B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

FYI that Snap-On tool was utterly USELESS! it was so big and cumbersome it did not fit on the bolt under the EGR pipe nor the starter bolt on the drivers side. (What a waste of $18!) I will have to notify Lextreme.com. its not really needed.

Im still waiting on Carson Toyota for this damn starter.


SIGH!!!

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

I cant believe I am still waiting for this STARTER?!?!?! Its been like 2+ weeks? Im getting kinda pissed at the constant excuses from Carson

Joani

thanks for the humorus story. i recall trouble with the coolant bridge and very tight wiring harness and it has been almost two years since i replaced a starter in one of these but the memories came flooding back. this is not a job i'll forget doing. you'll be relieved when its all back together. with air tools you can get it done a lot faster. i can't imagine doing this job at home! good luck going back together. hope you can remember where everything goes after waiting two weeks for a starter.

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

yeah its been a long wait, but I got a confirmed tracking number for delivery on Thurs from Gordon at Carson Toyota. Hopefully its the right part after all this time. (fingers crossed)

I picked up the coolant bridge gaskets today and amd gonna prep and clean the block as much as I can to get all the grime out of there.

I already sanded and cleaned all gasketed metal surfaces so I'll just spray the existing gaskets with carb cleaner and let dry. once dry I'll coat them with Some Copper Gasket Spray I have here. That should make the intake mani gaskets fit like new again while saving a few bucks.

I have a vague idea of where everything goes for the most part one it starts going back together and there are less and less crap laying around, I'll feel much better.

I tell you - I cant wait to get this car back to its good old self and prep my IS300 for the upcoming show season (I never thought that would be the lesser of two evils LOL)

too bad its been below freezing here the past few days (doesnt allow for much progress)

FYI I learned that its not best practice to use air tools on a motor. (Suspension, YES - motor Beware!) lotta things just dont have the room for bulky air tools (as I have them in my garage at home)

I prefer the steady as she goes method and take a little time and more care into workin on my own car rather than snap a stud off due to air tools gone wild.

I've been doing OK with a 1/4" rachet and 10,12,14,17mm sockets and a 3/8 rachet with same size sockets and extension bars and swivels.

I must say that when working with those gross spring hose clamps a "bent-nose plier" is a man's best friend! I use mine countless times on all my projects!

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

URETHRA!!!!!!!!! Starter was delivered and is in!

Total install Time for actual starter: 10min!


Funny thing is bolting the starter back up was easier than taking it out. The two 14mm bolts threaded into starter much easier than I imagined. the driver side bolt i was able to thread all the way in by hand.
The pass side bolt under the EGR pipe was was pain as i had to use an open end 14mm wrench and give it 1/6" of a turns and by steadily flipping wrench around to get good angles for movement.


As you can see a Craftsman 14mm Open end 14mm wrench fit on the bolts nice and easy.
that fancy schmansy snap-on speed ratchet thing I paid $18 for makes a nice paperweight now.


I rewrapped the wires in a new plastic Wire loom and then tightly taped it several layers thick with good 3M electrical tape. I hope that will keep the heat out. I think if i can find some Cool-Tape locally I'll rewrap the loom. although there should be ample room for air to circulate now that the cumbersome OEM hard casing is gone. But Still I will try to do it right.


I sprayed the Head to Mani Gaskets with Copper Spray after I cleaned them with Carb Cleaner and let them air dry. They should work like new now.


Here is the old @#)*(^@% thats going back to Carson toyota next week when I get this LS started.


Im gonna go pick up the coolant bridge gaskets for $6.60 each tomorrow at Rockville Center Lexus. Like I said.. I thoughtt about spraying them sith copper spray, but I just dont wanna chance a water leak after I do all this work!

More details to come as I replace the remainder of the intake and vacuum lines etc etc.

Hopefully this has been educational and entertaining thus far.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

can we get some pics of the whole engine in detail while its open so we can get a better ideal of where and how everything is located? thanks

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

It's not a difficult task per say that one would need pics. If you are mechanically inclined.. things are VERY obvious. If you AREN'T mechanically inclined this task is surely NOT for you.

The toughest part of this entire procedure thus far (besides removing the ill-positioned starter bolts) would be actually wiggling and contorting the upper and lower manifold free of the OEM wiring harness that runs thru the center/top of the motor.

Also safely pulling and placing the EGR setup & injector harness's aside to give more room to remove maifold is also cumbersome.

The actualy work is straight forward.

I would say that Lexus did a great job of putting spring clip ends out of sight so its hard to undo them with a pliers. When I reassemble things I will fix all these anti-tamper antics of Toyota.

Its not that complex as your really just removing the intake manifold. You're not touching any accessory belts or timing belt that would cause a world of hurt. Its just a complex setup with multiple coolant and fuel crossover pipes.

I have other pics I will post but for the most part when Im working I dont like to stop and take pics as it kills my momentum.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

im a mechanic myself i just thought it would be niceto see how things are positioned once you have the intake off for future reference, but thanks anyway

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

OH, I have pics of everything apart... I didnt think it would help much. If you would like to see how the engine bay looks while this project was underway, it can be provided as i have about 4 pics of it.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

thanks Diddy

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

Well car is back together and it started right up!

Unfortunately I had a coolant leak AND a fuel leak

The half assed clamps used to attach the heater hose to the block was like a one time use JDM crapazoid! I inadvertently tried t use it. While trying to over tighten it I got a call from Aliga, and he advised me to swap that crappy clamp out. so I put on a good screw clamp and fixed the coolant problem

The fuel problem I traced to a leaky Injector O-ring. I swapped that out but today I got yet another fuel leak.

