Head gasket blown on a 98 LS400
04-18-05, 07:53 PM
#17
Lexus Champion
I'm glad everything is o.k. Just like I said in my post, you will be the only one that I've ever heard of the head gasket problem from the UZ's family engine.
You may baby your car too much and the engine never get hot enough. Hey, step on it and drive it the way it was designed...
A few years ago, I got a 1992 SC400 towed in. The car was shut down on the highway from overheated. I got the car in to the shop and the problem was, some independent shop replaced the radiator and forgot to tighten the lower radiator hose. After a long drive the lower radiator hose came off and the car lost all of its coolant( to the point that car shut off). So, I just re-installed the hose and tighten the hose clamp, filled her up with coolant and the car is good to go. That was amazing and I will never forget the smile on the owner face and he walked out with less than $200.00 total ( towed bill, coolant and half hour labor).... priceless.
You may baby your car too much and the engine never get hot enough. Hey, step on it and drive it the way it was designed...
A few years ago, I got a 1992 SC400 towed in. The car was shut down on the highway from overheated. I got the car in to the shop and the problem was, some independent shop replaced the radiator and forgot to tighten the lower radiator hose. After a long drive the lower radiator hose came off and the car lost all of its coolant( to the point that car shut off). So, I just re-installed the hose and tighten the hose clamp, filled her up with coolant and the car is good to go. That was amazing and I will never forget the smile on the owner face and he walked out with less than $200.00 total ( towed bill, coolant and half hour labor).... priceless.
04-30-05, 06:36 AM
#18
Sorry to say, but the car is NOT supposed to smoke with frequent on and offs. Steam is one thing, but smoke is another. I think your problems lies deeper, and it will resurface.
I hope it goes away, but I wouldn't bet on it.
I hope it goes away, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Originally Posted by Brian S
Got the car back from Toyota today. Guess what's wrong with it?
So, in the end, it looks like the car is probably fine. It looks like all of this was a combination of poorly timed chain of events and my own ignorance about this car and engine mechanicals in general. My clue, had I known, should have been the oil being clean. The culprit in the end is probably the same thing that all of our cars experience. When the car is frequently started and turned off without warming up (which it had been do to being worked on at the auto shop and tint shop), smoke can appear from the tailpipes. I guess it all has to do with condensation and excess gasoline being pumped into the engine.
The only concern is why is continued to smoke for the ten minutes it was driven from the tint shop to my GF's dorm. But it's not doing it now, despite his testing and my driving it today. It sounds fine, and the temperature is in check. So this is about the only thing it could be. It cost me $180 in towing, $120 for car rental, and $175 for Toyota to look at it. But I'm not angry. This was a learning experience, and it could have been a much more expensive one at that.
Brian
So, in the end, it looks like the car is probably fine. It looks like all of this was a combination of poorly timed chain of events and my own ignorance about this car and engine mechanicals in general. My clue, had I known, should have been the oil being clean. The culprit in the end is probably the same thing that all of our cars experience. When the car is frequently started and turned off without warming up (which it had been do to being worked on at the auto shop and tint shop), smoke can appear from the tailpipes. I guess it all has to do with condensation and excess gasoline being pumped into the engine.
The only concern is why is continued to smoke for the ten minutes it was driven from the tint shop to my GF's dorm. But it's not doing it now, despite his testing and my driving it today. It sounds fine, and the temperature is in check. So this is about the only thing it could be. It cost me $180 in towing, $120 for car rental, and $175 for Toyota to look at it. But I'm not angry. This was a learning experience, and it could have been a much more expensive one at that.
Brian
04-30-05, 07:50 AM
#19
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Originally Posted by ychachad
Sorry to say, but the car is NOT supposed to smoke with frequent on and offs. Steam is one thing, but smoke is another. I think your problems lies deeper, and it will resurface.
I hope it goes away, but I wouldn't bet on it.
I hope it goes away, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Brian
04-30-05, 04:21 PM
#22
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I'm no technician but I believe if your car has had a lot of short trips (say <5mi) in its life then various parts are taxed more than usual. Good to get the car out on the highway for say 30 minutes at least once a week and as VVT-i says, don't be afraid to floor it at least once a week and let it hit 6K in one gear - it can actually help "blow out the cobwebs". These Lexus V8s are just about indestructible.
These Lexus V8s are just about indestructible.
04-30-05, 09:58 PM
#23
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Originally Posted by bitkahuna
These Lexus V8s are just about indestructible.
Brian
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