Grd4Spd

howdy all,

i have a 99 LX470. and when i went out this morning the car would not start. i have put in a new battery a few months ago and have been driving it daily now all of a sudden she decides that she doesnt want to start up. i hooked it up to the charger and put it on "50amp/start" and it would start....well some of the time....other times it would not. i can hear the starter hit, but 99% of the time it will not start...this just started happening. im thinking it has something to do with the alarm (new batteries btw)

any ideas?

regards,
terry

dougjohn

so the starter engages, but the engine doesn't start?
Could be a problem with getting fuel.

If you turn the key in the ignition and the starter does nothing -- but you have electrical power, then it's a problem with the starter itself.

Which is it in your case?

Grd4Spd

it sounds like the starter "hits" ...but it doenst turn the engine over....no cycling of the motor.


thats because the car doesnt even turn over!

this is what im thinking it is....where is the starter? i tried looking for it to tap on it as sometimes that will jar it into working, albiet for a while.....but i could not find the darn thing....if i can find it, how do you test the starter?

regards,
terry

Gohawks63

Your starter is going. The only real known problems with the LC/LX is that the starter (actually brushes) go.

I had to replace the starter on my previous '98 LC at 85K miles.

dougjohn

It's the plunger and the contacts that go out. They're replaceable -- not a difficult job to do, just takes a little time. Faster/more expensive route is to replace the starter.

I can dig up instructions from somewhere on the rebuild, if you're interested.

On the 470, the starter is on the top of the engine. Unfortunately
you will have to take the intake manifold off to get access to the
starter. It's where "V" shape of the motor next to the firewall. If you
take a flashlight and shine it to the right of radiator cap you can see
it, of course you have to take the plastic cover off first.

Good luck, parts are less than $20 but labor is several hundred. A
remanufactured starter is about $300 (from the dealer) and a new one is
around $500. Not cheap, but then again nothing on this car is cheap,
well maybe except for the owners :-)

Again...I can get instructions on replacing the contacts if you're interested.

Gohawks63

Mine was fixed under an extended warranty and obviously the dealer will not just replace the brushes. They told me that if I was paying out-of-pocket, the job would have cost me close to $600.

Grd4Spd

thanks for all the feedback gents....looks like im going to have to replace the starter.

dougjohn, if you would be so kind as to post (or send) me instructions i would greatly appreciate it.

regards,
terry

RPH74

Here's a link to a long write up I did on this procedure. Good luck.

http://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.p...arter+contacts

dougjohn

There ya have it -- no better source than that one.

Grd4Spd

thanks for the link RPH! looks like its a pretty simple, straight forward deal, however i will not be doing the work this time around.

yesterday it was snowing and ~29degrees outside.....however i figured i would give it one last (useless) try so i went out in the weather (the garage is full of crap as we are remodeling) took off the plastic cover and sighted the starter "down there"....three "gongs" for lexus for putting the starter there...idiots...anyway i took a small bar weaved it thru the intake runners and tapped on the back of the starter several times....regardless to say it did not unlock the starter so i called the tow truck.

i have to move fast on this one as im headed out of town for a few days...so farting about was not an option....why do things always goto **** just before you head out of town? the last time i went on a trip the damn gas gauge stopped working, RIGHT after i filled her up and motored out of town!!! like it knew it was going on a trip, the indashmulitdiskPOS changer sometimes doesnt eject disks, of course this happens just before the autoantenna stops working (albiet intermittently).....by comparison my 1992 Toyota MR2 turbo has NEVER ONCE let me down, in 13 years not once. Grd4Spd is modified and beat the living daylights out of it....i guess the engineers at Lexus should take occasional fieldtrips over to the "lowley" toyota plant for some good oldfashion school'in.

anyway, the new starter should be here friday ($300) and labor looks to be ~$200, so there we have it ...$500+ to fix a $25 part....not bad engineering Lexus....yer keeping folks in business in an ever slowing ecomomy.

regards,
terry

Gohawks63

Remember that he LC/LX is meant to be a TRUE off-road vehicle. My guess is the reason why the starter is up that high is to keep it from getting submerged in water if driving through streams.


Just my guess.

dougjohn

That could be the reason...
It's not the case on the 450 -- the starter is next to the frame rails -- mine can and does get wet during water crossings.

Don't know why they stuck the starter on the V8 up high

Grd4Spd

hummm.....i never associated leather interiors and gobs of electronic gadgets with "off road"....last "off road" vehicle i was associated with was a 1971 Jeepster Commando....my times have changed.

well RPH you were right....the mech says that the brushes are bad....too bad as lexus delivered the starter today and they dont accept returns on electrical items, boo, hoo.....well at least i will have a new starter!

thanks for all the responses mates!

regards,
terry

Gohawks63

Yeah wise guy, you forget that overseas and in the mid-east, the LC is not the luxo-ute it is here. It is meant to be driven off-road. THe electronics and leather are added for the US market.

Grd4Spd

gotta LUUUUUUVVVV that NATO market baby! luuuuvvv it!! woooohoooo! gimmie sum o-dat leh-thuh, woody-dash, V-I-D-E-O mah-jik, widt a splaaaash o-mud own da glossy-esque p'aint.....ane BAM!!! im da oaf-rode-kang!!

regards,
terry