gserep1

Hello,
Has anyone ever changed the starter on the GS-400? I don't need it done, just planning ahead. I like to do most of my work myself, and will most likely do this job when it happens. I looked all under the car today when changing out the transmission fluid, and could not find the starter anywhere on the bottom, so it must be on the top under the intake manifold somewhere close to the firewall. That will be a b.... to change.

I know it is high quality item....I sure hope so, at $1000.00 a pop. I think it is time for a shop manual. Does anyone have the manuals, and is there anywhere else I can get some manuals?

I really looked over the under carriage of the car today, and I am impressed. It is really tight and well constructed. No leaks except for the transmission pan..( someone didn't seal the pan as well as they should). Lexus does not supply a transmission pan gasket, so the gasket must be made with RTV. I like the hard gasket.

How about the fuel filter? I am still looking for that item.

I am also buying the pieces for the 90,000 mile service ahead of time. I don't want to pay the Lexus prices if I can avoid it. They quoted $68.00 for the timing belt, $125.00 for the water pump, $90.00 each for 2 supporting bearings (one on each side of the engine), $75.00 for the tensioner, and about $20.00 for the respective O-Rings and gaskets for the water pump and crank seal. Getting it a bit at a time lessens the sting.

I found out that AMSOIL 100 synthetic transmission fluid finally meets all theToyota requirements, and can be used in place of the Type T and Type T-IV. As an AMSOIL dealer, I will be using this instead of the factory stuff.

I will keep you posted on how it works.

Thanks,
GSEREP1

Pearlpower

iTrader: (2)

The starter on the GS400 like other Lexus V8's is located in the valley under the intake manifold. Not a fun job if it requires to be R&R but doable in a few hours. Just make sure you tighten up everything such as the battery cable to the starter BEFORE you mount the intake. I made such a mistake once and tightening that little 13mm nut is a pain with the intake installed.

Fuel Filter?
Stop looking. The GS400 does not have a fuel filter. Yes. NO filter. Crazy, huh?

My recommendation would be to stick with Toyota trans fluid. Why risk something else?

Lee

gserep1

Pearlpower,

Thanks so much for your reply. I am just learning about Lexus vehicles. I am a long time Toyota fan and owner, and finally made the move up. I will get the service manuals and check it all out.

I am a big synthetic oil / fluid fan, and I KNOW there is something better. I am dismayed that this fluid gets so dirty in such a short period of time. I still haven't decided for this car, but all my other cars use AMSOIL Synthetic Fluid for many years, and it doesn't look as bad as this stuff even when it comes out. Besides, my cars don't require a flluid change during every 30,000 mile service.

I appreciate your comments. It is good to bounce ideas off of knowledgeable people. I'll let you know what I decide on the transmission.

Tnanks
GSEREP1

angelslex

May be this will help. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=85992

JPI Racing

This is something you can do in your garage on the weekend. The tricky part is getting the two bolts that hold the starter in and out(don't cross threaded the bolts and don't break it ). Make sure don't get some rags to cover your intake port, you don't want to drop anything in there. It would bend some valves. Oh yeah, becarefull with the knock sensors. Other than that, this job is doable.
JPI

gserep1

Thanks so much for your responses.
I have been doing mechanic-work for many years, and I want to tackle it when I need to do it. I also know the timing belt replacement will beatough one, but once I getused to working on this car, it will be like all the others.

I may do a report on the timing belt change and submit it to the form. Maybe someone already has, but I can't find it. I don't believe that everyone takes their cars in for the timing belts.

I have a while yet, but plan to do it myself.

Thanks again,

GSEREP1

lexasgs400

I was a little hesitant to do it at first also but with the prices I was being quoted that was all the motivation I needed. I took my time doing the starter since I had never pulled a lexus intake and I was done in 3 hours start to finish.

They say you need to drop the rear of the trans to get to the back bolts of the starter, I used a boxed end wrench put it in a vice and hamered a little angle into it to give me a little extra room

that gave me the confidence to do the timing belt, waterpump, p/s rebuild kit, as well as tensioners

I did not know it at the time i started but in order to do the waterpump you have to remove the intake manifold

Had I known that then I would of done those items when I did the starter

it would of save 2.5 hours

I would be more than happy to help if you have any other questions

JPI Racing

You don't have to remove the intake manifold to get into the waterpump. You have to remove the water neck though.
JPI

angelslex

You don't have to take the intake manifold for this job you. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=85992

lexasgs400

I wish I had known that then,

how do you get the neck off with out the intake?

I tried everything

dmd85059

I've actually ordered a case of Amsoil tranny fluid. However, when I got it i was disspointed to not find any T-IV specification listed anywhere on the box or the bottles themselves. The only place where Amsoil says that their universal fluid is compatible with T-IV is on their website. I'm returning the whole box. I'm not using it until they actually print T-IV compatibilty on the bottle. FYI.

gserep1

Hello,
It is always better to error on the side of caution, but I have had nothing but glowing success with the AMSOIL fluid in my GS4 tranny. It stays cleaner (MUCH cleaner), and thanks to an add-on transmission cooler, it runs considerably cooler as well. The temperature has dropped about 40 degrees, and that has to be better for the transmission. I did all of this to my first GS4, and then had an accident in it, so now the car is gone. The fluid was in about 20,000 miles with no ill effects, but crisper shifting overall. The fluid was still clean after 20,000 miles, by the way.

I have another GS4 now, and I will make the change soon. The previous owner had the 60,000 mile service done at 59,000 miles before he sold it, and now with just over 60,000 miles (60,200 to be exact), the fluid is fresh, but turning colors slightly already. All I did is drive it from Scottsdale Arizona to San Diego, and make a few 100 mile trips in the last 2 weeks.

One thing is certain, you cannot go wrong with the standard fluid. It has a robust cleansing package, but it requires constant changing, and the color and consistency of the fluid near 30,000 miles is disturbing to me...(yet to be fair, I have not heard of any transmission failures using the factory stuff.) Draining the pan repeatedly by pulling the plug only removes 2 quarts at a time, so unless it is power flushed, that is the most that will come out.

I pulled the return line from beneath the radiator, put it in a pan, and just idled the engine all the fluid ran out, and quickly shut the engine off. I got 6 quarts that way. I refilled it, ran it 30 minutes and drained it that way again once more. The fluid coming from the torque converter was quite dirty. Then I decided to run the Amsoil, and haven't regretted it. I pulled the transmission pan (which was really time consuming, and not worththe effort in my opinion.). I cleaned and reused the metal screen, and cleaned the clutch material from the 3 magnets in the pan. Reseating and resealing the transmission pan was the hardest part, with realigning the dipstick tube and transmission pan before the gasket sealer was completely set. Then the bolts have to be put in without cross threading, which can be a chore because of the afore-mentioned dipstick tube.

Good luck on any decision you make, but the Amsoil fluid is awesome in my opinion. I use it my power steering system as well with no ill effects.

GSEREP1