Shawnmack

Why you had to pay for your loaner car?

Shawnmack

Do you think your mechanic dropped something in your engine?

bagwell

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 100% correct -- also, this was mentioned on MOTORWEEK (Goss' Garage) http://www.motorweek.org/features/go.../funnel_facts/

Aron9000

Man I don't get why this guy would JAM a funnel into the oil fill on top of the cylinder head. I know when I fill my cars full of oil, it works best when I hold the funnel in my left hand and the quart of oil in my right. If you jam the funnel down into the hole and it touches some metal part, it doesn't want to accept that quart of oil. If you hold it a bit above the bottom of the oil fill hole, the oil pours a lot quicker.

longlexus3

Thanks for your reply but the dealership said that the accuator was damaged not the baffle. Are they the same? Trying to get educated on my car.

longlexus3

I placed a call to Lexus Corporate this past Friday. They are investigating the situation and will let me know how to proceed this afternoon. I will let everyone know as soon as I know.

Thanks for everyone's help.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

I believe this is what you said in the first post:So, it pretty clearly says the actuator was damaged by the baffle being bent as a result of a funnel being unceremoniously stuffed into the oil fill hole. Your indie screwed the pooch here, and the Lexus service bulletin will support the tech 100%. If you're lucky, corporate with do a good will repair where you share part of the cost, but they have no obligation to help pay for a mistake your independent mechanic made.

longlexus3

Thank you for your reply. I did hear back from Lexus Corporate who basically said the baffle had been pushed down to the point where it contacted the camshaft actuator and damaged it.

Unfortunately I know nothing about cars but I did question why this explanation differs from what the dealership said....UPON INSPECTION AND REMOVAL OF FRONT VALVE COVER. IT SEEMS LIKE AT THIS TIME OIL CHANGE, PUSHED THE FUNNEL THROUGH THE HOLE AND BENT THE TABS, WHICH CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ACTUATOR. AT THIS TIME WE NEED TO REPLACE BANK 2 INTAKE ACTUATOR, TOP VALVE COVER. IT MAY NEED CAMSHAFT, WE WILL DETERMINE UPON REMOVAL.

Are the baffles the tabs?

Is the camshaft actuator the same as the Bank 2 intake actuator?

Outrage

Do you think the mechanic attempted to close the hood with the funnel still installed in the oil opening? That would be capable of delivering considerable force.

longlexus3

I don't know, but my mechanic is doing all the repair work for free. Still unsure if that means he is at fault. I have known him for 13 years and he never steered me wrong. I think it is great that he is doing that. Still the whole incident is bizarre and I think what I learned from this is I have to take a course and learn about cars.

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

The ends of the baffles look like tabs. They're sheet metal pieces mounted in the top of the cam covers with steel wool in them to help oil vapors condense and return to the oil pan instead of being sucked into the engine and getting burned.

It could not be more clear - the damage was done by your mechanic. Whomever put oil in the car either didn't know about bending the baffles (tabs), or didn't think it serious enough to take proper precautions to prevent this from happening. I'd bet a lot of money he's pretty unhappy about this damage happening during what should be a simple oil change. It turns a simple job into a massive loss very quickly. Good to know he's taking care of it for you.

Whitigir

Good info here Lobuxracer. I can not believe as big of a manufacturer as Toyota can do such a Sloppy Job as in easily damaging the Baffle. Also, this is no where to be found on a Manual Book. I would still blame Lexus for not Disclosing the Fact about how to proper care about the Oil Change and the Baffle. An Oil Change is a simple procedure, and should not take an EXPERT in the field to do it. This is common vehicle, and is not an F1. If it was an F1, it would still be stated in the Manual ? Correct ? a simple Website wouldn't do it.

Lexus fault....not stating the cares in the Manual book

FrankReynoldsCPA

Glad the mechanic is owning his failure....very few will do that. If he hadnt, I would jam that funnel down his throat and see if we can't find a baffle.

lobuxracer

iTrader: (2)

It is in the Lexus Technical Information System in a service bulletin. This is a long and well known issue - it applies to the following years and models:

1993 – 2009
ES300, ES330,
ES350, GS300,
GS350, GS400,
GS430, GS450H,
GS460, GX470, IS F,
IS250, IS300, IS350,
LS400, LS430, LS460,
LS600H, LX450,
LX470, LX570, RX300,
RX330, RX350,
RX400H, SC300,
SC400, SC430

This information is available to the public for a small daily fee or for an annual subscription at techinfo.toyota.com. Alldata also have some of this information in the public domain. It is silly to blame Lexus when it takes a considerable effort to bend this plate. It would be very challenging to accomplish this with any plastic funnel. Most shops have a metal tool they use for delivering bulk oil, so the home mechanic will likely never see an issue like this. Only shops with bulk oil delivery systems are going to have this issue.

mrraider

I've had my IS250 oil changed by an indie mechanic for 5 years. No damage ever. This mechanic must have tried to rape the opening with the funnel.