Catching up on Maintenance
09-26-13, 07:00 AM
#1
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Catching up on Maintenance
I bought my 1998 LS400 with 135,000 miles on it. So far I am really liking the car, but now its time to get it all up to snuff. Oil change, transmission fluid flush/change, timing belt/water pump, valve cover gaskets, and last spark plugs.
The car came with no documentation of work being done, but ran good and my friend who is a Lexus mechanic said the car looked good. I am going to tackle the Oil change tonight. I had a state inspection done where they said my parking lights don't work, PS fluid looks really dirty, and my oil is 1 QT low.
I will look into the parking lights tonight. Are those the side marker lights or should the turn signals come on with the headlights? Should the powersteering fluid be flushed? I think either one of my lines leaks or the pump itself does. Should I put a dye in the fluid first before changing the fluid out? I was going to pick up some Mobil 1 High mileage full syn oil. Should that be okay for the first oil change or should I run a semi-syn?
The car came with no documentation of work being done, but ran good and my friend who is a Lexus mechanic said the car looked good. I am going to tackle the Oil change tonight. I had a state inspection done where they said my parking lights don't work, PS fluid looks really dirty, and my oil is 1 QT low.
I will look into the parking lights tonight. Are those the side marker lights or should the turn signals come on with the headlights? Should the powersteering fluid be flushed? I think either one of my lines leaks or the pump itself does. Should I put a dye in the fluid first before changing the fluid out? I was going to pick up some Mobil 1 High mileage full syn oil. Should that be okay for the first oil change or should I run a semi-syn?
09-26-13, 12:42 PM
#2
Lexus Champion
It's a lot easier to suck the old PS fluid out of the reservoir with a turkey baster and replace with new Dexron III - do this 3 times and you have basically flushed the power steering. - If, after 3 months, it still looks dirty, then flush it.
I would skip the valve cover gaskets unless they are specifically leaking, this is not an area that fails on LS400.
I would change the coolant instead, and make sure you use real Toyota red long life + distilled water.
I would skip the valve cover gaskets unless they are specifically leaking, this is not an area that fails on LS400.
I would change the coolant instead, and make sure you use real Toyota red long life + distilled water.
09-26-13, 01:33 PM
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It's a lot easier to suck the old PS fluid out of the reservoir with a turkey baster and replace with new Dexron III - do this 3 times and you have basically flushed the power steering. - If, after 3 months, it still looks dirty, then flush it.
I would skip the valve cover gaskets unless they are specifically leaking, this is not an area that fails on LS400.
I would change the coolant instead, and make sure you use real Toyota red long life + distilled water.
I would skip the valve cover gaskets unless they are specifically leaking, this is not an area that fails on LS400.
I would change the coolant instead, and make sure you use real Toyota red long life + distilled water.
When the timing belt and water pump is changed I will be using Toyota coolant.
09-26-13, 05:32 PM
#4
Lexus Champion
if you do the valve cover gaskets, I would stick with either original Toyota or FelPro only!
definitely fix PS leak now if it is leaking as it will quickly kill your alternator!
definitely fix PS leak now if it is leaking as it will quickly kill your alternator!
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