jmcraney

Is this problem that you are experiencing always present? My car goes through periods, usually lasting a few hundred miles, where it seems to not want to go and then performs flawlessly for many thousands of miles. When it starts this crazy behavior I just assume that it will get over it without any intervention and I just drive carefully so as not to get in any dangerous situations and my car so far has miraculously cured itself. No "re-flashing" or any of that stuff. I sometimes wonder if these reports of "re-flashing cures" are not examples of miraculous spontaneous self repairs. How's that for double talk?

WhitBaby

Here, a few days later, and I took it in again to Stevinson Lexus where I bought it new in '08. Went for a ride with a tech. Still accelerated like a pig until 3 to 4 thousand RPM, then it took off.
They noticed I had the oil changed somewhere else and wanted to know what weight oil, type of filter and part number they used. I told them all the right answers as I started to get that K-Y feeling.

Told them the condition was intermittent for about a year then was steady for the last month or so.
About an hour later they called and said they were going to replace the cylinder heads and wanted to keep the car for a couple weeks...major surgery!

At least I have a tricked-out RX350 for a loaner for the duration.

Sure glad GlennEagle got this thread started, along with TSIB number.

1Putt

Whit,
Are you still under the factory warranty (non-extended) ?

jmcraney

Thank you for sharing your details with us. I would guess this is all related to a piston slap problem. I think when the piston slap noise gets loud enough the engine ping sensors retard the engine. Higher viscosity oil reduces piston slap and that is why this seems to be related to oil change but gets better as the oil ages. But, in your case you say they are changing the heads. As I understand it the only remediation for piston slap is to replace the undersized pistons. So, please let us know what is wrong with the heads, if they will share that with you. I guess it might be possible to reduce piston slap by shaping the head over the piston and that sort of approach would be easier to implement from a manufacturing point than the old method of measuring each cylinder and selecting a piston to fit. I think the way engines are built now is they try to hold the tolerances so that one size piston fits all but sometimes that doesn't work out well.

WhitBaby

This was covered under the Lexus Power Train Warranty as on page 2 of L-SB-0033-08.

Was getting close though.

The closest 'gotcha' disqualifier was '72 months' or 70,000 miles...
I was at 66.8 months and 53,000 miles.

They said replacing the heads requires pulling the engine...a-r-g-h-h-hhhhhh

P.S. Just did some checking in my records and during the Valve Spring Recall Corporate Lexus did extend my 'power train vehicle service to 6 years (72 months) and 100,000 miles as a goodwill gesture.

yowps3

Sound like a bad torque converter.

WhitBaby

So after all the turnstiles I got my '08 LS back today, after two weeks.

They did replace both heads and other stuff as per copy of work done, below.
The parts manager said the parts cost about $4K. I didn't compare the parts numbers with the parts list available at Sewell.

The car runs great now, really leaps from stops, even with snow tires. The last reason I heard was tolerance build up in valves, etc...after only 50,000 miles... with synthetic oils?? This car also had the valve spring recall done earlier, must be an inherent weakness in the top ends of these beasts.
Also got an oil change and new coolant.

On another page they list a stripped oxygen sensor in exhaust pipe, happened during engine removal.

WhitBaby

Imagine this: You're driving a new $140,000 Lingenfelter twin-turbo powered Corvette Z-06. Over a mile up the road, a Top Fuel dragster is staged & ready to 'launch' down a quarter-mile strip as you pass. You have the advantage of a flying start. You run the 'Vette hard, on up through the gears and blast across the starting line & pass the dragster at an honest 200 MPH. The 'tree' goes green for both of you at that exact moment. The dragster departs & starts after you. You keep your foot buried hard to the floor, and suddenly you hear an incredibly brutally screaming whine that seares and pummels your eardrums & within a mere 3 seconds the dragster effortlessly catches & passes you. He beats you to the finish line, a quarter-mile away from where you just passed him. Think about it – from a standing start, the dragster had spotted you 200 MPH. And it not only caught, but nearly blasted you off the planet when he passed you within a mere 1320 foot long race!

...that, my friends is acceleration.

(I think they only race 1000' now days.)

;->

Max707

What model years have these problems?

WhitBaby

Read the conditions on the TSIB on post #3 and decide for yourself.

PMIRO2

Not to drum up an old thread, but I just got my car back from the first service appt since taking ownership and wanted to share. I experienced some major hesitation from a stop or slower speeds. It seemed to improve after a month or so, but may have been because I stopped breaking the engine in

I went for a ride with a tech when I dropped it off, and of course, if did not do it. They ended up doing the ecu reflash and I had a 45 minute drive home to test out it.

Probably exaggerating, but it felt like night and day. This thing is like a rocket ship now. Smile on my face once again.

Lextrician

Maybe its still learning yourdriving habits. I like to get on mines all the time.

PMIRO2

Could be right. That is what the technician said as well.

thomastan

my 07 also had the same issue in the acceleration issue while turning a corner at low speed. I took it to Park Place in Grapevine, Tx and they had the recall done on the head block, valve and etc....car drove like a beast after ward. Before i traded it in a few week ago...the issue came back. I traded it in for a 2011 LS460...now i have the knocking noise.... getting tired of Toyota's mistakes...but i guess every car will have it's recalls.

johnnyg66

So is this still an issue with some of use. The reason i ask is i changed my oil the other day myself. And right after it hesitated bad from a stop or a slow turn. Now this was last thursday and now not as bad but still noticeable.

The Valves had been replaced per the recall. I am not sure if the ecu update has been done but did that help this issue?

It ran well before the oil change and the last last owner was a regular service visitor at he local dealership. So plenty of history.

Thanks