hi, everybody. i have a 2000 es300, 89K miles on it.

it's been having a string of issues and the latest one was that it needed a new starter. so i had a new starter put in. but as soon as i started the car after replacing the starter, it had a "rough" sound before the engine would turn on. the mechanic said it's because the starter teeth do not fitting into the engine's "floater/flout" -- i can't understand what he's saying because he has a very heavy accent -- because the "floater/flout" has worn down or something. but he assured me that it won't affect the driving and the car will totally wear out before the starter gives trouble again.

then, about four days later, after having started the car all of ten times or so, it would not start again. it kept making the rough revving sound but the engine would not kick in. this lasted all day but for some reason, in the evening, it had a hard time but did start and the engine was really rough at idle (for about 3-5 minutes) before settling down into the normal "hum." i had the mechanic on the phone and he first thought my air intake was loose (it was not). then when he heard the rough engine, he said it was that i had water/contaminants in the gas/engine.

so he said to use Lucas fuel injector cleaner and it should be fine. so i did and ran it for 30 minutes on the highway. the next day (yesterday), it started OK (but with the same rough start noise) one time but another time, i think (but not sure) the engine caught then slowly faded/died. it did start again when i tried once more.

then this morning, the car was doing the same refusing to start. but it does rev if i put my foot on the gas before letting go the ignition. it did, however, turn the "check engine" light on when i did that.

UPDATE: engine started again as the day warmed up. could this be that there's condensation and it evaporates as the day progresses?

i never had this rough start problem before the new starter was put in. it's very coincidental.

so, i am wondering:

1) is my starter crap or did my mechanic do a bad connection job?
2) or could it really be bad gasoline and a tune up would fix all that?
3) is a tune up something people "really" need? -- always thought it was a marketing ploy
4) do i have a loose connections somewhere causing the condensation trouble?

thanks for any input!

 

If this problem didn't exist when the problem arose, then your mechanic did something wrong.
It could be junk in the fuel system, but fat chance. coincidence of all of this happening right after someone replaces the starter.
I would definitely do a tune up, couldn't hurt.
Is your mechanic certified in Lexus? Because, Lexus is a lot different than Ford...I think you should take it in to someone who know's what their doing...
Hope everything works positive for you!

 

From what you have said, this guy sounds like a very inexperienced mechanic who's taking you for a ride. I wouldn't trust somebody who will diagnose my car over the phone. I feel like he's shifting the blame onto something unrelated.

Get a second opinion asap. Your starter has a plunger with a gear on it. That plunger extends during cranking, and the gear engages with the flex/flywheel, which in turn kick starts the engine's crankshaft. If that gear is misaligned or if it doesn't retract properly, it will cause all sorts of issues. It might even destroy your flex/flywheel. I think that's what he meant by the "floater". It's not difficult to reinstall/check the starter.

Your rough idle could be caused by a bunch of other factors as well.
Bad spark plugs/wires
Dirty Mass Airflow Sensor
Clogged Idle Air Control Valve
Poor fuel supply

Most importantly, make sure your starter is fine before you start chasing ghosts.

P.s.: it could also be as simple as a poor electrical connection in the area he worked in. Make sure your battery cables are tight.