I have been a mechanic.
I think I'll end up running around a hardware store to find these screens. I know I can find them online somewhere but I seem to be limited by corporate America messing with the search engines with their advertisements and links that send you to god knows where.
We have a big wrecking yard here called "Harry's U Pull It". It's a nicer place, but picked over REALLY quick.
When I was growing up back in Washington State, they had abandoned vehicle auctions every week and I could buy a lot of cars cheap (starting at $25.00). If I saw a car I wanted to keep, I could buy several of them and use them as parts cars. Here in Pennsylvania, they don't have them, so I'm stuck with just the one car. If I do buy an extra car I have to hide it from nosey neighbors and the local code enforcement yahoos or they'll make me get rid of it. God i miss my shop.
Sorry I'm rambling. I'm off to get parts now ....
#11
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
I found the problem!
Please read this message thread!!
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...em-update.html
Please read this message thread!!
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...em-update.html
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