mggeisen

Hi, I've found a lot of good information on these forums before but this is my first time posting. This week my '99 ES300 engine was misfiring and the CEL codes led me to this forum's DIY on replacing the oil control valves. The first step was to disconnect and move some hoses out of the way, and the first one I tried was rock hard and snapped with just a moderate tug. Argh.

Through some research here I learned that it's a vacuum line coming from the ERG valve, which connects to a plastic vacuum surge tank, and then continues down to another metal line. The hardened hose would not come off the surge tank and eventually I snapped that end of the tank trying too. I succeded in my original repair so I thought I'd temporarily run some hose from the ERG valve to the now-exposed end of hose that the surge tank was connected to, but that hose began cracking as soon as I started inserting a male-to-male hose connector.

So it seems to me that 18 years by an engine has cooked this hose and there is no reconnecting it without replacing the whole thing. I already have a new surge tank ordered, but I'm not sure if I need anything special to replace the hose. I don't know what runs through this line or at what temps and pressures. Will a length of hose from an auto parts store be sufficient? Further down the hose is an "Evap Service Port" sticking out. Can I do without that? Should I just cave and get the OEM hose?

Any advice on replacement or info on what this hose does is appreciated.


Vacuum surge tank and connected hoses before breaking
Evap service port about a foot and a half down the line

nsghtbrwry

OK, so I've made this mistake before on a '99 as well, so I'll help you out.

First off, it's not ERG [sic] (you mean EGR?), it's the EVAP system. Your '99 has a VVTi motor, so it uses the VVT system (those OCVs you replaced) to achieve the same effect as the dedicated EGR hardware on the older, non-VVTi motor.

Second, take a good look at the hose you broke...especially at the part that goes from the plastic bulb collector to the EVAP service port. It has different ID on each side, so you can't just use any old constant-ID hose from a parts store...you will get a vacuum leak. Ask me how I know, how much the shop charged me for a smoke test after I checked everything else, and how stupid I felt.

You need to find that piece of hose at a Pick-n-pull, or check a Toyota/Lexus dealer/vendor. Personally I like the vendors over at Toyota Nation, but of course you'd have to look up the part number on a Lexus website or get it from your local Lexus dealer.

All my stuff for said car is detailed here, if you need some more guidance: http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/10...xer-upper.html

Oro

No, there's a work-around for that. You get about a foot of 1/2" hose, and a foot of 3/8" hose. Then you stick a 1/2 to 3/8 barb adapter in the middle ($1 at the hardware store) and then trim the ends to the right length. I posted about this a year or two ago when I did it to avoid waiting on a replacement house or a trip to the dealer for a $25 part. I'll see if I can find the old post...

nsghtbrwry

Ooh, I didn't think of that. I'll have to remember for next time this happens.

Oro

I found the oriignal post with photos on fixing the larger dual-diameter hose:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...-hose-fix.html

Here is another post I made on another convenient hose repair hack:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es-...ine-mount.html

mggeisen

First of all, thank you both for weighing in on this. Your info gave me the peace of mind I needed to do this myself. I got my replacement surge tank today and swapped that out along with the hose.

Like I said, rookie! I did mean EGR and I was basing that on this post that I stumbled upon. Maybe that user was wrong or this surge tank is used in multiple lines?

This was all great information and I got all of the parts to rig up a hose with different IDs, but when I pulled the hose out it actually looked like it had a constant-ID. Both ends of the hose were stretched out and hardened, so it was hard to tell. As a test, I popped the surge tank onto both ends of the old hose and it seemed to fit about the same on both. That being the case, I just cut a length of 1/4" ID vacuum hose which fit snugly on both the surge tank and the evap port.

With everything reconnected I hit the road and the car ran beautifully! After having the car shaking, CEL flashing, and smelling gas earlier this week, I can't believe I'm up and running again with a ~$100 DIY repair.

I assume in your case one end of your hose had too large of a diameter? With my hose fitting tightly on both ends, I shouldn't have anything to worry about, right?

nsghtbrwry

Glad to hear it. Yeah, the hose I used was equal to the larger side diameter, so it leaked on the smaller side. Smoke test caught it, but I should have before since I remember thinking that it was shipping on way too easily.