I bet I have to buy new O-rings for all the injectors as these are 15yo OEM ones. I will investigate further tomorrow,

But the saga continues. I bet i need new o-rings

molex

Diddy,

I finished putting everything back last night at about 11pm, and she started up right away, so far so good, no coolant leak nor fuel leak, it was kind of late, I just drove around the block. I'll do a thorough drive test after work today.

I have my injectors clean for 20 bucks each, they replaced new o-rings and the tips too, I also bought the
o-rings earlier from the dealer for 2.30 each, I did not use them, I plan to return them.

Where is the fuel leak? If it is from the injector, o-ring is one thing to blame, also, see if the fuel rail sits tightly on the injector grommet, you need a small inspection mirror to see this. ( 8 of them ).

If the fuel leak is from the joints, may be it is not tight enough when you put them back, depend how you disassemble the fuel system, for me, I disconnected:

1. fuel intake hose - compression joint - near the driver side fender, cannot put a torque wrench, so I
tighten it as much as possible
2. return pipe from the pressure regulator (24 ft-lb)
3. two cross fuel pipes between the left and the right fuel rail (29 ft-lb)
4. cool start injector pipe from the passenger side fuel rail (21ft-lb)

Do not forget the washers also, only one washer for the front cross pipe, the rest have 2 washers between the banjo bolts, I reuse the old one.

You can test any fuel leak before starting the car, turn the key on, do not start it yet, put a jumper wire between B+ and FP on the diagnostic connector to turn on the fuel pump.


Let me tell you, this job is no picnic. I rather replace an engine or a transmission on my 1985 Doge Colt,
I love that car, it has 195,000 miles, it it still runs good. Who say cheap car don't last? believe or not, it is the orignial starter! The 1992 Lexus LS400 is about 160,000 mile, and the starter is gone!

B.Diddy

iTrader: (1)

Molex,

The initial injector leak was from the driver side injector rail 2nd injector from the front of motor.
I pulled the fuel rail and inspected everything really good when I saw that leak. It was actually gushing out on to manifold.

The fuel hoses and crossover pipes seems OK.
The passenger side rail assembly seems OK.

I am going to buy some o-rings from the Toyota Dealer and double em up (2 o-rings per injector)
then lightly lube them with a bit of vaseline.

Its such a pain that all this crap has to be removed from the engine to get at the injectors. I do have a spare motor in storage so I will go try to pull the parts off of that motor for kicks.

Either way I gotta call and order the o-rings and possibly the rubber injector tips. I am hoping that I can get the ruber injector tips from another Toyota vehicle and NOT have to pay "Lexus" prices for parts.

Thats gotta cost

good news is that the starter works.

What I learned? (for FUTURE starter replacement guru's)
leave injectors and rails intact just disconnect harness from the injectors. and rail.
Remove Crossover fuel pipes and feed pipes only

Remove the lower manifold with fuel rail intact.

molex

Diddy,

Since you are going to redo the injectors, you may as well have them clean. For $20.00 @, they give you the o-ring and the tips together, of course, if the injectors was not clogged before, it makes no difference, but I did that anyway, I feel a little better performance last night when I test drive, I do not know it is because the fuel injector cleaning or I clean up the intake manifold, the air chamber, the throttle body, or just in my mind.

I do not think you can put 2 o-rings in the injector, wet the o- ring with gasoline before putting the rail, tight the rail to the manifold (15 ft-lb) , as I mentioned before, use an inpection mirror to make sure
the fuel rail sits tight on the grommet of the injector, this grommet also acts as a seal , after that, make sure the injector can rotate freely by hand. Do this before you put the air chamber.

You mentioned Rockville Centre Lexus Dealer last time, are you in Long Island, NY? Ilived in Brooklyn, but I work in Uniondale. The Fuel Injector Cleaning shop is in Islip. 1-631-234-8327, probably they still remember me.

I have been playing around with cars for the past 20 years or so, I did all the repair and maintenance on all my cars, the only thing I cannot do is body work and exhaut system. I have cars from cheap to luxury, people tends to think luxury car are better, this is not all the case. As an old Chinese saying " One more tombstone, one more ghost " . Let me tell you what cars I have for the past 20 years and the repair history and you make the judement.

1. 1985 Dodge Colt - now is 195,000 mile
a. transmission replaced at 140,000 - cost $45.00 from junkyard, no garranty, it is still running.
b. alternator
c. front left and right axle
d. 3 muffers and tail pipes
e. fuel mixture control solenoid in the carburetta

2. 1989 Dodge Colt - 204,000 miles
a. Engine replace at 204,000, cost $50.00, from junkyard, no garranty, so far no problem.
It is not even the car's fault, the rear main seal leaks oil, at the same time, the oil light did not work
because of corrosion on the terminal, I did not notice and keep on driving until the engine blow up.
b. starter at 190,000
c. alternator at 150,000

3. 1987 Nissan Maxima - 160,000 miles
a. two alternators: one at 110,000 and the other at 140,000
b. starter at 150,000 miles
c. air regulator fro idling

4. 1992 Hyundai Excel - Sold at 95,000

molex

I did not finish yet

4. 1992 Hyundai Excel - sold at 95,00 mile
exhaust pipe, that is it, nothing else.

5. 1992 Lexus LS400 - 160,000
a. fuel pump at 155,000
b. starter at 160,000
c. driver side recline mechanism
d. now the LCD clock display is leaking
e. the technometer needle is dim
f. two hood structs

You make your old judgement.
If people spends $50,000 for a car, what else they say, would they say the car is no good?