95 Ls400 on borrowed time. Help!
04-18-14, 10:43 AM
#31
They could all be telling you it's a HG because YOU are focusing in symptoms, that don't really exist, that are pointing them in that direction.
No offense to anyone but 99% of male car owners are the worst people for a mechanic to talk to to figure out a problem. Their ego and preconceived notions of what is wrong influence their story/descriptions of problems and lead to improper diagnosis and repairs. That's not a sign of a shady mechanic, that's the sign of a dumb person who cannot ignore the story of someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.
No offense to anyone but 99% of male car owners are the worst people for a mechanic to talk to to figure out a problem. Their ego and preconceived notions of what is wrong influence their story/descriptions of problems and lead to improper diagnosis and repairs. That's not a sign of a shady mechanic, that's the sign of a dumb person who cannot ignore the story of someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.
04-18-14, 12:02 PM
#33
This is an obvious BHG symptom:
Your cooling system exhibits places for loss and those hoses and gaskets will need to be changed. The radiator drain **** O-ring will allow coolant to drain out the lower drain tube and be unnoticeable. Mine was losing about 3 ounces a month and I'd not seen any signs around the hoses or thermostat housing . I'd have missed it except one day I left the car running in the garage and noticed a small red drip right from the lower drain tube. Pulled the drain **** and replaced the O-ring. No more coolant loss.
Do the cooling system first.
Your cooling system exhibits places for loss and those hoses and gaskets will need to be changed. The radiator drain **** O-ring will allow coolant to drain out the lower drain tube and be unnoticeable. Mine was losing about 3 ounces a month and I'd not seen any signs around the hoses or thermostat housing . I'd have missed it except one day I left the car running in the garage and noticed a small red drip right from the lower drain tube. Pulled the drain **** and replaced the O-ring. No more coolant loss.
Do the cooling system first.
04-18-14, 12:40 PM
#34
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
So I feel better. I just talked to a guy in service. I told him I might have a blown head gasket and I told him all the symptoms. He just started laughing and said I was being way too paranoid, and there was no way in hell I had a blown or leaking head gasket without overheating, white smoke, and water in my oil. I told him I get a lot of water when I hit the rev limiter and he asked me why the heck I was hitting the rev limiter on a Ls400 and kind of yelled at me for ******* such a nice example of a Ls400.. Lol. (Turns out half the guys in the shop know and admire my car so that helps) and that I have "one of the cleanest Ls400s they've ever seen" they said I'm in dire need of a tune up but that's about it. Whew!
04-18-14, 02:41 PM
#36
Lol, this is why I tend to ignore male customers, who have tried to diagnose a problem on their own, and just diagnose the problem as I would normally... Guys don't really tell you the symptoms, they try and tell you what the problem is, ego up front and without any clue as to what they are talking about most of the time.
Same reason why I love female customers sooooo much more, they can explain the symptoms and how the car feels soooo much better than 99% guys ever could. Even if they have no idea of the technical terminology and function of a system.
Pisses guys off to no end, when I ask their wife/GF what is wrong and ignore their input. But 100% of the time it's easier to diagnose.
Moral of the story, focus on the symptoms not the problem and you can avoid stressful situations like this in the future. You are ALWAYS better off not trying to diagnose a problem, and gathering as much info as possible to pass along to someone who knows what's up.
Same reason why I love female customers sooooo much more, they can explain the symptoms and how the car feels soooo much better than 99% guys ever could. Even if they have no idea of the technical terminology and function of a system.
Pisses guys off to no end, when I ask their wife/GF what is wrong and ignore their input. But 100% of the time it's easier to diagnose.
Moral of the story, focus on the symptoms not the problem and you can avoid stressful situations like this in the future. You are ALWAYS better off not trying to diagnose a problem, and gathering as much info as possible to pass along to someone who knows what's up.
04-18-14, 04:29 PM
#37
I was feeling from the start that the OP was being a little paranoid but you have to take everyones issues seriously and sometimes it takes 3 pages before we figure out there is no problem. That's why I asked if he was cool with ANY of the techs because I would have asked these guys before any random mechanic about the LS. I hopr it works out and let us know how it ends.
04-18-14, 04:48 PM
#38
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
Glad it's not about to blow up. Well my old man still thinks it's gunna blow up. He told me that he still wants to get me a honda accord or civic cause "that old ****box is gunna explode sooner or later" hell if he wants to give me a honda I'm not gunna say no. It's a free second car lol
04-18-14, 08:37 PM
#39
ur not out of the "water" yet
..not having a blown head gasket is a relief..but truth be told, mixing that coolant causes ur coolant to gel up, it can and will clog ur radiator..heater core and ruin ur water pump or cause early failure..also use distilled water for any procedure like flushing..filling or adding
..not having a blown head gasket is a relief..but truth be told, mixing that coolant causes ur coolant to gel up, it can and will clog ur radiator..heater core and ruin ur water pump or cause early failure..also use distilled water for any procedure like flushing..filling or adding
04-19-14, 05:00 PM
#40
So I feel better. I just talked to a guy in service. I told him I might have a blown head gasket and I told him all the symptoms. He just started laughing and said I was being way too paranoid, and there was no way in hell I had a blown or leaking head gasket without overheating, white smoke, and water in my oil. I told him I get a lot of water when I hit the rev limiter and he asked me why the heck I was hitting the rev limiter on a Ls400 and kind of yelled at me for ******* such a nice example of a Ls400.. Lol. (Turns out half the guys in the shop know and admire my car so that helps) and that I have "one of the cleanest Ls400s they've ever seen" they said I'm in dire need of a tune up but that's about it. Whew!
) and it runs like a top. 
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